Got extra $10,000? You might get Chris Leak's shoes

From the "you must be kidding" category, here's something odd.

Allegedly a memorabilia company has purchased the game shoes former quarterback Chris Leak wore in the 2007 national championship game and is selling them for $10,000.

That would buy you a few tanks of gas.

If you've got some extra cash and you're interested in buying the shoes, you can find them on e-bay.

Meanwhile, here are a few details: http://sportscracklepop.com/2008/05/14/c....

Patchan has bullet removed, resumes workouts

GAINESVILLE – Florida defensive lineman Matt Patchan has had the bullet removed from his shoulder following a shooting Friday night, and has resumed some workouts on the Florida campus.
Doctors at Shands at Gainesville removed the bullet on Monday. Although Patchan was originally scheduled to need about three weeks for a full recovery, Florida coach Urban Meyer said Patchan may be back in two weeks. Meyer said he saw Patchan late Wednesday morning and he’s fine.
“He’s lifting (weights) already,’’ Meyer said Wednesday. “It took about eight minutes, the surgery. The doctors said he’s good to go, maybe two weeks, maybe two. I talked to him and he lifted Tuesday and Wednesday.’’
The former Armwood All-American and current Florida defensive lineman was shot in the upper left shoulder by an unknown man Friday night at Sadie Park in Brandon, along with former Armwood teammate Wesley Skiffington. 
According to Hillsborough county sheriff’s accounts, Patchan and Skiffington were at the park about 9:58 Friday night when a man pulled a handgun from his waistband and started shooting toward the crowd, hitting the two.
     
 

Horford headlines NBA All-Rookie team

Former Gator and current Atlanta Hawks star Al Horford was the only unanimous selection to the NBA's 2007-08 T-Mobile All-Rookie team, announced Tuesday.

Horford received 58 points, followed by NBA Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant, who received 57.

Former Gator Joakim Noah was first among the also received votes list with 17 points and Corey Brewer picked up three points.

For the rest of the team, check out this link.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3394654

Horford, Green back in Gainesville

Former Gators Al Horford and Taurean Green are back in Gainesville for a portion of the summer. The two are attending Summer “A” classes, making good on their promise to return and earn their degrees after leaving at the end of their junior season.

Horford is coming off a phenomenal NBA season, which included a berth in the NBA playoffs with the Atlanta Hawks and NBA rookie of the year runner-up. Horford played in 81 games and started in 77, including seven playoff games. He averaged 10.1 points and 9.7 rebounds during the regular season, 12.6 and 10.4 respectively in the playoffs.

Green was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers, but finished the season with the Denver Nuggets. He played in 17 games this season.

-- ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer

Cunningham, Spikes on Nagurski Watch List

Linebacker Brandon Spikes and defensive end Jermaine Cunningham have been named to the 2008 Watch List for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

The award is given to the best defensive player in college football.

The Football Writers Association of America All-America Committee selects the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner from the association's 11-man All-America defensive team in November. The watch list was developed by the FWAA All-America committee with the help of the schools and conferences.

Defensive lineman Matt Patchan shot; expected to fully recover

Former Armwood All-American lineman and current Florida Gator defensive lineman Matt Patchan, was shot in the shoulder Friday night while a bystander at Sadie Park in Brandon.

According to Hillsborough County Sheriff's records, Patchan and a group of people were standing around in a group talking when an unknown black man pulled a handgun and started shooting toward the crowd.

Patchan was shot in the left shoulder, while former Armwood kicker Wesley Skiffington was shot in the right foot. The suspect fled in an unknown car.

Florida coach Urban Meyer issued a statement Monday morning, confirming that Patchan was shot, and that his injuries are not life-threatening.

"Matt Patchan was a gunshot victim Friday night at a Tampa-area park," Meyer said in the statement. "He was a bystander and shot in the left shoulder and is expected to fully recover in three weeks."

Reached by phone Monday morning, Patchan declined to comment.

"I've gotta go, I can't talk about it,'' Patchan said.

Armwood coach Sean Callahan said Monday morning he had talked with Patchan, adding that "he's fine.''

""I don't know what he was doing there or why they were there," Callahan said. "I don't know all the details. I just know he went to the Brandon hospital. They left (the bullet) in. It's not serious. It's in the soft tissue."

The 6-foot-7, 265-pound Patchan enrolled early at Florida in January after graduating from Armwood last December. Recruited as an offensive lineman, he was moved to the defensive line during spring practice. He is expected to be a major contributor this fall.

-- ANTONYA ENGLISH, IZZY GOULD and KEITH NIEBUHR

Gators among top five in latest espn.com preseason poll

I know, I know. It's early and so much could change between now and September, but here it is anyway.

The Gators are a top-five pick in the latest espn.com preseason poll. Many more are yet to come.

If you don't find it completely ridiculous, feel free to take a look.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=schlabach_mark&id=3388100

Softball earns No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament

The No. 1-ranked softball team was rewarded for its stellar play this season with the No. 1 overall seed in the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

With the top seed, the Gators will host a regional with Georgia Tech, Central Florida and USF, beginning Friday.

The Gators (62-2) will open the first round against Georgia Tech (31-29) at 7:30 p.m. UCF (46-18) will play USF (44-18) at 5 p.m. The winners will play each other on Saturday, while the losers will meet in an elimination game. The winner of the region will play the winner of the Fresno State region which includes No. 16 seeded Fresno State, Sacramento State, California and San Diego State.

This is the first top 10 seed for the Gators. It is the ninth NCAA Tournament appearance for the Gators in the 12-year history of the program, the sixth consecutive.

Florida is one of eight SEC teams to make the tournament, the most of any conference in the nation.

Four SEC teams are top 16 seeded teams, including No. 3 Alabama, No. 9 LSU, No. 13 Tennessee and No. 15 Georgia. Also in the field of 64 are Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia and Mississippi State.

Women's golf team holds off No. 1 Duke for regional title

Florida took a three-shot lead into Saturday's final round of the NCAA East Regional, then shot a final-round 10-over 298 to edge three-time defending NCAA champion Duke for the Gators' first NCAA Regional title in school history.

Fourth-ranked Florida finished 19-over 883, while top-seeded Duke closed at 20-over 884. Georgia finished third at 25-over 889.

“This team continues to show a lot of heart,” UF coach Jill Briles-Hinton said. “I am so proud of what they have done to pull this off. Our team shows that it never quits and just keeps fighting.”

The top eight teams qualified for the NCAA Championships, which will be played May 20-23 in Albuquerque, N.M. Joining Florida, Duke and Georgia will be Auburn (894), Virginia (898), South Carolina (899), Wake Forest (899) and Furman (900), which edged NCAA host New Mexico by one stroke to earn the final NCAA Championship bid.

Softball wins first ever SEC tournament title

The Gators' No. 1 softball team continued its phenomenal run this season with a 4-1 win over No. 3 Alabama (51-6) to earn its first SEC tournament championship in school history Saturday afternoon.

The Gators (62-2) will now await news of their NCAA Tournament seeding and regional location. The selection show will be held Sunday on ESPNU at 10 p.m.

"I am very proud of the tournament championship for our program and our players,'' coach Tim Walton said. "Our team has shown a lot of character and determination all season.''

Junior pitcher Stacey Nelson was tournament MVP. First baseman Ali Gardner, outfielder Mary Ratliff and Francesca Enea also were named to the All-Tournament team.