Info About Football: January 2010

Friday, January 22, 2010

Aquilani admits to Liverpool struggle

Alberto Aquilani believes it would have been easier for him to adjust to Premier League life at Liverpool if the Reds had been in better form.

The Italian midfielder's limited involvement since his summer move from Roma to Anfield has been well documented.

Aquilani was injured at the start of his Reds career and supporters have been frustrated by the length of time it has taken for Rafa Benitez to bring him into the side on a regular basis.

The 25-year-old admits it has been a difficult time but he does not think it was fair that he was expected to be Liverpool's saviour after some disappointing results at the beginning of the season.

"Ideally, I would have been able to start playing in a team that was winning matches," he aid in the Daily Mirror.

"But instead, by the time I was fit, the team was going through a difficult period.

"That made the transition to English football a lot harder. As a foreign player, moving to a new country with different team-mates, it would have been easier for me if I was starting my Liverpool career in a winning team.

"It hasn't been that way, so the pressure has been on me to produce performances straight away - when I have played though I know I can do a lot, lot better."

Aquilani is confident his level will improve now he is getting back into peak condition, while he has told fans they will see his best when the team is at full strength.

"At the moment I am still regaining my fitness after a long time away from football and it will take me time to get back to a level I am happy with - but I don't think I'm that far away," he said.

"The manager has explained to me in detail what he wants me to do for the team.

"When every player is fit, including me, I think it will bring the best out of me, and the fans will see the real player.

"I am happy at Liverpool and am already completely settled.

"It is clear it is a family club and I am grateful for the way I have been treated - and I now want to repay that kindness."

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

World Cup 2010 Team - England

World Cup 2010 Team-Brazil

Monday, January 18, 2010

World Cup 2010 Team-Spain

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Players of the decade. Some of the finest players in the Premier League over the past 10 years..

Shay Given

Newcastle 1997-2009, Man City 2009-present

A model of consistency for Newcastle United, Shay Given was named in the Premier League Team of the Season for 2001/02 and 2005/06. The Irish stopper was twice picked for the PFA team of the season. Now playing for Manchester City, their new manager Roberto Mancini described him as one of the world's top five goalkeepers.

Rio Ferdinand Leeds 2000-2002, Man Utd 2002-present

Tall, elegant, accomplished centre back, Rio Ferdinand has matured into one of the best defenders on the world stage. Ferdinand has played a major role in United's success of the millennium, winning four Premier League titles, two League Cups and the Champions League. The England international has also been named in the PFA team of the year for five seasons.

John Terry

Chelsea 1998-present
Brave, fearless defender, John Terry puts his head in places where other players would be too scared to put their feet. The England star has skippered Chelsea to two Premier League titles, three FA Cup wins and two League Cup successes. He was named PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2005 and the all-star squad for the 2006 World Cup.

Ryan Giggs

Man Utd 1991-present
Even at the grand old age of 36, Ryan Giggs is still wowing Manchester United fans with his flair and superb goals. His 11 Premier League crowns, four FA Cups, three League Cups and two Champions League wins makes him English football's most decorated player. Giggs has been named in the PFA Team of the Year on eight occasions and voted PFA Player of the Year in 2009. The midfielder is the only player to have scored in every Premier League season.

Roy Keane

Man Utd 1993-2005
Adored by Manchester United fans for his aggressive and physical play, midfield hard man Roy Keane will go down in history as one of Manchester United's greatest captains. Keane helped United to seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and was named both Football Writers' and Player's Player of the year in 2000.

