The Silver Lining: 7/20 Orange Blue News

FLORIDA FOOTBALL & RECRUITING: Great Eight Prospect Ranking (ITG's top eight uncommitted prospects remaining) | Muschamp Notebook: Powell ahead of schedule | Impact Analysis - Leonard transferring (free) | Linebacker no longer on UF's commitment list | Four-star impressed with UF visit, names a final four | Gillislee sets lofty goals | Breakout Candidates: #1 Loucheiz Purifoy | UF commit solid, but taking visits | Breakdown of Florida prospects at The Opening III (free) | Ranking UF's Opening prospects 1-to-15

In order to make sure Florida Gators-related news stories don't fall through the cracks, once or twice a week The Silver Lining will take on a "news and notes" format to keep you up-to-date with the latest goings on in the world of University of Florida athletics.

London will not only be filled with 32 former Gators athletes and two coaches but also more than 230 members of the University of Florida Fightin' Gator Marching Band, which leaves for England on Monday and will represent the United States at the 2012 London Olympics. Though the band will be there for a full week, it will hold only three performances (including one just before the Opening Ceremony) while also taking in plenty of sights and sounds. "The Gators have been raising funds and working intensely to make this dream a reality for six months, and for many the pinnacle of their performance career to date," said Jay Watkins, associate director of bands for UF. "The band is deeply honored by the unique invitations they have received."

In Las Vegas, NV this past week participating in NBA Summer League action, new Washington Wizards guard Brad Beal led his team in scoring in all five games (averaging 17.6 points in those contests) but struggled with his shot in the latter four games and finished the event shooting just 41.8 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc. "I've got to improve on everything. I could've shot the ball a lot better," Beal told The Washington Post. "I definitely got to work on that, and my defense, more than anything. The working doesn't stop. I always have to get better. I was happy and unhappy with my performance. I can always get better and make my team better."

No longer heading into the season as a starting quarterback, which he hoped is what would happen after he led the Denver Broncos to the playoffs in 2011, Tim Tebow is still trying to figure out his role with the New York Jets. ESPN New York's Rich Cimini spoke to a source with the team who said that "the plan is to use Tebow in the red zone, where they can replace [Mark] Sanchez with another player/blocker to bolster the running game." That, of course, could be a temporary role for Tebow if he closes in on the starting job as many around the team and in the media believe he could sooner rather than later.

Instead of walking away from the game following numerous surgeries and injuries over the last two years, former Florida guard Mike Miller confirmed to the Associated Press on Tuesday that he will be back for next season and possibly the remainder of his contract. "No retirement," he said. Miller's seven three-pointers in Game 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals helped clinch a title for the Miami Heat. The opportunity to come back and win more rings (along with the $18.6 million he is set to earn over the next three seasons with 2014-15 being a player option year) made it unlikely that he would retire in the first place. Eventually Miami will likely have to use its amnesty waiver clause to get Miller to retire whenever the team feels he can no longer contribute on a regular basis.

Noah's Arc Foundation is a charity started by Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah that, in its tagline, helps "children develop a stronger sense of self" by supporting the principle of self-expression. Noah did exactly that on Wednesday when he wrote a column for the Chicago Sun-Times discussing inner city violence and workers who are trying to disrupt it and other high-tension situations that can occur. He donated his fee for writing the column to his charity and filled a majority of it with quotes from kids affected by such situations. Check it out by clicking here

Gators vs. Hoyas basketball tickets officially went on sale Monday and over the first two days of those sales the City of Jacksonville got rid of at least 2,500 passes not including corporate orders which included tickets being sold by the dozens. Missed in the commotion around the Florida-Georgetown game was the fact that tickets for another neutral site game also went on sale this week. Tickets for the 2012 Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, which features UF taking on Air Force in the second contest of the two-game event set for Dec. 29, were released on Thursday afternoon. Held at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL, it is usually the only time of the year that the Gators basketball team plays a game in South Florida. Tickets are on-sale via Ticketmaster or by calling the arena directly.

Click Here to view this Link.

(Deal ends July 20, 2012)