If you missed the news earlier, John James announced this morning he is retiring as Executive Director of Gator Boosters, Inc.

In talking to James about his decision, there was no way I was leaving his office without mentioning one of the top two or three most memorable sporting events I have from my youth: the 1980 NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons.

The game was played on Jan. 4, 1981 at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium and remains one of the biggest moments in Atlanta sports history.

While discussion of the game had nothing really to do with my story, I knew I could get a blog from it if James had a good story from the game. He delivered.

You see, James was a veteran All-Pro punter on that Atlanta team famous for its “Gritz Blitz” defense and quarterback Steve Bartkowski. After 15 years of mostly inept teams since the franchise’s inception, the 1980 Falcons finished 12-4 and won their first division title.

The city was abuzz and thinking Super Bowl as I visited my grandparents over the Christmas holidays.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys, the team I rooted for religiously as a kid, continued to cruise as “America’s Team’’ under legendary coach Tom Landry in their first season after quarterback Roger Staubach’s retirement. The ’80 Cowboys finished 12-4 as full-time punter Danny White added starting quarterback to his duties.

White had been Staubach’s backup for a few seasons, so he was no stranger to the position. However, he continued to punt as well. Atlanta defensive coordinator/special teams coach Jerry Glanville wanted the Falcons to perhaps take advantage of White’s vulnerability, encouraging them to get to know White up close and personal each time he punted.

The teams also had some recent history. Two years earlier in a 27-20 playoff loss at Dallas, Atlanta knocked Staubach from the game and led 20-13 at halftime before White came in and led Dallas to a comeback win. This was a chance for Atlanta to avenge that disappointing loss.

“He put [linebacker] Robert Pennywell and someone else on Danny White just to lay him out on every punt,’’ James said. “So my first punt, I hit a great punt and I’m kind of watching it and here comes Ed “Too Tall” Jones. He just blindsides me – a legal hit, after the punt was gone and I was taking two steps to go down the field.

“And he’s standing over me and he says, ‘You guys lay off Danny White and we’ll lay off of you.’ I didn’t tell the coaches. I said, ‘I’ll just be ready next time.’ ”

The game remains memorable for me because as a 9-year-old, the bigger-than-life Dallas Cowboys were actually in the same town I was in for the first time in my life. I couldn’t believe that Tony Dorsett and Drew Pearson and Harvey Martin were just a few miles from my grandparents’ home where I watched the game.

Since the Falcons were my second-favorite team – only because my grandparents lived there and it was the nearest NFL team to my boyhood home in East Tennessee – I felt as though I almost couldn’t lose if they beat the Cowboys in what would have undoubtedly been the biggest victory in franchise history at that point.

The Falcons led 24-10 early in the fourth quarter when White, still standing, went to work in one of the best playoff comebacks in NFL history. The final score: Dallas 30, Atlanta 27 in a game that took place more than 30 years ago but still seems like yesterday to me.

To James, too.

“That was a horrible loss,’’ he said. “We took it pretty hard.”

While those of a certain age might remember the game, if you don’t, thanks to YouTube you can watch the Cowboys’ winning drive below. And better yet, you get to hear legendary baseball announcer Vin Scully on the play-by-play:

Hey folks, a 10-pack of links for your reading at lunch or later this afternoon covering the Gators:

--Something has to give since the Gators women’s tennis team has won 20 consecutive matches – and Duke has won 18 -- heading into their NCAA semis showdown at 1 p.m. writes the Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald.

--The Gators men’s golf team has continued to improve and has resulted in a trip to the NCAA Championships writes the Independent Florida Alligator.

--A good look at Gators softball player Michelle Moultrie, whose career came to an end with Sunday’s 1-0 loss to USF, from the Florida Times-Union.

--The Gators are playing in the SEC Baseball Tournament this week in Hoover, Ala., and this year’s tournament offers some new twists according to the Birmingham News.

--Former Gators baseball player Mark Ellis, now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, came within hours of possibly losing his leg writes the Los Angeles Times.

--The Gators continue to dominate in the SEC All-Sports Awards, now administered by Halifax Media Group writes the Gainesville Sun.

--Former Gators QB Chris Leak threw for 8 touchdowns in his debut for the Orlando Predators in a 68-61 loss to New Orleans writes the Orlando Sentinel.

--The phenomenon known as “Tebowing” to be included in this year’s Madden 13 video game according to NESN.com.

--Former Gator Udonis Haslem didn’t let a bloody cut above his eye get in the way of helping Miami knock off Indiana on Sunday to even their playoff series at 2-2.

--The Gators football team is ranked No. 20 in one ESPN.com writer’s Top 25 preseason poll.

Outfielder Michelle Moultrie had five hits in a pair of wins Saturday that kept the Gators' season alive.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The season was on the line Saturday for the Gators softball team.

The only way to keep playing another day was to win two games – one against UCF and one against Florida Gulf Coast.

All it took was one swing for the Gators to get going. Lauren Haeger took the cut that counted, launching a two-run homer in the third inning against UCF to spark a 7-1 Gators win. Haeger followed that up with a solo homer in the fifth.

Needing a win against FGCU a couple of hours later -- the Gators lost 2-1 on Friday night to the Eagles -- Florida came out swinging once again with a season-high-tying four home runs in a 6-2 win.

