Sunday, January 11, 2009

Tim Tebow To Bypass Draft, Remain at Florida

Also To Turn Water Into Wine. Not That He'd Ever Drink Alcohol.

The expectations for 2009 are pretty well set: national championship or bust.

The deadline for declaring is January 15. No word yet from Brandon Spikes, who's the only member of Florida's defense in a position to enter the draft. His brother is doing time in a North Carolina prison on drug charges, and the Spikes family is anxious to make enough money to hire a lawyer and appeal for a new trial.

More intriguing is Percy Harvin, who told a reporter after today's championship celebration that he was "leaning towards coming back." There's reason to be a little skeptical of that. Harvin was interviewed immediately after the celebration, when Tebow's declaration was fresh in the atmosphere. Players have made statements like this in situations like this before, only to change their minds later and enter the draft. And Harvin didn't even say he was staying.

Of course, Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Taurean Green all said they were staying at an emotional event celebrating UF's first basketball championship, and they stuck with that. So there's some pleasant history to remember.

With Tebow at the helm and at least 10 of 11 defensive starters returning, anything short of a national championship will be a disappointment. If Spikes and Harvin both return, the expectations rise even more. UF's first undefeated, national championship season becomes the goal.

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