Bleacher Report - Articles by GatorTailgating.com

Meet Gene Chizik: The SEC's Newest Funniest Coach Contender

GatorTailgating.com — Thu, 07 May 2009 09:05:22 -0400

Auburn's new coach, Gene Chizik, has decided to challenge Lane Kiffin for the strangest recruiting tactics in the SEC.

Two weeks ago, Auburn's “Tiger Prowl” spent four days parading around the state of Alabama. With stretch Hummer limos bearing Auburn flags and magnets filled with assistant coaches dressed like they were going to a bowling tournament, the stunt looked more like a gimmick to try to sell ShamWows or Snuggies.

Those in the Auburn camp are enthusiastic over the stunt (...which makes it even more hilarious!). Columnist Paul Finebaum from the Mobile Press-Register said, “In politics, you garner votes by exciting your base. You toss them red meat and hear them roar. The Auburn fanbase was spitting fire last week.” He concluded, “In other words, it was a great week to be an Auburn Tiger.”

Assistant coach Curtis Luper said about the success of the trip, "We couldn't have dreamt this in our wildest dreams!”

This might not rival the Tennessee pep talk/shirt-ripping incident, but it might be just as cheesy. It prompted Urban Meyer to say in an interview with Pat Dooley, “The Florida coaching staff will not be riding around in limos or ripping our shirts off.”

In the same interview Dooley mistakenly believed that the limos were actually taking recruits around, and he asked if the NCAA should investigate Auburn for allegedly illegally chauffeuring around recruits. Meyer said, “I think it should. We're trying to sell graduation rates and academics and trying the song and dance routine.”

Although Pat Dooley was misinformed and asked Meyer a question about something that would violate NCAA rules, columnists such as Mike Bianchi are calling for Meyer to apologize, and bloggers everywhere are making Meyer into a bad guy.

Pat Dooley apologized in his column, saying, “When you make a mistake, you're going to hear it. Last week I had a Dooley Noted item about Auburn coaches parading recruits around in limos. I obviously misread the story because it was Auburn coaches in the limos going from school to school. War Eagle fans have corrected me with dozens of e-mails. My bad. Now calm down.”

Regardless of Dooley’s or Meyer’s comments, the biggest question is, which coach will end up being a worse hire: Gene Chizik or Lane Kiffin?

Lane Kiffin looked to be the early favorite after challenging Urban Meyer and calling out Pahokee High School, a school that churns out D-I prospects, among other things. Yet Chizik seems determined to give Kiffin a run for his money. Not only did he go 5-19 at Iowa State, but now he’s resorted to cheesy stunts to compete with Nick Saban for recruits in Alabama.

Gene Chizik would be wise to learn a few things about recruiting in the SEC, but apparently he has been talking to Lane Kiffin for advice. If Chizik or Kiffin want to compete with Urban Meyer or Nick Saban for the top recruits in the nation, then they need to be innovative like Meyer and relentless like Saban...but that shouldn’t include resorting to cheesy gimmicks.

Plus, stretch hummers aren’t really that cool anymore.

Ben Petitto is a columnist for GatorTailgating.com. Read the original article at http://www.gatortailgating.com/content/sec-funniest-coach-contender-gene-chizik.

SEC: Questions Abound at QB

GatorTailgating.com — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:52:18 -0400

The SEC was the king of college football in the defensive category last year, but there are a lot of questions about who will be leading some teams on the other side of the ball going into the fall.

In 2008, a lot of people wondered if the defenses of the SEC were really that good, or if the offenses were just having a down year.

Most people stopped asking that question after Florida’s defense held the most highly powered offense in college football history to 14 points in the BCS Championship game, but it was a valid question to some degree.

Even Florida’s offense took until the third quarter of the Arkansas game to really find itself and start putting together the string of blowouts that led them to the national title.

In 2008, we started the season knowing that Tim Tebow, Matthew Stafford, and John Parker Wilson would be good, but the rest of the quarterback positions conference-wide was unknown.