The pair of victories earned the Gators another day. They face USF on Sunday at 1 p.m. in another must-win game. If they win, they will have a rematch against the Bulls for the Gainesville Regional championship later Sunday afternoon.

Following a tumultuous Friday that included a loss to FGCU and Walton's decision to part ways with three starters for undisclosed reasons – shortstop Cheyenne Coyle, third baseman Sami Fagan and left fielder Kasey Fagan – Saturday's wins offered a perfect remedy.

"I couldn't be more proud of our team,'' Walton said. "Obviously a team effort – had a lot of heroes. It was nice to see us get out there and play some softball and just look like we were having fun."

Here is how much fun the Gators had in the two games: They went 20-for-57 at the plate, hit six home runs and scored 13 runs. Meanwhile, pitchers Hannah Rogers and Haeger limited UCF and FGCU to a .224 average and three runs.

"They were ready to play,'' Walton said. "Definitely more confident than yesterday and looked liked we were playing more comfortable as well."

Rogers pitched five scoreless innings in the first game before Haeger allowed two runs over five innings in the nightcap. Like Hager did against UCF, Rogers came in to pitch the final two innings against FGCU, earning her fourth save.

They weren't the only heroes Walton alluded to.

Senior Michelle Moultrie was 5-for-7 on the day, Kelsey Horton hit two home runs against FGCU and Haeger followed her two-homer game against UCF with another home run against FGCU.

Third baseman Samantha Holle only had one hit on the day but it was a big one: a solo homer to lead off the fourth against FGCU that seemed to help relax the lineup in their 14-hit outbreak.

"I'm a little surprised,'' Holle said. "I didn't know it was going to be a home run off the bat."

The Gators will try to duplicate some of Saturday's magic on Sunday against USF, another chance to put Friday's difficulties further in the rearview mirror.

"Yesterday was a hard day for all of us,'' Haeger said. "We were all just really happy to be out there and playing. We knew we could beat both teams today."

Walton said it's not a mystery what the Gators must do on Sunday, once again with a thin roster.

"We were in the same situation today,'' he said. "We don't approach it any differently. We've got 12 players who want to play ball and who want to continue to play ball."

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Gators softball team will be without three starters in tonight's NCAA Tournament game against Florida Gulf Coast University.

Left fielder Kasey Fagan, shortstop Cheyenne Coyle and third baseman Sami Fagan will not play due to undisclosed reasons. Florida coach Tim Walton is expected to address the status of the players following the game.

The Gators (46-11) are the No. 5 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and are vying for a fifth consecutive trip to the College World Series.

The Florida-FGCU winner will face the UCF-USF winner on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Hey folks, a good Friday morning. There is a lot going on in Gator sports.

Here are some fresh links you may be interested in:

--Florida's baseball team shut out Auburn on Thursday night and senior OF Preston Tucker made school history writes the Tampa Bay Times.

--Gators coach Will Muschamp's light-hearted jab at College Station kicks off the Gators-Aggies SEC rivalry.

--The Florida softball team opens NCAA play tonight at home against Florida Gulf Coast. Here is a look at FGCU from Dana Caldwell of the Naples Daily News.

--The Gators softball team has potential to make waves in the postseason writes ESPN.com.

--The UF women's tennis team swept past Michigan to move into the Elite Eight in defense of its national title writes the Gainesville Sun.

--Junior Lauren Embree is a huge reason why the Gators won the 2011 national title and she is recognized in this story from her hometown Marco Island Eagle.

--A story from SpursNation about the kid with the haircut resembling former Gators standout Matt Bonner. He was threatened with suspension from school but instead got free tickets to Thursday's game.

--Freshman J.D. Tomlinson shot a team-best 1-over-par 73 to open NCAA East Regional play writes GatorZone.com.

--The recharged Gators men's tennis team faces Ohio State in the Sweet 16 today. Click here to read a story I wrote earlier this week.

--The UF women's lacrosse team is hosting Penn State on Saturday with a berth to the Final Four on the line. Goalkeeper Mikey Meagher will play a key role.

The Gators lacrosse team hosts Penn State on Saturday afternoon with a berth to the Final Four on the line.

The two teams are familiar with one another as American Lacrosse Conference foes. That familiarity runs deeper for a pair of assistant coaches in the game.

Gators assistant Erica LaGrow and Penn State’s Amy Altig are teammates on the U.S. National Team and are good friends. LaGrow’s fellow assistant at Florida, Caitlyn McFadden, also plays on the national team.

Photo: LaGrow in Honduras last summer.

Their friendship took LaGrow and Altig to Honduras last summer for 10 days to volunteer at the Moravian Evangelic Clinic in the remote village of Ahuas. LaGrow spent time in Honduras in high school and invited Altig, in her second season on Penn State coach Missy Doherty’s staff, to come along and help introduce lacrosse and other sports to the village’s underprivileged kids.

While both are out to win on Saturday, they will be friendly foes.

“It will be fun,’’ LaGrow said Wednesday. “Obviously we’re going to go out there with the best game plan possible to beat them and to get to that Final Four. It’s always fun playing against your friend, but this is business. You’ve got to take care of that first.”

LaGrow said “there is healthy bantering” going on between the two.

