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Dr. Saturday

Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:40 am EDT

Fine, we get it: Florida is fast. There's no need to exaggerate.

By Matt Hinton

We've already seen one interesting sign in Florida's locker room today. Here is another, filled with obviously fake 40-yard dash times:

Forget for a second the general abuse of the 40 as a relevant measure of "football speed," which is more about short bursts and quickness in tight spaces. Despite the glaring absence of the fastest player in the country, Jeffrey Demps, you'll notice four players are listed here as sub-4.3, or faster than any player ran in the entire NFL combine. That includes the only warp-speed Gator to run in Indianapolis, Percy Harvin, whose official, electronically-timed 4.41 tied for the sixth-best effort at the combine but wouldn't have even gotten him on the above board in Gainesville. According to this, Chris Rainey is only barely human, having apparently evolved certain characteristics of a rabbit (in, uh, more ways than one, perhaps).

It's not that I'm not willing to bestow upon the Gators the title of "Fastest Team in America," though I think this is no more (and maybe slightly less) relevant than "Only Team With Tim Tebow at Quarterback." I do not, however, believe they are singlehandedly scorching the rest of the country -- not to mention the pros -- to this ridiculous extent*. Come on, guys.

- - -
* I do believe at least some of them are capable of becoming airborne over short distances, though, so the "Flying 20" times are probably solid.

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  1. Year2
    1. Posted by Year2 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:28 pm EDT

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    You should've seen the the board with the weight lifting figures. Tim Tebow lead the team by bench pressing 800 pounds.
  2. PurdueMatt
    2. Posted by PurdueMatt Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:11 pm EDT

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    I hate Florida.
  3. ThomasW
    3. Posted by ThomasW Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    What an assuming post. This is all dependent on how you clock the times, not the actual speed in comparison to the combine.
    On ESPN during the spring game Rainey clocked a 4.19 with stop watches, and that was televised nationally.
  4. PurdueMatt
    4. Posted by PurdueMatt Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:11 pm EDT

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    If Florida had a board of excellence for academics, what would be the high GPA? 2.2?
  5. CoreyB
    5. Posted by CoreyB Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:26 pm EDT

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    HAHAHAHA oh Florida.
    Not that they aren't fast, but if this board is correct, they've got 10, 11, 12 Olympic level sprinters. I'd challenge any of those guys to match that time under any sort of official condition.
    @ 3-who controlled the stopwatches, Urban Meyer? Cause after seeing this board, I clearly trust him and his staff to be able to operate a stopwatch.
  6. gtne91
    6. Posted by gtne91 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:43 pm EDT

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    There is a reason Track doesnt use stopwatches anymore.
  7. Keith H
    7. Posted by Keith H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:48 pm EDT

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    purduematt, before you post again, maybe you should get some facts. the uf football team had 37 players make the sec academic honor roll. they tied vandy, who by the way, won an award for outstanding academics in sports.
    http://secsports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=2&url_article_id=12104&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2
    out of all the sec schools, florida and vandy probably aren't the schools i would trash academically.
  8. Tyler
    8. Posted by Tyler Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:47 pm EDT

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    The board is for recruiting purposes.They point to it and say " look how fast we can make you." happens in various ways across the country.
  9. just4funsies
    9. Posted by just4funsies Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    It doesn't matter what the board says. What matters is Gators running up and down the field on other teams, most of whom got bulletin boards of their own. What it comes down to is winning championships, and that's what they do. Y'all haters just keep hatin' (after all, that what folks do after they lose, or when somebody steals their lunch money). They feed off your hate in Gainesville, they NEED your hate...
  10. Dave N
    10. Posted by Dave N Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:37 pm EDT

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    (20 others tied at 4.41) I heard their whole O-Line runs sub 4.5.
  11. jimtheg8r
    11. Posted by jimtheg8r Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

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    2. Posted by PurdueMatt Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:09 pm EDT Report Abuse
    I hate Florida.
    Dear Matt...That's the beauty of it. Florida doesn't hate you, Florida doesn't even know or care that your irrelevant butt exists.
    8. Posted by Rick B Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:36 pm EDT Report Abuse
    The gators suck thier speed is not all that and when douche bag tebow leaves after this season at barely .500 you stupid gator fans will finally get that kick in your asses that you stupid asses deserve!
    Dear Rick...Man, you must really hate yourself. Here is a link for you www.ihatemyselfandneedashrink.com
    Have a nice day.
  12. Paul
    12. Posted by Paul Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

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    All that speed and they still can't go unbeaten. Says something.
  13. Joshgator
    13. Posted by Joshgator Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:41 pm EDT

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    Paul... And who of the 120 teams in CFL went undefeated? Only Utah and their schedule was a JOKE... They only played ONE good team all year, a deflated Alabama team without All-American Andre Smith (suspended) AND his backup got injured in the 1st qtr. Florida played TWO #1 ranked teams, 6 top 25 teams, 11 bowl teams.. And lost by a blocked extra point (which the announcers showed upon review that the Ole Miss player that blocked the kick was illegally climbing on his teammate's back and should have been re-kicked!!!
  14. Joshgator
    14. Posted by Joshgator Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:41 pm EDT

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    Paul, going undefeated does NOT mean you are the best...going undefeated against a tough schedule would indicate that; however, if you face a tough schedule and blow away all but 3 teams, losing only one game (in a controversial way) and beat the "best" team (which UF did TWICE), that indicates greatness... Going undefeated against a garbage schedule?!?!? Don't make me laugh....Oops... Too late... Hahahahaha!
  15. beerlover
    15. Posted by beerlover Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:33 pm EDT

