2022 State of the Board: A new era for UF

[GatorTAG]

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

Okay, I'll bite. And this will be long. This is my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions.

If any of you have spent much time on Twitter you'll probably get this. Especially if you've ever posted something political. Twitter is a cess pool of people who log on just to fight with any and every post they can. It doesn't matter what you say, you're going to get bashed.

Social media in general has created a society of keyboard warriors who find comfort in attacking everyone they can while hiding behind a computer screen. 99% of the things they say online they would never say to your face in public. At least not 15 years ago. Now people who have grown up acting like clowns every day online have brought it to mainstream society and we have a generation of people rioting in the streets over some of the stupidest things in the world. You can't call a man a man or a woman a woman, etc... Down is up and up is down. Its ridiculous.

The bottom line is we've lost plain old decency, civilty and humility and I blame social media for every bit of it. And I've quit almost all social media platforms because I just don't need that crap in my life.

Which brings me to GatorChatter. For me, I don't mind if someone is negative or has a differing opinion than mine. I'm a member at Swamp Gas and have posted there in the past. Their control over the narrative creates a stale, boring environment that wasn't very interesting me.

Ox, you've created a forum here and allowed free thinking and differing opinions that make it definitely more interesting than most other Gator forums. Negative or positive opinions don't matter and just adds to its interest.

BUT, you've also allowed it to turn into everything I disliked about Twitter. The constant personal attacks on everything you say is intolerable. I don't need it. It's like there's a competition to see who can say the snarkiest thing or get the best dig in on EVERY post. And then the constant, what I'd call "smut" is embarrassing. I can't imagine how any woman or child could come on here and engage in talk with anyone. The mom jokes, the whack off gifs, and downright porn talk are also what turns me off about Gatorchatter. None of that has anything to do with the Gators, UF, or sports.

Again, these are just my opinions but I don't think I'm alone in them. If you're looking to change anything about GatorChatter I wish you would moderate the "smut" and personal attacks better. I can deal with the negative nellie's and the pumpers all day long.

Bash on!

 

[Durty South Swamp]

Okay, I'll bite. And this will be long. This is my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions.

If any of you have spent much time on Twitter you'll probably get this. Especially if you've ever posted something political. Twitter is a cess pool of people who log on just to fight with any and every post they can. It doesn't matter what you say, you're going to get bashed.

Social media in general has created a society of keyboard warriors who find comfort in attacking everyone they can while hiding behind a computer screen. 99% of the things they say online they would never say to your face in public. At least not 15 years ago. Now people who have grown up acting like clowns every day online have brought it to mainstream society and we have a generation of people rioting in the streets over some of the stupidest things in the world. You can't call a man a man or a woman a woman, etc... Down is up and up is down. Its ridiculous.

The bottom line is we've lost plain old decency, civilty and humility and I blame social media for every bit of it. And I've quit almost all social media platforms because I just don't need that crap in my life.

Which brings me to GatorChatter. For me, I don't mind if someone is negative or has a differing opinion than mine. I'm a member at Swamp Gas and have posted there in the past. Their control over the narrative creates a stale, boring environment that wasn't very interesting me.

Ox, you've created a forum here and allowed free thinking and differing opinions that make it definitely more interesting than most other Gator forums. Negative or positive opinions don't matter and just adds to its interest.

BUT, you've also allowed it to turn into everything I disliked about Twitter. The constant personal attacks on everything you say is intolerable. I don't need it. It's like there's a competition to see who can say the snarkiest thing or get the best dig in on EVERY post. And then the constant, what I'd call "smut" is embarrassing. I can't imagine how any woman or child could come on here and engage in talk with anyone. The mom jokes, the whack off gifs, and downright porn talk are also what turns me off about Gatorchatter. None of that has anything to do with the Gators, UF, or sports.

Again, these are just my opinions but I don't think I'm alone in them. If you're looking to change anything about GatorChatter I wish you would moderate the "smut" and personal attacks better. I can deal with the negative nellie's and the pumpers all day long.

Bash on!

 

[soflagator]

I too long for the day when we didn’t read so much negative into everything here.

 

[URGatorBait]

This isn't a negative board.
It's a realists board.
Any perceived negativity is rooted in the state of UF sports, and specifically UF Football.
They gave us schit...they get back schit.

