Picks & Returning from an Injury
Oct
10
Written by:
10/10/2009 1:28 AM
Weekly Picks
Saturday Picks
14-11 for Season (4-1) last week.
Duke +15 @ NC State
Georgia +1.5 @ Tennessee
Georgia Tech +3 @ Florida State
Michigan +8 @ Iowa
Florida @ LSU +8
I am just looking as I put these in…Go Dogs (Underdogs that is!!!)
Sunday Picks
14-6 for season (3-2) last week
Redskins +4 @ Panthers Panthers win, but CLOSE
Patriots -3 @ Broncos
Colts -3.5 @ Titans
Falcons @ 49ers -2.5
Vikings -10 @ Rams
Sam Bradford & Tim Tebow are the last two Heisman Trophy winners and both have not had the seasons they envisioned by returning to college. Bradfors, who many claimed was a top NFL Draft Pick in2009, was injured in the season-opener versus the BYU Cougars. He has missed the last three games, but is in the plans to start this week against Baylor. Tim Tebow sustained a concussion and has still not been cleared medically to play this weekend. Tebow was expected to be examined by the team physicians upon arriving in Baton Rouge for Saturday evening’s game. When is it OK to insert these guys back into the starting line-up?
Bradford has been out for three weeks. Two loses to BYU and Miami have essentially knocked Oklahoma from National Title Contention. The shot at a National Championship was the reason Bradford returned to college this season. Oklahoma plays Texas next week and this is a shot to get some reps in before the big game next week. Bradford has been medically cleared to practiced this week so I can understand him playing again. However, there is a chance his shoulder will require surgery in the offseason. Shoulder surgery would have to hurt his draft status, so I could also understand if Bradford decided to be selfish and sit-out the remainder of the season. What is he really going to be playing for, another conference championship, as the National Championship is out the window? I have to question if the risk of injury is worth playing the rest of the season?
Tebow has not been cleared to play, so this could be irrelevant. Urban Meyer is in a tough spot here. If Tebow is cleared to play, it would be difficult for Meyer to keep one of his best players off the field in this critical game. After this game, Florida has Arkansas and a trip to Mississippi State before the cocktail party versus Georgia. If possible, I’d suggest holding him out until the Georgia game. Several friends have had concussions and said once you have one, they become easier to get and harder to recover from. If Florida loses this game, they can still have a shot at a National Championship by winning the SEC Championship in December in Atlanta. Playing Tebow before he is at least 95% healthy, is a risk not worth taking, especially looking at the upcoming schedule. I understand he wanted to be at Florida for its first undefeated season, but sometimes, you have to look big picture instead of focusing on your goal at hand.
Just because a kid is medically cleared to play, doesn’t mean he NEEDS to play. This is where a coach has to put aside his pride and figure out what is best for that young man at that moment in time. Is it really worth it for Bradford and Tebow to be on the field this weekend? Stoops and the medical staff have decided Bradford is ready to return. I can understand and accept this. Urban Meyer playing Tim Tebow is a potential lose-lose for Florida. Playing him and he gets hurt again, he is heartless and only cares about winning. Playing Tebow and he has a bad game and they lose, and Meyer will be criticized for not going with the healthy choice. These decisions also can affect recruiting, in that it will show parents and players alike what the coaches think of their players. Urban is making a lot of money to make these decisions and this is one I am not sure all the money in the world is worth. Hopefully, for Tebow, he makes the right decision and doesn’t allow short term goals to affect this young man’s long term lifestyle.