The Gators defeated Penn State 20-11 on April 1 at home. After Saturday’s game, the two will catch up as usual. They might even plan another volunteer trip together one day.

“I don’t think it was just that one time,’’ LaGrow said. “We’ll go somewhere else.”

Hey folks, I'll be writing about the lacrosse team later today as it prepares for Saturday's NCAA Tournament game against Penn State.

If the Gators win they advance to the NCAA semifinals for the first time in school history.

To keep you updated on what else is going on in Gator sports, here are some fresh links from around the Internet for your perusal:

--The Gators dropped their final nonconference game of the season on Tuesday night, losing 12-7 at Samford. The bright spot for the Gators was OF Preston Tucker tying school record with his 319th career hit.

--Gators football coach Will Muschamp made a stop in Lakeland on Tuesday night and discussed the roster, Texas A&M and more writes Rick Brown of the Lakeland Ledger.

--ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco offers up a spring recap on the Gators.

--The Gators start summer with 100 percent enrollment in Summer A writes the Orlando Sentinel. One of those players, DL Leon Orr, has some off-the-field issues to clear up the Sentinel reports.

--Hope to chat with former Gators RB Ran Carthon on his new job this week. Here is story from NFL.com.

--A look at Baseball America's analysis of the top of the 2012 MLB Draft and how Gators C Mike Zunino fits in.

--Say hello to Oklahoma State transfer Vicky McIntyre, who becomes tallest player in Florida women's basketball history, writes Chris Harry.

--The USTA checks in with Gators senior Joanna Mather, a key player as Florida opens defense of its NCAA women's tennis title.

--The Gainesville Sun's Robbie Andreu writes that Danny Wuerffel's wait to get into College Football Hall of Fame might take longer than you might expect.

--The Gators softball team hosts the Gainesville Regional starting Friday. ESPNW's Jessica Mendoza breaks down every regional in his report.

Former Gators QB Jesse Palmer announced the 2012 College Football Hall of Fame inductees earlier today in New York, but former Gators QB Danny Wuerffel wasn’t among the 17 names Palmer called.

Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy who led the Gators to their first national championship, did not make the cut on his first time on the ballot.

Another prominent quarterback from Wuerffel’s era – Nebraska’s Tommie Frazier – also missed the cut.

Wuerffel will eventually become the 10th UF representative in the Hall of Fame, but he’ll have to wait like many others have over the years.

Here is the Class of 2012, which will be officially inducted on December 4 in New York and then enshrined at a ceremony in the summer of 2013.

PLAYERS

• CHARLES ALEXANDER - TB, LSU (1975-78)
• OTIS ARMSTRONG - HB, Purdue (1970-72)
• STEVE BARTKOWSKI - QB, California (1972-74)
• HAL BEDSOLE - SE, Southern California (1961-63)
• DAVE CASPER - TE, Notre Dame (1971-73)
• TY DETMER - QB, BYU (1988-91)
• TOMMY KRAMER - QB, Rice (1973-76)
• ART MONK - WR, Syracuse (1976-79)
• GREG MYERS - DB, Colorado State (1992-95)
• JONATHAN OGDEN - OT, UCLA (1992-95)
• GABE RIVERA - DT, Texas Tech (1979-82)
• MARK SIMONEAU - LB, Kansas State (1996-99)
• SCOTT THOMAS - S, Air Force (1982-85)
• JOHN WOOTEN* - OG, Colorado (1956-58)

COACHES

• PHILLIP FULMER - 152-52-0 (74.5%); Tennessee (1992-08)
• JIMMY JOHNSON - 81-34-3 (70.0%); Oklahoma State (1979-83) and Miami (Fla.) (1984-88)
• R.C. SLOCUM - 123-47-2 (72.1%); Texas A&M (1989-02)

Bottom Line: Seems to me all former Heisman winners (at least those who did not have to forfeit award such as Reggie Bush) should be inducted first time on ballot to enhance validity of selections and save the Hall of Fame from the obvious criticism.

Hey folks, the Gators men’s tennis team is in the Sweet 16 and squares off against Ohio State – yep, another Gators-Buckeyes showdown – later his week in Athens, Ga.

I’m working on a story this morning taking a look at how Florida went from losing in the first round of the SEC Tournament to advancing to the Sweet 16.

For now, wanted to pass along some fresh links from around the Internet of interest to Gator fans:

----VIDEO: The Gators baseball team offers up its own version of “Call Me Maybe” in this video shot on the team bus heading to Alabama on Monday. The Florida softball team posted its version last week. You make the call: Which team won?

--Former Gators QB Danny Wuerffel is up for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame this morning. You can watch live here on the National Football Foundation’s YouTube channel.

--The Orlando Sentinel writes that Will Muschamp leads the revival of the Florida Gators football program after checking in on his speaking stop in Orlando.

--Late former Gators football coach Charley Pell was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame over the weekend, but perhaps his most important legacy is his battle with depression writes the Birmingham News.

--Another remembrance of Pell from George Smith of the Anniston (Ala.) Star.

--The Gainesville Sun projects the Gators’ impact on the 2013 NFL Draft following a quiet 2012.

Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan and assistant Brad Weitzel watch Saturday's 2-0 loss to Mississippi State.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan keeps doing the only thing he knows to do.

