Gator Game Day (11/22/14): Gators Warmly Welcome E. Kentucky

Leakfan12 said:

To be fair I don't blame either president for this (I'm a Dem) though I will blame Meyer, Newton, Muschamp, Driskel among others.

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I cannot blame Driskel. He is just a kid, and he stayed out of trouble. Newton was a kid, but he got into more trouble than just stealing a laptop. He skipped class, cheated on tests, and skipped out on parking tickets before the laptop incident.

The coaches all share blame-- they get paid to do so.

I "Liked" Lf's comment, nice wrap-up/exit from the line-of-discussion, but if we're gonna seriously analyze the line in literal terms:
I hope NO one gets the idea I "BLAME" Driskel, or am more than mainly disappointed in him for anything more than not living up to the standards he himself set in his own prep career, on the practice field, etc (ie. when the pressure wasn't high, the game not actually on the line)--and I am certain no one is sorrier and/or more bewildered by that than JD himself. I DEFINITELY blame Muschamp (for a LOT of things, related to Driskel and not), and more and more to Roper too for likewise not living up to HIS prior supposed "qualifications"/strong points, though we have gotten sadly used to that with OCs at UF of late.
As for Newton, HE was a prize F-up while here--and any further discussion there will require more time and consideration of a complex story not yet fully-told--and Meyer is just a brilliant, successful and amoral carpet-bagger whose inarguable talents served us well in bringing the kind of "deal-with-the-devil" success we craved but turned out had to pay and pay and pay for.
One could argue that the one clear positive that comes of MUSCHAMP'S tenure is the clear and unyielding way he faced, dealt with and by now has mainly cleansed our program of all, or at least most of the ills that Meyer's methods and choices brought us in the first place, directly or indirectly as consequences of his drive for the top. In fact, As Meyer was able to accomplish HIS aim (success at any cost) in relative fastest-possible-time from where we were when he was hired, Muschamp was likewise able to do the same regarding what in retrospect was HIS first priority (to clean up the UF program, make character and personal responsibility an essential feature of his team) in the shortest time possible from when HE was hired. Unfortunately, though he also meant to win, thought that the former didn't necessarily negate the latter and that he could eventually have it both ways, given the cold hard facts of life at this level of major college football and our specifically high expectations at The University of Florida, perhaps we should be trying to find someone who will strive to somehow "walk the razor's edge" between the two men's philosophies and approaches, if that's possible. If the next guy is mostly without Meyer's self-rationalizing, perhaps even sociopathic amorality, and Muschamp's overweaning tightness and self-centered stubbornness, can somehow be realistic, fair, relaxed and flexible while combining a clear and definite idea of what he wants to build here with the knowledge and drive to see it through, maybe Foley finally WILL have brought in someone who can hit the mark and KEEP us there, or at least near "there" each season for a long time to come--which as I understand it has been his (Foley's) hope and aim all along.

I blame Obama and Bush for Driskel's problems.

Then back to "what struck me in passing" at the end of the day here, watching highlights on my phone...
The OTHER thing also has to do with FSU, specifically the constantly returning impression that more than ever, carried over and on since "Bobby's" days there, that this is a program, team and COACH who will do ANYTHING, ignore anything it must to "win at any cost". Winston and their willing contortions to keep him eligible and in there is just the most obvious and public example of how this works, but it shows up all over, on field and off. OK, OUR half of that "best friendship" duo of the HCs has fallen short at UF--but in the end, he still has his soul, will walk away with class, his head held high. That won't be the case with Fisher: He's already dirtied himself, and in practical terms has walked the diametrically opposite path from his friend. Can't say how the program will ultimately fare as a result of his choices, but if/when the bill DOES come due, I expect he'll be held accountable--wouldn't surprise me if they tried to make him the scapegoat. Muschamp will be a highly-sought DC almost immediately, and eventually will get another shot at HC'ing a bigtime program. Not so sure that'll be the case long term with Fisher. He gets forced out over there, it'll likely come with all sorts of supposed "revelations", maybe even precipitated by something over-the-top "public and disgraceful". He's not Bobby, won't BE another one in today's football- and/or media-world. Unless he were to retire at the top VERY soon, like, walk away after winning the National Championship this year or maybe next, latest, things could go south for him and that program in a hurry as time goes on.
Then again, maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part. Certainly there's a vested interest on a lot of peoples' parts, not just in Tallahassee but at ESPN and the national sports media and sponsor levels, to see things carry on as they are, certain powerhouse "brands" in the hunt each year for the sake of recognition and rivalries. Works for Alabama, and they all crave MORE of these, not fewer--that's why we see the premature hailing of "return" of USC, Notre Dame, OSU etc. on and on...would even work for US if we can get it back together soon, get back on track and in-the-hunt, part of the main action at centerstage while folks still remember Tebow and our glory years, already beginning to be referred to in telecasts for example as "a long time since the Gators were in the SEC Championship Game".