Are some people relentlessly negative for the sake of being relentlessly negative? Possibly, but I think most that do it, do it as humor, not as seriousness.

Swonkey on the other hand is an insufferable prick...but he's our insufferable prick. He's like the uncle you invite to the holidays but never leave your kids around

In regards to the hire:
I'm cautiously optimistic. I like what he is outwardly saying that he wants to instill here at UF. Whether one wants to believe it or not, it IS an arms race major college football is all in, and you should never go to war ill-equipped.
I'm cautious because we don't know what he'll ACTUALLY produce particularly on the field. I'm in wait and see mode there, but everything else looks to be heading in the right direction at least as far as Football is concerned.

Lastly, it's so great to see so many of Sas aliases posting in this thread

 

[Ray Finkle]

Napier has already pleased me with his effort on the trail. I think we will have some things answered when he fills the staff. Any bad hire will be expressed thoroughly.

 

[alcoholica]

The "stoned" was in honor of Donk, because you know he'd want to.

There's a lot to be negative about. Fuchs and Stricklin and still here. Foley is lurking somewhere. We have to go through a rebuild process, which will be longer than we want. We will watch games next year and wonder why is XYZ even in a UF jersey. Lot's to be negative about. But mainly, many feel bad about how far we've fallen.

But, I think we got the best hire we could. We are going in positive directions with recruiting and overall infrastructure. He may or may not make it. But, he's got the tools to be successful and most importantly is that we're already improving. I'm optimistic, but I want to see positive news.

 

[Red D]

Good thread. As a lurker who rarely posts, I’ll honestly say the reason I didn’t interact with the board much previously are the reasons you noted in your OP. Also, it seemed that anytime someone had a positive thing to say, they got jumped on.

 

[cover2]

I sorta see the Napier hire and the enthusiasm from it as a sign that many Gators are realizing that we’re not gonna get the next SOS. Meyer was a good hire with a lot of demons sandwiched between an olio of freaks. It’s been exasperating. But just maybe we’re turning the corner by getting the first Billy Napier. To me he was quietly confident, well-prepared, and hit the ground running after recruits, something that we had been told was not the way to do it anymore, especially if you could outsmart everybody. With that, the concerns of offensive scheme and small school experience weren’t quite as important, for the time being anyhow.

As far as the board is concerned, I enjoy the current atmosphere compared to some of the others. It used to worry me some when we’d have a wad fall apart at the moment a lesser hire was made. Some of that was entitlement, but the great majority came from disgust at the cheap and lazy methods employed in the hiring process. I think there was still some of that this time, but Napier came across as an early gem. He’ll get roasted some along the way, but I get the feeling he won’t embarrass us like the past three in particular have done. Not saying he’ll win them all, but if he can win the ones he should, steal a couple he shouldn’t, and be competitive in all of them, we’ll be better than we have in a good while.

Mullen was close to the last straw for a lot of fans, myself included. Napier has buoyed my spirits and I can’t wait to see what he can do when he’s got a full staff and his roster starts coming together. In the meantime, keep chattering! You guys and gals make this a place good to gather.

 

[Albert]

I’m on board with the management of the board. End of that discussion.
I’m also on board with the Napier hire. He may not be what Gator Nation wants, but at this moment in time he is exactly what it needs.
I think the whole “run first offense” worries need to be put on the shelf. Yes it will be run-heavy, but Levi Lewis at ULL will finish his career with the second-highest passing yards in school history behind Jake Delhomme. Let that sink in.
Time will tell if this is the right move. But Napier has done more for the brand since Sunday afternoon than anyone in a decade. One day at a time, one step at a time, one person at a time…

 

[GatorJB]

Negativity is a defense mechanism. It reduces expectations, which weakens the disappointment when bad things happen. That said, the future looks bright. Sure disappointments will come, but I think we're finally approaching a new stage in gator football when the good moments will far outweigh the bad. Therefore, I'm going to choose to risk being optimistic for awhile.

 

[deuce]

For those who missed it, here was Donk's post to me, completely unprovoked and out of the blue this morning:

This is a guy who needs a break. He's not a happy guy right now, and I'm sure it has nothing to do with football.

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!

