Yesterday morning I woke up with the song "One Shining Moment" still ringing in my ears after the NCAA championship game between Ohio State and Florida.
What the Gators did Monday night at the Georgia Dome - winning their second straight national title in as many years - was truly special.
Regardless of whether you're a Florida fan or not, that's not the point. In fact, it has absolutely nothing to do with anything.
The point is that it's remarkable and extremely rare what this team did together on the basketball court. Although I'm not a fan of Florida, I have the utmost respect for head coach Billy Donovan and what his team has accomplished.
Many folks take for granted what the Gators did Monday night. But the fact of the matter is Donovan had some very special players in Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Joakim Noah, who together decided to forego the 2006 NBA Draft in order to return to Gainesville and win another national championship.
Obviously, the three abovementioned didn't do it alone - Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey chipped in with their stellar play, especially from beyond the arc.
With the exception of Humphrey and possibly Green, these players could have easily bolted for the NBA last year. Instead, they chose to stay together and win it all again, even though nothing was guaranteed.
One example of their sacrifice came at the hands of Noah, which I noticed the other night as I watched the game.
Last year, Noah was the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the finale against UCLA. He also had six blocks against the Bruins.
However, Noah only had eight points and three rebounds against the Buckeyes in limited action Monday night. One could easily argue that he was a non-factor in the game. In turn, Brewer was the recipient of this year's MOP.
To me, Noah's stock dipped while others' around him rose, but that's what made these Gators so special - their unselfishness and sacrifice for the team - for that name on the front of the jersey, not on the back.
While Noah was on the sidelines, I watched him continuously cheer his teammates on, waving his towel frantically and jumping up and down emphatically, like one should do in the midst of winning a national championship. He wasn't pouting or griping because he was in foul trouble. He wasn't bitter or angry, but rather happy because his teammates were hitting big shots each time Ohio State tried to make a run.
And when the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game, who did Noah crawl into the stands to embrace? His mother, of course.
The last team to repeat was Duke in 1991-92. But this was the first time a team had won consecutive titles with the same starting five on the floor.
Now the question remains whether or not it will take another 15 years for a team to win back-to-back titles. And that answer is yes, if not longer.
In this era, it's extremely difficult for a team to win the NCAA championship, much less win two national titles in a row. And with the new NBA minimum-age rule, it makes it all the more complicated.
Looking ahead, Florida should really enjoy this moment while it can because next year will not even come close to being the same.
After all, that's what makes this particular group of Gators so extraordinary.
What the Gators did Monday night at the Georgia Dome - winning their second straight national title in as many years - was truly special.
Regardless of whether you're a Florida fan or not, that's not the point. In fact, it has absolutely nothing to do with anything.
The point is that it's remarkable and extremely rare what this team did together on the basketball court. Although I'm not a fan of Florida, I have the utmost respect for head coach Billy Donovan and what his team has accomplished.
Many folks take for granted what the Gators did Monday night. But the fact of the matter is Donovan had some very special players in Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Joakim Noah, who together decided to forego the 2006 NBA Draft in order to return to Gainesville and win another national championship.
Obviously, the three abovementioned didn't do it alone - Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey chipped in with their stellar play, especially from beyond the arc.
With the exception of Humphrey and possibly Green, these players could have easily bolted for the NBA last year. Instead, they chose to stay together and win it all again, even though nothing was guaranteed.
One example of their sacrifice came at the hands of Noah, which I noticed the other night as I watched the game.
Last year, Noah was the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the finale against UCLA. He also had six blocks against the Bruins.
However, Noah only had eight points and three rebounds against the Buckeyes in limited action Monday night. One could easily argue that he was a non-factor in the game. In turn, Brewer was the recipient of this year's MOP.
To me, Noah's stock dipped while others' around him rose, but that's what made these Gators so special - their unselfishness and sacrifice for the team - for that name on the front of the jersey, not on the back.
While Noah was on the sidelines, I watched him continuously cheer his teammates on, waving his towel frantically and jumping up and down emphatically, like one should do in the midst of winning a national championship. He wasn't pouting or griping because he was in foul trouble. He wasn't bitter or angry, but rather happy because his teammates were hitting big shots each time Ohio State tried to make a run.
And when the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game, who did Noah crawl into the stands to embrace? His mother, of course.
The last team to repeat was Duke in 1991-92. But this was the first time a team had won consecutive titles with the same starting five on the floor.
Now the question remains whether or not it will take another 15 years for a team to win back-to-back titles. And that answer is yes, if not longer.
In this era, it's extremely difficult for a team to win the NCAA championship, much less win two national titles in a row. And with the new NBA minimum-age rule, it makes it all the more complicated.
Looking ahead, Florida should really enjoy this moment while it can because next year will not even come close to being the same.
After all, that's what makes this particular group of Gators so extraordinary.