I do not think Fisher will get into any trouble at FSU. Between the coach's lack of ethical standards, the athletic department's desperation to win at any cost, and the FSU/ Tallahassee Police Department's shady law enforcement practices I do not see how Florida will ever beat FSU at recruiting top troublemaker talent, keeping top troublemaker talent on the field despite behavior issues, and attracting top troublemakers/ playmakers to the school where you can do no wrong. Yes, I sound like a bitter Gator fan. I still think it is true. The nice guy is finishing last here.

miltongator said:

So, maybe our primary need for recruiting is some O-linemen who can actually block.

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And that can block the opposing team and not each other.

Escambia94 said:

I do not think Fisher will get into any trouble at FSU. Between the coach's lack of ethical standards, the athletic department's desperation to win at any cost, and the FSU/ Tallahassee Police Department's shady law enforcement practices I do not see how Florida will ever beat FSU at recruiting top troublemaker talent, keeping top troublemaker talent on the field despite behavior issues, and attracting top troublemakers/ playmakers to the school where you can do no wrong. Yes, I sound like a bitter Gator fan. I still think it is true. The nice guy is finishing last here.

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Well, my hope is that at the rate things are going there, the degree of "see no evil", head-in-the-sand amorality on everyone's part there, and the level of transgression and general behavior they accept and regularly turn a blind eye to, eventually SOMETHING large will blow up in their faces. May not come to any actual long term sanctions, of course, based on history (and if rape is OK with everyone, even the Head Coach, just as long as they can all find a way for example to keep the star QB on the field come game time, it's hard to see WHAT will be considered "too much to ignore"), but the coach at least takes the fall if/when it eventually goes down--as we've seen even at protected places like Miami (and, if low enough, even hallowed pedestals like Penn State, even to cannonized figures like Paterno).
'Course, as I granted, could well be wishful thinking. I don't fault Muschamp for trying to walk a different road (hard to see how these two, Fisher and Muschamp, are so close, yet so different)--or Foley for trying to make that an explicit part of what he was looking for when he hired him, especially after Meyer. Only that (as we've discussed several times before) the realities of life as Coach of a major college program--and lets face it, we ourselves--demand that whatever you do you have to win, and that seems to include a cynical, even somewhat sneaky "gray-area" skirting of the rules. "If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying" is more than a smart-ass joke, and probably a "dark art" necessary to winning big here as well.

And with those last coupla posts here, I realize that I am TIRED of trying to seriously analyze/anticipate all the shadow-play and complex maneuverings ahead for us, and those of college football in general. In fact, I am completely SICK of my own all-too-intense efforts to explain them, too--and if I feel that way, I can only imagine how y'all here at GE feel about it.
Well, I imagine you will all be happy then to hear that while I will no doubt be drawn back into such discussion by direct questions and comments, henceforth I will at least TRY to limit myself even THERE to replies (hopefully and preferably fairly short ones), and from now on read and consider your thoughts on where we go from here, and eventually join in examining the process, its progress, and seeming results.

Did you see Winston is shove referee. Shows his entitlement attitude helped along by the whole FSU family.

The scariest part about Winston shoving the referee is not that he did it and got away with it. The scariest thing is that Florida gets those exact same referees this week. The Gators have to beat the Noles and the ACC referees!