- Jun 12, 2014
- 9,637
- 18,923
Founding Member
Some thoughts I've pondered over the summer, encounters I've had and random datum.
August is finally here. Fall practice, then the season. Can't wait to start the new era. The Gator Nation was bamboozled by a trojan dawg. Dawgchamp jumped at the opportunity to destroy his hated arch rival, the Gators, from within. His plan had a stroke of pure luck when after seeing the deer in the headlights look from highly rated recruit, Gatorade Player of the Year quarterback Jeff Driskel, he knew his offense was toast. Then shrewdly proclaiming that it gave them the best chance, (while muttering under his breath "to lose"). One of his main regrets was that although he continuously threw the defense under the bus after losses, they would somehow shrug it off and play well the next week. And although we here at Gatorchatter have beat this horse for months, it won't be dead until we make it to Atlanta.
A couple of weeks ago while wandering around a store in town wearing my gatorchatter.com shirt a little ole lady came up and said she is a big Gator fan, alumni, booster, and Gator club member. Whole family of gators , husband, children, she's 81 and said her mother graduated from UF. Well connected family, she's asking if I know judge so and so, this lawyer, that lawyer.. sounded like some Bull Gator types. Sweet old lady, we talked for over 20 minutes, this will make some here happy, she stated that they aren't happy with Foley (hated dawgchamp and what has transpired) and was hoping that SOS would retire from SC and take over for Foley.
My take on Mac. I didn't like in the beginning how every question was answered with a haw haw golly gee type of answer. After that reporter lit in to him he seemed to be more professional in interviews. I was happy how he closed the recruiting cycle, it gave me hope. I know we have tons of holes, basically everything but DB, but it seems we are taking questionable talent to build up the depth. Time and winning on the field will bring in higher rated players, but geez, this UF! in a state loaded with talent. Maybe he'll become known as Mac the Miner, for finding diamonds in the rough. Rebuilding a team in the Mountain West is a totally different animal than the SEC, but he does have HC experience and a rebuild behind him which are positives. I'll give him a couple of season to get players and get out of this hole he was put in to before passing judgement.
With a little luck, a bounce or two our way, every game is winnable this year if we can get just average play out of the offensive line and QB. Our season will go as they go. We'll be playing a lot of underclassmen on the offensive line which normally doesn't bode well. Winning 8 games and showing a pulse on offense will be good sign of the direction we will be going. With the additional support staff, a good next recruiting cycle, the rebuild shouldn't be long.
Last year I wrote an article on what I thought would be one of the biggest games for us. This year I am choosing the Missouri game. We should win our first 4 games. The opening 2 game cupcakes, KY is KY and then what should be a good game against TN. With all the hype they've been given and all the smack they've been talking it will be the first really emotional game under Mac and our players. But being in the Swamp, the streak continues. Going in to week 5 we face a team that rose to #3 in the polls last year and has shown improvement under Coach Freeze, whom some thought would be the next Gator coach during the search. There is talent on that team. By that time we should know how the offensive line has come together. If they are playing good, the game is a toss-up, if we have holes that have been exposed it might be the first loss of the season.
That brings us to week 6. Missouri, a new addition to the SEC East but one that has done damage to the old hierarchy. A team that has beaten us 2 years straight and embarrassed us last year at our homecoming. Our first big road game of the year. If coming off a loss to Ole Miss how will the team react? A big test for the staff and team. Being a divisional rival and after last year's beat down the team should be fired up to smack some revenge on Mizzou. This game will show if we are in the hunt for the East title, win and we are in the drivers seat for a Dec. 5th date in Atlanta, Lose and with a visit to LSU the next week it could be a rough October.
Go Gators
August is finally here. Fall practice, then the season. Can't wait to start the new era. The Gator Nation was bamboozled by a trojan dawg. Dawgchamp jumped at the opportunity to destroy his hated arch rival, the Gators, from within. His plan had a stroke of pure luck when after seeing the deer in the headlights look from highly rated recruit, Gatorade Player of the Year quarterback Jeff Driskel, he knew his offense was toast. Then shrewdly proclaiming that it gave them the best chance, (while muttering under his breath "to lose"). One of his main regrets was that although he continuously threw the defense under the bus after losses, they would somehow shrug it off and play well the next week. And although we here at Gatorchatter have beat this horse for months, it won't be dead until we make it to Atlanta.
A couple of weeks ago while wandering around a store in town wearing my gatorchatter.com shirt a little ole lady came up and said she is a big Gator fan, alumni, booster, and Gator club member. Whole family of gators , husband, children, she's 81 and said her mother graduated from UF. Well connected family, she's asking if I know judge so and so, this lawyer, that lawyer.. sounded like some Bull Gator types. Sweet old lady, we talked for over 20 minutes, this will make some here happy, she stated that they aren't happy with Foley (hated dawgchamp and what has transpired) and was hoping that SOS would retire from SC and take over for Foley.
My take on Mac. I didn't like in the beginning how every question was answered with a haw haw golly gee type of answer. After that reporter lit in to him he seemed to be more professional in interviews. I was happy how he closed the recruiting cycle, it gave me hope. I know we have tons of holes, basically everything but DB, but it seems we are taking questionable talent to build up the depth. Time and winning on the field will bring in higher rated players, but geez, this UF! in a state loaded with talent. Maybe he'll become known as Mac the Miner, for finding diamonds in the rough. Rebuilding a team in the Mountain West is a totally different animal than the SEC, but he does have HC experience and a rebuild behind him which are positives. I'll give him a couple of season to get players and get out of this hole he was put in to before passing judgement.
With a little luck, a bounce or two our way, every game is winnable this year if we can get just average play out of the offensive line and QB. Our season will go as they go. We'll be playing a lot of underclassmen on the offensive line which normally doesn't bode well. Winning 8 games and showing a pulse on offense will be good sign of the direction we will be going. With the additional support staff, a good next recruiting cycle, the rebuild shouldn't be long.
Last year I wrote an article on what I thought would be one of the biggest games for us. This year I am choosing the Missouri game. We should win our first 4 games. The opening 2 game cupcakes, KY is KY and then what should be a good game against TN. With all the hype they've been given and all the smack they've been talking it will be the first really emotional game under Mac and our players. But being in the Swamp, the streak continues. Going in to week 5 we face a team that rose to #3 in the polls last year and has shown improvement under Coach Freeze, whom some thought would be the next Gator coach during the search. There is talent on that team. By that time we should know how the offensive line has come together. If they are playing good, the game is a toss-up, if we have holes that have been exposed it might be the first loss of the season.
That brings us to week 6. Missouri, a new addition to the SEC East but one that has done damage to the old hierarchy. A team that has beaten us 2 years straight and embarrassed us last year at our homecoming. Our first big road game of the year. If coming off a loss to Ole Miss how will the team react? A big test for the staff and team. Being a divisional rival and after last year's beat down the team should be fired up to smack some revenge on Mizzou. This game will show if we are in the hunt for the East title, win and we are in the drivers seat for a Dec. 5th date in Atlanta, Lose and with a visit to LSU the next week it could be a rough October.
Go Gators