 

[Back Alley Gator]

I pretty much said my thoughts in an earlier post. I support Napier and hope he gets the job done. I like the man personally and believe in what he is bringing to Gainesville. I do not think he will be given enough time to implement it before the 'noise in the system' becomes unbearable. I am surprised and unsure of what to make of the money being spent by the admin on this hire. Its like they are saying "Ok...we will give the arms race a shot...but if it doesn't work....". I think Napier deserves the benefit of the doubt and our support until he and his staff demonstrate that they are not getting the job done. I figure we will know that within 3 years. Until then, I'm all in on Napes.

As for the board itself...I don't want it to turn into another SwampAss. I hate that place and the forced happy happy bullchit. I don't think you were pushing us in that direction, Ox. I think the petty fights, backstabbing and constant sniping and gotta-have-the-last-word-ism is far more annoying and dangerous to the long term enjoyment of the board. I like this place and the friendly banter and jaw jacking. Don't change it.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Wait a minute. There are other boards? So all you admins get together once a month for a zoom meeting? "Ya know Aaron, your board is kinda negative". And I thought you were just cleaning up the place to sell it.

In any case the great thing about this board is that it's uncensored. That's a true sports bar atmosphere. For my part I'm here for the LOLs. Either to get a laugh or stir the pot. Also this wouldn't be a very interesting board if everybody was pumping. And I've never thought that this was the place for serious football discussion. I do come here for breaking news though. It ain't happened until gatorchatter says it happened.

re: Donk. I don't think he thinks twice about what he posts. Neither should anyone else. But, my God, he is a broken record.

re: Coach Nap. I'll believe it when I see it. There's been plenty of irrational exuberance around other hires. Yeah he's gotta lot of positives but there are some potential red flags - we will just have to see how that plays out. Unfortunately we have experienced everything wrong a coach an do so there's a tendency to point it out when we see it. You'll have to forgive us for having battered wife syndrome.

 

[kepler]

Opinions do bring out the worst in us sometimes. This board is no worse than life. I had a friend I shared seats with that said fans calling for mullens firing were the problem and nobody would want to come here for this abuse. We’re not going to agree always and anyone who spends time here knows some people will not settle for anything less than Spurrier jumping in the Tardis and sending himself from 30 years ago back here to save us. I’m supporting Napier, I love what he’s projecting, and we will go from there. If donk or others want to crap on him immediately, that’s their choice.

 

[deuce]

This place is about expressing opinions. And as we know, opinions are like a$$holes, and this board has a$$holes. I've wondered,..do they think they're being funny by being that way or are they miserable wretches and really a$$holes who feel the need to share their misery?
I come here to get informed, to have fun making jokes with what I believe to be good natured banter because we're all Gator fans. And no, not SwampGas...we can't criticize or discuss that...kinda banter. People shouldn't have to be told how to act or interact with others. I applaud Ox for running his board instead of letting the inmates do it. If not for the "ignore" function, I likely wouldn't still be here. I highly recommend it. Btw, I only have one person on ignore.

What did I do to piss you off????

 

[Alchemist]

I hope he’s the right guy…


only time will tell.

This. ☝☝☝☝

 

[itsgr82bag8r]

I too long for the day when we didn’t read so much negative into everything here.

 

[aka]

Ok, many love this place for the ability to be negative if warranted. But,...the other side of that that is that I really dislike being made fun of or verbally attacked...even hyena-like ganged up on for being positive about ANYTHING. There is nothing wrong with attempting to be positive in the face of bad situations...and we've had plenty. I realize everyone has their own way of coping. Go gnaw on each other and have your pity parties and leave people who try to be a little positive alone.

 

[FireFoley]

Opinions do bring out the worst in us sometimes. This board is no worse than life. I had a friend I shared seats with that said fans calling for mullens firing were the problem and nobody would want to come here for this abuse. We’re not going to agree always and anyone who spends time here knows some people will not settle for anything less than Spurrier jumping in the Tardis and sending himself from 30 years ago back here to save us. I’m supporting Napier, I love what he’s projecting, and we will go from there. If donk or others want to crap on him immediately, that’s their choice.

 

[cover2]

P/S Don’t worry about Law (Donk), he’s sure to be back after the Jussie Smollet trial concludes. That is, as long as he’s exonerated.