USA Baseball has been struggling, including Gator and now Indians prospect Matt LaPorta. But all it took was one game against China to awaken the sleeping giant.

The US (3-2) defeated the Chinese 9-1, the first real blowout for an American squad with a number of highly rated prospects. The Chinese game was defined by the apparent bad blood between the two. The Chinese hit six batters, including Matt LaPorta in the head (in the earhole; clearly intentional) following this slide in the fifth inning. LaPorta was safe.

(Apparently the Chinese think you can not run over the catcher. But you can support genocide in Sudan and oppress people's rights.)

The LaPorta slide was tame compared to San Francisco farmhand Nate Schierholtz destroying the backup Chinese catcher after LaPorta injured the first one.

Of course, you will not see any of this on NBC. There is much more exciting beach volleyball and trampoline gymnastics going on. Also, good job by NBC in not challenging the Olympics to explain how the American women gymnasts are screwed over in every event. Smile and nod, NBC. We don't want to upset the hosts.

In other Gator Olympic news, with Kerron Clement's silver medal in the US sweep of the 400m hurdles, Gator athletes have nine medals (2 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze). Clement has the only non-swimming medal.

I'll be voting in the SEC Power Poll this season (the committee is listed in the links box). The first exercise is ranking the league's coaches. Leave your comments, concerns or criticisms below. Also, I obviously put more weight into a coach's most recent record than his history.

SEC East

1. Mark Richt

2. Urban Meyer

This is not a reverse jinx. Coaches are judged by two things; winning and how much you get out of your players. Meyer may have a national championship but last season it was Richt who got the most out of his players. UGA looked terrible against South Carolina and Tennessee and had no business competing for an SEC title, much less a BCS game. But Richt was able to push the write buttons. He might be an Eddie Haskell, but he got his team to win. Meanwhile, Meyer spent much of last season apparently shocked he had a young team. He placed part of the blame of the Auburn loss on the offense not moving the ball on their final drive (as opposed to not moving the ball the entire first half) and the team did nothing to protect their young DBs for much of the season. Of course, if UGA chokes again this season, Richt loses any goodwill he earned this season.

3. Steve Spurrier: He still scares Georgia and Tennessee fans. Just imagine if he had the horses.

4. Phillip Fulmer: Tennessee is still a very good team, but they should be in the national title race every year.

5. Rich Brooks: He's made Kentucky relevant again, but can he keep it going?

6. Bobby Johnson: I think I'm a bright guy and yet I cannot tell you anything of note about Johnson's tenure other than banning curse words.

SEC West

1. Les Miles

2. Tommy Tuberville

I enjoy watching both of these guys because they both will do anything necessary to win. They do have their bad losses (USF at Auburn, Arkansas at LSU) but tremendous wins (Auburn at Florida, LSU vs. OSU). Miles gets the edge because he has a real national championship and is completely insane. Tuberville gives the sense that he was a used car dealer in a previous life.

3. Sylvester Croom: Mississippi State sucks. Yet they went to the Liberty Bowl and were extremely competitive. That's all CROOOOOOOM.

4. Nick Saban: Compared loss to Louisiana-Monroe to Pearl Harbor or 9/11. Instead of making insensitive historical references, next time Saban should prepare his team better. Also, CROOOOOOOMED.

5. Houston Nutt: Where Miles would push all in with an Ace-King suited and win the hand by pairing the King on the river, Nutt would push all in as he chases a Jack-high flush. Miles gambles from a position where he can win. Nutt gambles from anywhere.

6. Bobby Petrino: Does anyone have anything nice to say about him?

Overall

1. Richt

2. Meyer

3. Miles

4. Tuberville

5. Spurrier

6. Fulmer

7. Croom

8. Brooks

9. Saban

10. Nutt

11. Johnson

12. Petrino 

I've spent my 24th birthday working and checking facebook every hour to see who else has posted on my wall. But this is easily the best email I've gotten. I love alligators. But I hate getting old.

Proving that August babies are the best babies, Tim Tebow is now 21 after his birthday Thursday. If anyone deserves to get free drinks on his birthday, it's Tebow. Celebrating a birthday between sessions sucks (no one is in town), but I imagine Tebow had enough people around to enjoy himself.

Plenty has been written about Tebow's character and how he is nearly flawless. If he's like every other American kid though, he wakes up this morning with a hangover (even Tebow should have a few beers) and with a renewed sense of self. The day after your 21^st birthday is when you start making plans and figuring out what to do with the future. For you and I that meant reapplying ourselves in school or promising never to do Patron shots ever again. For Tebow, it is becoming a champion.

He has been adamant that he needs to win an SEC Championship, not another Heisman. I mention this because I am fairly confident with the emergence of Chris Rainey and Emmanuel Moody now playing, Tebow will not be asked to run as much and his stats will slip. Instead will be a man possessed, playing at a higher level than we could have ever imagined.

