Today is Urban Meyer’s 46th birthday, and as a Gator fan I can’t think of a better birthday present for him than this heartfelt tribute.

Since that day in December 2004 when his hiring was made official to replace the fired Ron Zook, I felt that Coach Meyer’s coming to Gainesville was the best choice for Florida football – and I’m glad Jeremy Foley won him over from the competition coming from that school up north on the southern coast of Lake Michigan in northern Indiana with the infamous golden dome. …

“You’ve gotta stop and smell the roses,
You’ve got to count your many blessings every day,
You’re gonna find your way to heaven is a rough and rocky road
If you don’t stop and smell the roses along the way.”
- Mac Davis
I was just inspired after reading a blog post on another board to write my latest segment of “Talk of the Town”; it made me stop and wonder how lucky we members of Gator Nation are to have probably the best college football coach in the country in Urban Meyer – we …

I’ve been reading a lot of commentary around the Net – the good, the bad and the ridiculous – surrounding Urban Meyer’s recanting of his original decision to step down as Gator head football coach and opt for a leave of absence instead. Based on everything I’ve read to-date I’ve come to form my own opinion, which I’ll explain.

The Florida International Panthers are headed to Gainesville, FL tomorrow afternoon for a battle with the undefeated No. 1 ranked Florida Gators. This will be the first time these two teams have ever played. The Game is scheduled for 12:30 PM EST and will be aired only on Pay Per View. I suggest you either find a ticket for the game or drive to your nearest sports bar. I hate when games are on PPV but it’s a necessary evil Gator fans have to deal with at least once a year.

The Troy Trojans from Alabama are on their way the to Gainesville, Florida as we speak to challenge the Florida Gators in the second game of the 2009 season. Florida is home again in the Swamp and is a 36.5 point favorite over the Trojans. Troy doesn’t make me uneasy and I’m quite confident the Gators will blow them out of the water… but remember last year, when Troy almost beat LSU in Baton Rouge? This is not a team to take lightly.