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The Back Nine comes at you after a cold weekend that required a lot of us to stay inside and watch all the great sports going on. It was taxing, but I made it.
10. It was kind of weird to see John Calipari coaching at Arkansas this weekend in his brown checkered jacket. Hey, I knew he’d be there five feet onto the court on every possession, but that jacket felt very weak. I kid because I care. No, the story of this game is that Florida went on the road and got punched in the mouth and then started punching back. You saw the game. Arky has some real talent, but Florida countered with hustle, grit and experience. It was a rock fight, but every game on the road in this league will be that way.
11. The key is Florida won its second straight big game (Arkansas, for now, is a Quad 1 win) without its best player doing a whole lot. Walter Clayton Jr. was 4-for-15 with three turnovers, including what looked like a big one at the end of the half. He also had five assists, so let’s not pretend he did nothing in the game that affected it. Still, it shows the depth of this team which is vital when you’re dealing with foul trouble or turned ankles.
12. But please, national media, stop referring to this as a Final Four team. The Big Dance is two months away. Let’s not get too carried away. I bet some of these media boys and girls have 10 teams listed as Final Four teams. The math doesn’t work. I’m just happy this team has shown different ways to win games. One of those ways is with 3-point defense. Opponents are only hitting 27 percent of their long-range shots. Plus, Florida is averaging a 12.7 advantage in rebounding per game. Guys are doing the little things, which is so much fun to watch.
13. In the SEC (America’s Conference), the first 13 games of conference play were all about the home teams winning 10 of them, many of them by wide margins. But in the last 11 games, the SEC road teams are 8-3. Why, you ask? The league won five road games Saturday and the road teams were all ranked in the top eight in the country. It’s about timing. That said, when we looked at Florida’s first three games — two in two of the toughest places to play — we thought 2-1 would be great.
14. Shout out to the Florida gymnastics team for winning a quad meet to start the season. Scores were a little low, but that is to be expected in the first meet of the year. Especially exciting to see Skye Blakely compete on bars 199 days after tearing her Achilles at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Net up, they go to No. 2 LSU for a Friday night ESPN2 meet in front of what should be a huge crowd. Yes, Livvy Dunne is still competing for the Tigers as a fifth-year senior.
15. Dr. Football split on The Picks in the Football Final Four and 1-1 means the record is 47-39-1. I could cash out, but there is that one game remaining. To be honest, my level of interest in a game between two teams I usually root against is not overwhelming. But I think the brands will result in good ratings. I … am … going … all … in on Ohio State giving 8.5 points. If this was real money, I’d start sweating now.
16. Didn’t do so well with my NFL picks, although, if the Rams win tonight, I will break even. Bucs fans are going to hear the doink off the goalposts that ended up being the end of their season in their sleep. On to this weekend’s games:
- In the Saturday games, I think eight points is a lot to give the Texans against the Chiefs. I know the Texans have been inconsistent, but so have the Chiefs … except the whole winning part. I’ll take my Chiefs to cover and Detroit to cover 8.5 against the Redskins.
- In the Sunday games, Baltimore at Buffalo could be epic, which is why it’s a 1-point spread. I’m taking the Ravens, reluctantly. And whichever team is playing the Eagles after tonight’s game will lose and lose by enough to cover the spread, whatever it is.
17. I watched the women’s game and here’s what a sports nerd I am. The game was on ESPN Plus and had no score or time displayed. And I wanted the sound on from the NFL game. So, I watched Florida-Missouri on the big TV and hit that “C” button on Cox Cable that shows you all of the scores. I need to get a life. Hey, it was cold outside. Gators were not cold however as Liv McGill went for the first triple-double in seven years for UF.
18. OK, so this is the real Final Four because I will reveal my favorite groups right now. Again peeps, this doesn’t mean they are the best bands in the world, just my faves. Here we go:
- 4. Queen – Favorite song “Somebody to Love”.
- 3. R.E.M. – Favorite song “Losing My Religion”.
- 2. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Favorite Song “The Waiting”.
- 1. The Beatles – Favorite song “A Day in The Life”.
First Four Out – The Who, Jethro Tull, Sister Hazel, The Bangles.
Next Four Out – The Avett Brothers, The Head and the Heart, Nirvana, Lynyrd Skynyrd.
WRUF.com sports columnist Pat Dooley can be heard on “The Tailgate” along with Jeff Cardozo from 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday on 98.1-FM/AM-850 WRUF.
