Black eye for Florida excites fans

There could be a blackout at Florida Field on Saturday.

An eye blackout, that is.

Florida fans are urging everyone to wear eye black Saturday — with or without inscribed bible verses — in honor of quarterback Tim Tebow’s final home game.

It’s a fitting tribute to a player who wants to be remembered more for what he accomplishes off the field than on it.

Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, has worn those black, oval patches below both eyes in each of his past 20 games. He started doing it two weeks after his famous promise that followed a 31-30 loss to Mississippi in October 2008. While some players scribble their hometown area codes or messages to friends and family members on their eye black, Tebow goes with bible verses.

"I think it’s great," coach Urban Meyer said. "I’ve got three children. I don’t mind when my daughter, my middle daughter Gigi, texts me every time what he’s wearing. She looks up the verse and texts it to me. I think that’s pretty cool."

Several groups of Florida fans agree, though there are others who think Tebow shouldn’t be singled out on senior day. It’s unclear who originated the idea to have everyone wear eye black for Tebow’s finale against rival Florida State, but the plan has spread quickly through Twitter, Facebook, Internet message boards and blogs.

Even Meyer, who said he shut his computer down weeks ago to avoid distractions, got wind of it. "I think that’d be a tremendous tribute," he said.

* AND IN THIS CORNER — Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman has an explanation for his scuffle with secondary coach Dave Campo: He was just hyping their undercard matchup on the hoped-for bout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"We’ve got a split, 70-30," Newman said Tuesday. "I got 70 (percent), he got 30, so it’ll be nice. We’re on pay per view. … A lot of people are going to watch it."

In the first quarter of Dallas’ 7-6 victory over Washington on Sunday, Campo met Newman as he came to the sideline, but the cornerback pushed the coach away and they exchanged words.

Campo and coach Wade Phillips have downplayed the incident. Newman wouldn’t discuss it after the game, then made a big joke of it Tuesday.

Newman started off saying it would be a Don King-promoted event in Las Vegas. Then he came up with the idea that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would be in charge.

"I’m kicking Don out," Newman said. "We’re going to have Jerry promoting it. We might have to move this whole thing to Cowboys Stadium. That’s it! Pacquiao-Mayweather at Cowboys Stadium. Yeah. It’ll be Pacquiao-Mayweather and it’ll be Campo-Newman."

Of course, Newman predicted he would win.

"I got reach! I got height!" Newman said. "I’ve got this."

Told what Newman said, Campo waved a hand, smiled and said, "Everything’s good."

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