A Sit Down With The NHL Insider

No, unfortunately Stevie P will not be featured in this blog post as he is no longer the NHL Insider here at SportsInformer.com. He has been replaced by a man that defies all logic when it comes to hockey knowledge.

His name is Bryan Cruse. He went through a prolonged period of unemployment and chose to use his free time to learn everything there is to know about hockey. Yet he is still a Leaf fan, go figure.

Today he and I had a long conversation about the roster that was announced today for Canada's Mens Ice Hockey team that will be playing in Vancouver in February of 2010. Steve Yzerman is the General Manager of the team and had a tough job picking from such a deep talent pool. A lot of guys were left off the team and so of course debate rages on.

Here is the conversation that NHL Insider Bryan Cruse and I had today:

SI

Team Canada's roster for Vancouver was announced today. What was your intial reaction upon seeing the team?

BC

I was blown away. I was very happy to see that there was plethora of young talent in there and that spots were earned.

SI

The team definately is young with guys like Toews and Doughty on the roster. Any concerns that maybe they aren't ready for the pressures of the Olympics especially since the games are being held in Vancouver?

BC

None. The youngest of the young who made the team are Toews and Doughty and both are performing at unebelievable levels considering their age. They aren't going to be relied on for top line minutes on this team, unlike their club teams. This experience will be invaluable to their growth and they will both be leaders in 2014 and beyond.

The rest of the youth core comes from the 03' draft, most of whom have already established themselves as all-stars. Most of these players have Olympic, WJC, World Championship and/or Stanley Cup playoff experience. The Olympics being held in Vancouver will be an advantage, not added pressure.

SI

You don't think that playing at home and trying to win gold infront of the home fans adds any extra pressure? I mean the Olympics are supposed to be the biggest sporting event there is and this year it's in Canada and the mens hockey will be the highlight of the games. I think there is some added pressure there no?

BC

I can see why some would think that, but Canada has hosted international events before and these players have held up. I don't see a big difference between having home ice advtange in the Olympics and having home ice advantage in the NHL playoffs. Both are situations where the whole building and the whole region will be rooting for these players. Canada is just a much larger region than an NHL city.

SI

That is definately one way to look at it. Plus Toews was money in the shootout when the game was on the line in the 2007 WJC which bodes well for him.

BC

Shoot out proficiency was definitely included in the criteria when selecting players, it certainly helped Toews here.

SI

Nice segway back to the rest of the roster besides the young guys. Sso the roster came out today at noon and you’ve had some time to look it over. Give me the 1 guy who didnt make the team you would have brought if you were Yzerman.

BC

Yzerman is in a tough situation here. His moves will scrutinized up until the Olympics are over or will continue forever should they not win gold. Its easy to say " I think Yzerman should have brought...." but then who do you take that spot from? I dare not presume to know better than Yzerman. But If I had to pick, I'd bring Jeff Carter.

SI

Why? and whose spot would he take?

BC

I'd give him the spot over Patrice Bergeron. Both are right handed centremen who would probably be asked to move to wing and both are excellent penalty killers, so there is no wrong choice here. Bergeron offers more versatility, but Carter is a bigger body, a legitimate sniper (on a team that already boasts Crosby, Thornton, Getzlaf as set up men), and is a bigger threat to pot a key SHG.

SI

We talked earlier and were both pretty upset about the Bergeron pick. Hard to believe he made the team considering last year he wasn't even on anyones radar but he has come back from injury and is showing he is a legit player again and not some injury prone bust.

So good for him and the fact he and Crobsy played so well in the WJC is nice and hopefully they can rekindle that chemistry.

As for players who got snubbed we have St. Louis, Lecavilier, Brad Richards, Bouwmeester, Phanuef, Green, and Stamkos to name a few.

Give me a reason why these guys didn't make it. What was their fatal flaw when it came to selection in your mind?