Each day when he arrives at the ballpark and fills out the lineup card, O'Sullivan writes in names so familiar they seem like family: Fontana, Pigott, Tucker, Zunino and Johnson.

They form the heart and soul of Florida's lineup. O'Sullivan knows what they can do. He has seen it over and over again on the way to back-to-back College World Series. He just hasn't seen it as much as he expected this season.

O'Sullivan witnessed something Saturday night that has happened only six times in his five seasons (309 games) as Florida's head coach: the Gators got shut out.

Mississippi State right-hander Kendall Graveman had a lot to do with that. He limited the Gators to only three hits over 7 2/3 innings, and reliever Jonathan Holder then closed out the Bulldogs' 2-0 win at McKethan Stadium.

The loss was a critical one in Florida's bid to win the SEC East regular-season crown and set up a rubber game against the Bulldogs on Sunday in the final home game of the regular season.

"It's a really tough pill to swallow,'' said reliever Keenan Kish, who pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings to keep the game close. "Every loss hurts. We've got to be able to bounce back tomorrow and leave this one behind us."

O'Sullivan wants to leave the struggles at the plate behind. While the Gators' pitching has been showing signs of rounding into postseason form lately, the offense is playing catch-up. And slowly.

In the two games against Mississippi State – Florida won 4-1 on Friday night – the Nos. 1-4 hitters in the lineup are a combined 2-for-31 (.065).

They were without Brian Johnson on Saturday – he was scratched from his scheduled start due to a sore hamstring – but veterans Nolan Fontana, Daniel Pigott, Preston Tucker and Mike Zunino were in the lineup and failed to get a hit.

The top four hitters combined to go 0-for-15 on Saturday.

Freshman outfielder Justin Shafer accounted for two of Florida's three hits. The Gators' best scoring opportunity came in the fifth when Shafer led off with a single and moved to third on Austin Maddox's single.

Josh Tobias then drilled a line drive that Bulldogs third baseman Sam Frost snagged. The inning ended when Vickash Ramjit grounded into a double play.

Another scoring threat down the drain and more questions about the lack of offense.

"I think we've just got to stay positive,'' Shafer said. "We know we can hit. We've got to come out here and do it."

O'Sullivan will continue to do what he has done all season on Sunday. He'll write those same names onto the lineup card and hope they start coming up with some hits.

That's the only solution he has.

"We just could not do anything offensively.  This has been a yearlong thing,'' O'Sullivan said. "We've just got to do a better job offensively. We've got to manufacture runs. When we get opportunities to score, we've got to have really good at-bats.

"The bottom line is that this team is going to go as far as it can with the guys who have been here the last three or four years. They've just got to have better at-bats. We know they can do it. They will do it – just hopefully sooner than later."

Photo: Gators starter Hudson Randall pitched one of his best games of the season on Friday night.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On Thursday morning as he met with reporters to discuss his team, Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan called starter Hudson Randall's performance at Kentucky on May 3 "vintage Randall."

O'Sullivan had wanted to say that for a while but Randall's tired arm and some spotty outings got in the way. However, Randall's win over the potent Wildcats – he gave up six hits and three runs in 6 2/3 innings – finally afforded O'Sullivan an opportunity.

So what did O'Sullivan have to say on Friday night after Randall outdueled Mississippi State ace Chris Stratton, who entered the game with a 9-0 record and 2.19 ERA?

He offered some high praise.

"He might be the best pitcher I've ever coached, and I know that's a steep compliment and I know I've coached a lot of good pitchers along the way, but he just knows what he is doing on the mound,'' O'Sullivan said. "He's always got the count in his favor. He can mix. He's got four different pitches. He doesn't throw 95 but I wouldn't trade him with anybody."

When O'Sullivan was at Clemson, he coached Daniel Moskos, the fourth overall pick in the 2007 MLB Draft. He knows starpower on the mound.

O'Sullivan's praise came after one of Randall's best outings of the season and his longest SEC start in 2012. Randall limited the Bulldogs to five hits and one run over seven stellar innings.

He didn't walk a batter and struck out two, using his trademark savvy to maneuver his way up and down Mississippi State's lineup in a 4-1 Gators win.

When Randall is at his best, he can throw four pitches for strikes: a fastball, cutter, curveball and change-up.

He was at his best Friday, saying that he "found" his curveball after struggling with the pitch at times this season.

"I'm feeling more comfortable than ever,'' Randall said.  "Maybe the scoreboard will say it's my best outing but I felt better some other outings.  Today everything was going my way. All the ground balls were finding my infielders and fly balls as well.

"It's a good feeling."

Randall, who was 11-3 as a sophomore, improved to 6-1 with his win over Stratton, who lost for the first time in nearly a year.

While Randall hasn't been bad this season, he hasn't been vintage as often as his excellent sophomore season. He looks to be on his way back according to teammate and roommate Steve Rodriguez, who closed out Friday's win with a pair of scoreless innings.

"We talk about it all the time,'' Rodriguez said. "He just wants to get back out there and just be his old self again, be back to the guy he was last year and the guy we could depend on every Friday night."

He was that guy Friday. Vintage Randall.

"He matched [Stratton] pitch for pitch. He did what he needed to do,'' O'Sullivan said. "He kept the ball off the barrel, didn't go to very many three-ball counts. He was in control.

