NEWS » ually a bit panicked, Watt wr

Editors Note: Chris Low covers college football for ESPN.com. Below is an excerpt of his article about Steve Spurriers return to Florida.This was Steve Spurriers day, the day he was officially welcomed back to Florida -- as Head Gator Ambassador -- and he and his family soaked in every bit of it, starting with a two-hour autograph session at the UF Bookstore to promote his new autobiography Head Ball Coach: My Life in Football and ending with one stroll after another down memory lane as Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium became Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.I think about my life path and how blessed Ive been, said Spurrier, gazing out onto the field and watching the final few minutes of the first half in the Gators plodding 24-7 victory over UMass. Its just amazing to be here and to have had all the great things that have happened to me. When Doug Dickey brought me back here to coach quarterbacks (in 1978), we got fired after one year. I was done. I didnt know where I was going or what I was going to do. At one point, my assistant coaching record was 10-24-1. But I guess all roads just sort of keep leading back to Florida.Even as a 71-year-old ambassador who walks with a familiar limp thanks to a surgically replaced knee, Spurrier still scurries at a pretty good pace. And it turns out that he still has a few moves, too.As part of the Steve Spurrier Field dedication before the game, he led the Gators traditional Mr. Two Bits cheer with a rousing performance and then a Usain Bolt pose to close the deal.All day long, his former players flocked around him. They all have their favorite Spurrier stories, and most of those stories only get better with him. And his memory, expressly his ability to recall the most obscure details from years ago, is uncanny.Some of the best interaction with Spurrier came with the fans, who crammed into the UF Bookstore to buy his book and then wait in line to get an autographed copy. Buddy Martin, who co-authored the book with Spurrier, was there helping to direct traffic and said hed never seen Spurrier, admittedly not a huge autograph guy, so giddy to sign for so many people.After two hours of signing books, it was difficult to tell whether the fans were happier to have Spurrier back or if he was happier to be back. He joked that he would stay busy ambassadoring.Even though it was a long day, it was a day Spurrier and his entire family will cherish. Hes big on winning, big on having fun and big on family.To read Chris Lows entire article about Spurriers return to Florida, visit ESPN.com.Adam Oates Jersey . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. Josh Manson Jersey . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. https://www.cheapducks.com/ . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. George Parros Jersey .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. Erik Gudbranson Jersey . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain.Add a staph infection to the long list of ailments that Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt suffered -- and played through -- during the 2015 season.Watt, in a post for The Players Tribune, credits a Texans trainer for looking at some weird bumps on my knee and recognizing the infection. He said he was later told by a team doctor that, if it had gone undiagnosed, he could have lost his leg.During that 2015 season, Watt said he also suffered a broken hand, two torn abs, three torn adductor muscles and a herniated disc on two occasions. He didnt miss a game.That was my 2015 season. Believe it or not, the scariest was probably the staph infection, Watt wrote.Watt said he approached the trainer to get some cream to take care of what he thought was a rash, and the trainer told him that they had to get him to a hospital immediately.I thought he was joking at first. But then I could see in his face that he was serious and actually a bit panicked, Watt wrote. As it turrned out, he saved me in a big way.ddddddddddddAt the hospital, they immediately put me on three hours of the strongest antibiotic IVs. I went straight from the hospital to the team plane and we flew to Jacksonville.Once we landed, there were two more hours of antibiotics that night and two more the next morning before the game. The medicine had completely drained me, but I played -- and we won.Watt, who was cleared Monday to take the next step in his rehab from back surgery in September, was at NRG Stadium on Tuesday, coach?Bill OBrien said.Hell be back in 2017, OBrien said of Watt, who was put on injured reserve prior to Week 4 and is eligible to return to the team this week. Hes back in the building today. Hes in good spirits, and working hard to be better than ever in 2017.ESPN Staff Writer Sarah Barshop contributed to this report. ' ' '