GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Let the record show that
Steve Spurrier has now set the bar for performance by an honorary Mr. Two Bits. Who in this orange-and-blue Gator universe could possibly top what the ball-coach-turned-ambassador turned in before last week's season opener against Massachusetts?
How 'bout a collection of the greatest basketball team in Florida history?
Step up to the plate,
Al Horford!
C'mon over,
Corey Brewer and
Chris Richard!
Paging
Lee Humphrey!
Oh, and what are the chances we can get a little of this?
With the coaches, players and support staff members of UF's back-to-back NCAA championship teams of 2006 and '07 due in for a weekend reunion, it's only fitting they should be called on for the pre-game Mr. Two Bits honors in the run-up to their on-field salute during the Florida-Kentucky football game Saturday afternoon that will mark the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
"I'm excited about it," said Humphrey, the shooting guard who still holds both the NCAA Tournament record for 3-point field goals (55 in 14 games) and UF record for most 3s in a career (288 at 43.1 percent). "I watched Coach Spurrier do it before the UMass game and it seemed like so much fun. We all may need some coach for it, but we'll get it done."
With that in mind, maybe
Billy Donovan will get into the act.
A large contingent from those two teams — the only ones in college basketball history to repeat as national champions with the same starting five — are expected for the celebration, including a handful (
Noah, Horford, Brewer,
Marreese Spieghts, along with Donovan and fellow coaches Anthony Grant and Larry Shyatt) readying for the start of NBA training camp in a couple weeks. Others, most notably Taurean Green, Walter Hodge and Adrian Moss, are playing overseas and will not be able to make it back.
The ones on hand, though, figure to get into the Two-Bits spirt of things.
Bet the Ball Coach will be watching
