2022 State of the Board: A new era for UF

[deuce]

I think my mom is Monday nights.

Noted.......

 

[gator1946]

I've read 180 posts in this thread now, and I've decided I don't like any of you.

 

[FlyingGator]

So, after 10 vacations he has only gotten worse?

Around here we like to call that “The Mullen Syndrome”!!

 

[NOLAGATOR]

. There are no rights or Freedom of Speech. It’s a dictatorship, with a pretty loosey goosey dictator.

feel free to leave. I understand my style isn’t for everyone.

It's your Sand Box...You're the King

 

[maheo30]

I've read 180 posts in this thread now, and I've decided I don't like any of you.

 

[deuce]

I know, I know….you’re all thinking “8 pages in and we haven’t heard from BNA yet? I hope he’s not dead!”

Well, I’m not dead. I’m very much alive, but after reading some of the drivel in this thread, I’m considering offing myself from embarrassment…but then I realize that this won’t fix most of you people, and it wouldn’t be fair to those who wake up every morning longing for my next post. I do this for you. You know who you are.

This place is an important part of my life. My wife calls it “the other woman”, and she’s not far off. Like @soflagator posted (btw, he’s likely the most underrated poster here), this place is a way for me to escape from the stresses of life to unwind, learn, blow off steam, and to generally have unfiltered exchanges with people I agree with, disagree with, and everything in between.

And there it is. That’s the key. The magic of a place like this is exactly BECAUSE it is filled with very different people with very different life experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, and opinions. But that’s where it gets tough, because people you don’t agree with can get on your nerves, especially if they are caustic, or crude, or abusive. For those who this strikes a chord for you, here is my advice…

LIGHTEN THE FUCHS UP!! Not a single death, maiming, or injury has occurred from a post on this site. Not a single one….0 for 1.3M. Those are good odds. If somehow someone hurts your precious feelings, then IGNORE THEM. It’s incredibly easy - it’s like 2 clicks. But before you do that, consider this - some of the smartest, most insightful, knowledgeable, and funniest people here are also some of the most rude, crude, caustic, and socially unacceptable. If you can put your ego aside for just a moment and realize that in the majority of cases you are treated poorly because YOU ARE LIKED and included in “the tribe”, then you might actually have the chance to enjoy yourself. And guess what? Despite the immature claims, not a SINGLE member here has had sex with another poster’s dead mother. Not once. Even MattM.

Swonkey is a dick. He prides himself on being so. He is abusive, combative, and likely tests to see what your opinion is and immediately takes the other side and calls you a moron for doing so. Think about how ridiculous that is, and now think about how funny that is. He has pissed every single one of us off at some point in time and that is his charm… his contribution. Do we really want a board full of vanilla? Fuchs no. This place would have 1/2 the posts, 1/2 the threads, and 1/2 the debates if he hadn’t been around.

Napier is a great hire. Napier is a horrible hire. Napier is a so-so hire. One of those is right, and nobody here knows for a fact which of those is ultimately true. Why TF would anyone get upset at anyone saying one or the other?

Listen…this place is important to me, and it’s the immaturity combined with some incredibly smart and insightful people that (and it pains me to say this) I feel like are real friends, that is what makes it important.

And if you damn drama queens screw that up, I will hunt you down and have sex with your dead or alive mother. Got it?

Right Arm !!!!!!!


Do you have a sister?

 

[Nomadigator]

Ox,

Dead spot on, sir. I imposed a self-ban for last two years due to the overwhelming, pure, unadulterated upchuck spewing through my screen here. As a man, I was embarrassed. After logging off, I had to take a hour long hot shower to rid the head-to-toe negative emotional bile covering my lean, mean, green fighting machine frame.

Bottom line: I got zero measure of pleasure coming onsite. GC was the epitome of Absolute UnFun.

HOWEVER...

The past is dead. Leave it buried along with the Negative Nellies mucking up the site.

'Tis a New Day New Way in Gatordom and I am Supremely STOKED!

Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme that BN Cake!

 

[LongTooth]

I HOPE that BN will revitalize the brand and take us back to prominence like he says he should as he claims there are no excuses for our underperforming decade.

I EXPECT that he will at least finish the process of bringing our recruiting staff and infrastructure into the 21st century and at least put us on competitive footing in every aspect of the game both on and off the field. Even if he doesn’t ultimately get championships he will seed the ground for realistic chances at getting them in the future. The 5 million dollar commitment he got from UF is a big change of direction and already giving us what we have been begging for. Direction.

In the meantime this snarky, funny, acerbic, vitriolic, witty, informed, impatient, passionate board is still a great resource for anyone who wants to read about and discuss Gator football and moms.

 

[AugustaGator]

OK......... I love the Donkster and make no apologies for that. I won't defend him because he doesn't need my help...... Just the fact's Jack....... He pushes buttons, steps on toes and pinches babies cheeks..... not to mention putting the Hammer down on everyone's mother and wife........

He/she is a National Treasure and should be treated with due Honor.............


Free the Donkster!

 

[78]

I think some of you may be missing the point. This isn’t as much about Law or negativity as it is about group dynamics and how factions are formed and maintained.

Ox has implied power. Law has acquired power, but in some ways it’s just as or more influential. He has by a landslide the most posts, the greatest number of likes and likely the greatest number of followers. He shapes thinking. He’s bombastic, caustic and funny as hell. You may not agree with what he says or how he says it, but you can’t deny his ability to get out front of a subject, provoke thought and create little coalitions of Donkeythink. He called the last three coaching failures long before most posters were willing to get onboard. He understands football even if it can be one-sided toward the vertical pass.

I love Law. We’ve PM’d many a time. He can be the biggest ass on the board but privately he has a huge, huge heart. I’d want that guy beside me on a battlefield.

You can call Chatter a sports bar. I think of it as much as a playground where relationships are formed and directed through ball busting and constant testing. Subgroups are formed to represent mini alliances. I grew up in an environment like that. You learned to learn, shrug it off and not overreact. You competed. If they’re testing you, they like you. Once they stop, you’ve been forgotten.

 

[TheDouglas78]

URG wouldn't know. Too short to see that high.

He fit right under Ox's dress, all he has to do is look up...

for the record, i have posted.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

Damn! Message boards are not for everyone. :)

I’m against banning people until they do something illegal or unethical, ie dox.

I don’t mind what people post. They have agency. Sticks and stones… I will say I am disappointed with all the snowflakes around.

Personally I like to hear other viewpoints and to challenge my assumptions and beliefs.

THIS

And I think there is a place for Coach, L-Boy, and the like.

As long as "ALL" or at least "Most" can post.

We're men...most of us. That's what men tend to do...We duke it out and then shake hands...but if we can't vent we get "bitter"

GGG brought me here from Swamp Flatulates. We got in a "pissing match"...imagine that... He got booted...I defended him...And got booted.

But OX...It's your Sand Box.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

I think some of you may be missing the point. This isn’t as much about Law or negativity as it is about group dynamics and how factions are formed and maintained.

Ox has implied power. Law has acquired power, but in some ways it’s just as or more influential. He has by a landslide the most posts, the greatest number of likes and likely the greatest number of followers. He shapes thinking. He’s bombastic, caustic and funny as hell. You may not agree with what he says or how he says it, but you can’t deny his ability to get out front of a subject and provoke thought. He called the last three coaching failures long before most posters were willing to get onboard. He understands football even if it can be one-sided toward the vertical pass.

I love Law. We’ve PM’d many a time. He can be the biggest ass on the board but privately he has a huge, huge heart. I’d want that guy beside me on a battlefield.

You can call Chatter a sports bar. I think of it as much as a playground where relationships are formed and directed through ball busting and constant testing. Subgroups are formed to represent mini alliances. I grew up in an environment like that. You learned to learn, shrug it off and not overreact. You competed. If they’re testing you, they like you. Once they stop, you’ve been forgotten.