Jevan Snead really came through for Ole Miss, but look what happened at LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Auburn. There just simply were not enough leaders under center in the SEC last year.

Unfortunately for SEC fans, this year looks to be no different.

We start off the year knowing Tebow and Snead will lead effectively, but there are too many questions elsewhere in the SEC to even list all of them.

What about Jonathon Crompton of Tennessee? What about Joe Cox of Georgia? What about Jordan Jefferson of LSU? And Ryan Mallett of Arkansas?

Can these unproven quarterbacks step up and lead their offenses like the conference has been known for in the past? Or will they allow the tough SEC defenses to make the SEC once again known for its defense?

You know it's got to be bad when Florida's backup quarterback is considered by many to be the third or fourth-best quarterback in the conference, and he hasn't even played a full game yet.

Some of the problem may be that the same leaders of the teams with the underwhelming offenses last year are returning to lead those teams once again this year.

Auburn and Tennessee may have high hopes due to new coaching staffs, but the same quarterbacks from their 5-7 campaigns last year will be tossing the ball for them again this fall.

Whether they are good or not, chances are, they’re going to have to be great to compete with the talent level the defenses around the conference have this year.

Just look at the 11 returning starters on Florida’s defense. Take a glance at the talent that played defense in Baton Rouge this spring. Saban’s squad in Tuscaloosa doesn’t look like they’ve gotten any softer, either.

Without question, the defenses will be above the norm at six of the 12 SEC schools this year; And with only two proven leaders tossing the ball around in the SEC, it’s got to make you believe that the SEC will once again be known for its defense in the 2009 season.

PROJECTED 2009 SEC QUARTERBACK STARTERS:

Florida- Tim Tebow
Tennessee –Jonathan Crompton
Alabama – Greg McElroy
Georgia – Joe Cox
Auburn- Kodi Burns
South Carolina- Stephen Garcia
Vanderbilt – Chris Nickson
Mississippi State – Tyson Lee
Ole Miss- Jevan Snead
Arkansas – Ryan Mallett
LSU – Jordan Jefferson
Kentucky – Mike Hartline

Rusty Thompson is one of the founders of GatorTailgating.com. Read the original article at http://www.gatortailgating.com/content/questions-abound-sec-quaterback-postition

Tailgating In Starkville, MS for the Mississippi State Game

GatorTailgating.com — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:37:29 -0400

GatorTailgating.com is doing a series of articles on where and how to tailgate at all of the Gator Football away games. This article details where and what to look out for in Starkville, Mississippi for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Go Gators!

Where are the good and bad areas of town for motels to stay in the night before/after the big game?

Along Highway 12 in Starkville, you have the Hilton, The Hampton Inn, Comfort Suites, and a Holiday Inn Express. An option that is close to the downtown nightlife on Main Street is the Hotel Chester, which also has a decent bar and sushi restaurant. Book early, as most rooms fill up fast. There is also the Pearl River Resort, which is about 45 minutes away, but offers five-star restaurants, great golf, and pretty good casino action.

Do not stay at the Regal Inn and University Motel.

Hotel options outside of Starkville are West Point, Columbus and Louisville. If you stay in Louisville, then you will only be about 30 min from Starkville and about 45 min from the Casinos. Not many choices there, but a good mid-point.

Lodging	Distance from Campus	Address	Phone
America's Best Value Inn	½ mile	403 Highway 12 E.	(662) 323-6161
Comfort Suites	Adjacent	801 Russell St.	(800) 228-5150
Days Inn and Suites	½ mile	119 Highway 12 W.	(800) 329-7466
Hampton Inn	Adjacent	700 Highway 12 E.	(800) 426-7866
Hilton Garden Inn	1 mile	975 Hwy. 12 East	(662) 615-9664
Holiday Inn Express	½ mile	110 Highway 12 W.	(662) 324-0076
Hotel Chester	1 mile	101 N. Jackson St.	(866) 325-5005
Microtel Inn and Suites	½ mile	1121 Highway 82 E.	(662) 615-0700
University Inn	Adjacent	Highway 12 E.	(800) 475-8648

What are some attractions in Starkville that a visitor shouldn't miss? (i.e. nightclubs, bars, theme parks, tourist attractions, etc.). Is there a downtown district?

