- Jun 12, 2014
- 1,030
- 52
Founding Member
Talk about a thunderbolt from the blue. Let me introduce you to Lawrence of Florida from the other board. He just let loose a salvo that hit you folks like the asteroid that doomed the dinosaurs and made way for the small mammals which through 65 millions years of evolution led to life forms like Florida fans and Alvin York.
From the troubled mind of Lawrence of Florida.....
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I say "any" because there are some Gator fans who will argue that the hire was mediocre and there was never much momentum to begin with.
But whether there was or not, there's little question that we've got none right now.
I turned on the Finebaum show after work today and we're taking an absolute beating on the air. We're being ridiculed by pundits from all over the spectrum (paid analysts to redneck fans) for our low recruiting ranking, for keeping Muschamp a year too long, for allowing Muschamp and Robinson to fall into the hands of a conference rival and steal critical recruits, and on and on. I was actually so surprised that we were such a major topic of discussion that I thought maybe something drastic had happened like Foley stepping down or McElwain resigning.
Didn't some writers proclaim that McElwain had "won the press conference" back in December? If so, he doesn't appear to be winning much since. Paul Finebaum even seemed to be hedging his previously favorable assessment by stating, "A lot of coordinators have had success under Nick Saban, so it's far from a guarantee for Florida." Finebaum also pointed out that sometimes, no matter how good a coach you may be, when you start out on such poor footing, you're never able to turn things around and produce.
I think this is mine and many other Gator fans' concern, as well. This current cloud of negativity is exactly what I feared when Foley decided to yet again shop in the clearance section for our head coach. Why? Because when you go the cheap route, it was already going to be a tough sell. The last thing you need is to start the tenure off with massive amounts of negativity. It could sink this staff before it starts.
It's depressing, I know, but here's my question: What turns this around?
It wasn't the staff formulation. While this appears to a be a decent enough staff with some potential here and there, it didn't blow anyone away on the national level. Furthermore, it hasn't even been completed yet when you consider we have yet to lock down a WR coach.
It wasn't the announcement of an indoor facility. While it was welcomed news to Gator fans who had been pining for one, the investment in it appears to be lower than our rivals' and, again, it didn't generate much attention nationally (other than some pundits saying, "About time," or "Welcome to 2007," and then making fun of its lack of aesthetics).
It doesn't look like it will come from any game-breaking recruits that can step on campus and electrify this fan base from day 1. I don't see any on our board. In fact, most of the commitments we are getting are defections from lackluster programs like Syracuse, Miami (FLA), Kentucky, etc. Percy Harvin doesn't appear to be walking through that door.
Will it be from a thrilling spring game that gives us a glimpse of offensive fireworks that we haven't seen around here in half a decade? Will we even have enough players to have a spring game or does that turn into another moribund, glorified practice session?
The first 3 games? But there's nothing to gain and everything to lose in those games. Winning those 3 won't turn any heads, other than maybe at Kentucky, as pathetic as that is.
Sorry guys, but there's a real chance that we might be waiting until the Tennessee game before we even have a legitimate opportunity to create positive momentum for our program. That will be nearly 10 months after McElwain's introductory press conference, on the heels of 4 lost years under the last failed coach. And then consider the ramifications if they punk us in the Swamp. You're talking about an avalanche of negativity that may never be overcome.
This is why, when you have the resources of UF, you don't go to the 3 million dollar aisle...you bring in a Harbaugh for 8 (As I type, Finebaum is saying, "I don't think there's any question Harbaugh will get it going and he won't take a back seat to Urban Meyer). That's the market for elite coaches and it will move to 10 soon. You pay that and don't have to desperately scrape the barrel for morsels of positivity to sell your program. It generates itself - established coaches are innocent until proven guilty whereas unproven coaches are guilty until proven innocent. The UAA continually chooses to play Moneyball, though, and now we get to watch them get highly creative over the next 8 months to generate any positive spin. I suspect there will be many Gator fans refusing to buy it.