"It just goes to show you that if you throw strikes and locate and be able to change speeds, you can have a lot of success in this game."

Photo: Florida celebrates a Game 3 win over Mississippi State in last year's Gainesville Super Regional.

In my 20 months on the job documenting Gator sports for GatorZone.com, few days have matched the intensity of June 12, 2011.

I'm still wiping sweat off my forehead from the heat of that afternoon at McKethan Stadium. Rather than rehashing what happened, here is the column I wrote that day from Florida's 8-6 come-from-behind win over Mississippi State in the Gainesville Super Regional.

The victory earned the Gators their second consecutive trip to the College World Series.

Why bring this up now? Don't worry, there's a good reason: Mississippi State is back in town for a three-game series that starts tonight.

The stakes aren't as high, but there is still plenty on the line for both teams with the SEC Tournament approaching.

“It’s really important,’’ Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan said Thursday. “Obviously when you go down the stretch, you want to be playing your best baseball. Mississippi State has a great ballclub. They are pitching extremely well. It’s just one of those weekends, and we’ll say the same thing next weekend when we go to Auburn.

"We’re in position to be in the hunt and that’s what we hoped for when we set out in February.”

The Gators (36-13, 14-10 in SEC) faced the Bulldogs (30-18, 12-12) seven times last season, including an 18-0 win in Starkville that seemed to spark a renewed rivalry.

Florida won five of seven, including two of three in the Gainesville Super Regional. This is the first time the teams have met since that 95-degree day last June ended when O'Sullivan unleashed some lively Gator chops to inspire the crowd at the end of the game.

His counterpart, Mississippi State coach John Cohen, is suspended for Game 1 tonight for unsportsmanlike conduct in Sunday's game against Alabama.

Florida's memorable win over the Bulldogs last June featured a postgame verbal exchange between O'Sullivan and Cohen.

The Bulldogs have only one regular starter from last year's team, but they sound ready for another intense visit to Gainesville.

"On-the-field wise, a lot of guys don't like them – with the way they carry themselves and the coaches carry themselves," Mississippi State shortstop Adam Frazier told the Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger on Thursday, admitting he has friends on Florida's roster. "I guess it's about their swagger. They know they're good and they come and play. You can't really hate them too much for that.

"When you're as good as they are and play like they do, you can't really hold that against them too much."

When a reporter asked Florida outfielder Daniel Pigott on Thursday if the Gators had "bad blood" against the Bulldogs, Pigott downplayed that perception.

"I don’t think so. They are another great team in the SEC and we’re ready for the challenge," Pigott said. "I think it was a hard-fought weekend. Teams get excited in big games and big situations. I don’t think it was anything beyond that.”

Cohen agreed and doesn't expect any lingering hostility to surface this weekend.

The first game is tonight at 7 and features one of the best pitching matchups the SEC has to offer: Gators starter Hudson Randall (5-1, 3.53 ERA) vs. Bulldogs right-hander Chris Stratton (9-0, 2.19 ERA).

One player Randall won't have to face is former Bulldogs shortstop Nick Vickerson, who torched the Gators in the Super Regional highlighted by a walk-off home run in Game 2 that caused O'Sullivan a sleepless night.

Vickerson is now a minor-leaguer in Texas' farm system.

With only seven regular-season games remaining, O'Sullivan wouldn't mind if the Gators pulled out more magic against the Bulldogs as the postseason approaches.

“We’re 36-13 and we’re only one game off of where we were last year,’’ O’Sullivan said. “I like where we’re at. We just have to play well these last two weekends.

"To be perfectly honest, I think we have not played our best baseball yet,’’ O’Sullivan said. “I think that’s the think that we keep hanging our hat on. It’s probably the biggest motivating thing for our team."

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It's good to be Gators junior catcher Mike Zunino these days.

Zunino is the reigning SEC Player of the Year on a team that many expect to challenge for the national title later this summer in Omaha.

Zunino is also projected as one of the top five picks in June's MLB Draft. And if that is not enough in the life-is-good department, Zunino is getting married this fall.

Asked about his upcoming nuptials on Thursday, Zunino admitted his fiancée is planning most of the wedding as he focuses on baseball.

"I'm into it,'' he said. "I’ve seen the church and stuff like that. I’m sort of kicking back and enjoying the season. I did have a say-so in the color scheme. We’re doing classic black-and-white.”

What is not as black-and-white is Zunino's future. He has a lot of options.

In Baseball America's first mock draft released on Thursday, Zunino is projected to go to Seattle with the third overall pick.

Regardless of where Zunino is picked or which team takes him, he will be a multi-millionaire later this summer if he chooses to sign a professional contract.

Of course, depending on how Florida's season plays out, there is always the chance Zunino returns to school for his final season of eligibility. While the rest of the SEC might try to veto that option, Gators coach Kevin O'Sullivan would roll out the red carpet.

“He is the best catcher in the country,’’ O’Sullivan said. “I think that will show obviously when the draft comes around. He’s a tremendous player, tremendous kid, great work ethic, a great leader. He’s the total package.”

For now, Zunino prefers talking more about the Gators than his future. Time will take care of that part of the equation.

While his life might seem complicated to outsiders, Zunino said Thursday that it's actually the opposite.

