FOUR BITS: Rivers, Denson, Thompson, Haden

OGGOA STORY UPDATE » Assistant basketball coach Richard Pitino has interviewed for the Iona head coaching job, per FOX Sports.

1 » A week ago, OGGOA reported that the North Carolina Tar Heels and Florida Gators 2011 five-star guard commit Austin Rivers shared a mutual interest in each other. Now, Rivers’ consideration of UNC seems to have increased, and he is starting to lean away from Florida in favor of opening his recruitment back up. “It would be Duke, Florida and [North] Carolina,” Rivers told CarolinaBlue.com this week. “And just because I might open it back up doesn’t mean that Florida wouldn’t be one of my schools, because they would. I like Florida – a lot.” Should Rivers decommit in order to open up his recruitment, gaining his commitment back against the likes of the Blue Devils and Tar Heels would seemingly be tough for Gators head coach Billy Donovan.

2 » Tuesday, OGGOA mentioned three-star 2010 point guard recruit Chris Denson (Midland, GA) as a prospect Florida is going after to help fill out its incoming recruiting class. Denson spoke with GAVarsity.com Thursday and said that the Gators are one of the teams leading for his services. “I’d say the top of my list are Western Kentucky and Florida […] they’re closer to home and that’s a big part,” Denson said. The site does not list UF as having offered Denson a scholarship yet, instead pointing out that he has already received them from WKU, Buffalo and UNC-Greensboro. Perhaps an offer is all it would take to acquire the 6’2”, 180 lbs. PG.

Two more BITS on Deonte Thompson and Joe Haden…after the jump!

3 » Redshirt junior wide receiver Deonte Thompson was upset last week – that is obvious. More than upset though, Thompson was surprised at how what he said was misconstrued. “he called me last week upset about it, and then I saw it on the Internet, too, and I was like, ‘Whoa,” his older brother, Terrance Roberts, told the Palm Beach Post. “I was upset about it, because I knew he didn’t say it that way. […] I actually called [head coach Urban Meyer], told him ‘thank you’ for looking out for my little brother.”

4 » Friday afternoon, the Cleveland Browns completed a five-player deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, acquiring (among others) cornerback Sheldon Brown. A nine-year veteran who grabbed a career-high five interceptions last season, Brown adds depth to Cleveland’s secondary. Could this acquisition pave the way for the Browns to pass on former Florida cornerback Joe Haden in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft? Doubtful, considering the team’s lack of talent at the position and need for a young starter, but it is something to keep an eye on.

Photo Credit: ESPN Rise