BC

Its a shame the focus of todays monumental announcement is on who did not make the team. Those players were cut simply because there are only 23 spots available and Canada has too much depth. But here is why each of those listed players was not offered a spot:

St. Louis - has been used more as a setup man this year, but Canada already has several of those

Lecavalier- very low production this year

B. Richards- has looked like the Brad Richards of old lately, but he disappeared for too long the last few years, and Canada is very deep at centre

Bouwmeester- has not played a meaningful game for the better part of a decade. no one knows how he'll hold up under the pressure

Phaneuf- people feel his monster hits and offensive production can't hide his defensive inadequacies

Green- doesn't play defense. Canada might as well put one of the cut forwards like Carter at the point, but defense is for players who play defense

Stamkos - too deep at centre already and his production slowed down the last few weeks

SI

Many people complained that in 2006 the reason Canada didn't win was because of the "old guard" yet the old guard still is very much present on this team in the form of Niedermayer and Pronger. Do you feel like these guys might be a little past their primes and were only picked due to name and repuation?

I mean we have all played nhl 2010 and we all know the Russians can fly. Can these 2 keep up with the fast pace that is sure to be set by Russia and Sweden arguabley Canada's 2 biggest roadblocks to the gold?

BC

Canada is much younger and faster than the 2010 edition of the Swedes, so it shouldn't be too hard for Canada to match their pace (not necessarily beat Sweden, but can keep up with their pace).

Niedermayer's wheels are still in premier condition. Can the Russians keep up with him? Pronger though? Chris Pronger is the anti-russian. He's big, he's nasty, he's dirty and the Russians are going to hate him. But this is NHL ice. There is no dipsy doodling around Chris Pronger. On international ice, a player of his speed is less effective, but on the NHL size surface, a player of calibre is invaluable. He has a big reach and will use his frame to punish the Russians.

SI

I still think he is a liability as he takes a lot of penalties and is known to be a massive douchebag in the dressing room.

Sticking with the Russians though. Malkin, Ovechkin, Semin, Kovalchuck, Datsyk can Canada match their offense or better yet can the defensive core shut down these 5 superstars?

BC

Its very possible that Canadas top 2 lines can't match Russia’s, but a hockey team is 4 lines deep. And the advantage in lines 3 and 4 unquestionably go to Canada. Canada has an excellent, mobile defense composed of both veterans and young stars alike, that SHOULD be able to stop the Russians, but who knows if thats possible. On paper, the offense is a wash, but the Canadian defense out-classes the Russian d-corps. Thats only on paper, of course.

SI

Yeah the weakness of Russia has always been there defense.

So its obvious the Russians are the biggest threat?

What about the USA and Sweden (even though Sweden is now an older team).

BC

Of those 3 countries, the high octane Russians are the biggest threat.

The Americans are only a minor threat. They are very young and will not have a perticularly strong d-corps.Its possible, but unlikely they'll make a lot of noise. Their attempt to rally around the legend of the 1980 Miracle on Ice similarities will fail. Ryan Miller is their only chance for a medal.

Sweden has a wealth of experience and are the reigning champs. They, too, are a serious threat along with the Russians. Canada's biggest worry should be about building team chemistry. A well oiled Team Canada cannot be stopped. They need to find that team chemistry fast and players need to check their egos and play as a unit. If they can do that there are no threats.

SI

Any concerns about the goalies at all?

BC

Sure. There is more than enough talent and experience between Brodeur, Luongo and Fleury to capture gold for Canada. They need to start the right goalie though. Goalies can falter at anytime though, its unpredictable. Canadas goaltending trio should be one of the strongest at the Olympics.

Anything can happen though.

SI

The roster was named but not the lines.

How would you put the guys together?

BC

Very tough to do, but using past experiences where the chemistry has worked and including lines from the orientation camp:

Nash- Crosby-Iginla

Heatley-Getzlaf-Perry

Marleau-Thornton-Toews

Morrow- M. Richards-Bergeron

Staal

SI

As odd as this may seem I think the most pressure in on the 4th line there. Tthese guys will be respnsible for shutting down the oppositions superstars game in game out they will play against the very best players in the world and they will need to gel right away in order to be successful.

BC

The top line can relieve a lot of that pressure by outperforming other teams top lines though.

