In the end, it seems like a real-life mole hill in Gainesville had been transformed into an Internet mountain.
At around the same time senior offensive lineman Mike Pouncey was labeling Florida’s entire 2010 recruiting class “cocky” and telling them to “just shut their mouths and play”, a pair of freshmen and their mouths missed a portion of practice after reportedly getting their jocks all wadded up about “something”.
At that point, the rumor mill kicked into hyper overdrive, putting a label on that “something” and spewing out speculation that the unhappy rookie duo -- Ronald Powell and Dominique Easley -- were quitting the team or transferring or engaging in a hunger strike or entering the priesthood, with the report depending on the time of day and which way the wind was blowing.
The two players were back at practice Wednesday, and were participants in the on-field festivities Thursday as well.
While it’s obvious something happened to force the freshmen into dual hissy fits, if for only a brief period of time, head coach Urban Meyer said after practice yesterday that everything is hunky-dory at Camp Sunshine & Rainbows.
Or, to paraphrase Meyer, it’s all good. Good. Very good. Great, in fact.
“It’s all good,” Meyer said. “They’re doing great. ... They missed part of practice (Tuesday), and they’re all good, they’re doing real good. ... They’re good. Real good.”
I don’t know Meyer at all on a personal level, but the read I’m getting from the coach in that series of quotes is that Powell and Easley are good. Now.
As far as the transfer rumors go, Meyer vehemently denied that was ever a possibility.
“No, no, no, no, no,” Meyer said. “Never. That transfer word never came out of their mouth. They’re good.”
Well, that’s certainly good to know. And, it seems, the case is closed enough that we can get on to more important issues surrounding the Florida Gators, like the travesty that was John Brantley being forced to shave off his way cool ‘stache.
Oh, one more thing on the frosh subject before we take our leave of this post. Memo to Powell and Easley: grow up and grow a pair already. This ain’t Kansas anymore, Dorothy.