The Sun-Sentinel went with the bland: "Champions." The Miami Herald chose the rather obnoxious: "Gator Nation."
And the winner of the big fat snappy headline for the University of Florida's win last night to take the national championship comes from the Palm Beach Post: "Gator Raid."
Clever, especially seeing how the sports drink was originally formulated for the football team from Gainesville. And accurate, considering the way UF took it to Ohio State. It was about as perfect a performance as you'll ever see on a football field, from the almost preternaturally determined Chris Leak to the unbelievably fast and powerful defensive front. Glad I put my money on Florida.
And I think it proves that Urban Meyer is the best coach in football. Yeah, I'd put him up against Belichick. Can somebody explain to me why he's not on the Dolphins' list of candidates? Sure, he might not be interested, but neither, goes the conventional wisdom, is Pete Carroll, who the Dolphins are feeling out. Is there something about his contract that makes it nearly impossible? Is he too close to home to poach? Did he sell his soul to the evil Gator Nation? I don't know, but if I had a football team, he's the guy I'd want running it. Huizenga would be smart if he raided that Gator.
Operative words: "would be."
After the jump: A Slightly Sullied Championship and Sentinel Finds Nerve To Tell Story
-- I agree Florida is the national champion, under the current system, but without a playoff, we'll really never know. And I'm thinking about one team in particular here: Boise State. They finish the season undefeated and with one of the most thrilling bowl victories in memory. How the hell can a team have a perfect season (something the Gators didn't achieve) and not be a champion?
Only in college football -- and that's a huge problem. Didn't stop Sentinel sports columnist Dave Hyde from pretending that this was the purest championship ever won. He writes: "No questions. No controversy. No doubt who's No. 1." The headline of his column on the game: "At last, no more questions."
You'll find some in Idaho, I guarantee it.
-- A day late, the Sentinel finally decided to print some of the truth about the shooting death of 13-year-old Oles Carry Tromper. After deciding not to tell readers that Tromper's 15-year-old friend shot him (because police wouldn't give the go-ahead on the info) the editors steeled themselves up and put the news in the paper. Probably because the Miami Herald had already beaten them to the punch. Turns out the 15-year-old, who the Sentinel isn't naming but the Herald is, may have shot Tromper multiple times and the mother wants justice. (Here's the Herald folo, written by Wanda J. DeMarzo.)
