Rant, Rave

Off-the-field antics becoming too common for Gators, 'Noles.

Don't be fooled by all the losses of last season: The Florida State-Florida football rivalry still rages.

The Seminoles set a torrid pace late in 2002. There was the team mutiny over who should play quarterback; Adrian McPherson's gambling charges, et al; Chris Rix's alarm-clock foibles; Darnell Dockett's $900 discounted shopping spree; and Travis Johnson's alleged sexual assault.

Just when it seemed the 'Noles would mercy-rule the Gators, "The Boys of Old Florida" roared back. Several spent more time in holding cells than the huddle this spring.

Dallas Baker is UF's best receiver when he isn't stealing bikes, according to police. Channing Crowder, Taurean Charles and Steven Harris found police blotters, too.

And then there is UF's Mo Mitchell, who apparently was separated at birth from Dockett. Both have had issues ranging from WWE-style reckless endangerment on the field (videotape damns them both) to wanton disregard for rules off it.

Embarrassingly, they remain on their teams.

Bobby Bowden's pat responses ("I didn't know" and "You can't monitor them all the time") are tired and hollow. At UF, the spasm of arrests is another blow to Ron Zook's unstable regime.

Who would have thought renegade Miami would become the model program of the Big Three?

Waif-like Paula Radcliffe wouldn't strike fear in a gnat, but earlier this month the British marathoner pulled a Bob Beamon - and suddenly is challenging the limits on women's athletic performance.

Radcliffe's extraordinary 2:15:25 at the London Marathon sent shock waves through the track and field community, as Beamon's 29-21/2 long jump did in 1968. Her time would have won the men's Olympic gold medal in 1956.

Last fall, Radcliffe, 29, broke the women's marathon record by 1:29. This time she dropped it another 1:53. In six months, Radcliffe sawed 3:22 from the record. For comparison, from 1985 to 2000 it was lowered by 23 seconds.

And Radcliffe's coach said she will go faster. The men's world record is 2:05:38 - and feeling a little insecure these days.

Radcliffe, however, might not have had the most impressive women's marathon result of the month. American Marla Runyan placed fifth at the Boston Marathon in 2:30:28 - and she's legally blind.

Runyan and Radcliffe are jolting conventional wisdom with their incredible performances and forging new frontiers in athletic achievement.