Discussion: “The Brand Is Damaged”

Durty South Swamp

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Top coaches aren't coming here bc it is obvious to them that the admin is neither serious about or even understands the level of financial commitment it takes to win in today's game. That is the problem we face.
 

Swamp Donkey

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Top coaches aren't coming here bc it is obvious to them that the admin is neither serious about or even understands the level of financial commitment it takes to win in today's game. That is the problem we face.
And they are famous for bait and switch. They promise improvements then always come back with a plan for some Sunbelt level improvements after the coaches have signed.

Even the IPF was half the size and cost of the ones being built at mid tier schools and that was TWICE the facility that Foley wanted.

I was once close (not really anymore, lost touch) with a guy that was pretty tight with Billy D. Back in 2000 or so, I really forget the year, when Billy held out a little on a contract extension, Fooley promised a full renovation of the O Dome, including replacing the tent and making it a real building. Obviously, it didn't happen until AFTER Billy left.
 

ChiefGator

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That's admirable Chief, but unfortunately every sport isn't equal. They just aren't. From what I've seen, Football generates about $50M a year after expenses. Basketball is slightly in the black and all other sports are $20M in the red. Based on that, why would anyone siphon so much money from football to support the sports in the red to the point that you have to raise funds to get football what it needs to continue to generate the revenue that supports the entire enterprise?

This makes no fiscal sense to me. Perhaps its thinking like this that has resulted in a drop of Booster contributions by $9M year over year. When you don't give the customer what they want, you lose your customer and then you don't have any money for your pet projects.

Perhaps you missed it, "every Gator" is the same, not of course every sport. Now of course football makes the money, creates the atmosphere where people donate and many other important things.

Every sport is important to me, perhaps not to others. And having every sport competitive in the SEC and perhaps the NC is the goal. Including (especially) football.

And I bet many of the important (Bull Gators) do want those other sports to be SEC competitive at least, if they did not heads would roll.
 

stephenPE

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I’m all in on Mullen because I have to be. Nobody else took the job. DM is here, wants to be here and has done a lot before even coaching his first game. I’ll take him warts and all until he proves he can’t do the job and we go looking for a new batch of guys who really don’t want the job and we settle again.

I’m going crazy right now. I can’t wait for the season to kick off. Game day is special for us. We make it a weekend. We bring the whole crew. We get there a day early and stay a day late to take it all in. We throw down cold one’s and tell the same stories we told last year...and the year before...and so on. The kids like to laugh at me how when they were young I would make them ride with me all over Gainesville and look at every place I ever lived. Every. Single. Trip.

UF is special. Gainesville is special. I can’t wait to get back there. It’s going to be a fun year....that I can guarantee.
What he said. I guess we should expect all this gdmm hand wringing in the summer but for God sake(Mullen just got here. The world is not coming to an end (depending on which side of the PF you ask) and our "brand" is still THE UNIV of FLORIDA. We have titles and Heismans and a great modern history. We have seen quick turn arounds in college football and even success from schools not in the big 15 or what evenr # you choose. Mullen is our guy. He has been here. He saw what it took to win big. He had MSU playing some damned good ball with a QB nobody knew much about. Like M1 Im excited about this year and see no need to get migraines over anything yet.
FWIW I hated those scaley green uniforms from last year and HOPE like hell we never move toward that look.
 

t-gator

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Top coaches aren't coming here bc it is obvious to them that the admin is neither serious about or even understands the level of financial commitment it takes to win in today's game. That is the problem we face.
This! The administration has some kind of weird arrogance going on. They don't think we need facilities or a good coach to win.
 

InstiGATOR1

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You really think a person who started out selling tickets did not understand football or our fans? Now I agree he made some bad (in retrospect) choices for coaches. Football is probably the worst, but women's basketball is right there as well.

Our "brand" is not where we would like it to be, but it is far from "damaged".

Well:

1. IF Foley had made bad choices trying to be UF, I could agree with you. Had Foley been looking for the next Spurrier you would have a point. That fact that he was seeming trying to make UF in to UAL, makes me say yeah the guy who started out selling tickets did and does not understand the UF program, natural advantages or fan base.

2. I agree he could never get women's basketball right.

3. I don't really disagree with your view of the brand either.
 

gatormandan

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Even the IPF was half the size and cost of the ones being built at mid tier schools and that was TWICE the facility that Foley wanted.

I heard Foley ordered 20 Carolina carports and was planning on hooking them all together to make the IPF...they ended up being used for Jimmy boys peanut butter and jelly parties.
 

78

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I’m not convinced Tigert Hall cares.
It takes a 4.0-plus GPA and a whole lotta begging to get into UF. Compare that to, say, 30-40 years ago when you got in if you were alive, breathing and able to chant IT'S GREAT TO BE.

It's safe to say Tigert Hall has its priorities shifted to other areas, most of which have nothing to do with football. It is what it is.
 

T REX

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YESTERDAY AT 2:51 PM#72

gatorplankGC Hall of Fame
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Those two posters are being discussed on another board as we speak

"Byrd is posting on another board with posters who have a much more negative slant on things. ltraz is over there also. Byrd is driving them all insane. They are deranged over his presence. We’ll see how much longer he remains over there. He might be back soon....." it continues
Oh, yeah. They had a thread a while back making fun of this forum, and they were mentioning specific posters by name. Bazza, Byrd, wingtee, crl, etc all came up. They just began trashing Byrd and talking about how he ruined this forum. The funny thing is the joke is on them because I pm’d Byrd to let him know they were talking trash about him and now he’s gone over there and totally warped the complexion of that board. He posts over there more than he does here now...lol.

They don’t think it is funny, but I think it’s hilarious how they are going insane just because of him. It is pure comedy gold.

And by the way, yes, I am majorly under the microscope over there because I think Mullen can turn us around, and I also happen to believe Kirby is already among the upper tier of college coaches. I hate it, but I would not trade coaches with anyone right now if I was a UGA fan.

So I don’t know how much longer I am going to last over there either. They are not a warm and welcoming bunch over there. Very different feel than GC.
 

78

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78

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oxrageous

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Oh, yeah. They had a thread a while back making fun of this forum, and they were mentioning specific posters by name. Bazza, Byrd, wingtee, crl, etc all came up. They just began trashing Byrd and talking about how he ruined this forum. The funny thing is the joke is on them because I pm’d Byrd to let him know they were talking trash about him and now he’s gone over there and totally warped the complexion of that board. He posts over there more than he does here now...lol.
Do you have links at Swamp Gas that discuss this forum? If a member here is trashing this board on other forums, I will ban them quicker than a pit bull jumps on a poodle, and then they can enjoy that cesspool over there full time.
 

oxrageous

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Okay, I just banned plank. If he thinks it sucks so bad over here, then there's no reason for him to keep stinking up the place.

As for byrd, he is on extremely thin ice.
 

oxrageous

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I hate that board. It's hideous.

I was over there for a bit, and I picked up on two things:

1) They hate byrd too and a lot of people have him on ignore, and
2) They are pining to get Itraz back
 

destingator

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Well, I definitely think the brand has been damaged for sure. After 7-8 years of this type of struggle, you're going to fall down the pike a little bit. Do I think we are now on an equal playing field with Vandy, Kentucky, UM, or even Ole Miss? No. Are performing as well as Ole Miss or Mississippi State? No. But, I think because of our brand, we are capable of leapfrogging them again somewhat soon if we have the right pieces in place.
 

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