Happy Holidays! Thanks for sticking around in a difficult year

[TheMarylandGator]

I swear every time I take a couple of weeks break from posting and come back, this place is gayer than when I left. It’s like the freaking village people in here.

That's why you return. You can't quit us.

 

[G. Gordon Gator]

The Love of College Football is what it's all about.

 

[NVGator]

I thought it was “NV is dragging down the entire board?”

That cuts deep.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

NV is one of our best posters. I'm tight with his wife too

 

[Gatorraid81]

Since your turning over a new leaf, can I get unbanned from the ‘23 recruiting thread that I been banned on for like 5 months?

 

[NVGator]

NV is one of our best posters. I'm tight with his wife too

She’s not that tight.

 

[TN G8tr]

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.

Glad to this your post. Made my day!

 

[TN G8tr]

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.

If they don't pay up, they can go to Ox's Mind Camp.

 

[oxrageous]

Since your turning over a new leaf, can I get unbanned from the ‘23 recruiting thread that I been banned on for like 5 months?

Did you come up with some new swipes at the staff you'd like to share?

 

[AuggieDosta]

The Love of College Football is what it's all about.

Guys are plastered.

 

[TN G8tr]

The Love of College Football is what it's all about.

Herbstreit can suck it. pOSU tool.

 

[Back Alley Gator]

Honestly @oxrageous I lurked on other boards for years, and this is the first one that actually made me want to get a membership and post, let alone actually contribute money to it, so I legitimately appreciate everything you’ve accomplished here so far.

 

[CGgater]

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.

Good to see you post, cover! I hope your sabbatical will reenergize you to bring back your post game analysis. No rush, and by “no rush” I mean no later than the next season opener… or this place might crumble.

 

[Gatorraid81]

Did you come up with some new swipes at the staff you'd like to share?

I came up with plenty over 5 months.

 

[RiverRat]

That's just because you can't figure out how to log out Oldtimer....

You can log out?

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Since your turning over a new leaf, can I get unbanned from the ‘23 recruiting thread that I been banned on for like 5 months?

Just start a new one....he'll love you for that.

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

 

[PaulDrake]

This could be long, so @NVGator, just don't read it if you don't want to.

November was appointed by me "Gatorchatter Donation Month" a few years ago, but I'll admit I'm having a harder time this year asking for anything. It's been a bit of a stressful year for me, and in hindsight, there were times I think I took it out on the membership unfairly.

Gator football is supposed to be a stress relief, something that makes us happy away from the challenges of our jobs, families, etc. However, the last decade+ has been brutal in that regard. Since Gatorchatter was created in June of 2014, the Gators haven't ever seriously challenged for the SEC crown, much less a NC. Not only that, it's been mostly hideous football run by hideous coaches who took their millions on their way out the door, further rubbing salt in the wound. During this time, apathy for the program has grown. People are finding other things to do with their time, becoming more casual fans that may not even watch the games or if they do, have little to no emotional connection to a win or a loss. Only the hardcore remain on sites like this, and our numbers are dwindling.

When Billy Napier was hired, I was excited because I felt he could rebuild the program from the ground up. He was not the kind of coach that you jump up in down with excitement at the news of his hire, however. He came in only after demanding (and getting) the things we had wanted for years, such as a monster staff to rival what other schools were doing.

Not everyone shared my optimism. As a fan base, we had been put through the wringer and beaten over the head with bad coaching, while rivals like UGA built powerhouses. While I was coming here to escape the relentless, 24/7 negativity from my day job, I found myself dealing with it here too, from fans that saw absolutely nothing positive about the hire. Instead of pulling back a bit and continuing to let everyone vent (which is pretty much all Gatorchatter has ever been), I grabbed members and put people in my "mind camp" to try and get a little optimism out of them.

It pissed some people off, and I get it. We've always been known as the renegade board, the debbie downers of the Gator message board world. However, we always turned out to be right, didn't we? I nurtured that board personality for years, and now I was trying to pull back on it. Some of you probably thought I was nuts, some were just ticked, some left. I think I was just looking for more optimism in my personal life, I think you change as you hit middle age. When you first met me back in 2007 on the GSMB, I was a snot-nosed 31 year old who loved the drama. I think I love the drama a little less every day that passes. If I had to do it over again, I think I'd be less heavy-handed and simply walk away from the keyboard more. @Durty South Swamp gave me a talking-to about it and I took it to heart. He has no idea how much respect I have for him and the many like him who have posted alongside me daily for 15 years.

