Zook Gets Off the Hook for Now on Web Site

Sunday, weary after a long haul on the Internet turnpike, I pulled off the information super highway into the travel plaza at www.FireRonZook.com.

I was interested in the usual: giant key to the rest room, stick of beef jerky, maybe a college football column lead.

Shockingly, as of 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the site had not been updated in the wake of the first-year Florida coach’s stunning 30-13 victory against Tennessee at Knoxville, Tenn.

There was no posting of Ron Zook having improved to 3-1 or details depicting how the win put the Gators back in the national title chase.

Shoot, there was zilch on Zook becoming the first first-year Florida coach to defeat a ranked school on the road.

Zook.com on Sunday afternoon was A Wild Web West ghost town, a “Twilight Zone” episode where time had stopped--the only thing missing was a tumbleweed blowing across the computer screen.

The page was almost eerily frozen on the date 9-17-2002, four days before Florida played at Tennessee. Maybe the Web head was hung over after the Gators’ big win?

The Webmaster does not reveal his identity but assures us he is a Florida alumnus with the program’s best interest at heart. He reveals himself only as a paper bag with holes cut in the eyes and mouth--remember the Unknown Comic?

“Most Gator fans own shotguns, just in case you were wondering about the bag,” the author states.

In his standing editorial posting, the site operator vows he will not rest until “the sweet sound of Zook’s resignation hits the AP newswire.”

Unfortunately, the only thing Associated Press was reporting Sunday was how Florida had jumped three spots, from No. 10 to No. 7, in this week’s poll.

You know how badly that can screw up a coach-ousting campaign?

The point here is to point out how incredibly over-the-top the sport has become, fueled by big money, a 12-cylinder Internet engine and unreal expectations.

Everyone feels it--players, coaches, athletic directors. Gator Athletic Director Jeremy Foley, the man on the hook for hiring Zook, might have reacted to the win over Tennessee with the demeanor befitting a representative of higher education.

Instead, he sounded like skateboarder Tony Hawk.

“Freakin’ awesome,” Foley told reporters. “I’m not going to lie to you.”

It’s true that Zook, in attempting to replace the tribal god Steve Spurrier, had stumbled to a 2-1 start that included a home loss to Miami, the defending national champion. For what it’s worth, on Saturday, Boston College became the 26th consecutive team to lose to Miami.

Yet, this is the grim, shout-it-out reality of our sports culture; and there is nothing as bipolar as football mood swings.

You’d think people would give their coach a fighting chance--at least allow time for the paint to dry on his parking spot--but that’s not how it works. College football Saturdays have become isolated and independent novellas of terrible or terrific.

Zook, obviously, was a horrible coach against Miami and Knute Rockne against Tennessee--nothing is taken as a whole.

If not for a few bounces, first-year Notre Dame Coach Tyrone Willingham might be 2-2 instead of 4-0 and not leading premature talk of a national title--it is that fine of a line.

California’s Jeff Tedford was a genius after leading Cal to 3-0; no one was chanting “Einstein” after Saturday’s loss to Air Force.

How about we give these coaches some time to marinate?

I, for one, am perfectly willing to see how Florida fares next week against Kentucky before rendering final judgment on Zook.

Weekend Wrap

The experts could have been only a year off in hyping the Oregon-Oregon State revivals. The Oregons are a combined 8-0 and the only unbeaten teams remaining in the Pacific 10 Conference. Neither school has played a ranked team yet, but No. 9 Oregon appears to be solid despite the departure of Joey Harrington while No. 23 Oregon State looks ferocious headed toward USC. Memo to USC quarterback Carson Palmer: The Beavers have intercepted 11 passes. Oregon State has the swagger of the Miami teams Dennis Erickson used to coach. Last weekend, Oregon State avenged last year’s bitter, season-opening loss to Fresno State with a 59-19 payback at Corvallis, Ore. “We really wanted to put a spanking on this team,” linebacker Richard Seigler told The Oregonian.

Immediately add Virginia Tech to the early-season Fiesta Bowl watch list. Questions about the quarterback notwithstanding--there’s no Michael Vick this year--we’re fully on board after the team’s weekend win at Texas A&M.; It was Virginia Tech’s third victory against a ranked opponent. The Hokies could easily be undefeated heading into their Dec. 7 game at Miami.

Miami Coach Larry Coker is 17-0 since taking over for Butch Davis and is only 32 consecutive victories short of going out 49-0, the record boxer Rocky Marciano amassed before he retired.

Conference of the Week: Big 12. Yeah, Kansas lost to Bowling Green and Texas A&M; came up short against Virginia Tech, but Colorado over UCLA and Kansas State beating USC restored some dignity to the so-called super conference.

Conference of the Weak: Ping, ping, ping ... that’s the sound of a hammer against the light-metal league known as the Big Tin. San Jose State over Illinois? Wake Forest defeats Purdue? Indiana holds on to beat Central Michigan? Northwestern survives Navy? The Big East boasts the worst one-two league combo in Temple and Rutgers, but is there a worse quartet of teams in any major conference than Illinois, Purdue, Indiana and Northwestern?

Also, only two dropped Cincinnati passes prevented No. 6 Ohio State from losing, making it tough to figure how the Buckeyes held their No. 6 ranking in this week’s AP poll. Where would Notre Dame be without the Big Ten? Three of the Irish’s four wins have come against the conference: Purdue, Michigan and Michigan State.