Rex Grossman: Starting quarterback in the Super Bowl to … unemployed?

According to Jeff Dickerson, Chicago Bears blogger for ESPNChicago.com, that could be the case (http://espn.go.com/chicago/columns/blog?post=4165252&name=dickerson).

Many forget that through the first half of the 2006 season, Grossman was a leading candidate for league MVP. He was having a record-breaking year before that Monday Night Football collapse-and-comeback against Arizona. That’s when it went downhill for No. 8.

Now, as a free agent and no longer needed in Chicago after the acquisition of SEC-alum Jay Cutler, Grossman seems to be getting no interest on the open market.

“Free agent QB Rex Grossman has been training hard on a daily basis and is looking forward to signing with a team in time for OTA’s,” said a Twitter posting from Drew Rosenhaus, Grossman’s agent.

Dickerson is suggesting that Grossman might have to sit out until training camp begins and a team suffers an injury at the quarterback position. He says at this point, few teams are looking at the former first-rounder as even a third-string or emergency QB.

More Gator-related tidbits from Rosenhaus’ Twitter page:

“Lito Sheppard is starting for the Jets and anticipates having a big season. He likes Coach (Rex) Ryan’s scheme and style. He’s healthy now too.”

“Cornelius Ingram did very well in the Eagles mini-camp and we are confident that the health of his knee is not an issue going forward.”

“I’m also happy to report that (Tampa Bay Buccaneer) Earnest Graham’s ankle is doing great and he has been able to work out at full speed. He is looking good.”

With Matt LaPorta (Cleveland) and Bryan Augenstein (Arizona) called up to the majors in the last month, who will be the next former Gator to make the jump from the minors?

There could be a wait.

The hottest of the crop was Ryan Shealy, playing first base for the Kansas City Triple-A affiliate Omaha Royals in the Pacific Coast League. Shealy was batting .345 with 12 RBI in 25 games, including a 3-for-3 outing with two RBIs and a walk against Nashville on May 8. But since that night he has been out with a swollen knee and missed 12 games.

Ameera Abdullah’s professional soccer career will start in less than a week, but it’s still nearly two months after she once thought it would begin.

Originally drafted by the (Bay Area) FC Gold Pride in the new Women’s Professional Soccer League, Abdullah opted instead to sign a contract with the Buffalo Flash of the U.S. Women’s Soccer League.

Buffalo opens its season May 24 against the Quebec Arsenal.

A few other notes from the WPS:

Former Gator and fellow draftee Megan Kerns was cut by the St. Louis Athletica prior to the start of the season. Washington’s Abby Wambach currently leads the league in shots (25), shots on goal (12) is tied for second in goals (2) and tied for second in assists (2). Another fellow UF alum, Stacey Bishop is also tied with Wambach with two assists.

I recently took my family on vacation to the Smokey Mountains in North Carolina. In the cabin we rented, there was a guest book in which past visitors signed in with the typical name and where they were from. One family, oddly enough from Georgia, signed in with their names as well as the names of their two dogs that traveled with them: Tebow and Percy.

The Gator Nation truly is everywhere.