Keep it close, too close. Any more of these games, I might have a heart attack.
At least we had confirmed what most knowledgable Gator fans had figured throughout the summer media build-up:
The Vols aren't as "close" to being back near the top of the SEC elite, and the Gators aren't as far BACK as the "smart people" were saying.
Now, a LOT of this, especially in Tennessee's case (but we know FAR too much bout how this goes), has to do with the difference between those same "smart people" 's ratings of various recruiting classes, and those players' actual performance in college. "Nature vs Nurture"? ie. Coaching vs true talent and strength-of-character? Who knows? Whole discussion unto itself, but here's what matters to me, us, as GATORS:
We have played mainly the sloppy, under-achieving kind of mistake-filled football, the game that young kids who think way too highly of themselves play, for most of each of the first 4 games, against teams that, say what you will, were for various reasons aiming at as MAJOR opportunities--and WE CAME OUT WINNERS IN EVERY ONE.
Can you imagine what we might manage if we can smarten up, play anything CLOSE to tight, smart football for 60 minutes? Even THIS young, thin, work-in-progress team might surprise everyone, most of all one of the SEC BEASTS ahead.
And as to the future, well, this Coach and staff have PLANS--and if things go well in the recruiting phase, well, the "hopeful" tone of this reply (unusual for me when it comes to the Gator team as currently constituted) will, in the long run be warrented--and right now, not so "long" a time frame as I feared, just weeks, even DAYS ago.