Frank Lampard

West Ham 1995-2001, Chelsea 2001-present
The England star's work-rate, excellent passing and unbelievable scoring record makes him one of the best all-round midfielders to have played in the Premier League. Won two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and two League Cups with Chelsea, also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Robert Pires

Arsenal 2000-2006
Robert Pires entertained Arsenal fans with his creative wing play and wonderful goals. He played an integral role in Arsenal's Premier League title success of 2002 and was part of the Gunners' "Invincibles" team that won the Premier League without losing a match in 2004. The Frenchman also claimed three FA Cups, helped Arsenal reach the Champions League final, scooped the Football Writers' Player of the Year in 2001/02 and placed in the PFA Team of the Year three times.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Man Utd 2003-2009

Cristiano Ronaldo struck fear into opposition defences with his lightning pace and fancy footwork. He was the creative force of United's Premier League title success of 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, the Champions League win in 2008, also helping them to the 2004 FA Cup and 2006 and 2009 League Cup triumphs. Among a clutch of personal awards, Ronaldo was voted Premier League Player of the Season in 2006/07 and 2007/08, also voted in the PFA Team of the Year four times and was FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008.

Paul Scholes

Man Utd 1994-present
One of Manchester United's greats, Paul Scholes has played a pivotal role in the Red Devils' glory over the past decade with his precision passing and eye for goal. He has nine Premier League winners' medals, three FA Cups, a League cup win and clinched the Champions League twice. The midfielder has also been named in the PFA Team of the Year for three campaigns.

Patrick Vieira

Arsenal 1996-2005, Man City 2010-present

An influential figure in Arsenal's engine room, Patrick Vieira would effortlessly stop an opponent in midfield with a crunching tackle before swiftly creating an Arsenal attack with an accurate pass forward. Vieira won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups as well as being named in the PFA Team of the Year six times overall. Now back in the Barclays Premier League with Manchester City.

Dennis Bergkamp

Arsenal 1995-2006
Dennis Bergkamp's pin-point passing, vision and ability to score spectacular goals played a part of Arsenal's success at the start of the decade. Playing just behind the centre forward, the Dutch star had the creative licence to impact matches for the Gunners. He won the Premier League with Arsenal three times and has four FA Cup winners' medals.

Paolo di Canio

West Ham 1999-2003, Charlton 2003-2004
The skillful, fiery Italian really sparkled for West Ham United making him a big hit with the Upton Park faithful. Paolo di Canio helped West Ham qualify for the UEFA Cup and scored one of the greatest Premier League goals of all-time with a sublime volley against Wimbledon in March 2000. Di Canio moved onto Charlton Athletic and played his part in their best-ever Premier League finish of seventh.

Didier Drogba

Chelsea 2004-present
The powerful centre forward continues to trouble defences with his physical presence and scoring prowess. His goals have helped Chelsea to two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and two League Cups with the Blues in pole position for another Premier League crown. The Ivory Coast international was the Premier League's top scorer in 2007 and also featured in the PFA Team of the Year.

Thierry Henry

Arsenal 1999-2007
When Arsenal manager brought in this young winger from Juventus, few would have predicted how much of an impact Thierry Henry would have on the Premier League stage. But switched up front, the pacey Frenchman became one of the most lethal strikers in the world. His goals enabled Arsenal to win two Premier League titles and two FA Cups. Henry was the Premier League's top scorer in 2001/02, 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06, voted the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year three times. He was named in the Team of the Year on six occasions.

Michael Owen

Liverpool 1996-2004, Newcastle 2005-2009, Man Utd 2009-present
Now starring up front for Manchester United, Michael Owen will be aiming to add to his silverware collection won at his first club Liverpool. Owen was Liverpool's top goal scorer from 1997-2004 and helped the Reds win the FA Cup, League Cup twice, UEFA Cup plus UEFA Super Cup, claiming European Footballer of the Year in 2001. Injury hampered his career at Newcastle United but he still chipped in with vital goals and he has been an effective super sub for United this term.

Wayne Rooney

Everton 2002-2004, Manchester United 2004-present
Wayne Rooney burst onto the scene as 16-year-old for Everton and his precocious talent caught the eye of Manchester United. The England international went on to win the Premier League three times, the Champions League and also the League Cup since moving to Old Trafford and has his sights on even more trophies.

Alan Shearer

Newcastle 1996-2006
Alan Shearer scored for fun in the Premier League, hitting the back of the net 260 times in 441 matches - more than any other Premier League player. His goals contributed to Newcastle's third place Premier League finish in 2003 and to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Man Utd 2001-2006
The Holland international's goals played a major part in Manchester United's success in the first half of the Noughties. He won Premier League, League Cup and FA Cup winners' medals and was the Premier League's top scorer in 2002/03. But the forward was particularly devastating in the Champions League, top scoring in 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2004/05.

