2022 State of the Board: A new era for UF

[AugustaGator]

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

 

[Pablos Tunnel]

Its takes less energy to smile than to frown.

I am cautiously optimistic about my Gators.

As for the Chatter, its all relative.

 

[Ironhead]

"UF has a good program now. It was good under McElwain and good under Mullen, it just was not great like we wanted back. Napier seems to think the program is trash and he has to tear it down to rebuild it."

I was having this exact conversation with my brother in law, Gamecock fan.
He said he always considered UF an Elite program and a perennial top 5 .
Until last year when a friend of his took his kid on a visit.

A lot of not so elite stuff at UF right now.

The good news is, it looks like Strick is going to address these issues get us back above Vanderbilt, Kentucky, South Carolina and Others, in the facilities department.
Not to mention Auburn, Georgia and Bama.

We aren’t top five, and we haven’t been elite since the near undefeated season in 2009


We need to accept it, and build this back.

 

[5-Star Finger]

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

What has made Chatter different is the often off-the-rails nature of the community here. Pumpers pump with a fury that would shame even a compulsive masturbation disorder patient. Dumpers **** all over everything; coaches, players, administrators, pumpers and (due to the average age of this board) themselves, at least occasionally.

Some are committed to one tribe. Others whipsaw back and forth with the outcome of every possession. I'll admit, it was a little off-putting when I first got here to see one side get personal and tear into one another. But someone PM'd me and explained that some of the guys here needed to blow off steam so they didn't break furniture. I've never been that guy - but I've known them and other than their obsession about stuff they can't control they have mostly been good dudes (or degenerate gamblers).

After hanging around for a bit most of both tribes kind of grew on me (like a fungus); along with the cast of characters in between. I always look forward to Cover's take on the game. I try to beat BMF to threads so I can predict his complaint about the title. I feel great pride when I see the surge of excitement when I satisfy the unspoken desires of the many, many closeted Penix fans lurking on this board. And I seldom get on an airplane now without worrying that Zambo might be my pilot.

If red flag laws ever spread to message boards this place will look like sunny downtown Chernobyl - and I happen to like it that way. There's no reason to steer the discussion to try and keep it positive or negative. Let Chatter be Chatter.

My two cents.

 

[Zambo]

Well you're probably much better liked than me. So....

Yeah, everybody loves me.

 

[gatormandan]

So, do I need to start a "BRING BACK THE DONK" thread?

 

[Durty South Swamp]

if I wouldn't say it to someone's face I probably shouldn't say it here.

Half the stuff posted wouldnt be said to someone's face. If that's your benchmark then just find another board. It's the freakin internet, its not real life and its not serious.

 

[bayou gator]

After having some time to get caught up on this thread (in all honestly, I'm not reading all that crap), I'd like to offer some advice to a few people my grandfather gave me when I was a kid. It has served me well over the years: "The opinions of people who don't matter... don't f*cking matter".

Ox, the fact that there are complete strangers scattered all over the world who come here and socialize after so many years, and have grown so close to each other that their feelings can be hurt, speaks volumes for how well you have skippered this ship. This place requires thick skin, and no one should apologize for it. If people can't take it, they should search elsewhere for a spot more comfortable. But, they'll most likely come back. Hell, I'm sure even that skinny jeans wearing b!tch Slevin wishes he were still here.

The only person who I have ever thought deserved to be banned was Alvin. There has never been a bigger POS troll on the internet. If he were a Gator, I'd give him a pass because he'd be one of us. However, he was a bUTtplunger, and there was no point keeping someone around who literally lived and breathed with the sole purpose to annoy the sh!t out of everyone here. Other than that guy, I've never cared about the words of those I didn't like (even Sas; who was a raging, bleeding, hemorrhoid of a human being).

I think @Ironhead said it best when he described this place as full of alpha males. It's true, we have a ton of military, veterans, pilots, contractors, lawyers, doctors, former coaches, and whatever the hell @Ancient Reptile and @Okeechobee Joe did during the Great Depression. We have a lot of opinions, and countless years of experience to draw upon. If people don't like what they read, they should wait a bit, because it's almost guaranteed that someone else will soon chime in with something better. And no one should worry too much about Law's words. He's harmless. Relentless, at times, but still harmless. Sure, he may need a vacation every now and then. But, we must always remember that the kids on the short bus need field trips, too.

And, honestly, where else are people gonna go? @soflagator is the funniest SOB on a keyboard, and there's only one @cover2, and he's ours.

 

[AugustaGator]

Half the stuff posted wouldnt be said to someone's face. If that's your benchmark then just find another board. It's the freakin internet, its not real life and its not serious.

Absolutely incorrect. We are doing critical rocket surgery here. Now sit back and let the adults fix this issue!