SI

That’s true but if Richards, Morrow and Bergeron can't shutdown the Malkins, Ovechkins, Gaboriks and Zetterbergs then canada will always be playing from behind.

BC

That is certainly possible. If Canada’s top line can match or out produce opposing top lines, or a goaltender catches fire, the pressure on Canada’s shut down line will be greatly minimized.

SI

Any other comments you wanna make about the roster Yzerman picked?

BC

Its a thing of beauty to look at all those names next to each other. Yzerman did an admirable job and supplied Babcock with more than enough talent to capture gold. Its up to the coaches and the players now to make it happen.

SI

You realize Yzerman will never see this and you can go ahead and throw him under the bus for picking Bergeron, Morrow, Pronger and Niedermayer.

Feel free.

BC

I'd through him under the bus if he DID NOT take Morrow, Pronger and Niedermayer. I disagree with the Bergeron pick, but I understand it and respect it. Yzerman>Me.

SI

Alright well thanks for the input. By the way one sentance to sum up the wjc so far.

BC

Dear Americans, you are so dead tomorrow, followed by whatever assclowns are after you.

SI

Perfect way to go out.

Bryan Cruse it has been a pleasure.

BC

Same to you Sports Informer.

Random YouTube Video (Selected by NHL Insider Bryan Cruse)

Mike Leach is Getting Screwed

For those of you that don't know Mike Leach is the head coach of the football team at Texas Tech university. He is an eccentric man who has always been thought of as "weird" and "out there" but his knowledge when it comes to football has never been questioned.

Right now Leach is having his name dragged through the mud as he is the focus of a controversy involving himself and a player on his team named Adam James.

The story is that James complained of a concussion and was forced, by Leach, to be quarantined in the equipment room making sure it was in order and if he tried to leave he would be kicked off the team. James also claims that a day later Leach forced him to stay in the electric closet at the stadium with a guard outside the door.

Now before you start judging Leach and condemning him like everyone else has know this one important fact. Adam James is the son of Craig James who is a broadcaster for ABC and ESPN. Everyone who has written on the story has mentioned this fact but no one has discussed it.

Craig James works for ESPN and is well connected in the world of sports journalism. If he feels his son was mistreated he could very well go out of his way to cause a shit storm for Leach and get public support on the side of his son. Now I am not saying Craig James would do that or that he is the Godfather of the journalism world but journalists are a tight crew and nothing sells newspapers like controversy.

What is also important to note about the story as being reported by everyone is that it is a first hand account of Adam James and a "university trainer" who is choosing to remain anonymous. Leach has attempted to set the record straight but of course no one believes him and everyone in the journalist community seems to be doing their best to make him look like Hitler.

Another interesting twist in the story is the amount of support Leach is getting from former players who say Leach would never do anything like this and that he is a good guy who cares about his players. Obviously these former players have no incentive to stick up for Leach and would be speaking from personal experiences where as journalists go on rumors and speculation.

In case you were interested Leach's lawyer Ted Liggett James was told by Leach to go into the equipment room because it was air-conditioned and dark which would help him cope with his "concussion" as opposed to being out on the field in any capacity. Liggett also told reporters that James had been complaining about playing time and wasn't happy with the way he was being used.

The reason this story has gained such momentum is due to the recent talks about concussions in the NFL. People are now all concerned that coaches aren't taking the new information seriously and that these players are being forced to play when they don't want to. This is the card Adam James has chosen to play and the public seems squarely behind him.

To me it seems that James wanted more playing time and was upset about the way he was treated which to me says that he doesn't have the heart to play in the NFL. Sorry Adam but football is a sport for men, not whiners. Is there any coincidence that James has had no side effects from the treatment and that none of his teammates have said anything in his defense about the incident?

"The diagnosing doctor has signed a note stating that Adam James was in no way injured by the actions coach Leach took. In fact, he was better off in the building than he would have been outside.''

Because of this whole incident Leach was suspended from coaching in the Texas Tech's bowl game against Michigan State University but he has already filed an appeal to try and get that suspension removed. I think :each should be allowed to play as long as the players on the team want him around.