"It’s really easy. Everything is separated enough,'' he said of all the upcoming events. "Our goal at the beginning of the year was to win the SEC and the national championship and we’re still focused on that. The draft is an afterthought. That is something that is going to come and however it falls it falls.

"Getting married is a decision I wanted to make. That is nothing I would ever regret. It’s the same thing that anyone else is going through. I enjoy every game I play here.”

Zunino is having another strong season, hitting .328 entering this weekend's three-game series against Mississippi State. He also remains a strong defensive presence and game-caller behind the plate.

Zunino leads the Gators with 12 home runs – tied with teammate Preston Tucker – 45 RBIs, 21 doubles, 117 total bases and a .639 slugging percentage.

The only downside is Zunino's .244 average against SEC pitching. If he can improve upon that in the final stretch of the regular season and SEC Tournament, the Gators' lineup will be that much more dangerous.

Zunino is coming off one of his biggest at-bats of the season. His walk-off double in Tuesday's 4-3 win over North Florida gave the Gators three wins in four games. Zunino shredded Mississippi State pitching a year ago, hitting .467 (14-for-30) with three home runs and 10 RBIs in seven games.

O'Sullivan has handled the draft buzz around Zunino the way he does all his players. There is a time and place to address the future, but right now, O'Sullivan said the Gators need to focus on the present to accomplish their goals. 

“This is not the time of year to be talking about it a whole lot,'' O'Sullivan said Thursday. "We’ve got a lot of things on our plate. There are still a lot of things we want to accomplish as a team. There will be a time and place for it.

"Our sport is different because the draft is right there at the end of the year and you’re trying to win a regional and trying to win an SEC championship. You’ve got all this draft stuff going on, too. It’s a delicate balance, but we’ve got a great bunch of kids that have handled it great all year."

Hey folks, good Thursday morning. A busy day awaits but wanted to share a few fresh links of interest to Gator fans for your reading perusal:

--ESPN.com offers up a post-spring SEC East football notebook

--The Orlando Sentinel analyzes the quarterback race between Gators sophomores Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel.

--Former Gators golfer Matt Every is being talked about as a potential contender at this week's TPC Players Championship.

--Former Gator and Bucs standout Brad Culpepper is one of latest players to sue NFL over concussions writes the Tampa Bay Times.

--A video blog from the Tampa Bay Times featuring the No. 1-ranked Gators lacrosse team entering the NCAA Tournament.

--The latest on former Gator Joakim Noah's status for Thursday night's Game 6 against the Sixers.

--The return of Al Horford in the Hawks-Celtics series has made Boston take notice writes the Boston Herald.

--ESPNW.com offers up five burning questions heading into the SEC Softball Tournament that starts today.

--The SEC Track & Field Championships are being held on a Mondotrack, the same surface to be used at the 2012 London Olympics.

--(VIDEO) Mother's Day is Sunday, so former Gators QB Tim Tebow and his mom discuss what it means in the Tebow family.

The National Football Foundation announced Wednesday that former Gators QB Jesse Palmer will emcee Tuesday’s announcement of the 2012 inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame from FBS schools.

Palmer, a college football analyst for ESPN, could be calling the name of another former Gators QB: Danny Wuerffel.

Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner, is one of 76 players from FBS schools on the ballot.

Wuerffel led Florida to its first national title in 1996 and remains an iconic figure in Gator Nation, including a bronze statue that was erected outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in April 2011 next to ones of Steve Spurrier, his former UF coach, and Tim Tebow.

What are Wuerffel’s chances of getting inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame Class? Good question.

As a former Heisman winner and national-champion quarterback, Wuerffel would appear to be a lock to one day gain induction. However, as former FSU great Deion Sanders learned until this past year, sometimes induction takes longer than expected.

Wuerffel is one of four Heisman-winning quarterbacks among the first-time candidates on the ballot this year, joining Nebraska’s Eric Crouch, Miami’s Vinny Testaverde and BYU’s Ty Detmer.

The NFF sent out ballots to nearly 12,000 members. Once votes are counted, the NFF’s 14-member honors court chooses a class of around 15 players and coaches to be inducted.

Wuerffel is one of three Gators to win the Heisman Trophy, joining Spurrier and Tebow. He led the Gators to four consecutive SEC Championships (1993-96) and when he finished his UF career, Wuerffel held 48 records (4 NCAA, 12 SEC and 32 Florida).

If selected, Wuerffel would be the 10th Gator inducted, joining Dale Van Sickel, Spurrier, Jack Youngblood, Emmitt Smith, Wilber Marshall, Carlos Alvarez, and coaches Charles Bachman, Ray Graves and Doug Dickey.

You can click here to read the entire NFF Hall of Fame ballot.

Wuerffel is one of 12 quarterbacks on the list, including Nebraska’s Tommie Frazier, who led the Cornhuskers to a 62-24 win over the Wuerffel and the Gators in the 1995 national championship game.

Here is a quick look at the quarterback class up for induction:

--Steve Bartkowski, California: Named consensus First Team All-America in 1974…Led the nation in passing with 2,580 yards (1974)…Ranks 10th in school history with 4,434 passing yards and eighth in single-season yardage.

