- Jun 5, 2014
- 43,207
- 130,391
FOUNDING MEMBER
Fear Not Gator Fans, 2014 Will Bring Relief...One Way or Another
by cover2
Having been a Gator for the better part of two decades and experiencing the lows ("Wait 'til next year...") and the highs (inaugural SEC Championships, three NC's, etc.), 2013 was markedly different than any year than I can recall. I don't know that I have seen such a perfect storm of injuries, coaching staff issues, player performance, struggles with and a loss to lesser programs, rumor and innuendo like that season brought. Time was, many of the older Gators might have reacted to a 4-8 season with the ubiquitous and aforementioned "wait 'til next year" and many trips through Pablo's Tunnel, but today's fan base is not so cookie cutter (or easily dulled by cases of cheap domestic). Success and being in THE elite college football conference, among other factors, will raise your expectations.
There are two obvious factions: "Pumpers," who might best be described as lashed to the ship's wheel with eyes affixed only to the horizon in front, and well, those fans without a certified moniker who believe a coup d'état starting with Muschamp and Foley is the only way to right the good ship. Certainly there are many sub factions as well. All have compelling arguments to bolster their stance and will exuberantly employ those in debate with their fellow reptilian brethren until they are blue in the face. Just who is right and who is wrong likely remains caught in the turbulence between the extremes. But that is not what is most important.
History, particularly that of sports, is full of examples of teams or individuals that endured the "agony of defeat" before rallying later to come out on top or significantly better than they were. Our '95 Gators, under the leadership of arguably our most favorite son and undefeated in the regular season, laid a giant egg against the Cornhuskers that year in the NC game.
We all know how the story ended the next year.
Now, that is not to say the '14 edition is anywhere as good or will recreate that scenario, but surely one of two things must happen: they will be markedly improved with the HBC returning to continue his development and to lead the Orange and Blue back to the promised land, or they'll be average at best and the next chapter in the Gators' coaching story will begin. Either way, change will occur and some, if not most of us, will be in a better place than we are currently.
Personally, I've always been a little more patient with this type of situation, especially where leadership and my favorite school and team are concerned, but even an old stick-in-the-mud can come to realize that something has to give. By November at the latest, we'll know for certain how and what that was and whatever the change may be, one thing that I'll look forward to is a return to collegiality (if there has, in fact, been some serious erosion) by our fans. Quite frankly, it's a lot more enjoyable defending the flag against Nole, Dawg, and Vol interlopers and the myriad of other gridiron scoundrels that infest our schedule than going toe to toe with the guy sitting next to me in Section 54. He's the same guy who's dressed in like apparel and whom I've enjoyed countless afternoons with at BHG and now nearly come to blows over whether Muschamp can get it turned around or if he should have long since been run out of town. To say the least, I am anxiously awaiting a return to "normal."
I think it was in a high school English class that I first heard the quote "Time heals all wounds." As an adult, I have found that to be true. For example, I eventually got over that first real romance that happened in college and ended much like my '73 Nova did when I ran off the road and hit a pine tree after a night at Big Daddy's (damn that Beat the Clock night). I got over losing to our high school arch rival 1-0 in overtime on some crazy penetration rule that the FHSAA had instituted in 1976 (I'm still not happy about losing, but I haven't broken anything in several years). I got over not making it in the medical field (a hearty 'thanks' to Organic Chemistry on that one and to Joe Flannigan, too). I'll get over 2013, one way or another and the sooner the better. So, until the season finally begins, here's an early toast to change and swaying arm in arm at the end of the third quarter and really meaning it once more. It's high time.
Go Gators!
by cover2
Having been a Gator for the better part of two decades and experiencing the lows ("Wait 'til next year...") and the highs (inaugural SEC Championships, three NC's, etc.), 2013 was markedly different than any year than I can recall. I don't know that I have seen such a perfect storm of injuries, coaching staff issues, player performance, struggles with and a loss to lesser programs, rumor and innuendo like that season brought. Time was, many of the older Gators might have reacted to a 4-8 season with the ubiquitous and aforementioned "wait 'til next year" and many trips through Pablo's Tunnel, but today's fan base is not so cookie cutter (or easily dulled by cases of cheap domestic). Success and being in THE elite college football conference, among other factors, will raise your expectations.
There are two obvious factions: "Pumpers," who might best be described as lashed to the ship's wheel with eyes affixed only to the horizon in front, and well, those fans without a certified moniker who believe a coup d'état starting with Muschamp and Foley is the only way to right the good ship. Certainly there are many sub factions as well. All have compelling arguments to bolster their stance and will exuberantly employ those in debate with their fellow reptilian brethren until they are blue in the face. Just who is right and who is wrong likely remains caught in the turbulence between the extremes. But that is not what is most important.
History, particularly that of sports, is full of examples of teams or individuals that endured the "agony of defeat" before rallying later to come out on top or significantly better than they were. Our '95 Gators, under the leadership of arguably our most favorite son and undefeated in the regular season, laid a giant egg against the Cornhuskers that year in the NC game.
We all know how the story ended the next year.
Now, that is not to say the '14 edition is anywhere as good or will recreate that scenario, but surely one of two things must happen: they will be markedly improved with the HBC returning to continue his development and to lead the Orange and Blue back to the promised land, or they'll be average at best and the next chapter in the Gators' coaching story will begin. Either way, change will occur and some, if not most of us, will be in a better place than we are currently.
Personally, I've always been a little more patient with this type of situation, especially where leadership and my favorite school and team are concerned, but even an old stick-in-the-mud can come to realize that something has to give. By November at the latest, we'll know for certain how and what that was and whatever the change may be, one thing that I'll look forward to is a return to collegiality (if there has, in fact, been some serious erosion) by our fans. Quite frankly, it's a lot more enjoyable defending the flag against Nole, Dawg, and Vol interlopers and the myriad of other gridiron scoundrels that infest our schedule than going toe to toe with the guy sitting next to me in Section 54. He's the same guy who's dressed in like apparel and whom I've enjoyed countless afternoons with at BHG and now nearly come to blows over whether Muschamp can get it turned around or if he should have long since been run out of town. To say the least, I am anxiously awaiting a return to "normal."
I think it was in a high school English class that I first heard the quote "Time heals all wounds." As an adult, I have found that to be true. For example, I eventually got over that first real romance that happened in college and ended much like my '73 Nova did when I ran off the road and hit a pine tree after a night at Big Daddy's (damn that Beat the Clock night). I got over losing to our high school arch rival 1-0 in overtime on some crazy penetration rule that the FHSAA had instituted in 1976 (I'm still not happy about losing, but I haven't broken anything in several years). I got over not making it in the medical field (a hearty 'thanks' to Organic Chemistry on that one and to Joe Flannigan, too). I'll get over 2013, one way or another and the sooner the better. So, until the season finally begins, here's an early toast to change and swaying arm in arm at the end of the third quarter and really meaning it once more. It's high time.
Go Gators!
