Gator Great John Reaves passes away

[GatorJ]

Another piece.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

 

[PastyStoole]

Reaves was the Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback when I was living in Philly, and right at the moment I became a football fan. My dad always pulled for him because he was a Gator, as did I, a Gator by proxy back then. He and Tom Woodeshick signed my team photo at a banquet I went to. I worshipped the guy at the time. To this day, Eagle fans consider him their worst first round pick of all time. I guess it's entirely possible he was already struggling with addiction. I love it that he didn't wear a chinstrap, though:

 

[Gatordiddy]

To this day, Eagle fans consider him their worst first round pick of all time

Oh...I don't know about that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Allen_(American_football)

Buddy Ryan thought so little of Allen that he once described him as someone who could only be useful "if you want someone to stand around and kill the grass... he looks like a USFL reject."

In 2011, Deadspin ranked Allen the 4th-worst football player of all time, noting "The ninth overall pick out of Indiana had a special way of blocking opposing pass rushers. He would lean his body forward, then fall down." and "Never had the Eagles had a combination of bad person-bad player that could match this guy."

RIP Mr. Reaves - first Gator QB I remember seeing as a kid.

 

[Captain Sasquatch]

Sad day for Gator Nation.

 

[78]

The wishbone came in '73 with Don Gaffney, whose completion stats over the next three seasons were ridiculously similar: 42-of-98, 43-of-98 followed by 43-of-97. Proving once and for all that Dickey was a brilliantly unpredictable offensive mind.

No wonder we could never beat Georgia.

 

[stephenPE]

Hell, Jawja ran the same boring offense but the difference was VinceDooley told his boys they should not EVER lose to the surfer boys in Fla and had to walk home from Jax if they did. We usually hung in there during the VD years but he had a trick play each game. Gaffney did QB a win at Aub for our first there.

 

[78]

Hell, Jawja ran the same boring offense but the difference was VinceDooley told his boys they should not EVER lose to the surfer boys in Fla and had to walk home from Jax if they did. We usually hung in there during the VD years but he had a trick play each game. Gaffney did QB a win at Aub for our first there.

Here it is 42 years later, Appleby to Washington. I still get a sinking feeling.

 

[GatorJ]

Oh...I don't know about that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Allen_(American_football)

Buddy Ryan thought so little of Allen that he once described him as someone who could only be useful "if you want someone to stand around and kill the grass... he looks like a USFL reject."

In 2011, Deadspin ranked Allen the 4th-worst football player of all time, noting "The ninth overall pick out of Indiana had a special way of blocking opposing pass rushers. He would lean his body forward, then fall down." and "Never had the Eagles had a combination of bad person-bad player that could match this guy."

RIP Mr. Reaves - first Gator QB I remember seeing as a kid.

Funny thing is that can Kenyatta Walker made that list:

http://deadspin.com/5690535/the-bottom-100-the-worst-players-in-nfl-history-part-1

 

[Gatordiddy]

Funny thing is that can Kenyatta Walker made that list:

http://deadspin.com/5690535/the-bottom-100-the-worst-players-in-nfl-history-part-1

"Once, while facing Julius Peppers, had three false starts called on the same down."

 

[daytonacane]

"Gene Ellenson is often overlooked in the annals of Gator history. He shouldn't be. His ability to motivate was unmatched. Gator fans should all know about "The Letter" and the power of his pep talks."

The above was noted in an earlier post and the poster was absolutely correct. Gene Ellenson was assistant coach @ Univ. Miami under Coach Gus from 1950 thru 1958 and he recruited my late husband in 1957 who played high school ball @ Robert E. Lee in Jax.
The poster was correct in that his motivation was unmatched. In addition, Coach Ellenson had a great personality and was a very kind and honest gentleman. IMHO, the Gator AD messed up by not promoting him to head coach.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Make sure you harass any dawgs or s you see up there.

Didn't you know that Dawgs & Clowns don't go to heaven?