--Bob Berry, Oregon: Guided the Ducks to three consecutive winning seasons…First Oregon quarterback to surpass 1,000 yards in two different seasons...16 TD passes in 1963 and 39 career touchdowns passes were school records for 20 years.

--Eric Crouch, Nebraska: 2001 Heisman, Walter Camp, and Davey O’Brien Award winner who led Huskers to 2001 national title game…Holds NCAA record for career rushing TDs by a quarterback (59)…Led team to 42-9 record and four bowl berths.

--Randall Cunningham, UNLV: Named First Team All-America as a punter in 1983 and Second Team All-America as a punter and Honorable Mention as a quarterback in 1984…Led UNLV to their first-ever Bowl game…Broke 18 UNLV records.

--Ty Detmer, BYU: Twice named consensus First Team All-American and winner of 1990 Heisman Trophy…Led BYU to four consecutive bowl games and three AP Top 25 finishes…Broke 59 NCAA records and earned 1990 WAC Player of the Year honors.

--Tommie Frazier, Nebraska: 1995 consensus First Team All-America and Johnny Unitas award winner…1995 Heisman trophy runner-up and Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year…Led Huskers to back-to-back perfect national championship seasons in 1994 and ’95.

--Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech: 1999 consensus First Team All-America and Davey O’Brien award winner…1999 Heisman Trophy runner-up and 1999 ACC Player of the Year…Led Tech to three bowl berths and share of 1998 ACC title…Set nine school records.

--Tommy Kramer, Rice: Named 1976 Consensus First Team All-America and finished fifth in 1976 Heisman voting…Southwest Conference Most Valuable Player in 1976…Rice’s all-time leader in single-season passing yards (3,272) and career passing yards (6,197).

--George Mira, Miami (Fla.): Named First Team All-America in 1962 and finished fifth in Heisman voting that year…Broke nearly every Miami passing record and currently ranks eighth in Miami history in pass completions (368), passing yardage (4,633) total offense (5,135).

--Vinny Testaverde, Miami (Fla.): Winner of 1986 Heisman, Walter Camp, Maxwell Award, and Davey O’Brien…Led Canes to three bowl berths, including 1987 Fiesta Bowl to determine national championship…Finished career with 6,058 passing yards and 48 TD passes.

--Don Trull, Baylor: Named consensus First Team All-America and led the nation with 22 touchdowns in 1963…Named First Team All-Conference, he set a school record with 174 completions in 1963…Twice named First Team Academic All-America.

--Danny Wuerffel, Florida: 1996 winner of NFF Campbell Trophy, Heisman, Walter Camp, Maxwell, and consecutive Davey O’Brien awards…Two-time SEC Player of the Year who led Gators to 1996 National Championship and four SEC championships.

**OK, time for a full disclaimer. Wuerffel is my all-time favorite Gator, so of course I think he belongs in the College Football Hall of Fame.**

Having said that, I have no idea how many quarterbacks – if any -- will get inducted in this year’s class. Also, induction is based solely on what the player did in college, so you can discount whatever impact any of these players had in the NFL.

Now time to be totally objective and rank the quarterbacks on the above list solely based on their college accomplishments. Here is how I would rank them:

1. Wuerffel – Along with Spurrier, changed the SEC and made Florida a national program.
2. (1A really) Frazier – Field general for perhaps greatest college team of all-time.
3. Testaverde – Played in spotlight from start and continued Miami’s great run of quarterbacks.
4. Detmer – Another in long list of great BYU quarterbacks who made Cougars fun to watch.
5. Bartkowski – A great passer who kept chains moving before aerial attacks like we know today.
6. Crouch – A much more dangerous runner than passer.
7. Mira – The player who first put Miami football on map because of passing game.
8. Hamilton – A dual-threat start for Yellow Jackets who gave defenses trouble.
9. Kramer – He was a true gunslinger when Southwest Conference was running league.
10. Cunningham – A great punter in college who later developed at QB.
11. Trull – Before RG3 came along one of Bears top quarterbacks.
12. Berry – Played in an era when passing was not en vogue.

Gators football coach Will Muschamp’s next stop on his Gator Gathering speaking tour is Thursday night in West Palm Beach, where he will address the Palm Beach County Gator Club.

Muschamp spent Tuesday night in Orlando and while much of the message remained the same, Muschamp did offer a few news items:

--Sophomore LB Graham Stewart, who has left the program to be closer to his home in Connecticut, is planning to transfer to UConn and petition the NCAA to let him play immediately.

“A family situation occurs like that and you’re so far away from home, you deserve to have the opportunity and shouldn’t be penalized for it,” Muschamp told the Orlando Sentinel.

--Muschamp announced that DE Tevin Westbrook is moving to tight end in the fall to add depth to the position. Westbrook has not been able to crack the regular rotation on defense.

--CB Jeremy Brown started 10 games in 2010 but missed all of last season due to a knee injury. Muschamp told the crowd that the Gators are hopeful that Brown will be cleared for full contact on July 1 and re-enter the mix in the secondary.

--Reserve WR Stephen Alli recently underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his leg and is expected to be sidelined for at least three months according to Muschamp.

The Gators men’s and women’s track teams are competing in the 2012 SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships at LSU’s Bernie Moore Track Stadium starting Thursday.

Both Florida squads are considered among the favorites to win an SEC crown.

