Stephen Garcia is almost as good as Tim Tebow

I know it's true because I read it on the internet and now you can too. Everybody's a homer for their favorite team, don't get me wrong, but tempering your homerism is essential if you want to be taken even remotely seriously. So needless to say including a paragraph that says...

So, while Tebow may be a two time national champion, a Heisman winner, and the darling of college football fans everywhere, the quarterback of Carolina football isn't far off. He even wasn't that far off Tebow in the interception department - Garcia threw eight picks on the year to Tebow's six. If Garcia can reach his potential, USC may have a real shot to compete with teams like Florida for an SEC championship.

... it's going to raise more than a few eyebrows.

First off, Tebow only threw 4 INTs last year, not 6. Secondly, Tebow attempted 298 passes, meaning he was intercepted on about 1.3% of his throws. Garcia attempted just 122 passes, meaning he was picked off on about 6.5% of his throws. When you couple in Tebows 30 TDs and Garcia's paltry 6 TDs, you start to realize how nonsensical this statement is.

It's put up or shut up time for Garcia. His misadventures off the field far outweigh anything he's ever accomplished on the field. It's time to see what - if anything - he can actually accomplish on the football field. He's most likely a top5 QB in the SEC, which isn't really saying much this year. So far his career more closely mimics that of Ryan Perrilloux than Tim Tebow - flashes of great potential on the field, trouble staying out of trouble off the field.

Friday Afternoon Delights

What's the best way to complain about the out-of-control media hype that a non-story is getting? Well, if you're Danny Belch of the Stanford Daily News, you write a story about it for the newspaper...

I could not believe the coverage this little incident — if we even want to call it that — was getting. In my mind it shouldn’t have gotten any.

Yep, no better way to make sure a "little incident" gets no media coverage than to write about it in the paper. Not a bit of irony there.

And why does it concern a Stanford student anyway? I agree with your assertion that it needs to go away, but it's become a non-issue around here now to everyone but Spurrier himself. I don't think the media "forced" Spurrier to change his vote. He's a disinterested shell of his former antagonistic self and most likely truly delegated his voting duties.

And, Danny, if I may call you Danny, a little fact checking wouldn't hurt along the way.

Then they can go find the person who voted for Brett Favre instead of Tom Brady for the 2008 NFL MVP. If you forgot, Brady broke the record by throwing 50 touchdowns during the regular season, and also led the Patriots to the only 16-0 NFL regular season. Pretty deserving, I would say. He received 49 out of the 50 possible MVP votes. So why did we not hunt down the person who voted for Favre? Maybe because that person had an opinion, and thought Favre’s outstanding 2008 season was MVP-worthy.

In 2008, Tom Brady completed 7/11 passes for 76 yards before suffering a season-ending injury. If anyone voted Brady MVP with those numbers, there probably should be an investigation. I believe you meant 2007, but seeing as how you included "2008" twice, I fear your research crew may be failing you.

* Two other articles about the 10 quarterbacks in the SEC not named Tebow or Snead here and here.

* Wally Hall likes the Rebels in the SEC West this year

* John Stroud is being inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame tonight

Coaches Pre-Season All-SEC Team Announced

It was posted here on the official conference site and raises some interesting questions.

John Jerry and Greg Hardy both landed 1st team nods, Dexter McCluster and Jevan Snead earned 2nd team nods, and Shay Hodge, Marcus Tillman, and Joshua Shene wound up on the 3rd team. Not a bad showing for the Rebels.

One thing of note though... three player were unanimous first teamers: Eric Berry, Ciron Black, and Julio Jones. Not Tim Tebow though. While he's the obvious choice as first team QB, there was at least one dissenter along the way and my guess would be Mr. Kiffin. And, by the way, I know Julio is great and all, but how is he unanimous and AJ Green isn't? Green's numbers were better than Jones' last year.

Speaking of quarterbacks, it's a sad state of affairs when the 3rd team nod gets split between Stephen Garcia and Mike Hartline. Those two combined for 2498 yards with a 15/16 TD/INT ratio. I'd say that Mallett or Cox will end up 3rd team. I'd even take McElroy before either Garcia or Hartline.

I also think it's interesting that no Rebel RB made the list. I know that the depth Nutt has at his disposal hurts individual numbers, but gimme Brandon Bolden over any back in the league except for Charles Scott. Michael Smith will put up gaudy numbers as the featured back at Arkansas, but if I need 2 yards, I'll take Scott or Bolden over anyone else.

New Plaque in Gainesville

By now, most of you have seen the butchering of the English language perpetrated by Florida Representative Corrine Brown as she "gradulated" the Florida Gators on their recent BSBCS Title. If you've missed it, or just want to relive the moment, here's the video.


And now, thanks to LSUFreek, there's a new plaque for the Gators to hang right next to the one quoting Tebow after the Rebels made him cry last year in Gainesville.
H/T to EDSBS