In The (Gator) Zone: Former UF receiver Nelson helping in Haiti, plus more tidbits
Thursday, September 25, 2014 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – During his time at Florida, David Nelson played in the shadows.
The Gators won a pair of national titles in his four seasons and in the 2010 NFL Draft, nine Gators were selected. Nelson wasn't one of them.
He finished his Gators career with 46 catches for 630 yards and seven touchdowns. His most significant moment came in the 2009 BCS National Championship when he caught a 4-yard touchdown from Tim Tebow on a jump pass to seal Florida's 24-14 win over Oklahoma.
A few days after Nelson's UF career ended with a 2010 Sugar Bowl win over Cincinnati, an event happened that changed the course of Nelson's life.
A catastrophic earthquake devastated Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, killing thousands in one of the world's poorest countries.
Nelson (photo, left) made a last-minute mission trip to Haiti during Memorial Day 2011 and saw the devastation himself. When he returned to the U.S. the images he witnessed remained.
He wanted to help.
So, Nelson and his brother Patrick formed a charitable organization called I'mME, aimed at providing support for the thousands of orphans the earthquake left behind.
In his fifth NFL season, Nelson's story has received significant media coverage, especially since he joined the New York Jets at the start of last season.
ESPN's “Monday NFL Countdown” profiled Nelson's charitable work in Haiti on Monday prior to New York's loss to Chicago. If you didn't see it, here is your chance. It's worth a watch.
WEDDING PLANS ALTERED
Vanessa Hayden returned to UF last month for a segment that aired recently on NBC's weight-loss show "The Biggest Loser."
Vanessa Hayden and her family during her return to UF last month for NBC's "The Biggest Loser."
The former Gator and WNBA player had ballooned to 366 pounds and had no plans to have a wedding prior to joining the show. While her stay on the program was short, Hayden has lost 45 pounds.
She now wants to walk down the aisle with her fiance.
"Initially, I thought we would just have something at the courthouse," the 32-year-old Hayden told People.com. "But now I want to invite all my family and friends."
NOAH TAKES MOUND
Joakim Noah's father, Yannick Noah, was a professional tennis star. Noah chose basketball as his sport.
The former UF standout took a shot at baseball for the second time in a week a few days ago at Wrigley Field, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a Cubs game.
After bouncing a pitch at a White Sox game a few days earlier and taking a do-over, Noah was on target on the North Side, throwing a pitch across the plate for a strike is the batter was Yao Ming.
"This isn't my sport,'' he said afterward. "I'm not very comfortable with it, but I know it's for a good cause and I know sacrifices have to be made."
Noah was at Wrigley to raise awareness for the Noah's Arc Foundation, a program he and his mother, Cecilia Rodhe, started to help children in Chicago "develop a stronger sense of self." Fans can learn more about the foundation by logging on to NoahsArcFoundation.org.
Meanwhile, here is Noah's pitch:
BILLY D GOES TO NFL
Gators basketball coach Billy Donovan made a short road trip on Friday to give a motivational speech.
His audience: the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley invited Donovan to speak to the team and applauded Donovan's message.
"His message was about trust and really a deep love for your teammate," Bradley told ESPN.com. "I think that is something that resonated with our players. I think that our players really are connected and are close and I think he challenged them to take it to another level."
For more on Donovan's visit with the Jags, here is a blog from ESPN.com's Mike DiRocco.
HER DAY WAS WORSE
It was undoubtedly a rough day for the Gators on Saturday in their 42-21 loss to the Crimson Tide.
However, based on Internet accounts, it was a worse day for Abby, a Tri-Delt alum from the University of Alabama.
Abby tried to climb an iron fence, slipped, and got impaled.
Ouch.
Every time I think I've seen the craziest SEC story of all time. I haven't. Seriously, you have to see this: http://t.co/1CGlaS1jqV
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravisBGID) September 25, 2014 
