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New video shows hits keep on coming between Gators, Dawgs

The Associated Press

Apparently no chippiness on this play: UF's Tim Tebow runs for yardage as Georgia's Demarcus Dobbs tries to make a tackle.

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By DAVID JONES

Florida Today

Published: November 3, 2009

Updated: 11/03/2009 02:43 pm

GAINESVILLE - Florida quarterback Tim Tebow says he usually puts his hand up and asks an opponent to help him up,
if he feels an opponent hit him with a cheap shot.

Asked if he put his hand up much in last Saturday's 41-17 win against Georgia, Tebow smiled and responded: "I probably did that more than once.''

The war of the video tapes rages on, as tape from CBS' coverage of the game showing Georgia linebacker Nick Williams hitting Tebow late found its way all over the Internet.

Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes - suspended for the first half of Florida's game against Vanderbilt on Saturday after video of him poking into the face mask of Bulldogs running back Washaun Ealey caused a fury - was the first subject of video debates from the game.

Now it's Williams and Tebow.

The SEC agreed with Florida coach Urban Meyer's decision to suspend Spikes and accepted the punishment on Monday. But just when the Internet slowed down, the Tebow hit picked up new steam on the Web for a rivalry that has included controversy for three straight years.

In 2007, Bulldogs players stormed the field after the opening touchdown of a 42-30 Georgia victory in Jacksonville. Last year, Meyer responded by calling timeout twice late in a 49-10 Florida blowout.

Now the two sides are heated over online videos.

Tebow, who says Georgia players were also guilty of dirty tactics during the game, has shrugged off the controversy. In fact, he said late hits don't bother him at all and something he's actually grown used to.

"That's something that you don't need to talk about,'' said Tebow, who suffered a concussion on Sept. 26 at Kentucky on a clean hit. "People, they want to do whatever they can to get an edge and that's happened a lot in college football and it happens more than people think.

"It's just something you deal with, and something I've dealt with for four years. It's not something that I feel like I need to talk about or converse about because it's not. I love playing college football.''

Tebow smiled and laughed after the statement, not willing to go any farther. Meanwhile, videos were burning up the Internet the last few days as fans from both sides sound off.

"I've never retaliated,'' Tebow said. "Sometimes I'll make a joke or something or put my hand up (after a dirty hit) and ask them to help me up. And, you know, they're thinking, 'Why would he ask me to help him up?' Then they'll just walk away. Most of time, they never help me up. I actually think it irritates them a lot, too. But I just laugh and walk away.

"I have my teammates help me up and get ready to go play another play. I'll never let that get under my skin. You've got to do a lot more than that to hurt me or dim my spirits. If anything, it will just fuel me a little bit more because I know if you have to do something like that, you're already really, really, really worried.''

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