We've been wuppin' on these 'Cats a long time now...sooner or later, odds alone say we're gonna lose one to 'em--especially given some of the dysfunctional teams we've been fielding last couple/few years. And they're getting better, talent- AND coaching-wise. Prob shoulda happened LAST season, damn near DID! Maybe that gives us a "pass", dodged their big opportunity--but maybe not either...this Gator team comes out with the kind of "this one's automatic"/"we're just BETTER than they are" attitude they brought last week, the performance will be similar, and this time I think we DO lose. Pretty sure our Head Coach saw/sees it EXACTLY that way--PLUS he's thinking long term as well, of course, of what he's trying to build here. He has J Foley's full support and backing in this (and times like these are when I REALLY understand our AD's strengths, and how fortunate we are to have him): If he has to sit big-time recruits and potential stars the fans and boosters are meanwhile salivating over, drop them down the depth chart despite their top-of-the-heap talent (as he has done already--why do you suppose our already most standout, best-by-far-so-far young WR is listed, and PLAYED, as THIRD on that supposed "list"?), well, that is exactly what he will do--in the secret hope I'm sure that he won't end up having to in effect "run another talented loser off" what, if Mac has the time and support he needs, will eventually be a real TEAM, a tight, deep unit of young men pulling together, supporting each other as "more than the sum of its parts".
That's the general idea, The Plan, at any rate. There WILL be bumps, considering where we were/are starting from--and we're seeing them. No way around some of it: You get the feeling "we", even more so of course these players are bound to be humbled (as in beaten savagely) by a few of the current SEC elite before we get this fully turned around...That DOESN'T necessarily mean we have to bow to the Kentucky Wildcats (even at THEIR place) now. THAT'S got more to do with "what's in our heads"--and entirely within our control, at least "theoretically". Among other things, Mac's tryin' to teach these guys how not to beat yourself. How well they learn, whether this mix of potential and "lost souls" can find the character and chemistry to begin to get it, well, that may NOT be something that gets fixed in a week. So I/we gotta hope that the seeds of leadership, and deep down a common, teamwide sense of unhappiness with THEMSELVES thus far, can help bring some of that "what we can be" forward. Has to start somewhere, SOMEtime. Losing for the first time in more than a quarter-century to Kentucky is a "lesson" we could ALL do without.
Geez--I HOPE so, at any rate.
That's the general idea, The Plan, at any rate. There WILL be bumps, considering where we were/are starting from--and we're seeing them. No way around some of it: You get the feeling "we", even more so of course these players are bound to be humbled (as in beaten savagely) by a few of the current SEC elite before we get this fully turned around...That DOESN'T necessarily mean we have to bow to the Kentucky Wildcats (even at THEIR place) now. THAT'S got more to do with "what's in our heads"--and entirely within our control, at least "theoretically". Among other things, Mac's tryin' to teach these guys how not to beat yourself. How well they learn, whether this mix of potential and "lost souls" can find the character and chemistry to begin to get it, well, that may NOT be something that gets fixed in a week. So I/we gotta hope that the seeds of leadership, and deep down a common, teamwide sense of unhappiness with THEMSELVES thus far, can help bring some of that "what we can be" forward. Has to start somewhere, SOMEtime. Losing for the first time in more than a quarter-century to Kentucky is a "lesson" we could ALL do without.
Geez--I HOPE so, at any rate.
