Jacksonville Sports columnist Gene Frenette's blog - Jacksonville.com and The Florida Times-Union

Rex Edmondson was a one-of-a-kind sports personality

Gene Frenette — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:35:30 +0000

In 1981, when I came to Jacksonville as the high school writer for the defunct Jacksonville Journal, one of my colleagues was then sports columnist Rex Edmondson. The three things that were forever a part of him were a quick wit, an unending supply of Vince Dooley/Erk Russell stories and a cigar odor.

Upon hearing the news Thursday that he passed away quietly at age 82, I felt bad because I was remiss in not asking about why Rex hadn't been around the Jaguars' complex any time this season.

Gators' suspension of Spikes a bit on the light side

Gene Frenette — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:26:20 +0000

There's no doubt that Saturday's Florida-Georgia game produced a lot of emotion and unnecessary physical nonsense on both sides after the whistle was blown. We will never know everything that transpires at the bottom of piles after a tackle.

Read the full story about Spikes' suspension.

Jaguars lucky to not be in bigger hole

Gene Frenette — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:30:14 +0000

You'd never know by the difference in the quarterback play between David Garrard and Vincent Young that the Jaguars would even be in the game at halftime.

Garrard, who has been under pressure the entire first half against the Tennessee Titans, has been sacked twice, intercepted once, called for an intentional grounding and has an abysmal rating of 22.0.

Phillies can match Yankees in pitching, batting, swagger

Gene Frenette — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:46:37 +0000

Before the World Series began, the only dilemma in my mind was whether to pick the Philadelphia Phillies to win in six or seven games. And I still go with seven, only because I'm convinced Phillies closer Brad Lidge has one blown save left in him.

I know the Yankees, especially with Alex Rodriguez hitting in the first two playoff series like he normally would in the regular season, are considered the odds-on favorite. Since I grew up rooting for them, I would like to believe that, but everything about these Phillies tells me they have the mental toughness to prevail.

Being on Series roster doesn't clear up Myers' future

Gene Frenette — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:10:54 +0000

Jacksonville's Brett Myers was one unhappy camper last week as the Philadelphia Phillies captured their second consecutive National League pennant over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Callahan's Howie Kendrick rescues Angels in ALCS

Gene Frenette — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:24:21 +0000

After the hitting display put on by Los Angeles Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick against the New York Yankees Monday, now you see why the Angels believe the native of Callahan is capable of winning a league batting title.

Kendrick, a graduate of West Nassau High, had a home run, triple and single against three different Yankees pitchers in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

Callahan's Howie Kendrick rescues Angels in ALCS

Gene Frenette — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:24:21 +0000

Kendrick, a graduate of West Nassau High, had a home run, triple and single against three different Yankees pitchers in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.

Jaguars benefit from Rams coach being conservative

Gene Frenette — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:54:11 +0000

One thing easily overlooked as a huge factor in the Jaguars escaping with a 23-20 overtime win over the St. Louis Rams Sunday was head coach Steve Spagnuolo's lack of nerve.

Seriously, your team is 0-5 and has lost 15 consecutive games, and found itself down 20-17 with seven seconds remaining on the Jaguars' 9-yard-line. The Rams also had one timeout left, so the logical thing would be to take a quick shot at the end zone and then just kick the field goal if the pass fails, right?

It's not like St. Louis had a lot to lose. There's no playoffs in its immediate future.

Jaguars need Jones-Drew to walk the talk

Gene Frenette — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:21:33 +0000

Maurice Jones-Drew went into a pretty long-winded rant about the Jaguars losing their run identity after that 41-point loss at Seattle, but he hasn't done much in the first half against the winless St. Louis Rams to change things.

Struggling Gators' offense needs to crank it up several notches

Gene Frenette — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:40:19 +0000

If the Florida Gators intend to repeat as the Southeastern Conference and national champion, they better find a way to ignite a pedestrian-looking offense.

After scoring just one touchdown last week against LSU, and that came on a touchdown pass in which UF receiver Riley Cooper should have been penalized for inteference, the Gators have followed up with arguably their worst offensive half of football against Arkansas since Tim Tebow became their full-time quarterback.

Florida found itself trailing 10-3 at halftime to the unranked Razorbacks by fumbling three times (losing a