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Oh, baby, baby, this is TRUTH spoken bravely.
From the troubled mind of Lawrence of Florida.....
__________________________________________________________________________
I say "any" because there are some Gator fans who will argue that the hire was mediocre and there was never much momentum to begin with.
But whether there was or not, there's little question that we've got none right now.
I turned on the Finebaum show after work today and we're taking an absolute beating on the air. We're being ridiculed by pundits from all over the spectrum (paid analysts to redneck fans) for our low recruiting ranking, for keeping Muschamp a year too long, for allowing Muschamp and Robinson to fall into the hands of a conference rival and steal critical recruits, and on and on. I was actually so surprised that we were such a major topic of discussion that I thought maybe something drastic had happened like Foley stepping down or McElwain resigning.
Didn't some writers proclaim that McElwain had "won the press conference" back in December? If so, he doesn't appear to be winning much since. Paul Finebaum even seemed to be hedging his previously favorable assessment by stating, "A lot of coordinators have had success under Nick Saban, so it's far from a guarantee for Florida." Finebaum also pointed out that sometimes, no matter how good a coach you may be, when you start out on such poor footing, you're never able to turn things around and produce.
I think this is mine and many other Gator fans' concern, as well. This current cloud of negativity is exactly what I feared when Foley decided to yet again shop in the clearance section for our head coach. Why? Because when you go the cheap route, it was already going to be a tough sell. The last thing you need is to start the tenure off with massive amounts of negativity. It could sink this staff before it starts.
It's depressing, I know, but here's my question: What turns this around?
It wasn't the staff formulation. While this appears to a be a decent enough staff with some potential here and there, it didn't blow anyone away on the national level. Furthermore, it hasn't even been completed yet when you consider we have yet to lock down a WR coach.
It wasn't the announcement of an indoor facility. While it was welcomed news to Gator fans who had been pining for one, the investment in it appears to be lower than our rivals' and, again, it didn't generate much attention nationally (other than some pundits saying, "About time," or "Welcome to 2007," and then making fun of its lack of aesthetics).
It doesn't look like it will come from any game-breaking recruits that can step on campus and electrify this fan base from day 1. I don't see any on our board. In fact, most of the commitments we are getting are defections from lackluster programs like Syracuse, Miami (FLA), Kentucky, etc. Percy Harvin doesn't appear to be walking through that door.
Will it be from a thrilling spring game that gives us a glimpse of offensive fireworks that we haven't seen around here in half a decade? Will we even have enough players to have a spring game or does that turn into another moribund, glorified practice session?
The first 3 games? But there's nothing to gain and everything to lose in those games. Winning those 3 won't turn any heads, other than maybe at Kentucky, as pathetic as that is.
Sorry guys, but there's a real chance that we might be waiting until the Tennessee game before we even have a legitimate opportunity to create positive momentum for our program. That will be nearly 10 months after McElwain's introductory press conference, on the heels of 4 lost years under the last failed coach. And then consider the ramifications if they punk us in the Swamp. You're talking about an avalanche of negativity that may never be overcome.
This is why, when you have the resources of UF, you don't go to the 3 million dollar aisle...you bring in a Harbaugh for 8 (As I type, Finebaum is saying, "I don't think there's any question Harbaugh will get it going and he won't take a back seat to Urban Meyer). That's the market for elite coaches and it will move to 10 soon. You pay that and don't have to desperately scrape the barrel for morsels of positivity to sell your program. It generates itself - established coaches are innocent until proven guilty whereas unproven coaches are guilty until proven innocent. The UAA continually chooses to play Moneyball, though, and now we get to watch them get highly creative over the next 8 months to generate any positive spin. I suspect there will be many Gator fans refusing to buy it.
__________________________________________________________________________
Oh, baby, baby, this is TRUTH spoken bravely.