The main attraction that Starkville has is SEC sports, although there are a couple of downtown districts.

The Cotton District (Bin 612, Cotton District Grill, Up Your Alley, and Rock Bottom) has about 4-5 spots, mostly patio-style bars. It’s located around the University Drive and Maxwell St. area.

The Old Main/ Downtown district has 5 or so bars (Mugshots, Barristers, State Theater, Old Venice Pizza Co), and is on Main St., between Montgomery and Washington Streets.
Where should a visiting fan go to eat before leaving Starkville?

Mugshots could be the best burger in the SEC. For barbeque, check out Little Dooey and Petty's. Dave's Dark Horse Tavern's deep dish pizza is a favorite Starkville dish. If you want a nicer meal, try The Veranda (on Lincoln Green) or Restaurant Tyler (Main St., in the Old Main/Downtown District). Both average about $15-20 a plate, but have very good food.

Another favorite restaurant in the area is Anthony's Food Market in West Point. The steaks are awesome, and they also have fresh seafood, along with chicken, pork, and pasta dishes. The best part about Anthony's is that you can bring your own liquor and/or wine with you.
Is there an area or a part of Starkville that the visiting fans usually congregate/tailgate/park? If so, any address or directions on how to get there would be a big help. If visiting fans usually spread out all around the stadium, help us by telling us where the best area to tailgate is with the most room.

The Junction is the hot spot to tailgate for Mississippi State fans, and Gator fans are certainly welcome, but the University in the past has been putting the "official" visitors gathering spot in the parking lot of Humphrey Coliseum. There is also a large field in front of the Vet school where a lot of visiting fans gather with lots of room for tailgating.

Visitors definitely need to make it down to the Junction for the quintessential MSU Tailgating Experience

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Image from Mississippi State University
How much should we expect to pay for a parking spot (preferably unblocked so there's enough room to setup tents, tables, and a grill to tailgate)?

10 bucks.
Are there any special rules we should know about tailgating on or off campus, open-container policies we should be forewarned about, or anything of the sort?

No dogs allowed. Everything else pretty much goes.
Any gameday traditions we should not miss while in Starkville? (i.e. we have the Gator Walk, Auburn has Toomer's corner, etc.)

Mississippi State has a Dawg Walk, which is the same as everyone else's "walk."
Is there anything else you would advise fans of before heading to Starkville to tailgate?
Be sure to make it down to The Junction to get the whole experience. Check out the live webcam pics below
For more information, visit the following links:

http://gameday.msstate.edu/pdf/gameday-brochure.pdf

http://www.mstateathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=16800&KEY=&ATCLID=926238

http://gameday.msstate.edu/webcam.php

Lane Kiffin Admits Wife Is a Gator Alum

GatorTailgating.com — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:30:37 -0400

That's right Gator fans. The coach that has given us so many laughs since becoming the head coach at the University of Tennessee released a secret that won't be too appreciated in Big Orange Country. Layla Kiffin is a Gator Alum. Even better than that, she is also the daughter of former Gator Great John Reaves.

The news was released on the Dan Patrick radio show by Lane himself when asked about the mess surrounding his comments about Urban Meyer. He talked about how Layla was a Gator and how she has been in his ear about the Gators ever since they first started dating. Dan even asked if she cheered for the Gators. He said yes, but I doubt she'll be wearing orange and blue in the swamp this September when the Vols come to visit.