 

[stephenPE]

Fennelly: John Reaves and Carlos Alvarez had a great connection on, off field
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/super-sophs-pals-for-life/2332457

 

[GatorJ]

Fennelly: John Reaves and Carlos Alvarez had a great connection on, off field
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/super-sophs-pals-for-life/2332457

Thanks for the read. Great article.

 

[GatorJ]

Here's another one.

 

[GR8 2B]

"Gene Ellenson is often overlooked in the annals of Gator history. He shouldn't be. His ability to motivate was unmatched. Gator fans should all know about "The Letter" and the power of his pep talks."

The above was noted in an earlier post and the poster was absolutely correct. Gene Ellenson was assistant coach @ Univ. Miami under Coach Gus from 1950 thru 1958 and he recruited my late husband in 1957 who played high school ball @ Robert E. Lee in Jax.
The poster was correct in that his motivation was unmatched. In addition, Coach Ellenson had a great personality and was a very kind and honest gentleman. IMHO, the Gator AD messed up by not promoting him to head coach.

I always enjoy your posts, DC.

 

[GatorJ]

"Gene Ellenson is often overlooked in the annals of Gator history. He shouldn't be. His ability to motivate was unmatched. Gator fans should all know about "The Letter" and the power of his pep talks."

The above was noted in an earlier post and the poster was absolutely correct. Gene Ellenson was assistant coach @ Univ. Miami under Coach Gus from 1950 thru 1958 and he recruited my late husband in 1957 who played high school ball @ Robert E. Lee in Jax.
The poster was correct in that his motivation was unmatched. In addition, Coach Ellenson had a great personality and was a very kind and honest gentleman. IMHO, the Gator AD messed up by not promoting him to head coach.

I always enjoy your posts, DC.

She's by far my favorite rival poster. In all the years that I have followed message boards (since the late 90s), she's right at the top. Although Muncie was a good guy and respected, I find her her knowledge and historical references fit me a bit better.

 

[AlexDaGator]

"Gene Ellenson is often overlooked in the annals of Gator history. He shouldn't be. His ability to motivate was unmatched. Gator fans should all know about "The Letter" and the power of his pep talks."

The above was noted in an earlier post and the poster was absolutely correct. Gene Ellenson was assistant coach @ Univ. Miami under Coach Gus from 1950 thru 1958 and he recruited my late husband in 1957 who played high school ball @ Robert E. Lee in Jax.
The poster was correct in that his motivation was unmatched. In addition, Coach Ellenson had a great personality and was a very kind and honest gentleman. IMHO, the Gator AD messed up by not promoting him to head coach.

One of the first gyms opened in the Daytona area was Omega 40 in Ormond Beach. I believe the guy who owned it played for Miami shortly after your husband. Great athlete. His name was Steve Xynidis. His son Jon walked-on at UF and became a special teams star in the mid-90's. That last name is pronounced ex-in-ITIS. Well, Danny Wuerffel was a pretty good QB at that time. He won the Johnny Unitas award for QB play. Johnny Unitas himself called Coach Spurrier to tell him the news. The receptionist told Spurrier that Johnny Unitas was on the phone for him. Spurrier mis-heard it as "Jonny Xynidis is on the phone for you". So to the great Johnny U's bemusement, Spurrier answers the phone "X! What do you want?"

Alex.

 

[GatorJ]

One of the first gyms opened in the Daytona area was Omega 40 in Ormond Beach. I believe the guy who owned it played for Miami shortly after your husband. Great athlete. His name was Steve Xynidis. His son Jon walked-on at UF and became a special teams star in the mid-90's. That last name is pronounced ex-in-ITIS. Well, Danny Wuerffel was a pretty good QB at that time. He won the Johnny Unitas award for QB play. Johnny Unitas himself called Coach Spurrier to tell him the news. The receptionist told Spurrier that Johnny Unitas was on the phone for him. Spurrier mis-heard it as "Jonny Xynidis is on the phone for you". So to the great Johnny U's bemusement, Spurrier answers the phone "X! What do you want?"

Alex.

 

[Sam]

Does anyone know where I can find a replay of the Reaves to Alvarez pass on the third play of the Houston game ? I have looked everywhere for it.

Thanks