I think he should remain as the coach of the program but the damage may have already been done. People everywhere are clamoring for Leach to be fired. Jay Marriotti (who I used to like but now think is massive douchebag) wrote, "If Texas Tech has any credibility, he'll be dismissed this week and deemed unfit to be around young men."

It is a shame that a great coach like Leach is being thrown under the bus like this because some son of a broadcaster wants more playing time and can't handle a little tough love from his coach. Mike Leach will more than likely be fired and Adam James will more than likely graduate and then never achieve anything, as far as football goes, after he leaves Texas Tech.

One kid ruining a mans life and a schools football program for selfish reasons.

Random YouTube Video (...WOW)

The Mega-Fight That May Never Be

The very latest scandal in the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Manny Pacquiao super-fight is the demand by the Mayweather camp for Manny Pacquiao to undergo Olympic-style drug testing leading up to the fight March 13, 2010.

Perhaps the smartest thing Mayweather has done so far is to partner up with Golden Boy Promotions, allowing them to negotiate on his behalf and utilizing their substantial muscle and network.

Mayweather's demand that the Olympic U.S. Anti Dopers Association (USADA) be the organization that conducts the tests is most likely because of Oscar De La Hoya's personal relationship with the head of this group. Considering that "Olympic-style drug testing" means the testing would be at random and as often as the USADA would like the relationship with De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions is a huge advantage. Especially now that everyone knows Pacquiao is superstitious about getting blood drawn in general, much less right before a fight. (This superstition was born when Pacquiao was blood-tested before his first bout against Erik Morales, which he lost.)

Team Pacquiao has refused such random tests and instead, have offered to give blood directly after the fight. The USADA claims that a scheduled blood test would give Pacquiao's camp the opportunity to shoot him up with a masking agent and thus render the test meaningless.

So it seems they are at an impasse and the fate of the super-bout hangs in the balance.

Is this a pressure tactic designed by Floyd Mayweather Jr. to ultimately avoid fighting Manny Pacquiao?

There are many inconsistencies within Golden Boy Promotions' protocol that would make it seem so. While negotiating the PPV bout between Shane Mosley and Zab Judah in 2008 (the fight never got made,) Golden Boy CEO, Richard Schaeffer refused the Olympic-style drug testing requested by the Judah camp, stating "Whatever tests they [the Nevada State Athletic Commission] want them to take, Shane will submit to that. We are not going to do other tests than the Nevada commission requires. The fact is Shane is not a cheater and he does not need to be treated like one."

Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach has stated that they will adhere to the rules and tests enforced by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), which includes extensive drug tests through urine analysis, a method that NSAC Executive Director, Keith Kizer considers less invasive than blood testing.

"Urine tests are not only cheaper, they are more effective and there are no risks of nicking a blood vein or causing an infection," Kizer explains. "If blood tests are administered in the locker room, something like nicking a vein or excessive bruising would force us to cancel the fight, not to mention the risks of infection, administering a test in that kind of environment. " Kizer states "Our goal is to deter the use of drugs [by athletes] in the first place."

It is Kizer's belief that if drug tests aren't strictly enforced, the athletes who don't normally use performance-enhancing substances may feel compelled to do so in order to even the playing field.

"Blood tests are not as effective as urine tests in most cases," Kizer says. "As far as I know, the only test that shows up better in blood is EPO (blood-doping), which is a long-term test that should be administered over the course of months and months in order to be accurate." When asked whether he thought Manny Pacquiao uses steroids, Kizer immediately answerd "No. We've tested Manny Pacquiao several times, including the fights during his climb through the weight classes and he has always tested clean."

Roach has even proffered a letter from the NFL, arguably the strictest professional league when it comes to drug-testing, which would state that blood testing is unnecessary and less effective than urine or saliva tests. Though a blood test has been developed for human growth hormone (HGH,) the test has not been proven effective or reliable, as it has never detected HGH in any of the athletes tested, including all of the athletes at the Olympic Games of 2008.