 

[lizardbreath]

Okay, as instructed, here's my two cents worth:

A. The more "open" forum you have created is more dynamic and "challenging" than any other board I've ever encountered. There are a few abusers and nutjobs, along with some very bright and insightful posters here. And, in some instances, they are one in the same - the donkey being both a prime contributor and a psychotic prick on occasions too numerous to recount. If he returns, great. If he doesn't (which he will) that's OK too.

B. To be - or not to be? How much **** are you willing to trudge through to finally get to the pony - or in this case the jackass? The big picture decision is yours alone, but the board will likely go on undiminished as long as the total **** does not exceed the sum of the shinola.

C. Carry on fearless leader. It's your vision, your board. I come back for the totality of the GC experience. If someone gets too far out in the weeds for my taste, I send them to the cornfield for a little time-out. There is no shame in turning away from foolishness.

D. I've learned to be at least mildly pessimistic as a result of the last decade of futility and the recent direction of the program. But I am as hopeful and open to CBN's hiring/success as history and common sense will permit - at this point in time.

 

[NOLAGATOR]

@oxrageous

I thought I posted this...

Might I suggest a "Pyssing Contest" Forum. You get mad...Take it there or get a vacation or banned.

It could be like the lounge. "Chatter Cage Match"...bring it or Shut the#^@% up.

 

[Mornengswede]

Ahh Peep Show. The funniest show ever created.

 

[Atlgator98]

I’m a huge lurker. Mangino-sized (time spent lurking not actual lb’s). I started around the Chip Kelly to UF days and have lurked so much I should probably send in $ at some point. This board is my main source for Gator football, basketball and water polo news.

I rarely post, but only because I’m a mental midget with insecurities and spend too much time in a thread once I’ve contributed. For that, I’m sorry and I don’t deserve a participation trophy.

My thoughts on the negativity..…there’s a friggin “ignore button”??? Had no idea. Carry on bitchers.

Trash = offensive
Coach nicknames = meh
Mom jokes = timeless comedy

Someone mentioned UF is like GM in the 80's. I agree. And Billy Napier is our Jack Welch. LFG CBN!

 

[gatormandan]

I was an admin on a pretty large firearms forum for about 8 years. It was run much more strict than this place and I often didnt like sensoring or banning people unless they really stepped out of line. I did some mainly because the owner requested it. My view is unless someone is really causing disruption leave them be. If people get all upset over the things said here I would suggest growing some thicker skin or logging off and finding a place that is all roses and sunshine. For the most part I think Ox is pretty forgiving on content for the most part.

 

[Spurffelbow833]

So your argument is that UF is in far worse shape than 1990 when:

1. Four players had been suspended for betting on college football games?

2. UF was coming off a probation that limited UF's scholarships numbers to as low as 75 when other programs could have 95 scholarship players?

3. UF had gone 6-5, 6-6, 7-5 and 7-5 the prior four seasons?

4. UF had to fight in state against powerful FSU and Miami programs and UF was clearly behind them.

If you are old enough, I think your memory is failing you. If you are not old enough, I think you need a bit of historical perspective of where UF was in 1990.

8 SEC titles and 3 national championships later, the bar is raised for good. That's how it works.

 

[Frozen Gator]

So, do I need to start a "BRING BACK THE DONK" thread?

How about a "Let's go Donkey" cheer!

 

[InstiGATOR1]

8 SEC titles and 3 national championships later, the bar is raised for good. That's how it works.

And how is your comment responsive to me saying UF's program was worse of in 1990 compared to today?

 

[NOLAGATOR]

And how is your comment responsive to me saying UF's program was worse of in 1990 compared to today?

It was worse Pre-Charlie Pell...I have not seen a hopeless11 years since. And I think we have another Pell...Napier is a builder.

 

[InstiGATOR1]

It was worse Pre-Charlie Pell...I have not seen a hopeless11 years since. And I think we have another Pell...Napier is a builder.

Pell was a destroyer of UF, though he did build some facilities if those are more important to you than winning. Napier as another U.A.L. guy gutting the UF program is a good comp to me. Hopefully, Napier won't get UF's program on probation for years ala Pell.

 

[Bama&GatorFan]

I think it is getting harder and harder for a football program to rebound nowadays. The system is set up for the rich to get richer. I lived in Gainesville for a few years, and I think it would be an awesome place to spend an athlete's college career.
However, if I was the best QB or tailback or WR or (you name it) recruit, and I wanted to get into the NFL in a few years, I would want to play for Alabama or Ohio State. The cycle feeds itself. They get the best recruits, and so they have the most success, and the most NFL draft picks. And the transfer portal has made it much worse. One of Alabama's best players this year, arguably the best WR in the country, transferred from Ohio State.
So the question is, how does Florida overcome this? I do not envy a new head coach coming in to a program that has had poor leadership, poor recruiting, and poor results lately. These recruits are young and they do not remember the glory days.
I guess the only way to overcome it is to be successful with 3 star players and start building the cycle of better recruiting. It will not be easy to beat Georgia and Alabama when they already have higher quality players.