Happy Holidays! Thanks for sticking around in a difficult year

[AuggieDosta]

Ox, I haven't noticed ANY of the issues you spoke of. This site brings me more joy than you could ever imagine. Also, I don't know this Swamp Donkey you speak of but he sounds like an ass.

 

[AuggieDosta]

Ahem, "s hiteater".

 

[Back Alley Gator]

I'd rather post here with dwindling numbers than have to deal with the asshats at the other sites. We have a good core group of people here (Corch nothwithstanding) who each add value (see previous disclaimer) and perspective. The fact that you have to actively work to be banned, and work even harder to make it permanent, is a testament to the freedom we have here.

And Urban Liar is a piece of crap who never deserves to even sniff the RoH.

 

[78]

I'd rather post here with dwindling numbers than have to deal with the asshats at the other sites. We have a good core group of people here (Corch nothwithstanding) who each add value (see previous disclaimer) and perspective. The fact that you have to actively work to be banned, and work even harder to make it permanent, is a testament to the freedom we have here.

And Urban Liar is a piece of crap who never deserves to even sniff the RoH.

Sas was a tireless worker.

 

[cover2]

Thanks folks. Even Jimmy Chitwood had to eventually play ball again. Ox, in the midst of our non-denominational social media synagogue, penned things in the op that I’ve felt and believe. Particularly, we’ve been on a decade plus slide that has featured coaches who were more able than their records might indicate, but were obstructed by arrogance, sloth, and hubris. Ironically, those traits, two of them at least, are frequently associated with winning programs. The missing elements are in my opinion a connectivity between the athletic administration, the fans, and boosters/sources of funding.

Steve Spurrier changed a lot of opinions and served notice that the Gators were rising and through his leadership would rise to contest the conference leadership. And we did just that. After he left, we hiccuped for a bit until Urban came on the scene and won with a swagger of his own. We seemed finally to be resting in our rightful place among the cfb elite.

And then, almost as quickly as it came…poof…it was gone and for the next decade plus our trajectory resembled the Biden economy (with a couple of spikes) under the leadership of a young defensive genius who couldn’t believe we needed an offense, a carnival huckster who was somewhere on the spectrum, and a carpetbagger who used his “in” to parlay his snarky personality and aversion to work into a big exit payday.

Enter Billy Napier, or “Billy Who?” as many questioned. Why, we deserve better! We should have a coach with a pedigree, NC rings, curb appeal, etc. Maybe so. But we’ve got a young up and comer who brings a larger organizational plan and a willingness to work at recruiting, which was withering on the vine, and a guy that believes in sound fundamental football as the core of his program. Has it been exciting? Has it been overtly and immediately successful? Have we fans been patient knowing the inherited deficiencies? No, no, and no.

What will have to change at some point is the willingness to allow time, not forever mind you, for some needed changes to be instituted and cultivated for an actual program to develop. Until that is allowed to happen, it’ll be wash, rinse, repeat…again. Sooner or later we’re going to have to stick with a plan if we ever want to get off of this tilt-a-whirl we’ve been riding.

Last thing, for comparative purposes. Try to take an objective look at Kirby Smart and where he’s at with the hated Dawgs. He spent his time as a position coach, then coordinator, and finally HC. He struggled to start with, but he stuck with his approach based on who he learned from and how he was taught to plan and prepare. Last few years or so, he’s been right there and is sitting in the catbird seat again with a very fundamentally sound and well-coached team. Billy has similar roots. There’s no guarantee he’ll rise as far or as fast, but I’d bet on him and I’m looking forward to what we can do beyond this first season. I don’t think I’ve got enough years left to keep spinning the roulette wheel.

 

[bradgator2]

Sas was a tireless worker.

We talking playing with legos, spreading gay porn, or something else?

 

[stephenPE]

Ok, our man needs some $$$ to keep this shttt going. You cheap azzzz mofos need to pony up. I will start the ball rolling. Tell me how to cash app you , Ox. Im finally able to do that 21st century shttt (ex wife taught me) . Is $40 enough?
Otherwise PM me your address to pay you.

 

[Gatormac2112]

Thanks folks. Even Jimmy Chitwood had to eventually play ball again. Ox, in the midst of our non-denominational social media synagogue, penned things in the op that I’ve felt and believe. Particularly, we’ve been on a decade plus slide that has featured coaches who were more able than their records might indicate, but were obstructed by arrogance, sloth, and hubris. Ironically, those traits, two of them at least, are frequently associated with winning programs. The missing elements are in my opinion a connectivity between the athletic administration, the fans, and boosters/sources of funding.

Steve Spurrier changed a lot of opinions and served notice that the Gators were rising and through his leadership would rise to contest the conference leadership. And we did just that. After he left, we hiccuped for a bit until Urban came on the scene and won with a swagger of his own. We seemed finally to be resting in our rightful place among the cfb elite.

