GATORS

Noah's Dad Makes Long Trip To Indy

By ANDY STAPLES

Published: Mar 5, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS - Florida F Joakim Noah had little trouble picking his father, Yannick, out of the crowd Saturday night.

"He was the only guy with dreads out there," Noah said. "So he's pretty easy to spot."

The elder Noah, who lives in Paris, said he dropped everything to cross the Atlantic once he learned the Gators would play in the Final Four.

"I knew I had to make it," Yannick Noah said. "I had to make it."

The elder Noah, a tennis hall of famer and world music star, said his son has stayed humble in spite of all the attention he's received during the NCAA Tournament.

"I like the way he handled himself," Yannick Noah said.

Yannick also said he didn't know much about the NBA draft process. Joakim Noah's stock has risen considerably during the tournament, and some analysts have predicted he could be a top-five pick if he leaves Florida after this season.

"I'm not very familiar with how it works," Yannick Noah said. "I have to ask him first how it works and second what he wants to do. Last time we talked about it, he said he wanted to go to school."

ENJOYING THE RIDE: Two years ago, Garrett Tyler was just another member of the "Rowdy Reptiles" student section at Florida. Saturday, the Palm Harbor University High graduate was in uniform at the Final Four.

"I'm really just trying to soak everything up," Tyler said.

Tyler said he dreamt of such moments, but he never knew if he'd get the opportunity.

"It's always a dream," he said. "I was just fortunate to make my way onto the team and come along for the ride."

CHINNY-CHIN-CHIN: Florida C Chris Richard's goatee has grown from a sprout earlier this season to a full-fledged piece of shrubbery at the Final Four.

Richard said he was somewhat inspired by Florida football players Marcus Thomas and Steven Harris, who held a season-long competition last fall to see who could grow the most outlandish goatee. Richard and freshman G Walter Hodge have the most impressive facial hair on the basketball roster, much to the chagrin of junior G Taurean Green.

"I'll give you the inside scoop," Richard said. "Taurean tried to start [the contest]. He was doing it for like eight months and he couldn't grow anything."

DOME SWEET DOME: Florida G Lee Humphrey, who made six 3-pointers Saturday against George Mason, said shooting last week in the Metrodome in Minneapolis might have helped him Saturday at the RCA Dome.

"It definitely couldn't have hurt because both of these gyms are really similar," Humphrey said. "Anytime you play in a similar environment, it can't hurt."

GATOR BITES: In the stands was Devil Rays vice president Rick Vaughn, a former George Mason pitcher who threw the school's only no-hitter. Vaughn will go on to the Rays' season opener on Monday afternoon at Baltimore. … Florida has won 10 consecutive games.