Virtually without exception, when given the opportunity to bolt early from the University of Florida Gator football players have taken the money and run. Few programs have been hit harder or more consistently by early draft enteries. The agony of those choices is increased by examples when players from the other schools in the state choose to lace it up and play one more for their schools. Here then is my personal tribute to select few who had the choice to leave but instead chose to stay and play one more for themselves, for me and for you. What a long strange trip it has been Robert Cromartie. Few players get to start as true freshman and again as a redshirt senior. We all know that you did not need to come back. We are glad you did. Your unwaveringly steady play is a tribute to your character and persistence. Few of us will forget your blood and guts senior campaign, Fred. We all saw it culminate with a clinching touchdown run sealing the greatest Gator comeback ever. The Seminoles will remember you too. In fact, you may well be the only Gator back in recent memory that the Seminoles genuinely fear. Live long and prosper in Jacksonville. Speaking of blood and guts and Jacksonville, the vision of Errict in the mud and rain is etched in all of our memories along with your constant energy, and signature touchdown celebration. Hail to the University Of Florida's all time leading rusher. Hail! Hail too, for the Gators all time sack leader! You gave us that great edge pass rusher that we coveted for so long. Kearse may run a 4.4 but his sack totals never approached yours. Nor did he ever single handedly win a game by himself like you did against the Vols. Good luck in Chicago, Mr. Brown. Tony, you were great! (Even if the Tallahassee refs at midfield did not think so!)It is easy to picture your bone jarring tackles on special teams, your unselfish move to the corner and your constant physical presence in the secondary. Thanks for coming back, Jack! Electric and elusive. You gave that next great wave of Gator receivers something to live up to. Mike Petersen, you played the linebacking position as well as anyone has seen in these parts. Not bad for an option quarterback from Santa Fe. When announcers talked about the speed of the Gator defense, they may not have realized it but they were probably talking about you. Gator defenses have never been the same since your departure. Continued good luck in the NFL. Here's to all other fourth and fifth year seniors for what you so unselfishly gave of yourselves. I hope you cherish your days at the University of Florida. Know too that silently, hundreds of thousands of Gators walk down the streets all around you carrying the memories of your glory days just below the surface of their conciousness. Thanks again. As for Ike, Reidel, Quezzy, Darrell, Travis, Reche, Jabbar, Mo, Kenyatta, Mike Pearson, Reggie McGrew, Gerrard, Jevon, and Lito, I am grateful for your days here but I cannot help but wonder what might have been. I cannot help but wonder what you really ever got out of leaving early. For some of you, your day in the NFL sunshine is already over. For others, the sun is beginning to set as it will for all athletes. When that day comes, I can only wonder if on some future Saturday afternoon you will find yourself watching a Gator football game longing for the playing field wondering, if only for a moment, whether it was all worth and wondering what was might have been.