opinion - The Independent Florida Alligator

Antonio Morrison attempts a tackle during Florida's 38-20 win against Georgia on Nov. 1, 2014.

Sports

Answering five Fall camp questions before the players hit the practice field

By JORDAN MCPHERSON | Aug. 5, 2015

With the first day of Fall camp at the forefront, there are still a plethora of questions surrounding the team that new head coach Jim McElwain hopes to have answered before the season kicks off on Sept. 5. Well, like you, I’m not a fan of waiting. So with that said, here are my answers to five burning questions that have yet to be answered from this team.

Opinion

A final goodbye, thank you to my Alligator family

By Melissa Mihm | Aug. 5, 2015

When I first got to UF, I struggled to find a group of friends. I had friends speckled throughout Gainesville, but I always felt like I was lacking that family away from family. I guess you could say, I eventually gave up.

Opinion

Darts and Laurels: Summer Finale Extravaganza

Aug. 5, 2015

Greetings and salutations, Gainesville! We welcome you to this most August occasion by which we end our Summer circulation of the Alligator and prepare our inkstained (not really because everything’s digital nowadays) hands for the coming of our Fall semester. But before we go, we must leave our valued audience for our even more valued swimsuits and margaritas and leave you with this final summer edition of…Darts and Laurels.

Opinion

Paynes Prairie: A breathtaking site that should remain state property

Aug. 5, 2015

In storytelling, it is a common occurrence for the protagonist to gain insight or make a personal breakthrough by retreating to nature.

UF's Lauren Haeger pitches during Florida's 5-0 win against Florida State on April 22, 2015, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

Sports

Who was the Best Female Athlete at UF in 2015?

By IAN COHEN | Aug. 3, 2015

The Alligator Awards continue this week, with the sixth award being for "Best Female Athlete." Editor-in-chief Jordan McPherson and staff writer Ian Cohen join alligatorSports editors Graham Hall, Luis Torres and Graham Hack in a roundtable discussion to debate the five nominees. Debates will go in alphabetical order by the writer’s last name.

Florida football coach Jim McElwain speaks to media members during a press conference on March 10 in the Southeast End Zone meeting room at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

Which five freshmen could start for UF immediately?

By GRAHAM HALL | Aug. 3, 2015

With the Florida football team opening Fall camp on Aug. 6, coaches will get their first look at the newest Gators arriving on campus from the 2015 recruiting class. Here’s a list of five freshmen who could start from the beginning for UF.

Opinion

Conservatives taking on a war against abortion

Aug. 3, 2015

Taking the war on women to the next step, conservatives are pushing for low-income women to be denied healthcare.

Opinion

Students entering homeless week struggle, but have strength

Aug. 3, 2015

Ah, the last days of the Summer semester are upon those among us still attending, and we now stand upon the precipice of a difficult time for some students. I’m not referring to the distinct lack of sunshine over the past week, nor do I speak lightly of nights many will spend studying for their finals or finishing their final projects.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has a ball tossed to him during warmups before the NFL football AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 18, 2015 (Photo credit Matt Slocum/Associated Press).

Sports

Tom Brady continues to escalate Deflategate, and it’s ruining his NFL legacy

By GRAHAM HACK | July 29, 2015

Deflategate has been blown out of proportion, and Tom Brady has no one to blame but himself.

Florida's Marquis Dendy leaps on his way to winning the triple jump during the NCAA track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., Friday, June 12, 2015.

Sports

Who was the Best Male Athlete at Florida during the 2014-15 season?

By IAN COHEN | July 29, 2015

The Alligator Awards continue this week, with the fifth award being for "Best Male Athlete." Editor-in-chief Jordan McPherson and staff writer Ian Cohen join alligatorSports editors Graham Hall, Luis Torres and Graham Hack in a roundtable discussion to debate the five nominees. Debates will go in alphabetical order by the writer’s last name.

Opinion

Donald Trump’s the worst, yet he’s the favorite?

July 29, 2015

Dear readers, we can all agree that Donald Trump is the worst, right? I don’t ask that question as if it’s a matter of relativity, or in a “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” type of way: Is it not universally accepted that Donald Trump makes Kim Jong-un look like a reasonable human being in comparison? At least Kim acts within the established parameters for how a statesman ought to behave in North Korea (that is to say, like a petulant child). No such boundaries exist for the Trump.

Opinion

Darts and Laurels: Windows 10 and being a heartless ass

July 29, 2015

Greetings and salutations friends! Today we stand upon the precipice of a new day, a glorious beginning, and the furious onset of an all new, never-before-seen edition of…Darts and Laurels.

Opinion

How to detail your car and tips for keeping it clean so it lasts longer

July 29, 2015

Just like with anything else you own, if you take care of your car it will look newer longer and its aesthetics will last longer. Here is a simple list of ways to detail your car and tips for keeping it looking fresh.

Luisa Seau, right, the mother of former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, wipes her eyes during a ceremony on Sept. 16, 2012, to retire Seau's No. 55 uniform before the Chargers play the Tennessee Titans in an NFL football game in San Diego.

Sports

Column: Let Junior Seau’s family speak at Hall of Fame induction

By Luis Torres | July 28, 2015

Junior Seau was one of the best linebackers in the history of the NFL. His ability and his longevity were something that amazed his peers in the sport. He played for 20 seasons, which is an achievement in itself because the average NFL player is out of the league within three years.

Opinion

MTV Documentary addresses white privilege

July 27, 2015

When I first heard about MTV’s documentary about being white in America, I was skeptical of how well the issue would be handled. But Jose Antonio Vargas’ “White People” pleasantly surprised me, spurring conversations that need to happen more often.

Opinion

Shooting on campus a small but scary matter

July 27, 2015

News of a shooting on campus is a guaranteed recipe for fear and trepidation in the nation’s heart, and even more so locally when news of the shooting is as close to home as Murphree Hall at UF.

Opinion

Guest Column: Access Party working to give students the change they voted for in Spring elections

July 27, 2015

The Student Body demanded change in the Spring election.

Opinion

Letters to the Editor: Shootings around the country a tragedy

July 27, 2015

What occurred in Lafayette, Louisiana, was a tragedy. But what is occurring in its aftermath across the nation is simply atrocious and despicable.

Rhamat Alhassan (1) swings for a kill attempt during Florida's 3-0 win against Missouri on Oct. 24 in the O'Connell Center.

Sports

Who was the Best Freshman for the Florida Gators in 2014-15?

By IAN COHEN | July 23, 2015

The Alligator Awards continue this week, with the fourth award being for "Best Freshman." Editor-in-chief Jordan McPherson and staff writer Ian Cohen join alligatorSports editors Graham Hall, Luis Torres and Graham Hack in a roundtable discussion to debate the five nominees. Debates will go in alphabetical order by the writer’s last name.

Opinion

Ambiguity as foreign policy can result in trouble

July 22, 2015

In the early 2000s, the refrain “We will not negotiate with terrorists” proved popular among conservatives. With the nation still reeling from the pain of the Sept. 11 attacks — and our military then deeply embedded in Iraq and Afghanistan — this oft-repeated mantra served no purpose other than to undermine the multitude of criticisms lobbied against President George W. Bush’s “War on Terror.”