Steven Gerrard

Liverpool 1998-present
The driving midfielder has kept Liverpool tick over the years, the type of player that is never afraid to shirk a challenge while popping up on the big occasions to score crucial goals. Steven Gerrard has helped Liverpool to two FA Cup wins, two League Cups, a UEFA Cup and a Champions League win. Personally, the England player has won the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year award in 2008/09, the PFA Players' Player of the Year honour in 2005/06 and named in the PFA Team of the Year six times.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

World Cup 2010 Team - Denmark

Friday, January 15, 2010

Wayne Rooney aside – The curious case of England’s lost generation

Wayne-Rooney-Manchester-UnitedAs we stumble drunkenly and half cocked into a shiny new decade it’s only natural to let our minds wander over the one just passed. The great and the good, the ups and the downs and the fluffy little bits in the middle which are so numerous that I generally find it much better to take a single example to focus on rather than sprawl my gaze over all and sundry. And what better example, as we wake up grumpy and dishevelled in that most glorious and fleeting of decade occurrences, a World Cup year, than the England Team?

The ups and the downs are there, with the ups usually coming from the restoration of expectations so freely destroyed by the often multiple downs, rather than the realizing of the expectations themselves – which never happens with England anyway. The fluffy little bits in the middle are still there, being fluffy all over the shop. And the great and the good..erm, well. Hmmm. Now this is where I get stuck. In fact the more I think about it, the more I decide that the last decade for the English National Team has been almost entirely comprised of the fluffy little bits in the middle. Shall I tell you why?

In the’ 90s, The England Team became a very different beast from its ’80s incarnation. A new generation emerged. Shearer took over from Lineker, Sheringham from Beardsley, Seaman from Shilton and Gazza attempted to live up to his role as the great white hope. Even within the decade itself, an even newer generation emerged on the coat tails of the last. ‘Fergies Fledgelings’ stormed British football, backed up, in as much style, if not as much substance, by Liverpool’s ‘Spice Boys’ and the latest offerings from the perennial International conveyor belt that is West Ham United. David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand Frank Lampard, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard. David James and even little Joe Cole, all made their first impressions on football in this decade. Some more notably than others, but all, bar Gerrard and Cole, had already gained their first England caps by the turn of the century (with Gerrard making his bow in 2000 and Cole 2001) From the beginning to the end of the ’90s the team had changed completely with only Gazza still considered a real contender from the ’80s crop. And even he was banished by the Hand of Hod in 1998, destined to wander the complex landscape of his own head forever more.

Using this template, one would assume that the same progress and transition would have been made as we fumble and burp our way into a new decade 10 years on. Erm, well no. In fact as we gear up for another crushing disappointment at an International tournament with nothing but our own ludicrous expectations to blame, very little has changed at all. Paul Scholes has retired, but all the rest are still very much in contention, with Forgetful Ferdinand, Fat Frank, Steve Starfish and even Lord David of Beckenham, considered certainties for the trip to the land of the horrendously sounding plastic horns. Were it not for the troubled injury records of messes Owen, Neville and Cole, they would almost certainly be certainties too. So what is wrong with this picture? Do not adjust your sets.

No doubt there will be some who’ll instantly lay the blame at the door of those dastardly foreign hoards who’ve invaded our beautiful English grass with their greasy gringo ways and ‘took our jobs’ so to speak. I’m not one of these people, for I see the globalization of our game as doing nothing but good for the standards of our homegrown players. The fault, unfortunately for Daily Mail readers, lies at our own doorsteps. The generation that should have taken over from the media-christened ‘Golden Generation’ just weren’t good enough. They were there, and still are, but they’ve been lost. Take the right wing for example, a position where we’ll no doubt be more covered for than any other. David ‘Baby’ Bentley, Aaron ‘I can run really really fast but I’m not quite sure what to do with this ball thingy when I get there’ Lennon and Mini Wrighty-Phillipsy will all be clamouring for a chance to displace the mighty Lord David of the holy pants salesmen come the summer, but the likelihood is that we’ll still be relying on the expert passing ability of Golden Balls for sustenance in South Africa. At the very least from the bench. So why? – I hear you scream in frustration.