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    Joshgator, losing a game in any way does not make a team great. Beating the #1 team before the bowl means absolutely, positively nothing. Hell, Michigan was ranked last year at the start of the season. You think anyone in the US cares that any team beat Michigan last year?
    Make (terrible) excuses. Utah beat the snot out of Alabama. Anyone who watched that game would admit that it wasn't even close, and adding a LT wouldn't have changed the outcome. Utah didn't lose and Florida did. Florida won the title anyhow, so nobody knows what you're complaining about. The picture posted is very clearly not accurate at all. Maybe if you used a stopwatch it could be. Know who uses stopwatches? Nobody. Remember when Pat Robertson claimed that his protein shakes let him leg press over 2000 pounds? This is that.
  16. Laughing Clown
    16. Posted by Laughing Clown Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:12 pm EDT

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    SEC academic honor roll? That's funny.
  17. www.southbendblarney
    17. Posted by www.southbendblarney Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:34 pm EDT

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    I'm surprised that the sign doesn't claim that Florida's lineman run 4.2's...
  18. bassmaster
    18. Posted by bassmaster Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    Look here guys; Fla did lose to Ole Miss. But Ole Miss was a good team. They beat the tar out of Texas tech did'nt
    they.
  19. J
    19. Posted by J Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:06 pm EDT

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    Since Harvin isn't exactly a comman last name, I would assume the Harvin on this list is Percy. Funny how large the difference in the NFL controlled 40 time and the UF 40 time. As far as the country being on Tebow's nuts... couple things. His "Heisman" season- How hard is it for a QB in college to throw for 20 TDs? Not very as it was done by over 30 players this year. And his 20 Rushing TDs, it's easy when anytime UF was within the 10 EVERYONE knew Tebow would have 4 chances to run it in and with his size, it would be easy. Everyone talks about how he's this christian feel-good story who is the nicest guy, oh please. Spare me! How many personal foul flags has he gotten at the end of games for taunting? I know of 4! Yeah, stand up guy there! During the Oklahoma game, the announcer even said, and I quote "If you get the chance to spend 15 minutes around this kid, you're life is better for it." Jesus, get off his nut! Yeah he had 30 TDs to 4 picks. But he only threw for 2700 yds. Thats it! But, UF did when a very askewed BCS championship so we all have to suffer through these Gator lovers til the season gets going again. Don't worry about driving to work tomorrow guys. The bandwagon will be by to pick you up.
  20. atalien69
    20. Posted by atalien69 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    What's really funny is how all of the "Great Big 10 defenders" run sub-par 40's every year until they get to the combine. Ask the Big 10 defenders how fast the Florida is. Prepare to see James Laurenitis go the way of all of the other OSU LB greats....NFL mediocrity at its worst.
  21. AB
    21. Posted by AB Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:50 pm EDT

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    Florida is very fast. My guess is, Matt Hinton has never covered a fast receiver or tried to catch a blazingly fast RB. Because it's obvious he has no clue what he's talking about. In college, speed kills. It helps create passing lanes for the QB. It helps the Offensive line so that don't have to hold a block. It certainly dominates in special teams-if you disagree, just watch the Gators last season...As for Tebow, well he'll just go down in the history books as the greatest college football to ever play the game.
    JOSHUA N: "it's easy when anytime UF was within the 10 EVERYONE knew Tebow would have 4 chances to run it in and with his size, it would be easy.".....WHAT? Dude, when they know he's going to run it, it sure don't make it EASY...he just makes it look easy. YOU KEEP HATING,THE GATORS WILL KEEP WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH ALL THAT SPEED!
  22. Erik A
    22. Posted by Erik A Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    I like the fact that laughing clown thinks that SEC honor roll is funny considering the SEC schools tend to hold their athletes to a higher standard then several of the other leagues. Not only that but the schools that are in the SEC are generally ranked very high in the actual category of academics unlike say the Pac-10 or the ACC.
  23. beerlover
    23. Posted by beerlover Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:33 pm EDT

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    Tebow will certainly not come anywhere close to "the greatest college football to ever play the game." For one thing, he's not a football.
    He's not anywhere close. Archie Griffin? Barry Sanders? Herschel? Tony Dorsett? Red Grange? Butkus? The list goes on and on from every conference. You're stupid simply for suggesting this. What's backing it up? A Heisman? He can join the line. Numbers? Hopalong Cassady played 4 years at DB and NEVER had a pass completed on him, and I'll bet you'd never heard of him before reading this post. There's NOTHING that shows Tebow was the best QB in the country right now, even. There's absolutely nothing that clearly shows he's better than McCoy or Bradford. If he's not even the best QB in NCAA 1-A RIGHT NOW, how stupid do you sound for saying he's the best college football player ever?
  24. beerlover
    24. Posted by beerlover Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:33 pm EDT

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    Erik A: tell it to Bama.
  25. letsgoblue
    25. Posted by letsgoblue Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:36 pm EDT

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    with regards to the pac-10 and the acc being worse than sec schools. other than vanderbilt, the sec sucks academically. according to us news and world report duke, north carolina, georgia tech, virginia, maryland, boston college, miami, and wake forest would all be ranked high enough to be the second ranked sec school. i think that means the acc is better academically than the sec. with regards to the pac-10, washington, usc, ucla, stanford, and cal are all ranked higher than the second best sec school. are you sure that the sec is a high powered academic conference?

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