In further discussions, it was mentioned that she "loves Tim Tebow" and even has a poster of him up in their house, but I doubt he was serious about that. Other record searching has turned up that she was a sorority girl while in Gainesville and was a member of the ZTA, not that it should be a surprise.

I just want to hear what's said by his father-in-law and wife as he whines about Urban running up the score when the Gators are still scoring late in the fourth quarter up by three or four touchdowns. I just hope she tells him like most women would tell their husbands after they've acted like an idiot, "Next time, think before you speak."

Rusty Thompson is one of the founders of Gator Tailgating. Visit www.GatorTailgating.com to keep up with all the Gator Sports and Tailgating news!

Nick Calathes Declacres for NBA Draft Without an Agent

GatorTailgating.com — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:32:36 -0400

The star point guard that lead the Florda Gator basketball team for the past two years is taking the next step to the NBA....most likely. He has declared for the NBA draft and is projected to go late first or early second round, but he has not hired an agent.

Not selecting someone to represent him for the NBA allows him to return to the University of Florida should he not like how things are shaping up for him, specifically NBA projections as the draft comes closer.

“I spoke with coach Donovan (on Sunday) night and told him of my intentions,” Calathes said in a statement. “(He) was nothing but supportive, (and he) told me he’d do whatever he could to help me and my family make an educated decision.”

Calathes just finished his sophomore season in which he lead the Gator basketball team to the NIT for the second straight year. Many fans and analysts believed that the only piece of the puzzle the team was missing to make a Tourney run this year was size in the middle.

Next year they'd have the size with Macklin and Kadji coming in to play Center. They believed that a larger center would take a lot of the pressure off of Calathes and allow him to spread the ball out some more.

But, not many were projecting Calathes to leave early and leave a void for seasoned leadership at the point guard position. Walter Hodge is graduating.

Calathes averaged just under 20 points a game this past season, along with over six rebounds and five assists. He has two triple-doubles in his Gator career, and only three have been accomplished this feat in Gator Basketball history. His 231 assists as a sophomore broke the record for number of assists in one season as a Gator, the record that he set as a freshman at 221.

The Gators will dearly miss him next year if he does indeed stay in the draft, but they will have true freshman Kenny Boynton and sophomore Erving Walker ready to lead the team at point guard if he doesn't return.

He has until June 15th to decide to stay in the draft or remove his name from the list and return to UF. If he does go, we wish him the best of luck in the big leagues, but I'm sure I join all Gators in wishing he'd come back for at least one more year.

Rusty Thompson is one of the founders of GatorTailgating.com.

Urban Meyer Gets His Point Across about Lane Kiffin with Few Words

GatorTailgating.com — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:27:50 -0400

In all of the drama surrounding Lane Kiffin's comments last month about Meyer cheating, no one ever was able to obtain any direct quotes or thoughts from the victim himself, Coach Meyer. He remained silent regarding the subject and refused to discuss it with different media outlets.

Until last week, there was no new news about "Kiffin-gate" whatsoever. That is, until Gabe of GatorTailgating.com broke the news that the UF coaching staff had printed and posted different quotes from Lane Kiffin around the Heavener complex to motivate the football team during workouts and spring practice. (As a side note, here is some of the response to the article on VolNation.com's forums.)

Now, we've found out that Andrew Carter of the Orlando Sentinel caught up with Meyer to ask him about his feelings regarding Kiffin-gate. He didn't exactly open up to Carter, but we think it might sound eerily similar to Meyer's answers on a previous controversial topic about an SEC rival disrespecting his team.

Sentinel: Not sure if you’ve publicly commented about the Lane Kiffin controversy—does that maybe seem a little silly or humorous now in hindsight:
Meyer: “I didn’t find it humorous.”

Sentinel: Not then, I’m sure, but perhaps now?
Meyer: “It’s not humorous. I can think of a few other words that I’m not going to say, but certainly not humorous.”

Sentinel: Have you talked to Kiffin, or has he reached out and apologized:
(Meyer shakes head no).