Well, I can only speculate, but as good a reason as any is the culture in which this generation have grown up. Beckham et al grew up in a footballing world of humility. A world where they still had to clean the boots of the senior players before making the step up. A world before mega hype. A world where you had to work for your Ferrari, not pick it up nonchalantly with your first paycheck. Brazil still produces extraordinary talent yearly, and most Brazilians see football as a way out of poverty. Many, if not most of them, have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune at some stage of their life. Most peak too early, and seem to lose interest in the game with nothing left to prove or earn by their late twenties. Little (but now Large) Ronaldo (better known as Ronaldinho) and even larger real Ronaldo are both busy proving this as we speak. You can’t blame this lax attitude solely on money of course. Each individual is different. The one shining exception of the ‘Lost’ generation is Wayne Rooney, a player subjected to nothing but hype, fame and riches as soon as he stepped on a professional football field. Yet he has managed to avoid the pitfalls of nonchalance and complacency. But then again he is a once in a generation player. The Gazza of the Noughties, without the madness. One thing that both David Beckham and his replacement in the Manchester United No.7 shirt, Cristiano Ronaldo, share is a fearsome work ethic. Ronaldo is 10 times the natural talent that Beckham was, but both rose to global prominence due to a personal desire to be the best they could be.

So maybe this is what was missing from the ‘lost’ generation – an actual desire to be the best? Can attaining all the material wealth you desire at an early age really explain the loss of this desire? Neither Beckham nor Ronaldo would have faked the death of their Grandmother to go on the lash during the season. But Gazza might have, and George Best would’ve been killing of Grandmothers on a weekly basis. But they were exceptional. They were Ronaldos not Beckhams. Can this trend be bucked by good man management? The kind that Ferguson and Wenger seem so adept at? Could Bentley, Pennant et al have been reprieved with a better mentor? We can only hope, because this generation, bar Rooney, seems irreversibly lost. With Jack Wilshere making strides at Arsenal and Ravel Morrison breezing his way through the United academy system to significant hype, we must hope that the future is bright for England. Because we don’t want to be wheeling Sir David out of his lucrative retirement advertising hair replacement technology on Dave to take last minute free kicks in 2020. Do we?

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

15 modern-era nominees join senior candidates as finalists for Class of 2010

Three first-year eligible players, Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith, are among the 15 modern-era finalists who will be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the Hall’s Selection Committee meets in South Florida on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010.

Joining the three first-year eligible players, are 11 other modern-era players and a longtime head coach. The 15 modern-era finalists, along with the two senior nominees announced in August 2009 (former Detroit Lions cornerback Dick LeBeau and former Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little) will be the only candidates considered for Hall of Fame election when the 44-member Selection Committee meets. To be elected, a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent.

The official Hall of Fame Selection Committee’s 17 finalists (15 Modern-Era and two Senior Nominees*) with their positions, teams, and years active follow:

Tim Brown – Wide Receiver/Kick Returner – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cris Carter – Wide Receiver – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins

Don Coryell – Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers

Roger Craig – Running Back – 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings

Dermonti Dawson – Center – 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers

Richard Dent – Defensive End – 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles

Russ Grimm – Guard – 1981-1991 Washington Redskins

Charles Haley – Defensive End/Linebacker – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys

Rickey Jackson – Linebacker – 1981-1993 New Orleans Saints, 1994-95 San Francisco 49ers

Cortez Kennedy – Defensive Tackle – 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks

Dick LeBeau* – Cornerback – 1959-1972 Detroit Lions

Floyd Little* – Running Back – 1967-1975 Denver Broncos

John Randle – Defensive Tackle – 1990-2000 Minnesota Vikings, 2001-03 Seattle Seahawks

Andre Reed – Wide Receiver – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins

Jerry Rice – Wide Receiver – 1985-2000 San Francisco 49ers, 2001-04 Oakland Raiders, 2004 Seattle Seahawks

Shannon Sharpe – Tight End – 1990-99, 2002-03 Denver Broncos, 2000-01 Baltimore Ravens

Emmitt Smith – Running Back – 1990-2002 Dallas Cowboys, 2003-04 Arizona Cardinals

Carter, Dawson, Dent, Grimm, Kennedy, Randle, Reed, and Sharpe have all been finalists in previous years. Although they were eligible in previous years, this is the first time Coryell, Craig, Haley, Jackson, Little, and LeBeau have been finalists.

From this year’s list, five players – Dawson, Grimm, Kennedy, LeBeau, and Little – spent their entire NFL career with just one team.

LeBeau and Little were selected as senior candidates by the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee at their August 2009 meeting. The Seniors Committee reviews the qualifications of those players whose careers took place more than 25 years ago. The remaining 15 modern-era finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall’s 44-member Selection Committee from a list of 131 preliminary nominees that earlier was reduced to a list of 25 semifinalists. To be eligible for election, modern-era players and coaches must be retired at least five years (prior to 2007 coaches were eligible immediately after retiring).

Since Coryell retired prior to the 2007 change in coach’s eligibility, he has been eligible the longest of the modern-era nominees, 23 years. Grimm has been eligible 14 years, while Craig has been eligible 12 years. Jackson has been eligible for 10 years, Dent eight years, Haley six years, Reed, Dawson and Kennedy five years, Carter three years, Randle and Sharpe two years. Brown, Rice and Smith are in their first year of eligibility. Senior nominees LeBeau and Little have been eligible 33 years and 30 years respectively.

The Selection Committee will meet in South Florida, on Saturday, February 6, 2010, to elect the Hall of Fame Class of 2010. The election results will be announced at 5 p.m. ET during a one-hour NFL Network special, live from the Broward County Convention Center.

At the 2010 selection meeting, the selectors will thoroughly discuss the careers of each finalist. Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s current ground rules stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and a class of six or seven can only be achieved if one or both senior nominees are elected. Representatives of the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche will tabulate all votes during the meeting.

At the announcement, Pro Football Hall of Fame President/Executive Director Steve Perry will be presented with an envelope containing the names of the nominees elected. Each newly elected member will be contacted immediately by the Hall of Fame. Members of the Class of 2010 in South Florida for the Super Bowl will be asked to join the live announcement show. Those not able to attend will be asked to join via teleconference.

Fans heard
Also, for the first time fans are invited to vote for their choice for the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the Van Heusen Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan’s Choice at www.fanschoice.com.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame, Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation and JC Penney Company have teamed to provide the first-ever dedicated forum for fans to debate, discuss and voice their choice by voting for the Hall of Fame Enshrinee Class of 2010. The robust forum also includes stats on all candidates and opinions from football experts, Hall of Fame players and fans around the country.

The Van Heusen Fan’s Choice campaign which launched in September, mirrors the Hall of Fame’s selection process and will name the first-ever Fan’s Choice Class live on NFL Network just prior to the official announcement from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Van Heusen Fan’s Choice Top 15 list includes seven candidates who also appear on the official Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee list including: Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Richard Dent, Charles Haley, Jerry Rice, Shannon Sharpe and Emmitt Smith.

Others who made the Van Heusen Fan’s Choice Top 15 list who didn’t make the official Hall of Fame Selection Committee list include an athletic trainer, Otho Davis; a coach, Tom Flores; as well as former players, Cliff Branch, Todd Christensen, Ray Guy, Lester Hayes, Ed “Too Tall” Jones , and Jim Plunkett.

The Final Round of fan voting begins today and the top 15 Fan’s choices will be combined with the Hall of Fame Selection Committee choices for one powerhouse list of candidates looking for fans’ votes to become a part of the inaugural Fan’s Choice class.

Fans are encouraged to visit www.fanschoice.com to vote for their favorites before the Fan’s Choice Class is revealed on February 6.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Earl Thomas' Texas two-step is football and music

Safety Earl Thomas does a lot for the Texas football team. He has eight interceptions, which is second in the nation, and 71 tackles, which is second on the team.