Mayweather was accused of ducking the mega-fight back in May, 2009, when he announced his first fight out of retirement would be against Juan Manuel Marquez. The announcement came on the day of Pacquiao's fight against Ricky Hatton. Fight fans and media outlets started calling Mayweather out for his apparent avoidance of fighting Manny Pacquiao, though claiming to himself be the true pound-for-pound king of boxing.

Brian Kenny of ESPN went head-to-head against Mayweather in an on-air interview being the first public figure to officially accuse the former pound-for-pound champion of dodging Pacquiao. Mayweather may have suffered his first comeuppance at the hand of Brian Kenny, but the real blow came when ticket sales to his comeback fight against Marquez were dismal.

The fight got moved from July 18, 2009 to September 19, 2009 due to an alleged rib injury suffered by Mayweather, but many people have speculated that the real reason for the postponement was to build the fight and increase ticket and projected PPV sales.

Mayweather dominated his fight against Marquez, who was forced to gain over 10 pounds for the bout. Mayweather even came in two pounds overweight, tipping the scales further in his favor. Instead of regaining the respect of fans for beating the pound-for-pound second best in Marquez, Mayweather suffered further criticism through the media and fans.

Eminem's Sirius radio station, Shade 45, had a phone interview with the tarnished former pound-for-pound champion on October 29th, 2009, attacking Mayweather for protecting his record and not fighting anyone who would test him.

Conversely, Pacquiao went on to fight one of the the welterweight division's most feared fighters, Miguel Cotto and in a stunning TKO victory in the 12th round, affirmed his position as boxing's pound-for-pound king.

During Pacquiao's post-fight interview, fans chanted "we want Floyd!" repeatedly, begging Larry Merchant to ask who Pacquiao would like to fight next. Pacquiao gave the usual answer, stating he would fight whomever his promoter put in front of him. Mayweather immediately went on record, harping to anyone who would listen that Manny was avoiding the fight by not specifically calling Mayweather out when asked who he'd want to fight next.

Mayweather stated "Tell Manny Pacquiao to be his own man and stop letting everyone including his loudmouth trainer, talk for him. If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight me, all he has to do is step up to the plate and say it himself." During coverage of Manny Pacquiao's LA victory party, days after the Cotto fight, a KTLA Los Angeles reporter asked Pacquiao "For the record, do you want to fight Mayweather?" to which Pacquiao simply replied, "for the record, yeah."

This may have forced Mayweather's hand as far as starting negotiations for the fight of the decade, but since then, fight fans are left wondering whether he will actually go through with it. The latest blood-testing hoopla only confirms the fans' worst fears that this much-anticipated fight may not get made as it seems Mayweather's camp is trying to find any feasible way to back out of the fight while saving face.

Freddie Roach states "I'm not going to let my fighter endure any kind of blood test so close to the fight. We don't work for Mayweather. I'm perfectly happy complying with whatever the Nevada State Commission asks of us."

As it is, Mayweather insisted on having the fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas instead of in Dallas, Texas, which would have been much more lucrative. Though Pacquiao didn't express a preference of where the fight should be located, Roach believes that having the fight at the MGM, or "Floyd's backyard" as he put it, was enough of a compromise.

Will this fight get made? Many arguments can be made for either side, but I believe it will get made in the end. Mayweather has already succumbed once to holding negotiations after countless accusations that he is ducking Pacquiao and for the most part, the media and fans are still not backing him up even after this latest attempt to scandalize the fight. He is left with no leverage and no way out other than admitting cowardice, or sustaining (read: faking) an injury / infection that would prevent him from fighting for the next several months - which might happen.

Random YouTube Video

Loyalty

Tonight I went and saw Up in the Air (which by the way is a great movie) and found myself pretty pissed off at one of the major plot twists in the movie.

*spoiler alert*

The girl that George Clooney falls for in the movie ends up having a husband and kids. Clooney thought she was single and goes to her house to surprise only to discover this fact. Basically the woman was cheating on her husband with Clooney.

