The Domination of the Florida Gators in Collegiate Sports

The Florida Gators have been one of the best sports universities in the nation for some time now but it wasn't until very recently that the Florida Gators emerged as the elite sports university and the right to call themselves the BEST sports school. This past year the Florida Gators became just the first university to win the football and basketball championship trophy in the same year. In college sports it doesn't get any better than football and basketball which are also the two biggest sports in America. The NCAA tournament captures the attention of fans across the country and fans of all college teams tune into the national championship game and all of the Bowl games.

In the entire history of college sports, there has never been a university to win both the basketball and football championship in the same year. Recruiting in college sports is extremely hard and the best sports teams in the country compete against each other for recruiting the top players in their nation and schools try to bring these players to their school. Scholarships are limited and it isn't always so easy to spot the best players in the nation. Some student athletes aren't superstars but they excel under the coach's system and the environment and sports style of coaching that they are put under.

The interesting thing when you compare football and basketball in college sports is that there are certain universities who excel at one sport but are not that good in the other sport. Look at Duke University which always has its basketball team, led by Coach K in the top 10. Meanwhile their football team usually finishes in the middle of the pack in football because Miami, Florida State or Florida usually wins the football conference. Ohio State has always had a good football team but only now is their basketball team getting really good and has their goals set on wining the national championship. UCLA has always had a good basketball program but USC was in the way of winning a football championship. And speaking of USC, the football program may be one of the best in the country but their basketball program almost certainly is not. The team struggles to make the NCAA tournament of the best 65 teams in the nation. Likewise, North Carolina's basketball team is usually very good but their football teams aren't.

In addition, a university sports team must get lucky and not have any of their key players miss any games because of injuries. In basketball a player could come back for the NCAA tournament and help his team immensely. Not so in football where every game counts and only the top two teams in the nation with the best records will make the championship game.

I send me congratulations out to the Florida Gators sports director who has done a great job, especially recruiting Urban Meyer to be their head coach as he led the football team to a national championship and had one of the biggest upsets in college history.