He even puts points on the scoreboard, having returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns.

Yes, Thomas does just about everything except play in the band.

And even that could be arranged.

Thomas, a sophomore, has little down time between practice with the Longhorns and practice with Bad Bones, a jazz group based in Austin, Texas. He plays piano in the group, but can also play the organ, saxophone and drums.

At West Orange (Texas) Stark High, Thomas read both offensive schemes and music sheets on Friday nights, playing football before shedding his pads and joining the band for the halftime show.

"It was kind of embarrassing," Thomas said. "We were a small school, so there were maybe 30-35 people in the band. I'd take off my shoulder pads and helmet and march in my cleats."

Thomas' musical abilities are well known around the Texas team.

"Last year, there was a piano in our dining hall. He'd sit down and start playing. It was pretty amazing," defensive end Sam Acho said.

Other times he has "volunteered" when the team has gone on bonding excursions.

"Any time we go somewhere, you can get pushed up there," Thomas said, pointing out that defensive end Sergio Kindle was sent up to rap when the Longhorns went to a comedy club Sunday night. When called upon, Thomas said, "I sit down, get in the groove, and go from there."

Thomas' start in music began when he was 12. His church needed a piano player and his grandfather, the church's pastor, nudged him into the spotlight.

"My uncle went to college and we didn't have a piano player," Thomas said. "My grandfather told me to go up there and try to make some music."

It led to a backup career. Thomas knew someone who knew someone in Bad Bones, "so I got an audition." It led to a permanent spot in the band, which plays clubs in the lively Austin music scene.

Thomas occasionally teams up with Texas wide receiver Jordan Shipley, who plays guitar and has written and recorded his own music.

"We played at the [Fiesta] Bowl last season," Thomas said. "I was on drums."

Said Acho: "Earl is excellent. You should hear him."

Or maybe the Texas marching band should.

"He was in the band in high school?" Acho said, smiling. "That, I didn't know. Now I got something on him."

Friday, January 8, 2010

Tim Tebow: Can College Football Stand To Lose This Player?

I know what you are thinking. Yeah, just another story about Tim Tebow.

I am a lifelong, through and through, Alabama fan who has tremendous respect for this young man. I don't plan on boring you with stats, because if I started listing stats and records, this article would turn into a short novel, so I am just going to give a few points or recollections and give Tebow the respect he deserves.

I do remember his recruiting when Coach Mike Shula seemed to have somewhat of a chance of getting Tebow to come to Alabama. I watched a high school game on ESPN, thinking that it was Hoover High School vs Nease High School, and remember thinking to myself, “What a talented young Quarterback."

Soon after, he chose to play at Florida, and the time since has been nothing short of incredible.

Tebow is a player who seems to make everyone around him better. He can plug energy into a whole team, and he can also put the team on his back and carry it if need be.

In my lifetime, I remember some great athletes like Bo Jackson, one of the best if not the best running backs to play the college game, Herschel Walker, another phenomenal running back, and Derrick Thomas, a great linebacker. I am sure there are plenty of others who you and I both can recall, but giving all these great players the respect they deserve, none of these, in my opinion, had the same impact on College Football as Tim Tebow.

He is without a doubt one of the best all around College Football players to ever play the game, if for nothing else than through the way in which he plays the game, not to mention the way he lives his life off the field, since he is as good of a person as you can find anywhere. His name is known immediately in any town and in any state in this great nation without a pause.

Not only is Florida losing the greatest to probably ever wear that uniform, but College Football is also losing one of the greatest to ever play the game.

You hear other teams fans in the SEC say, “We are glad he’s gone." From a competition standpoint, most likely they are right. Teams know when you line up against him, your outcome is not usually the way you like it.

But is College Football ready for this exit? Well, it looks that it has no choice. Bama fan or not, when the dust settles, I for one will miss watching him.

I am sure this will not reach Tim’s ear, but I for one, being a College Football fan, want to say Thank You Tim…. And God Bless.