The character later calls Clooney to explain herself and pretty much tells him off because he, "could have ruined everything. That is my real life."

Why did this piss me off? It speaks to the fact that people cheating on one another is becoming a more prevalent theme in our society and it isn't a good thing.

Before the movie even started there was a preview for this movie called Leap Year where the main female lead decides to fly to Ireland and propose to her boyfriend. However in order to get there she needs to get a drive from some stranger who by the end of the preview she has fallen in love with. Basically this movie promotes throwing away a relationship over someone you have only just met.

I realise none of this is sports related but here comes the seamless transition.

After seeing all this and thinking about how people are no longer faithful in relationships and how it is becoming more common to see people cheating with little or no scruples about the whole thing I came home to see this...

"Giants embarrassed by Panthers. Coughlin Is Problem"

The line had been crossed and it forced me to write this and go on another grammatically weak rant that I am sure will do little to get people as fired up as I am.

Fire Tom Coughlin? Are you kidding me? The guy won a SuperBowl for the Giants 2 years ago, 2 years and fans are calling for his firing because he lost 1 game? He didn't even lose the game the players did.

Did Coughlin give up 416 total yards to Matt Moore and the Panthers offense? No that was the defense.

Did Coughlin throw 2 interceptions and fumble 3 times? No that was Eli Manning.

I am not even a Giants fan and I am writing this. It is just really sad and speaks to one of the biggest problems in our society today, loyalty.

If you ask someone what the #1 quality they look for in a friend is the answer will more than likely be loyalty. People like loyalty and they respect it, or at least they used to.

It's weird looking at players that have stayed with the same team their whole career. Guys like Peyton Manning and Martin Brodeur who never put on a different jersey and become synonymous with their teams. These guys get looked at as the exception rather than the rule and are real oddities in the modern landscape of sports.

These guys could both make more money on the open market but yet they have made the decision that they want to remain loyal and will even take a pay cut in order to help the team win. In the case of Brodeur he is making less money than Cristobel Huet.

Look no further than Brett Favre to see what I am talking about. Here is a man who was a God in Green Bay. He could do no wrong and everyone loved him. If he wanted to he could have played until he was 65 and fans would have cheered him on the whole way. Instead of being faithful and loyal he opted to leave the team and sign with the Jets and then the Vikings which was basically the ultimate F U to Packers fans.

That's why I hate him so much. It is also one of the reasons that I secretly respect Derek Jeter. For all the reasons to hate him you have to respect the fact that he has stayed with the Yankees his entire career and will no doubt retire as a Yankee.

Although the Yankees are notorious for not showing any loyalty. When Bernie Williams was in the twilight of his career they refused to sign him to a new contract and allow him to retire with some class and dignity as a Yankee. The man was a loyal player who gave his all and yet the Yankees rejected him like he was trash. They just did the same thing to Matsui after he won the World Series MVP. I am not saying they need to become a charity and just give guys who can't play money but they need to reward loyalty.

Only 8 coaches in the NFL have been with their current teams for 5 seasons. 8. Does that not seem wrong in so many ways?

Sports is a results based industry. The point is to win and if can't win then you will be replaced by someone that can. I understand that and I can appreciate it but I can't appreciate when players switch teams just to make a quick buck and turn their backs on a fanbase that loves them.

It goes both ways though. Fans need to be loyal to their teams and to their players. How a Giants fan could want to fire a coach that won a SuperBowl only 2 seasons ago is beyond me. I know they have had a rough season and did just lose to the lowly Panthers but come on firing Coughlin would be a brutal move. Giants fans need to smarten up.

I don't see this trend changing anytime soon as pressure to win and chances for more money will continue to create turnover within sports franchises I just hope that more players like Manning and Brodeur will emerge and show that not everyone can be bought and that loyalty is something that pays off in the end.

Random YouTube Video

Urban Meyer Calls It Quits

The biggest shock of this college football bowl season won't be any result that takes place on a field -- no matter how important the game, how big the upset or how wildly dramatic the finish.