But Gators coach Mike Holloway knows nothing will come easy. It never does at the SEC Championships.

Holloway is a veteran track coach and will spend part of his summer at the London Olympics as an assistant with the U.S. National Team. Holloway has been all over the country and the world for the biggest track events the sport knows.

To him the SEC Championships are as good as it gets.

“I think this is the best meet in the country,’’ Holloway said. “I think sometimes it’s even better than the NCAA Championships themselves in a lot of events.”

With some of the best college talent in the country calling the SEC home – and many of the same athletes already seasoned in international competition – Holloway doesn’t sound like someone just blowing smoke for the conference.

“If you’ve never been there, everybody is excited and everybody has a true passion for doing well at the SEC Championships no matter what program it is – whether you have a great team or just a group of individuals,’’ he said. “I’ve been to every big meet on the planet … and there is nothing like the intensity of the SEC Championships. It’s just something that as a competitor, as a spectator, if you get a chance you should experience it.”

To read more about the SEC Championships, click here for a team-by-team notebook from SECdigitalnetwork.com.

There are going to be a lot of busy weekends for Florida athletics the next few weeks as the spring sports season winds down.

That was the case this past weekend, highlighted by the Gators’ victory over No. 1-ranked Northwestern in the American Lacrosse Conference Tournament title game on Saturday.

Without further adieu, let’s get to some fresh links from around the Internet for your perusal this Monday afternoon:

--Florida’s second victory over Northwestern in two weeks earned the Gators their first overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament writes GatorZone.com.

--A New York Times blog on how the Gators lacrosse team got better from Josh Jurnovoy.

--The Gators baseball team won the first two games at Kentucky but the Wildcats avoided the sweep with a 2-1 win on Saturday writes the Lexington Herald-Leader.

--The Gators softball team fell 5-3 at Alabama on Sunday with the SEC regular-season crown on the line writes the Tuscaloosa News.

--Former Gators running back Chris Rainey inked his first NFL contract with the Steelers writes NBCSports.com.

--Gators women’s basketball assistant coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick is expected to be named head coach at UNC Asheville later today writes Antonya English of the Tampa Bay Times.

--Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley questions if the end of the SEC Championship Game is near with a BCS Playoff system coming.

--Former Gator Al Horford returned to the lineup for Atlanta on Sunday night, scoring 12 points and adding five rebounds in a Game 4 loss to Boston. Meanwhile, Horford’s former teammate and roommate at UF, Joakim Noah, missed Chicago’s Game 4 loss to the 76ers.

--This has nothing to do with the “Florida Gators,” but everything to do with Gators in Florida and how they mix with the game of golf writes David Whitley of AOL FanHouse/Sporting News.

It’s a loud Friday afternoon here at The Swamp as construction crews below continue work on the remodeling of the West Concourse.

The place will look a lot different by the time the season opener against Bowling Green rolls around.

Meanwhile, here are some Gator-related links from around the Internet for your perusal:

--Gators coach Will Muschamp continues his speaking tour around the state as GatorNation/ESPN.com writer Michael DiRocco captures the mood in this story.

--Muschamp reiterated his stance that the Gators may use two quarterbacks next season if there is not enough separation between Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel writes Doug Fernandes of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune (via Gainesville Sun’s website).

--In case you missed earlier on GatorZone.com, Antonya English of the Tampa Bay Times writes that sophomore linebacker Graham Stewart is transferring.

--Florida opened a three-game series at Kentucky on Thursday night with a 5-3 win. Here is the game story from the Lexington Herald-Leader for more details.

--The Gainesville Sun’s Kevin Brockway sets the stage for Florida’s game tonight against Ohio State in the American Lacrosse Conference Tournament semifinals.

--Is former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow one of the NFL’s top 100 players? Here is your chance to vote in ESPN’s SportsNation poll.

--Speaking of Tebow, Jets offensive coordinator Tony Sparano is impressed by Tebow thus far writes ESPN New York.

--The Gators softball team is at Alabama in a huge series to determine the SEC champion writes the Tuscaloosa News.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Sophomore linebacker Graham Stewart had his most memorable moment as a Gator in the Gator Bowl when he returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against Ohio State.

It turns out that was also Stewart's final game at Florida. Gators coach Will Muschamp announced Friday that Graham needs to leave the program to transfer closer to his family in Connecticut.

"Graham has told me he wanted to leave to get closer to home due to some personal issues. Family always comes first with me and he needs to be closer to his family,'' Muschamp said. "I’m thankful for his contributions to our team and wish him nothing but the best of luck. He will always have my support and backing if he needs any help in the future."

Stewart played in 12 games as a true freshman, serving primarily on special teams. The Gators tinkered during spring practice with using Stewart as a reserve fullback to utilize his athleticism.

A 6-foot-1, 227-pound member of Florida's 2011 recruiting class, Stewart helped lead Xavier High in Middleton, Conn., to a state title as a senior.

He also entertained offers from Boston College, UConn, Iowa, Syracuse and Temple before signing with the Gators.

Stewart said he enjoyed his experience with the Gators.

"I have some personal family issues that have caused me to evaluate how far I am away from home,'' he said. "I appreciate my time in Gainesville and have nothing but good things to say about Coach Muschamp and the staff at Florida, but some things are more important.

"I really need to be closer to home."