By the way, Alligator Army is hosting a CBS Fantasy College Football league. Email me at alligatorarmy@gmail.com for the signup information. The draft is August 17 at 6:45pm.

As a whole, Gator fans are much more optimistic about this season than they were about the last and the one previous. This season, we know Tebow is not just a goofy looking kid who runs into piles and the offense should score about 30 points a game. The defense is a year older and a year wiser with Brandon Spikes maturing and Joe Haden and the Major expected to be better as well.

But beyond that, there is not much. UF does not have the depth, or at least it does not appear that way. Already this season, the Gators have been challenged by injuries. At what point will UF be exposed?

The difference between good teams and bad teams is not depth or talent; it is can you avoid mistakes. Thankfully, UF has enough speed to do that. Justin Williams has converted from receiver to safety, and performed admirably. Meanwhile, UF has a dangerous weapon in their back pocket; high school 100-meters record holder Jeff Demps. Meyer knows how to use his team's speed, but they also need it to overcome their youth. Experience and speed cannot be taught.

First of all, let me apologize for my absence. Not only have I been busy slinging rock with John Reaves, my knee is really sore and I'm going to have it looked at tomorrow.

Anyway, as we approach year 2 of Alligator Army (holy crap, I'm getting old), we have some changes for you. Due to my real world schedule, I cannot post every day. So we have some new and old faces.

The co-founders of The Sporting Orange have returned. Hanson, who last contributed this, will be posting again. Timmy C. has backed away from the ledge after Cornelius Ingram's injury and will be contributing as well. Our third writer is Miss Kari, who in addition to being a former Weimer Hall sports kid, is very attractive and has a Southern accent that makes a man weak in the knees.Over the next few weeks, they will post with me.

This is going to be a unique season in Gator History. This team has potential, but with Tebow and Percy in their junior years, the window of victory is slowly closing. As we said a year ago, we hope you find us entertaining and informative.

Go Gators.

When the news came down Thursday that Cornelius Ingram (known as CI Baby on this set of tubes) had torn his ACL, no one took it well. An example from instant messenger with Timmy C.;

soccer4player: oh my god
mlmintampa: what
soccer4player: this is the worst news of the year
soccer4player: CI
mlmintampa: i know
soccer4player: i could kill somebody right now
mlmintampa: dont worry, urban meyer told someone that aaron hernandez is the meanest person he has ever met
mlmintampa: he'll be a hall of famer or in prison
soccer4player: i liked it better when we had 2 good TE's
mlmintampa: yes
mlmintampa: but if ci has to take a medical redshirt, we have him for next season
soccer4player: if he wants to stay
mlmintampa: have they confirmed the seriousness of the injury
soccer4player: 20 minutes ago
soccer4player: say its his ACL
mlmintampa: fuck me
soccer4player: i know
soccer4player: i am really glad i don't own a gun

Timmy C. is a good Republican, so the gun is in the future. That said, CI going down casts a shadow on the rest of camp. That it was in a non-contact drill will make guys think twice before planting their foot and making a cut.

Woo Hooo! Quick, somebody get the band to march down Stadium Road! We've won another championship!

The University of Florida has been named the No. 1 party school in the nation.

The rankings come out each year from the Princeton Review and this is the first time the state's flagship university has been named in the top spot.

It should also be noted UF was first in "packing the stadiums" and "study the least." All three are related. You can't study if you're always tailgating. Ole Miss was second, which means...

S-E-C! S-E-C! S-E-C!

With ESPN's TitleTown down to its final days, it's important to note that you can vote as much as you want. When you vote, press F5 or refresh the page and it all resets. (And let the record show I knew that before the UF Alumni Association sent out their voting reminder.) Frankly, stuffing the ballot box is the only way Gainesville beats Boston, Green Bay or New York. Good thing Florida has a proud history of following correct voting procedures.

As for your inspiration today, it is one of the most important moments in recent Gator history. Make sure you have the speakers turned up to 11.

Our friend at Garnet and Black Attack (South Carolina's SBN blog) is in beautiful Birmingham live blogging and reporting at the SEC Media Days. Here are some hits;

- Urban Meyer says Percy is ahead of schedule and the o-line is the most underrated part of the team. The St. Pete Times also says Urban was inspired by Tebow to perform missionary work in the Dominican Republic. I doubt that. Urban was probably there converting some Dominican infielders into defensive backs.

- Les Miles is still insane.

- The SEC has speed and maybe even a TV network. Between the TV network possibility and Mike Slive leading the way to a "Plus One" game, the SEC is the only conference looking into the future.

- Even bitter sports writers were charmed by Timmy Tebow. And believe it or not, sometimes Tebow doesn't have time for everything.