OMFG....did you just call Swonkey an 'influencer'?

 

[deuce]

Ox,

Dead spot on, sir. I imposed a self-ban for last two years due to the overwhelming, pure, unadulterated upchuck spewing through my screen here. As a man, I was embarrassed. After logging off, I had to take a hour long hot shower to rid the head-to-toe negative emotional bile covering my lean, mean, green fighting machine frame.

Bottom line: I got zero measure of pleasure coming onsite. GC was the epitome of Absolute UnFun.

HOWEVER...

The past is dead. Leave it buried along with the Negative Nellies mucking up the site.

'Tis a New Day New Way in Gatordom and I am Supremely STOKED!

Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme that BN Cake!

Some people are just not cutout for message boards.........

 

[CGgater]

You guys have to understand something. The Donk has been given vacations at least 10 times since Gatorchatter was started. He knows EXACTLY what will get him kicked. He did it on purpose - I think he wanted a break and knows he has to be forced off to walk away for a bit. He's like a junkie.

A Tijuana junkie, to be more precise…

Edit: A dirty pirate junkie donkey hooker in Tijuana, to be even more precise.

 

[SGG]

I wasn’t on board with the Napier hire, because I felt we could do better. Hell, that’s how I’ve felt about the last three hires. Say what you want about Muschamp, but the guy was an up and comer at the time and if we hadn’t hired him, someone would’ve. It didn’t work out, and that’s okay. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t ready, and he followed a legend that took this program to heights it had never been before.

Since it became apparent that Napier was gonna be the guy, I did some research and listened to a ton of podcasts, as well as his presser the other day. I know you don’t win championships at the press conference, or by listening to pumperish podcasts, but I am a firm believer now that if he fails, it damned sure won’t be from lack of trying or due to being lazy. As much as Dancin Dan the Vacationing Man talked about being a competitor, Napier actually walks the walk. I think he will do just fine at UF, especially once he starts seeing results on the recruiting trail.

It will take a while to catch up to Bama and Ugay, talent wise, but I think we will be competing for championships again within the next two years. Kirby has shown that he’s a fantastic recruiter, but a very average to mediocre coach.

 

[AugustaGator]

If you go to a sports bar you can't throw chairs around or try to burn the place down, there are rules... but the camaraderie AND the different opinions are both part of the experience. I'd prefer to hear what everybody has to say without the conversation needing to be "guided" in any particular direction. Opinions change with new information and most of us don't believe half of what we post anyway. All of that just makes it fun.

The thing I have liked most about this place is that it's full of amazing content but it doesn't take itself too seriously. As for Swamp Donkey in particular, he can be insufferable but he's one of the most supportive posters on here... I bet the guy has given out 100k "likes", even when he doesn't agree with you. If anything, I'd like to maybe see the group be a little more receptive to new voices and new posters, especially the ones with different viewpoints. Adds a bit of "texture" to the place. Just my 0.02.

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

I'm a big Ox fan

 

[Jbossgator8]

Honestly its been negative around here for YEARS but mostly because of the product on the field/court. Some are ALWAYS negative, maybe cause they like to be or their life just SUCKS so idk. When we win its like not good enough/fools gold/not wanted or enjoyed at all. For me personally, I LOVE the Gators and these boards here with all our great members, flaws and all. I see life differently and am positive about things in general. Yeah I HATE to lose and losing would RUIN my day/week but since I have grown older(42 now) and have 3 young growing kids, I have a better perspective on life and that is what is most important to me at this stage of life. Idk what the future holds for our program but hopefully we can get back on track. I really don't keep track of the recruiting or facilities cause frankly there is nothing I can do to change it. I can only sit here as a fan and cheer like heck for our Gators as I bleed Orange and Blue since I was born. Gator Pumper for life!

 

[PaulDrake]

I want every single member of Gatorchatter to make a post in this thread with their thoughts. No exceptions. Lurkers, pipe up.