Sentinel: For the fans, though, that certainly adds a little spice to the rivalry
Meyer: “I’m not going to comment on it any more than I just did. I guess you could say that.”

Reference to Orlando Sentinel

Does that not remind you of Meyer's attitude towards the media regarding Mark Richt's on-field celebration tactic in the epic 2007 UF-UGA game? I think it does.

Thanks, Lane. Any chance of Tennessee coming into the Swamp under the radar as a "rebuilding team with a new coach" and leaving with a surprising upset victory have now all but vanished.

Meyer will now be channeling his frustration and his team's anger into his offseason strength training and spring practices, and all of that will be pointed toward a circled date on the calendar of Sept. 19.

Last year when that happened it resulted in a 39-point beatdown of archrival and preseason national champion selection Georgia. Not only was that team stacked with talent, but they even had an experienced and proven SEC head coach.

Tennessee has neither of those two items and doesn't even get the advantage of a neutral field. They will play the defending national champions in the Swamp.

Fortunately for Kiffin, he has accomplished what he wanted to accomplish. He wanted to get people in the Smoky Mountains excited about Volunteer football again. He wanted them to regain the swagger they had in the 90s. He wanted them to envision "singing Rocky-Top all night long after beating Florida next year."

Unfortunately for Kiffin, he has not yet accomplished what the supporters of Tennessee football really want—victories, Bowl Games, SEC Championships, and National Titles. They don't want to envision the singing of Rocky Top after beating Florida. They want to actually do it.

The first part has been easy for Kiffin. I doubt the second part will come easily, if at all. We already know how well one coach can focus his team to get revenge when he wants to. I doubt many coaches in the country can match his skill in mentally preparing his team for big games, much less a coach as green as Lane Kiffin.

Rusty Thompson is one of the founders of GatorTailgating.com. Visit to read more and talk in our message boards.

University of Florida's Heavener Football Complex: 2008 Additions

GatorTailgating.com — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 10:53:15 -0400

Putting the Heaven in "Heavener"... Last week, Gator Tailgating was given the opportunity to explore the nucleus of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium’s newest addition, the Heavener Complex. Around this time last year GatorTailgating.com gave you the latest and greatest on this addition, and we’re here to do it again. UF has made some changes to the shrine since it was built a little over a year ago. When you win another national championship, an additon is a necessity. following, there are some pictures of things you may have seen, and some new... but all of it is impressive. To see all of the images, visit Gator Tailgating's original story at http://www.gatortailgating.com/content/inside-tunnel-2008-additions-ufs-heavener-football-complex

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Office Tailgating: A New Dimension to Casual Fridays

GatorTailgating.com — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:30:25 -0500

Offseason. No football and no tailgating. You sit in your cubicle or office and start to realize how empty your life actually is. Despair no longer, office worker! GatorTailgating has the solution: Office Tailgating®!

Offices are perfect locations for your standard tailgate. You have a parking lot. You have a patch of grass to set up horseshoes or ladder golf. Best of all, by the time Friday rolls around, you and your fellow office mates are ready for the weekend. Start it off early with a tailgate. Pull your car up, fire up the grill, and turn on the music.

