Hosts: Sonny, Ryan and Rich

In this episode, we discussed this weekend’s slate of college football games. Two big matchups await us in the SEC. Can the Tennessee Volunteers’ powerful running game do just enough to slow down Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin and the explosive Florida Gators? Also, who will win between LSU and Auburn? Sonny is boldly predicting a Tiger victory. Also, we talk about the effect of Arizona State’s loss to UNLV and how that impacts their matchup against Georgia.

 

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Joakim Noah has always said he was “goin’ to do it big” one day. Noah also isn’t shy about letting you know either. Last Sunday, the Bulls rookie was spotted on a sidewalk in Gainsville, Florida with a plastic cup of beer. That’s not all though. Upon arriving at the police station, officers found some marijuana in his pockets. One would like to think Noah would have some type of intelligence after graduating from Florida, but I guess roaming around the university with a beer and a gram are more important.

On a day where we mourn the loss of Redskins safety Sean Taylor, the sports world has quietly lost another iconic figure. He’s a guy that never played a game but shaped how thousands of athletes perform. That man is Dr. Robert Cade, the doctor who created Gatorade way back in 1965. Cade died of kidney failure today at the age of 80.

In a way, Cade gave all of us Average Joes a way to further connect with an athlete. We can’t dunk like Michael, putt like Tiger, or be a huge commercial whore like one Peyton Manning. But we can all drink Gatorade! It’s hard to believe it all started with one simple question: “Doctor, why don’t football players wee-wee after a game?”

Cade also contributed to another sports phenomenon: The Gatorade Shower. If it wasn’t for Gatorade, who knows what coaches would get dumped on their heads following a huge win. Milk? V8? Acid? It’s anyone’s guess. Imagine Hoody Belichick being soaked in 2%. It can’t be done. That’s how iconic Gatorade has become.

On behalf of sports enthusiasts everywhere, thank you, Dr. Cade. Your beverage has become synonymous with sports and badass commercials. May you enjoy the soothing flavor of Glacier Freeze and Riptide Rush for all eternity. We extend our condolences to the Cade family.

College football is all about tradition. It’s fairly easy to distinguish the powerhouse schools and the also-rans just by looking at their uniform. While the NFL certainly has teams that stay loyal to their uniforms (Raiders and Steelers), college football is far more reliant on its tradition. Below are my five favorite college football uniforms.

1. Penn State Nittany Lions. I used to hate this jersey because it was so plain. But as the years have gone on, its grown on me. There’s not much to it. At home, the Joe Pa’s squad runs out of the tunnel in the same thing they’ve donned for years: A blue jersey with white lettering on top of white pants and a white helmet. Simple, but effective. Penn State refuses to change things over time. Coach Paterno is old enough to remember killing woolly mammoths, and their uniforms have stood the test of time.

2. LSU Tigers. Besides the Cajun fanbase, I’m a fan of all things LSU. I’m a big fan of Death Valley, their fight song as well as their uniforms. Aside from their primary white jerseys, worn in most games, LSU also rocks a purple jersey. The jerseys also have their own tradition behind them. LSU only wears the purple jerseys for non-SEC games, excluding the home opener. Who knew there were so many rules?

3. Texas Longhorns. Orange doesn’t exactly have a rich history in college football (I’m looking at you, Syracuse.) But burnt orange is another story. The Longhorns are a team with rich history, whether its the Hook Em’ gesture, Bevo, Mack Brown getting bitch slapped by Oklahoma before Vince Young showed up and The World’s Largest Texas Flag.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Homerism aside, few things represent college football more than Notre Dame’s gold helmets, which receive a fresh coat of paint before every game. The tradition of the gold helmets coincides with the famed “Golden Dome” on the campus. The Irish also wear a green jersey on occasion. They’ll wear it again for this year’s meeting with USC.

5. Florida Gators. Florida’s tradition revolves more around winning than keeping the same uniform. The Gators often fall victim to some awful ideas by Nike, who attempt to innovate college football by ruining good looking uniforms. Whether it’s the home blues or road whites, the Gators look sharp. They’ve even worn a throwback that’s badass.

Tell Sportable: What are your favorites?

With Florida Magic coach Billy Donovan plotting a return back to the Gainesville campus, NBA suits are pissed off. Should this flip-flop be complete, Donovan will lose a few things. For one, he’ll lose an additional 2.5$ that he won’t make at the University of Florida. But he also might lose a chance coach in the NBA for the next five years.

Multiple sources said that Donovan is being asked to refrain from coaching in the NBA for five years as one of the terms of his release from his Magic contract. Especially in light of this newest wrinkle, negotiations were expected to continue into Tuesday.

The decision really makes sense. When franchises fire coaches, it’s a big move. It means they want the culture of the team to change and for a new era to be ushered in. Because the “Donovan Era” lasted all of a weekend, the Magic are now in turmoil. Where do they go next? Who do they contact? Is Stan Van Gundy the man? These are all questions that wouldn’t have been asked if Donovan thought harder about what he wanted to do with his life.

Nick Saban stuck it out for a couple years before burning every bridge he had in the NFL. Rick Pitino stayed in Boston for a few years and got his ass handed to him. But if Donovan really wants to be at Florida, he needs to know it’s a commitment, which seems to be a tough thing for him to get through his head.

I always thought a contract was a written guarantee. In sports, that’s clearly not the case. You always hear about players demanding new contracts? just months after signing one. But the problem is also present in the coaching ranks. Look no further than Florida Magic coach Billy Donovan. Just days after signing a five year contract with the Magic, Donovan is reportedly wanting to return to his original position at Florida.

An AAU coach who has a player being recruited by the Florida staff said he learned through conversations with assistant coaches for the Gators and Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday that Donovan had second thoughts about his five-year, $27.5 million deal and had contacted UF athletic director Jeremy Foley about returning to his old job.

First, there was George O’Leary, who fudged his resume to get hired at Notre Dame before resigning in disgrace just days later. Then there was Dan Marino, who decided to quit his job as VP of Football Operations with the Dolphins just a couple weeks after signing. Now there’s Donovan, who has came to the same realization that we all had before. When you’re at the top of your sport, why switch to a sport that hasn’t been so kind to college coaches?

If you’re the Magic, you have to be shaking your head. This is a franchise with some pretty lousy fortunes. They’ve suffered through the losses of superstars like Shaquille O’Neal and Tracy McGrady and they’ve had another big star in Grant Hill destroy every part of his leg. They don’t have a choice in this matter, they have to let Donovan walk. If your coach isn’t committed to the job, your team will fail. Simple as that. If Donovan’s heart wasn’t into it, then walking away now is better than walking away halfway through the season.