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sports Dialuna 2 november 2020

Florida's Mullen's uneven month ends in Darth Vader costume

(AP) — Florida coach Dan "It was really cool just to
Mullen dressed as Darth see my teammates have my
Vader was fitting consid- back," Trask said.
ering his last three weeks.
So did Mullen, who started
Mullen showed up following screaming at the officials and
a 41-17 victory over Missouri in the direction of the oppos-
wearing a full "Star Wars" vil- ing sideline.
lain costume, complete with
a red lightsaber. He even "I was trying to get our play-
launched into character at ers off the field to make sure
the beginning and end of his we didn't have issues and
news conference. have a whole bunch of guys
suspended (against Geor-
Mullen insisted he chose gia)," Mullen said. "We're al-
the outfit long before he was ready a paper-thin outfit right
in the middle of a halftime now."
scuffle between the teams
Saturday night. Ultimately, Players from both teams con-
though, he admitted his attire verged near Missouri's side of
was "suitable tonight," and he the field, and wild punches a day of practice before his Mullen had to be pulled away
wasn't just talking about Hal- could be seen flying and con- Mullen found new critics in eighth-ranked Gators (3-1) several times and was so irate
loween. necting. Only three players the past week, many of them play Southeastern Confer- by the end of the exchange
were ejected. The SEC could rebuking his stance on the ence rival and No. 5 Geor- — anger can lead to the dark
It was closer to perfect given hand down more punish- NCAA's mandate regarding gia (4-1) next week in Jack- side — that he came back out
the coach's uneven October, ments following a review. sports-related activities on sonville, a game that likely of the locker room tunnel for
which included eyebrow- Election Day. He bemoaned will determine who wins the a curtain call. Fans chanted
raising comments about "It's an ugly scene for foot- altering a team voting event East Division and plays in the his name as he returned to
wanting to pack the Swamp ball, an ugly scene for college — which is still permissible league title game. the field for the start of the
— Florida Field, not Dagobah football," Missouri coach under NCAA rules — and third quarter.
— during a pandemic and Eli Drinkwitz said. "I'm not made it clear his biggest is- "We've had to cancel a bunch
questioning an NCAA deci- proud of it. I don't know who sue was having to adjust his of those things that we had Two hours later, Mullen was
sion regarding practicing on started it. We've got to figure routine. planned," Mullen said. "We've celebrating a lopsided vic-
Election Day. it out and we've got to get it "What it does is it throws you had to kind of redo this en- tory and firing up the 12,049
fixed. It's disappointing." completely off your game- tire schedule. It messes with on hand with the "Gator
Mullen's month concluded week routine, which obvi- your preparation, the physi- Chomp." Then he trans-
with a lopsided victory that It was the latest chapter for ously to me is very danger- cal preparation of the players formed into Darth Vader, the
was marred by a benches- Mullen, who was ripped na- ous because you're out for and the safety of them getting iconic villain who ends up re-
clearing melee at halftime. tionally for saying he hoped the health of the kids, the ready for the game. Kind of deeming himself by defeating
to get 90,000 fans inside Flor- buildup of the game," Mullen disappointing the NCAA did the evil emperor.
It started when Missouri's ida Field for a home game, said. "You kind of have a set that."
Trajan Jeffcoat delivered a stance he refused to back routine, a set schedule, you Maybe that's where Mullen
what looked like a high, late down from until four days practice certain ways build- Florida's faithful dismissed ultimately lands, with wins
hit on Florida quarterback later. Even then, he apolo- ing up to Saturday. And now Mullen's strong and some- against Georgia and poten-
Kyle Trask after he released a gized "if I offended anyone." you can't do it, especially here what questionable stances as tially Alabama. He might
Hail Mary at the end of the in Florida where most of the typical brashness for an out- want to keep the lightsaber
second quarter. The ball fell Mullen tested positive for guys, most people … I've al- spoken coach who's focused handy just in case.
incomplete, and Trask landed COVID-19 a few days later ready voted." on winning. They found "Never know with Coach
hard on his back. His line- and spent nearly two weeks themselves defending him Mullen," safety Brad Stewart
men came to his defense. in quarantine, which some It's quite possible that Mul- again Saturday night. said. "It's (always) a surprise."
attributed to karma. len's real gripe was losing Image: ESPN.

Arsenal beats Man U to end wait for EPL win at Old Trafford

(AP) — Pierre-Emerick United 1-0 on Sunday to With both teams playing ing run of poor form for the left post.
Aubameyang scored the secure its first win for 14 a cautious game, a foul by Gunners when facing Eng-
only goal of the game from years in a Premier League United midfielder Paul Pog- land's biggest clubs on the Arsenal needed a slice of luck
the penalty spot as Arse- match at Old Trafford. ba turned out to be decisive road. Arsenal's last win at Old to cling on to its lead when
nal beat hosts Manchester when he kicked Hector Bel- Trafford in an EPL game was a mistimed block from Mo-
lerin's foot in the penalty area. in 2006, when Alex Ferguson hamed Elneny bounced off
Aubameyang sent goalkeeper and Arsene Wenger were the goalkeeper Bernd Leno's
David De Gea the wrong way managers and current United head and onto the post before
with his 69th-minute spot- manager Ole Gunnar Solsk- being cleared.
kick to give Arsenal the lead. jaer was still playing for the
"It's a bad afternoon. We just club. The defeat leaves United
gave the ball away too much," with only seven points from
United captain Harry Magu- Arsenal had the better chanc- its first six games of the sea-
ire told Sky Sports. "If you es in a quiet first half Sunday, son with fatigue from the
give the ball away as much as with Aubameyang narrowly extended 2019-20 campaign
we did, especially in the first missing a cross at the far post appearing to play a role.
half, you're not going to win after a mistimed lunge, and Arsenal moved closer to the
games of football." Willian brushing the cross- Champions League spots
bar with a lob. Maguire could following its first victory in
Arsenal hadn't beaten United have given United the lead in three league games after loss-
away since an FA Cup game the 55th but his header at a es to Manchester City and
in 2015, part of a longstand- corner went just wide of the Leicester.