Follow these steps to make your first office tailgate a success

Get your grill. You have a couple options here. If your office will allow it, purchase one and keep it onsite. Then every Friday, you just wheel it out and fire it up. Propane grills work best when you only have an hour. Another possibility is to get an electric smoker. You set it up, put your meat in there, and walk away. Set it, and forget it! The temperature is electronically regulated. Get four or five hours of smoke on a couple racks of ribs and you are good to go.
Be selective. Don’t invite your entire office building. You only want the people who know what they’re doing. Establish your rhythm and procedures of the office tailgate before you invite the people who aren’t regular tailgaters. Make sure that people know it’s not a work function. You also want people who are going to contribute. You don’t want moochers. Keep in mind that this is a tailgate not an office picnic. You also want people to join as they see what’s going on, and want to be a part of it.
Prep just like you would for a real tailgate. If you need to go shopping for special ingredients, do it. If you need to season your meat or marinate your chicken overnight, do it. Tailgating without prep work is bound for failure. Keep in mind that your one hour tailgating window is small, so there is no room for error. Be ready.
Bring activities. Office Tailgating is meant to break up the day and get you away from work. Your bosses won’t give you too much crap for setting up a game of horse shoes? If they say something, tell them that you’re “team building”.
Watch sports. You don’t have time to set up a satellite. Get the DVD from the championship and throw it in a laptop. You should make this as close to a real tailgate as possible.

If you think that this is hard sell for your boss give him a speech about team building and how you barely know anyone in your office. Tell him or her that you really want to get to know the people in the other departments. You shouldn’t have a problem getting his approval.

Bring a new dimension to casual Fridays! Tailgate at work.

Rusty Thompson is a contributor to GatorTailgating.com. Check it out for all types of great tailgating articles and tips and Gator football news and coverage!

Into the Future: Florida Football 2010 Schedule Released

GatorTailgating.com — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:50:12 -0500

The 2010 Florida Gator football schedule has been officially released. The schedule looks significantly tougher than the 2009 Gator schedule and should rank as one of the toughest schedules in the nation.

Out of Conference Schedule Pickups

In addition to an away game at FSU, the Gators will play the USF Bulls, who were ranked at various times during the 2007 and 2008 college football seasons. To my knowledge, this will be the first time the two teams meet, and it is sure to be an exciting game. UF will also take on Division I-AA powerhouse Appalachian State, who surprised everyone in 2007 by beating No. 5 Michigan.

The Gators' Toughest Games

The toughest games will be against perennial top five recruiters Alabama (No. 3 recruiter in 2007, No. 2 in 2008) and LSU (No. 11 recruiter in 2007, No. 1 in 2008). In addition, Georgia and Tennessee have been recruiting extremely well and should have very competitive squads in two years. The Gators can expect to have one of the toughest schedules in the country for the 2010 season.

Sept. 4	Miami (OH)	Gainesville, FL
Sept. 11	USF	Gainesville, FL
Sept. 18	at Tennessee	Knoxville, TN
Sept. 25	Kentucky	Gainesville, FL
Oct. 2	at Alabama	Tuscaloosa, AL
Oct. 9	LSU	Gainesville, FL
Oct. 16	Mississippi State	Gainesville, FL
Oct. 30	Georgia	Jacksonville, FL
Nov. 6	at Vanderbilt	Nashville, TN
Nov. 13	South Carolina	Gainesville, FL
Nov. 20	Appalachian State	Gainesville, FL
Nov. 27	at Florida State	Tallahassee, FL

Add your comments and tell us who you think the toughest game will be against, and why!

Please check out our website at http://www.GatorTailgating.com!
You can view the original article at http://www.gatortailgating.com/content/into-future-florida-gator-football-2010-schedule-released

Lame Kiffin Strikes Again: Two Recruiting Violations at Tennessee

GatorTailgating.com — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:50:46 -0500

You can do what Tennessee's new coach, Lane Kiffin, did in the SEC. You can come in and call out the reigning SEC and National Champion head coach. You can steal his recruit, say he cheated, and brag about how you told the recruit to lie to everyone too. You really can, but only on one condition....

You can't be wrong.

Even more important than that, you can't be guilty of cheating yourself!

That's right. Not only did Kiffin make a fool of himself, his staff, and his team by calling Urban Meyer a cheater and then finding out that what Meyer did wasn't wrong at all; as if that alone wasn't bad enough, his school had to self-report two recruiting violations yesterday!

I really don't know that this story can make Kiffin look like any more of a tool.

