- Oct 5, 2017
- 2,473
- 6,716
I have been bad about writing here or posting podcast episodes (my original plan was to record Sunday mornings, post here). There have been some ridiculous Sundays, but still no excuse.
I'm not going to address the A&M game except to apologize to the good people of GatorChatter for when a guy interrupted my joking coping mechanism to defend Billy in the 3rd quarter I did tell him to stop acting like Billy is Jesus and to get Billy's cock out of his mouth. That's not who I am, but when I'm trying to avoid my anger over seeing what the program has become, probably best you don't poke the bear and try and tell me there is no talent. There is talent, coaching has failed the players. And even if there isn't, whose fault is that?
Either way, this is a Sunday that I'm sure many are celebrating and I'm not sure I want to. I had skepticism about the hire. Hated the offense. Became a villain to some here for that reason. Was told on X how much I hated Billy whenever questioning that offense. But here we are and on this day I don't want to say it, like Alfred:
I know this will probably fall on deaf ears, but Billy is the kind of off the field guy you could hope for. I've mentioned before and will say again that my wife and I personally know a recruit, 4* Junior OT, who said that Billy was the nicest coach of all the programs he visited. That Billy believe in him as a whole person and not just as a football player. He grew up a FSU fan, was turned off by the way Miami acted after beating us (and is in the background of that video of Miami players telling fans to come to the U). His mom is a single mom and raves about Billy's attention to her son and receives texts from Billy as well as her son as part of recruiting. From what I've gathered, UF was the frontrunner. My younger cousin, who played football at Winter Park High School and had lots of friends throughout college football told me in 2022 that his friends that had played for Napier "swear by him" and would run through a brick wall for him.
I bring those up because I believe that and I believe we have players who do feel the same way. Maybe not all of them, sure, but I bet there are going to be many players hurting when the decision happens. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I am about our players before anything. If I believe a coaching decision is bad or we need to change coaches it is because the players are being let down. I don't believe talent is the reason we are blown out. I believe talent is being asked on offense to go into a tight formation and run into 8 men boxes and is asked to telegraph their plays such as 80% runs in pistol and 60-70% pass with the offset back. On defense, how the f*** do you have situations where TJ Searcy is in coverage against Miami's Restrepo? How many realize AA hasn't called plays this year? It wasn't my news to break, but since De la Torre came out with it yesterday, figured I'd throw that in. We went w/ the veteran that I hoped would Assist AA and instead replaced him. That replacement, probably bc he was a Louisiana guy, I think is why the D has looked even worse.
Anyways, back to the point. I can't celebrate today because I feel for the players. Those who may love him, those who maybe don't. Some, like Mertz who are now in the final year of eligibility and the coaching uncertainty is bound to hurt what stock they have (and I'm not here to start a debate over any one specific player, just listing one who has no more eligibility). Some still have a few years of eligibility, but if we go after a Lane Kiffin or top tier coach as many want, they may not have a coach until mid to late January with the new playoff format. Not to mention how that would impact recruiting classes. The new format puts these guys so far behind the 8 ball. There is a proposal to put a December transfer portal window ONLY and eliminate the Spring. That heavily impacts whether guys, like DJ Lagway might stay for the right coach if there isn't anything in place due to Playoff games. The uncertainty could hurt players staying or transferring out as they could transfer out and miss an opportunity or transfer and then the coaching carousal burns their new destination as dominoes fall.
I know players are getting paid and many are now mercenaries. But they are still kids with feelings and futures. Unless something unforeseen happens we have a senior class that will never have tasted a winning season at UF and I feel for them. We have true freshmen who bought into a future that is no longer there.
Maybe I'm just a sentimental guy who is trying to remember the kids that are effected when mommy and daddy split. I'd love to be excited, but this wasn't good for anyone. Some people saw the issues before others, but in the end all the hope and magical pixie dust doesn't help and it doesn't feel good to watch something you love going careening off of a cliff. However, I think there are messages that have finally been received, like requiring a wide open exciting offense rather than the power run first approach we've seen for over a decade. Hopefully it works out for the kids.
I thought about referencing the Civil War and Appomattox because the divide on Billy had become a Civil War in Gator Nation, including on this board with ugly insults thrown among Gators. I won't do all of what I thought about, but I'll mention it here. Some in just, some to show my mindset, some just because writing this is therapy. Example, Mike Peterson at the team meeting when Billy (and I hope he does ) addresses the release with the team. Billy, like Lee to Ely Parker, says to Mike P. "I'm glad there is at least one real Gator here" and Mike P. could reply "We Are All Gators". Or I feel I must follow Grant's example as he ordered his men to stop cheering as Lee left after the surrender as he did not find it right to exult over his countryman's downfall. I cannot exult over this downfall when I know that though it should bring a brighter future, its going to hurt a lot of kids and their families in ways that an aloof Mac or checked out Mullen did not.
Respond, tell me I'm crazy, looking at this wrong, whatever you want. I do believe a change is necessary and should happen. I also am aware that there is going to problems on the horizon we might not yet comprehend. Either way, I'm going to enjoy watching Return of the King Extended Edition at my local theater so there are 5 hours I can escape the chaos of Gator football for the chaos of Middle Earth. By the time I'm out, perhaps there will be news, maybe it does wait until Monday.
Before the season I told Billy Napier I'd be at all 12 games and he corrected me saying there would be more. Looks like 12 is the number and still I go to support our student-athletes because A day may come when the Gator Nation fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship (or GatorChatter does shut down), but it is not this day. Go Gators!
