Sports: Columns - The Independent Florida Alligator

Tampa Bay goalie Anders Lindback (39) makes a save as Montreal winger Max Pacioretty (67) looks for a rebound during Game 1 of their first-round playoff series in Tampa.

Sports

Playoff hockey is worth watching

By GORDON STREISAND< | Apr. 16, 2014

Hockey is effing great. It’s full of cool stuff.

Will Yeguete jumps on teammate Patric Young's back in celebration following Florida's 62-52 win against Dayton on Saturday in FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn.

Sports

Gators still worth cherishing despite Final Four loss

By JONATHAN CZUPRYN< | Apr. 7, 2014

ARLINGTON, Texas — Trust me Gators fans, I know this sucks.

Gators basketball seniors Scottie Wilbekin, Will Yeguete, Casey Prather and Patric Young embrace after leaving the floor of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center for the last time during Florida’s 84-65 win against Kentucky on March 8.

Sports

UF fans should savor basketball team while they have the chance

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Mar. 19, 2014

Enjoy this, Gators fans.

Sports

NFL should end extra point, other sports’ rules should change

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Jan. 22, 2014

Every now and then, Grantland.com attempts to write the worst sports column on Earth. Today, Adam will try, too.

Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman (25) hits the ball away from San Francisco receiver Michael Crabtree (15) during the NFC Championship game on Sunday in Seattle.

Sports

Sherman OK by me

By LANDON WATNICK< | Jan. 20, 2014

By now, you’ve probably read about or listened to Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman’s controversial postgame comments following his team’s 23-17 win in the NFC Championship over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.

Jameis Winston attempts a pass during Florida’s 37-7 loss to Florida State on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

Picks Column: Conference Championship Weekend

Dec. 3, 2013

Another year has come and gone for the alligatorSports Brand Picks Column, and we’re in a nostalgic mood.

Sports

Columnist thankful for lessons learned through mistakes

By JOE MORGAN< | Dec. 3, 2013

Former alligatorSports Editor Matt Watts looked at my computer screen and laughed.

UF coach Will Muschamp watches on during Florida's 37-7 loss to No. 2 FSU on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Gators earned commitments from two 2014 four-star recruits on Thursday.

Sports

Time for UF to move on from ugly season

By ADAM PINCUS< | Dec. 1, 2013

God must hate Florida football.

Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron (10) celebrates a touchdown against LSU on Nov. 9 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Sports

Picks Column: Florida State

Nov. 25, 2013

In honor of this miserable season coming to a close, we at the alligatorSports Brand Picks Column would like to honor Florida’s bowl-less offseason. Well, no, that’s not entirely true. There will be plenty of bowls of chips to go around when the Gators are watching any one of 35 bowl games that they couldn’t get invited to. Make sure to remember the French onion dip!

Will Muschamp walks off the field following Florida’s 26-20 loss to Georgia Southern on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Gators’ loss to the Eagles was their first loss to a current FCS team since 1946.

Sports

Muschamp deserves more time

By JOE MORGAN< | Nov. 24, 2013

I know you’re mad.

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley passes during the first half of a 37-10 win against California in Pasadena, Calif., on Oct. 12, 2013.

Sports

Picks Column: Georgia Southern

Nov. 21, 2013

We here at the alligatorSports Brand Picks Column are extraordinarily excited for this weekend. For the Georgia Southern-Florida game, you ask? Of course not. The second installment of the ‘Hunger Games’ series, “Catching Fire” premiered last night at midnight! If that doesn’t get your heart pumping, then we don’t know what’s wrong with you. Just watch the trailer, for crying out loud!

By adding three-star prospect Deiondre Porter out of Tampa Jefferson High, coach Will Muschamp now has 22 commits in his 2014 class. The class is currently ranked seventh in the country, according to Rivals.com.

Sports

Dark season still offers hope

By PHILLIP HEILMAN< | Nov. 18, 2013

I'm not much of a fan of extended metaphors.

Brent Pease watches players warm up prior to Florida’s 19-14 loss to South Carolina on Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. Using a new-look attack, the Gators ran for 200 yards — 169 coming in the first half — against the Gamecocks.

Sports

Pease shows promise in changed offensive approach

By JOE MORGAN< | Nov. 17, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Brent Pease looked like a new man on Saturday night.

Miami quarterback Stephen Morris (17) passes for a first down during his team's 24-21 win against Wake Forest in Miami Gardens on Oct. 26.

Sports

Picks Column: South Carolina

Nov. 14, 2013

Sitting at 4-5 with a likely loss ahead of them in Columbia, S.C., the Gators could easily be batting .400 by weekend’s end. With that possibility in mind, as well as our nation’s recent observance of Veterans Day — thank you for your service — we here at the alligatorSports Brand Picks Column would like to talk about Ted Williams — Teddy Ballgame — the last man to bat better than .400 in Major League Baseball.

Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall passes in a 35-17 win against Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., on Nov. 2.

Sports

The Rally: Who will win the UGA-AU game?

By PHILLIP HEILMAN< | Nov. 14, 2013

Each week, two alligatorSports columnists will debate the biggest looming matchup in college football. Today, Phillip Heilman and Adam Pincus preview No. 25 Georgia’s road matchup against No. 7 Auburn on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.

Skyler Mornhinweg warms up prior to Florida’s 24-7 victory against Kentucky on Sept. 28 in Commonwealth Stadium. Mornhinweg will make the first start of his college career against South Carolina at 7:10 p.m. on Saturday.

Sports

#HotSportsTakes: Forget Tyler, UF should start Skyler

By JOE MORGAN< | Nov. 12, 2013

Every now and then, Grantland.com attempts to write the worst sports column on Earth. Today, Joe will try, too.

Florida coach Will Muschamp gazes at the Missouri crowd and reflects after the No. 22 Gators' 36-17 loss to the No. 14 Tigers on Oct. 19 in Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo.

Sports

Overreactions to struggles of Florida football team unwarranted

By ADAM PINCUS< | Nov. 11, 2013

It started with a tweet.

Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs past Connecticut defensive end Tim Willman, left, during UCF's 62-17 win in Orlando on Oct. 26.

Sports

Picks Column: Vanderbilt

Nov. 7, 2013

Listen up, pipsqueaks.

Cody Riggs (31) tackles LSU junior wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) during Florida’s 17-6 loss to LSU on Oct. 12 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

Sports

Can LSU cover a 13-point spread against Alabama?

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Nov. 6, 2013

Each week, two alligatorSports columnists will debate the biggest looming matchup in college football. Today, Adam Lichtenstein and Adam Pincus preview No. 13 LSU’s road matchup against No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday at 8 p.m. on CBS. For simplicity, Adam Pincus will go as “Pincus.”

Coach Will Muschamp walks off the field following Florida’s 23-20 loss to Georgia on Nov. 2 at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.

Sports

Florida fans should rally behind downtrodden program

By ADAM PINCUS< | Nov. 3, 2013

JACKSONVILLE — Could it have gone any worse? Florida falls behind early only to knock on victory’s door, have it swing open and smack it in the face.