In letters to the NCAA and the SEC, the Tennessee athletic department confirmed that the violations had occurred in January. One of the recruiting violations included players involved in a fake press conference as if they had played a football game. The second violation was for use of a fog machine as players ran into Neyland Stadium.

Although these are minor violations that would normally not be a big deal, Kiffin created a huge target on his forehead and created a media firestorm by pointing his finger at Meyer last week about a nonexistent rule. Now, he not only looks like an idiot, but a hypocritical one to boot.

I just don't know how much longer his newness will last at Tennessee with shenanigans like this going on, but what do I know? The toothless hillbillies from big orange country wanted a little excitement in their program after having the boring Phil Fulmer pace the sidelines for so many years. Maybe they got exactly what they bargained for.

I just hope they appreciate what they bargained for come September in Gainesville.

Rusty Thompson is a contributor to GatorTailgating.com

Urban Meyer Names Steve Addazio Florida's New Offensive Coordinator

GatorTailgating.com — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:07:55 -0500

Urban Meyer released a statement Saturday afternoon to announce Steve Addazio as the Gators' new Offensive Coordinator. Last month, Dan Mullen vacated the position to become the new Head Coach at another SEC school, Mississippi State University. Mulen will still call the plays in the BCS Championship Game against Oklahoma on January 8th, but Addazio will take the reigns after that game.

Many questions have floated about who could replace Mullen, but there weren't too many names to leak out in the search for a replacement. We now find out that the reason for that is it was not an outside search for Mullen's replacement. It was going to be promotion from within the current offensive staff, and Addazio got the nod over the others.

Meyer said wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales, running backs coach Kenny Carter and tight ends coach John Hevesy have all been deeply involved in game planning and play calling and would continue that trend with Coach Addazio as the new coach of the offense. Addazio got the promotion though, and will be the new leader for Tim Tebow and the Gators offense (assuming Tebow stays for his Senior year).

"I'm excited to keep the continuity of our play calling within our current staff," Meyer released in a statement Saturday. "Steve has played a key role in our offense in his time at Florida. Our entire offensive staff is involved in game planning and scripting plays. As always, I will remain very involved in the offensive game plan."

Addazio has worked with Meyer twice in his coaching career. He worked with Meyer at Notre Dame for two years and has been at Florida since 2005. He also has play-calling experience on his resume as he was offensive coordinator at Indiana before leaving to rejoin Meyer at Florida to become the offensive line coach.

"I'm extremely humbled because I know it is a group effort of our offensive staff and players that have made us successful and will continue to make us successful," Addazio said. He also mentioned how proud he is to be picked by Meyer as the new offensive coordinator because his previous hires speak for themselves.

If you're wondering if Coach Addazio will continue the "Spread 'N Shred," or if the system will be changed to resemble his Indiana offense, Meyer cleared that up as well. "We will still run the same type of offense. We will continue to put the ball in the hands of our best players, spread the field and try to take advantage of the best matchups."

Addazio does have some huge shoes to fill as Mullen's offense the past two years have put up some amazing stats. Mullen was the third offensive coordinator to be hired as head coach because of what he's done for Meyer's offense. Only time will tell if Addazio can fill Mullen's shoes, but if Meyer's past hires have any bearing, then it was a smart move.

Rusty Thompson is a contributor to GatorTailgating.com

The Best Places To Tailgate Before the BCS Championship Game

GatorTailgating.com — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:46:23 -0500

GatorTailgating.com (www.GatorTailgating.com) is doing a series of articles on where and how to tailgate at all of the Gator Football away games. This article details where and what to look out for in Miami, Florida for the BCS Title Game against the Oklahoma Sooners.

Go Gators!

Where are the good and bad areas of town for motels to stay in the night before/after the big game?

Hollywood, Florida's office of tourism has recently become a sponsor of GatorTailgating.com and has offered some great deals to Gator fans heading down for the BCS title game. Click here for room availability.
What are some attractions/bars in Miami that a visitor shouldn't miss?