This is somewhat long - anyone who responds with "TLDR" gets a ban.

I got to thinking about some things today after Swamp Donkey went nuts out the blue, called me names, and was banned for a week. Then I got an email from him basically saying we'd become Swamp Gas because of my insistence of the board being positive about this hire. He made me think, he often does. This thread isn't about Donkey, but I will say I don't know if he'll return or not.

We've always been known around the Gator Nation as the "negative" board, which I understand. Since Gatorchatter was launched in 2014, there really has been very little to be happy about. The brand has taken a complete dive, dropping UF out of the elite schools that annually challenge for titles. Hence, being negative hasn't bothered me, since we were just dealing with reality and the truth of the situation. However, Donkey made me think of something today, and that's this.

Some people are negative about the program because the program is bad, some people are negative about the program because they want to be negative. They actually enjoy the bashing and negativity. When something positive happens, they don't really like it. They get some kind of kick or power from wallowing in the mud.

While I certainly don't like blind pumperism, being "woe is me" on Gatorchatter for 7+ years now has really taken a toll. We've complained about a lot, and rightfully so. The garbage facilities, the constant cheap tactics from the administration (other than overpaying bad head coaches), their seeming to embrace mediocrity while other schools pass them by, it has really sucked. The product on the field has obviously also suffered as a result.

HOWEVER...

Everything seems to finally be changing. Mullen and his embarrassing group have been jettisoned. The Heavener Complex (which really is nice) is supposedly almost done. Stricklin has decided to throw money in places that we've been demanding for years. No matter what you think of Billy Napier's X's and O's, he certainly seems to have the right attitude about what needs to be done, starting with recruiting. We're going to have a lot more eyes on the team and our opponents. These are going to be a functional, prepared teams. There's a lot to be happy about.

Even after all this came to light, many members of this board were so beaten down (and I really do understand) that they couldn't help be miserable anyway. They hated the hire, they hated everything. It bugged me. It's like they were happier when they were upset, down and pissed. I feel like they would have hated almost any hire just out of reflex. This is the kind of thing I would like to see turn around on this board.

My draconian tactics to control the misery are over - I think I made whatever point I was going for. I'd like for each of you, as part of a 2022 resolution, to attempt to change your mindset about this program. We asked for things and we got them. It really is a new day and it feels like it.

Discuss.

Well I just got around to reading this and I might as well throw in my two cents which isn't even worth that. I joined GC because I am a Gator alum and fanatic. I like the sports discussions on here because I want to share thoughts with others that are like minded Gators that want to talk sports. I have had spells where I didn't post or even lurk for various reasons that include a hectic life that prevented it or frustration over the politics that seeps into sports discussions. I lead two social media lives: sports (this board) and politics (I'm a political junkie who dwiells in Twitter for that). I don't do name calling as I'm a public school teacher and I deal with high schoolers erveryday that do. Its infantile. The stuff about testrosterone filled posts about what someone will do to someone else mother/wife is infantile AND boring. I mean seriously I've got high school class kids that do that stuff.

As for being a pumper I am one for the Gators. I was disappointed with the Napier hire and I posted about it. Now I have come around to Ox's way of thnking and I like what I see so far. I'm going to look for the good things in this new era but I will still complain when I see stuff I don't like sports wise. Political rumblings I can do without. I lead that life in another social media dwelling I keep separate from here. I'm one of those you can, as someone on here has said, that can be found at the bottom of the ocean as a good start. i really don't care what anyone thinks in that arena. My first career was in sales and I've been reamed out by experts. I have a pretty thick skin and pretty much laugh when I get called names by keyboard commanders that find their courage behind an anonymous keystroke. But alas I'm here to talk mostly Gator football. I like the way Ox runs the board. I like his podcasts. I hope I can stay in his good graces and part of being able to do this is to stay in my lane talking Gator sports. I like it here Ox even when I disappear sometimes. I am just glad you have put up with me so far.

{In my best Billy Napier voice/accent) Geaux Gators!