Since I first started perusing message boards in 1996 or so, the LAUGHTER has always been the most important part, and it still is today. The core group is FUNNY, and that's what we all need. The stupid mom jokes, the memes, the digs at each other. When things don't get funny anymore, that's when people drift away. Always try and be funny, boys and girls, even if UF loses 30 games in a row. We need laughter to survive in this life.

We lost cooter last year and rog this year, and there are two examples of hilarious personalities that can never be replaced. Swamp Donkey, our biggest poster for years, decided he needed to pull back from the stranglehold this site seemed to have on him. These are all losses that are felt, it's been rough.

Gatorchatter revenue has remained in the toilet since COVID-19 hit, and it's only getting worse. We've got a bumpy next couple of years economically coming, and companies are spending less money than ever on online advertising. The $ amount for ad views has dropped significantly. For example, if 10,000 pageviews would get you $10 in 2018, those same 10,000 are getting you perhaps half that now. Disposable income has crashed nationwide due to inflation - every single one of us is getting poorer right now. I understand people not donating some of their hard-earned to sports message boards during this time.

The core membership has donated plenty of money over the last several years to make up for a lot of that. I am humbled by the dollars people will throw at Gatorchatter, usually out of the blue and totally unsolicited. Many of you have given over and over and over, and you should never feel like you are obligated to keep doing it.

So, here's my annual pitch anyway. If you hate the idea of donating just to donate, there's another option. Lifetime memberships are on sale until 11/30 for $50, and assuming you already have one, consider buying one for someone else. There are still dozens of members that have been around for years that don't have one. Just let me know when you donate what member you would like to help - you can do it anonymously if you wish.

You do actually get something in exchange for becoming a supporting member. Perks of becoming a Gatorchatter Supporting Member:

1) No ads, ever. On the desktop, on mobile, even on Tapatalk.
2) Cool "Supporting Member" banner under your name.
3) Access to the private Saloon section, where the rules are loosened just a bit.
4) Access to the Political Forum.
5) Access to the chat box archives.
6) My perpetual love.
7) You won't have me harassing you anymore about becoming one (but I'll still harass you for money).

When you're ready to take the plunge, simply click the "DONATE" tab at the top of the screen and follow the prompts. If you refuse to use Paypal for some reason yet still want to give, you can email me at [email protected].

In all seriousness, thanks for being here. For the first time in Gatorchatter history, I really do feel the future of Gator football is bright,

Discuss.

Just for the record Ox you are a badass message board creator and denizen. I come here to commiserate and celebrate all things Gator Football, Basketball, Baseball and other sports too numerous to name here. Most of the members here are okay but like any community there is always a sour note or two. Overall though this site is a god send for the Gator in me. Other than my wife and kid attending and graduating from UF has been the center of the life I've lived to date. Campus life is something not everyone is lucky enough to experience and I'm one of those who never forgets it. When I leave this life I've already told my daughter to make sure I'm put in the ground with somekind of Gator memerobilia on my remains. I'm lucky and priviledged to be a subscribing member here. As a public school teacher sometimes my career pulls me away from the board, even in summer if I'm involved with year round activiites. With a teen aged daughter in tow that pulls me away sometime as well. But its a joy to be here and something I check into most everyday of the year even if I don't post for awhile. As for donating money, I'm within a couple of years of retiring and I'm sure whatever I can part with I'll pass along money wise though its been tight for awhile now with teacher pay and family financial obligations. I have hope for CBN and CTG. That's what being an alumnus and fan is about, hope. Anyway thanks for the work on the board YOU do and the rewards I have gotten from it being a Gator.

 

[Grumbler]

anything less than $1,000 is relatively insulting.

Well, far be it from us to insult you, Ox.

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

I hate all of you, but I am not leaving.

Well go **** yourself with a borrowed dick then.