And then, almost as quickly as it came…poof…it was gone and for the next decade plus our trajectory resembled the Biden economy (with a couple of spikes) under the leadership of a young defensive genius who couldn’t believe we needed an offense, a carnival huckster who was somewhere on the spectrum, and a carpetbagger who used his “in” to parlay his snarky personality and aversion to work into a big exit payday.

Enter Billy Napier, or “Billy Who?” as many questioned. Why, we deserve better! We should have a coach with a pedigree, NC rings, curb appeal, etc. Maybe so. But we’ve got a young up and comer who brings a larger organizational plan and a willingness to work at recruiting, which was withering on the vine, and a guy that believes in sound fundamental football as the core of his program. Has it been exciting? Has it been overtly and immediately successful? Have we fans been patient knowing the inherited deficiencies? No, no, and no.

What will have to change at some point is the willingness to allow time, not forever mind you, for some needed changes to be instituted and cultivated for an actual program to develop. Until that is allowed to happen, it’ll be wash, rinse, repeat…again. Sooner or later we’re going to have to stick with a plan if we ever want to get off of this tilt-a-whirl we’ve been riding.

Last thing, for comparative purposes. Try to take an objective look at Kirby Smart and where he’s at with the hated Dawgs. He spent his time as a position coach, then coordinator, and finally HC. He struggled to start with, but he stuck with his approach based on who he learned from and how he was taught to plan and prepare. Last few years or so, he’s been right there and is sitting in the catbird seat again with a very fundamentally sound and well-coached team. Billy has similar roots. There’s no guarantee he’ll rise as far or as fast, but I’d bet on him and I’m looking forward to what we can do beyond this first season. I don’t think I’ve got enough years left to keep spinning the roulette wheel.

Great post and I agree, even though I faltered yesterday a bit in the first half, Billy needs time and our patience.

Glad to have you back cover, and as far as I'm concerned, don't feel like you have to do articles because people are asking for it, I'm just glad to have your presence on the board!

 

[Frozen Gator]

Great post and I agree, even though I faltered yesterday a bit in the first half, Billy needs time and our patience.

Glad to have you back cover, and as far as I'm concerned, don't feel like you have to do articles because people are asking for it, I'm just glad to have your presence on the board!

I second that emotion!

 

[oxrageous]

Ok, our man needs some $$$ to keep this shttt going. You cheap azzzz mofos need to pony up. I will start the ball rolling. Tell me how to cash app you , Ox. Im finally able to do that 21st century shttt (ex wife taught me) . Is $40 enough?
Otherwise PM me your address to pay you.

I'm not giving amounts, other than to say anything less than $1,000 is relatively insulting.

Only kidding, give whatever you think is fair.

 

[Gatormac2112]

I've never quite understood how things can get so personal here. I do remember this one time, not at band camp, where Ox "banned" me from the board and I PM'd him a pretty vitriolic response. He responded something to the effect of, "dude, I was kidding, you're already reinstated." I really did a self evaluation of how serious I take this keyboard warrior nonsense and decided then and there that taking it seriously or anything personally was both ridiculous and a waste of my time. There will always be people who think the sky is falling and can't bring themselves to be positive over anything. There are also always going to be those that think just so long as we stand together wearing orange and blue the performance by our team doesn't matter. There will always be someone we disagree with. It takes all of us to make this thing called GatorChatter hum, some of us just need to learn that lesson I learned and not take things so seriously and/or personally.

With that being said, I plan on giving 50 Rupees per year to keep Ox afloat.

 

[oxrageous]

I can be as guilty as anyone at taking things too seriously, that's for sure. Sometimes real-life stress triggers it, though. Some of the old bastards on here that are retired without a care in the world never think twice about the nonsense. I envy that. I want to be a retired old bastard like them.

Some people may be great in person, but they are absolutely awful at message boarding. You have to know how to communicate online, or you'll be flamed into oblivion and driven out on a rail. You can make enemies or friends in seconds on message boards depending on how you react to getting poked.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

 

[GatorJ]

How much does it cost annually to run the board? Why don’t you just basically do a fundraising drive for the amount you need to collect? That way we can decide how much we wanna pitch in?

Obviously there needs to be money for it to be profitable for you. But if you just have a goal for us to hit, I think that people will chip in to hit your goal.

 

[SGG]

Ox, thank you for the kind words. I'll admit our disagreement back in Oct cut me a bit b/c I have a lot of respect for you as well. This place is a home for many of us, myself included, and our core group are like family members.

On a side note, it appears MY mind camp worked wonders

Get a room Francine

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

 

[SGG]

Sas was a tireless worker.

At the county fair tilt a whirl

 

[SGG]

 

[NVGator]

At the county fair tilt a whirl

It was a Carnival, not a County Fair.

 

[oxrageous]

How much does it cost annually to run the board? Why don’t you just basically do a fundraising drive for the amount you need to collect? That way we can decide how much we wanna pitch in?

Obviously there needs to be money for it to be profitable for you. But if you just have a goal for us to hit, I think that people will chip in to hit your goal.

Not a bad idea, J. Perhaps next year I'll consider it.