The overshadowing shocker came Saturday in a press release that emanated from Gainesville and fast-blasted across the country in an instant of modern technology: The man who sat on top of the world in his sport had suddenly and without warning stepped down as head coach of the University of Florida's Gators.

Urban Meyer is in the fight of his life.

It is hard to imagine that that's overstating it when the immensely popular and successful coach of an envied major-college power steps down abruptly and unequivocally cites his health as the reason.

``I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family,'' Meyer said in the statement explaining his decision.

Ominous words, those. When football coaches talk about priorities in their lives, they generally have in mind whether to run or pass. Little beyond football outweighs the game to so many driven coaches -- and Meyer admitted that in 24 years in the profession, he became one of those men.

Something changed. Details of the medical fight facing Meyer will emerge soon enough, perhaps even Sunday in his arrival press-conference in New Orleans, where the Sugar Bowl vs. Cincinnati will be Meyer's final game with UF, the game itself shrunken to a sidelight of the Meyer drama.

For now, the only speculation that seems safe and fair is that Meyer, who won national championships in 2006 and 2008, would not be suddenly walking away from his life's obsession at its pinnacle unless the matter was urgent or grave. The coach admitted the decision was ``in my best interest'' after consulting with doctors.

Coaching changes in major-college football this time of year usually are cold as winter -- all business. Change normally comes because a Board of Trustees, impatient for success, has fired a man as win-starved fans cheered the guillotine. Or because an upwardly mobile coach hungry for the next rung on his ladder and maybe another comma in his bank account has forsaken his school for a better offer.

This is so, so different. Meyer's job could not have been more secure. He had reached the highest rung. This is so, so different because it is as sad as it is shocking if the implication of a medical crisis proves true.

Meyer has tended to suffer from headaches and fatigue for many years. While at the University of Utah, where he coached in 2003-04 before joining Florida, he was diagnosed with an arachnoid cyst in his brain. It was said to be benign.

Meyer had checked himself into Gainesville's Shands Hospital a few hours after the recent loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game, reportedly suffering dehydration.

It was not immediately known late Saturday whether Meyer's abrupt resignation is related to his cyst or recent hospital stay. Also immediately unanswerable: Speculation that Gators receivers coach Billy Gonzales' leaving UF on Dec. 11 for a similar position at Louisiana State may have been related to knowledge within the staff that Meyer's leaving for health reasons was imminent.

In any case, what were the odds that the University of Miami's Hurricanes with Randy Shannon would be the beacon of stability today among the state's Big Three college football programs?

Florida State icon Bobby Bowden prepares for his final game as the Seminoles' head coach at age 80 after being eased out -- no, more like shoved out, albeit with velvet-gloved hands -- one year earlier than he'd planned and hoped to retire.

Now the stunning Meyer announcement that was breaking news Saturday and breaking hearts all over Gainesville.

You want some instant perspective?

Feel bad not for Bowden or Penn State's Joe Paterno, octogenarian coaches trying to keep their jobs.

Feel bad for a 45-year-old man facing a medical crisis and praying to get to octogenarian status.

Sports' calendar year is ending with a second national stunner, for sure.

Nothing can top the fall of Tiger Woods, whose impeccable public image crumbled in a crush of tawdry scandal, of tabloid revelations of infidelity.

The Meyer development, though, hits with the same jarring, gut-punch suddenness.

Meyer was the Tiger Woods of his sport -- no college football coach was flying higher -- and now, just like Woods, though for immensely different reasons, everything has changed to the extreme for him, and quite literally overnight.

Meyer was 56-10 in five Florida seasons entering this week's game, including a 32-2 mark at home in The Swamp. Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News called him coach of the decade. He was a man obsessed with and seeing no further than Florida's Sugar Bowl date and recruiting to follow.

Then something changed.

For driven football coaches, priorities usually change only when absolutely necessary, like when unsmiling doctors say they must.

You'll hear a certain rote wish a lot over the next few days. Wish it for Urban Meyer, no matter the college team you cheer for or hate. Wish it and mean it.

``Health in the new year . . ."

Random YouTube Video