Gator Dominance

Dominance: Dominant position especially in a social hierarchy.

Now, I'm not saying the Gator athletes are the Stalin or Mussolini of the NCAA world, but they sure know how to win. When we say 'Florida Gators', the first thing that pops up to mind will probably be "Tim Tebow", "Football" and "Parties". If you follow NCAA sports, you know that the Gators aren't good at just football or 'drinking'. They actually have a very talented baseball and softball team, which both are ranked in the top 10. Their men and women golf are also nationally ranked in the top 10 and their gymnastics, men and women swimming and diving, men and women tennis and men and women indoor track are all ranked in the top 10. Pretty scary if you ask me.

I can keep on going about all the achievements the Gators have accomplished in every sport, but the main sport I want to focus on is swimming. Olympic champ Ryan Lochte had a remarkable season last year(http://supertramp24.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-said-its-great-to-be-florida-gator.html) and this year, the Women Swimming and Diving team are the new NCAA champions and the Men team just came short in 5th place.

For the first time since 1982, which was the inaugural women's championship, the lady Gators are Champions in Swimming and Diving. The Gators racked up 382 points, ahead of 2nd place Stanford who had 379.5. Twelve lady swimmers earned All-American honors, breaking 5 Florida records. Overall the Championship top 5 finished with Florida, Stanford, California, Arizona and Georgia.

The men team finished 5th, but the Gator swimmers had two individual national titles and Junior swimmer, Conor Dwyer is the Division I National Men's Swimmer of the Year. The Gators received 38 All-American status this year and it was a record breaking year for most of the swimmers.

Whatever head coach, Gregg Troy is doing with his swimmers, it is really working because with no doubt, the Gator swimming teams are a national powerhouse. Oh by the way, coach Troy was named Women's National Coach of the Year. Impressive?

Peyton's Legacy

On the Monday morning after the Super Bowl, many journalist and commentators all agreed with the 'idea' that Payton Manning's legacy went down the toilet. Is it really fair to judge one of the best quarterbacks that we've all seen by just one game? I say no.

12-year career and only one super bowl win?

• Dan Marino: Took the Dolphins to numerous playoff appearances(name me the last time the Colts weren't in the playoffs) in his 16 year career and only ONE Super Bowl APPEARANCE, which happened to be a 38-16 lost the Montana's 49ers. Manning has at least gone to two Super Bowls and has one ring in his 12 year career. Last time I checked, Dan Marino is in the Hall of Fame.

• Jim Kelly: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993. Of those 4 years, which one do you think Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly won the Super Bowl in? None. Despite taking the Bills to the Super Bowl four years in a row, they never won it. I'm sure it won't be the last time we see Manning making audibles in the Super Bowl.

• Steve Young: Hall of Fame QB, took him a while to finally win a Super Bowl and take the monkey off his back. After the Super Bowl in, the 49ers never made it back.

As for comparisons with Bradshaw, Aikman and Montana:

• Montana was an era with NO salary cap.
• Bradshaw was a part of an NFL in which a defense can break a WR leg just before the catch.
• Aikman era was in a time of offensive time limit.
  

Charles Barkley Having Fun

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Miami Products

The state of Miami. An independent state that is solely based on producing the best athletes of the country. From towns like Liberty City to high schools like Miami Killian to the big time program of UM. This is a city where naturals are born and stars are produced. I won't talk about football players, but baseball players. Two current minor league prospects for the Oakland A's. Adrian Cardenas and Jemile Weeks.

Adrian Cardenas, the 37th overall pick in the 2006 MLB draft (1st round supplemental round) came out of Monsignor Pace High School in Miami Gardens. Being drafted out of high school is an extremely hard goal to achieve and getting drafted out of high school in the first round.. Incredible. Cardenas, who played SS during his years at Pace, took the Spartans to a class 4A State Championship title and was ranked in the top high schools according to USA Today. He was noticed by scouts who were looking at star teammate Chris Marrero (15th overall pick). The scouts were so amazed by him, he even won Baseball America High School Player of the Year. Before getting traded to the A's, he was the 2nd basemen in the Phillies organization. In 2009, he spent time in AA and AAA where he hit .326 in AA and .251 at the AAA level. A little more seasoning and this Miami native will be MLB ready.



The U isn't only known for it's football program. They have one of the best baseball programs in the country and it seems like they never fail to reach Omaha. Jemile Weeks, who is the younger brother of Brewers Rickie Weeks, help elevate UM to an elite team while he was the Canes 2nd baseman. Weeks wasn't born in Miami but we can say UM produced yet another prospect. Weeks was the 12th overall pick of the 2008 draft, belonging to the the Oakland A's. A lot of scouts agreed he was going to play more CF than his natural position of 2nd but he hasn't made a move to the outfield yet. In 2009, Weeks batted .299 in A-Advance and .238 in the AA level. Weeks is just 5'10 175 lbs but he still manages to be an explosive hitter with his line drive swing and above average speed.


Being a minor league player, you never have a place to stay. You never know when you are going to be promoted or demoted or you never know if you're going to be traded. Both being expectational 2nd basemen in the same organization could mean a trade knowing how crazy it is when you're a minor league player. Either way, we should look forward seeing Cardenas and Weeks grow into All Stars and make an impact in the MLB level.