When going to Miami, there is no reason to not make a visit to South Beach. Whether you visit during the daytime for grabbing a bite to eat and checking out the shops or going at night to see the clubs, you won't want to miss it. Yes, the stores are expensive. Yes, the parking is limited. Yes, the drinks cost four or five times what they do at any other bar, but it's South Beach. Everyone who visits Miami has to go to South Beach at least once.

Obviously, most of the main things to do in Miami revolve around the beaches. Being that the game is in January though, I highly doubt most people will be putting on their boardshorts and bikinis to soak up the sun. So, here are a few touristy stops if you feel like being a tourist in Florida for once in your life. People speak very highly of the Metrozoo (www.miamimetrozoo.com). They also have a great aquarium at the Miami Seaquarium (www.miamiseaquarium.com) where you can swim with dolphins and other interesting stuff. For the people interested in seeing wild animals, you won't want to miss the Everglades National Park (www.nps.gov). They have airboat rides and tons of other exciting tours that take you fairly deep into the preserves.

On to the nightlife, where most of us tailgaters will be looking for some fun. First off, don't forget that there is a Fanfest on Wednesday, January 7th at the Bicentennial Park (www.bayfrontparkmiami.com). It will be a lot like the SEC Championship's Fanfare in Atlanta that was held in the Congress Center. The cheerleaders and band will probably make an appearance or two, and they will have sponsor booths set all around the place. Other than that, there isn't really anything special going on at it. The times that it is open is from 3pm -9pm. If you're heading to South Beach, you can't go wrong with B.E.D. (www.bedmiami.com), Cameo (www.cameomiami.com), or The Opium Garden (www.theopiumgroup.com). Although, you need to know a couple things before heading down there. 1 – Dress nice. 2 – Be prepared to blow some money. 3 – be prepared to wait in lines for the clubs.
If you like to gamble, there can be a lot of fun to be had at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (www.seminolehardrock.com) too.

Where should a visiting fan go to eat before leaving Miami?

You will not want to miss Don Shula's Steakhouse (www.donshulashotel.com) . It is located inside of his hotel, but is a guaranteed dinner you will not forget. For a less expensive meal, they are known for great BBQ at Shorty's. (http://www.shortys.com/) . Finally, a restaurant in South Beach you won't want to miss out on is Joe's Stone Crab (www.joesstonecrab.com) when crab is in season (Oct 15th-May15th), which the BCS Game falls within.

Are there any good sports bars close to Dolphin Stadium where people without tickets can tailgate and go watch the game?

There aren't many too close to the stadium, but there is one semi-close that comes highly recommended. The Champion's Sports Bar and Grill (www.doralreort.com) It has more of a gold feel because of where it's located, but is a very nice place with great food.

How much should we expect to pay for a parking spot near the stadium?

The usually for dolphins games is anywhere from $20-50. The price may go up due to it being for a BCS Championship game. If you have an Orange Parking pass, the parking lot map below will show you where it will allow you to park.

Where is the parking that is best for tailgating?

The orange lots (which are pre-paid and require passes) are the best for tailgating if you plan ahead. You can get three or four vehicles together before going in to park, and then park all of them side by side so that you can tailgate behind all the vehicles rather than just one. What happens in Miami for tailgating is after you park, you have an 8'x10' spot behind your vehicle that is your section for tailgating. With four vehicles together, you have a 32' x 10' tailgating spot.

Are there any special rules we should know about tailgating, open-container policies we should be forewarned about, or anything of the sort?

If you're in the Orange Parking lot, there are no kegs allowed. If they find you have a keg, they will take your keg and remove you from the parking lot. Also, keep your drinks in a cup so that it's not obvious you're drinking. Everyone already knows you are, but there's no need to show it off.
Is there anything else you would advise fans of before heading to Miami to tailgate for the big game?

Get there early, but not too early. Most parking lots don't open till after 10 AM on game days.