Sports Then and Now

The Florida Gators are favored by 73 points over Charleston Southern this weekend. Who makes these schedules a blind chimp?  Hear no evil, Speak no evil, and definitely SEE NO EVIL!

The Gators are going to get Medieval on Charleston Sothern’s ass (Classic line from Pulp Fiction)! Charleston Southern is 0-16 against Bowl Subdivision opponents. They got waxed by the “U” (Miami) 52-7 last year.  The Hurricanes limped to a mediocre 7-6 record in 2008.

Did the schedule gods notice the Gators went 14-1? They won the National Championship quite easily over Oklahoma with a 24-14 victory. Tim Tebow, the team’s fiery leader, is coming back.

Why not build some opening week excitement like the NFL? How about a rematch with Oklahoma? Rival Florida State? ‘Bama?

Charleston Southern?!? WHAT?!?!

This game will be over by halftime. Where is the drama in this game? Maybe the Charleston Southern players will not return and the Gators will win by forfeit? If this was a pro game it quite certainly would be “flexed” out.

I am by no means a college football guru or die hard fan. I “follow” the Gators (maybe because I fell in love with their logo during childhood trips to Orlando) and the Boston College Eagles (Doug Flutie baby! Scott Gordon’s kick vs. hated Notre Dame), but can sleep if either of them loses.

The Gators hope to put a Cumberland College like whooping on Charleston Southern.

In my last job, most of our clients were Division I football programs. I have become buddies with guys from USC and Nebraska and I will be rooting them on this season. However, I will not be painting my face with Go Huskers or buying a USC Trojans costume (even though swords are wicked cool).

Casual fan is the best term to describe me. I don’t know if I could be dedicated to a sports league/association that doesn’t have a playoff system or allows Brown’s Barber College to take on juggernauts like Florida or Texas. BCS? What a crock!

Distant memories of Georgia Tech crushing Cumberland College, 222-0 back in 1916, may rear their ugly heads this week. What did the Cumberland coach say to his team after that game? Let’s keep the next opponent under 200 points?

There are exceptions to the rule too. USC plastered Washington State 69-0 last year. The Trojans were the superior team and WSU didn’t show up, but the game should have been a competitive PAC-10 tilt. I guess Drew Bledsoe didn’t walk through that door for the Cougars.

With that all said, lets take a moment and pray that Charleston Southern doesn’t become the 21st century version of Cumberland College.

And screw it, Go Gators!!

Joe Gill is a resident blogger for Sports Then and Now. His Cup of Joe column can be read each Tuesday and Friday on Boston Sports Then and Now and occasionally on the national Sports Then and Now site.