I'm not going to address the A&M game except to apologize to the good people of GatorChatter for when a guy interrupted my joking coping mechanism to defend Billy in the 3rd quarter I did tell him to stop acting like Billy is Jesus and to get Billy's cock out of his mouth. That's not who I am, but when I'm trying to avoid my anger over seeing what the program has become, probably best you don't poke the bear and try and tell me there is no talent. There is talent, coaching has failed the players. And even if there isn't, whose fault is that?
Either way, this is a Sunday that I'm sure many are celebrating and I'm not sure I want to. I had skepticism about the hire. Hated the offense. Became a villain to some here for that reason. Was told on X how much I hated Billy whenever questioning that offense. But here we are and on this day I don't want to say it, like Alfred:
I know this will probably fall on deaf ears, but Billy is the kind of off the field guy you could hope for. I've mentioned before and will say again that my wife and I personally know a recruit, 4* Junior OT, who said that Billy was the nicest coach of all the programs he visited. That Billy believe in him as a whole person and not just as a football player. He grew up a FSU fan, was turned off by the way Miami acted after beating us (and is in the background of that video of Miami players telling fans to come to the U). His mom is a single mom and raves about Billy's attention to her son and receives texts from Billy as well as her son as part of recruiting. From what I've gathered, UF was the frontrunner. My younger cousin, who played football at Winter Park High School and had lots of friends throughout college football told me in 2022 that his friends that had played for Napier "swear by him" and would run through a brick wall for him.
I bring those up because I believe that and I believe we have players who do feel the same way. Maybe not all of them, sure, but I bet there are going to be many players hurting when the decision happens. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I am about our players before anything. If I believe a coaching decision is bad or we need to change coaches it is because the players are being let down. I don't believe talent is the reason we are blown out. I believe talent is being asked on offense to go into a tight formation and run into 8 men boxes and is asked to telegraph their plays such as 80% runs in pistol and 60-70% pass with the offset back. On defense, how the f*** do you have situations where TJ Searcy is in coverage against Miami's Restrepo? How many realize AA hasn't called plays this year? It wasn't my news to break, but since De la Torre came out with it yesterday, figured I'd throw that in. We went w/ the veteran that I hoped would Assist AA and instead replaced him. That replacement, probably bc he was a Louisiana guy, I think is why the D has looked even worse.
Anyways, back to the point. I can't celebrate today because I feel for the players. Those who may love him, those who maybe don't. Some, like Mertz who are now in the final year of eligibility and the coaching uncertainty is bound to hurt what stock they have (and I'm not here to start a debate over any one specific player, just listing one who has no more eligibility). Some still have a few years of eligibility, but if we go after a Lane Kiffin or top tier coach as many want, they may not have a coach until mid to late January with the new playoff format. Not to mention how that would impact recruiting classes. The new format puts these guys so far behind the 8 ball. There is a proposal to put a December transfer portal window ONLY and eliminate the Spring. That heavily impacts whether guys, like DJ Lagway might stay for the right coach if there isn't anything in place due to Playoff games. The uncertainty could hurt players staying or transferring out as they could transfer out and miss an opportunity or transfer and then the coaching carousal burns their new destination as dominoes fall.
I know players are getting paid and many are now mercenaries. But they are still kids with feelings and futures. Unless something unforeseen happens we have a senior class that will never have tasted a winning season at UF and I feel for them. We have true freshmen who bought into a future that is no longer there.
Maybe I'm just a sentimental guy who is trying to remember the kids that are effected when mommy and daddy split. I'd love to be excited, but this wasn't good for anyone. Some people saw the issues before others, but in the end all the hope and magical pixie dust doesn't help and it doesn't feel good to watch something you love going careening off of a cliff. However, I think there are messages that have finally been received, like requiring a wide open exciting offense rather than the power run first approach we've seen for over a decade. Hopefully it works out for the kids.
I thought about referencing the Civil War and Appomattox because the divide on Billy had become a Civil War in Gator Nation, including on this board with ugly insults thrown among Gators. I won't do all of what I thought about, but I'll mention it here. Some in just, some to show my mindset, some just because writing this is therapy. Example, Mike Peterson at the team meeting when Billy (and I hope he does ) addresses the release with the team. Billy, like Lee to Ely Parker, says to Mike P. "I'm glad there is at least one real Gator here" and Mike P. could reply "We Are All Gators". Or I feel I must follow Grant's example as he ordered his men to stop cheering as Lee left after the surrender as he did not find it right to exult over his countryman's downfall. I cannot exult over this downfall when I know that though it should bring a brighter future, its going to hurt a lot of kids and their families in ways that an aloof Mac or checked out Mullen did not.
Respond, tell me I'm crazy, looking at this wrong, whatever you want. I do believe a change is necessary and should happen. I also am aware that there is going to problems on the horizon we might not yet comprehend. Either way, I'm going to enjoy watching Return of the King Extended Edition at my local theater so there are 5 hours I can escape the chaos of Gator football for the chaos of Middle Earth. By the time I'm out, perhaps there will be news, maybe it does wait until Monday.
Before the season I told Billy Napier I'd be at all 12 games and he corrected me saying there would be more. Looks like 12 is the number and still I go to support our student-athletes because A day may come when the Gator Nation fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship (or GatorChatter does shut down), but it is not this day. Go Gators!
