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Hopeless

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
This was going to be (was PLANNED to be for the last near on exactly 24 HOURS as a matter of fact) a rather long and detailed exposition about the idea and EXPERIENCE of “Hopelessness”.
However, by now I’ve had occasion both to write about it in detail and to further consider it repeatedly and (despite great effort NOT to) at length.
For these reasons and as a result, I will instead TRY to keep this relatively short and sweet:
First, of course, as a Gator could there be anything more “Hopeless” than, upon the heals of last night’s tortuous in-game events, culminating in what was for us the most frustrating final few moments of a Florida Gator football game in some time, to then have to face the following night and day of having to endure (and IGNORE) even my own iPhone trumpeting the “huge Kentucky UPSET of Top Ten Florida” and the now dramatic “rush by UK into and UP the Top 20 rankings”?
Little could ADD to that very feeling of “hopelessness”...It was an inescapable item of NEWS—and bad as we ALL feel and FELT in the game’s aftermath, the actual “inescapable” nature of said “aftermath” only further intensified that sense of hopelessness...You might say we were “helplessly hopeless”;
To the degree that we all were and are already as “hopeless” with regard to the current state and potential future of our OWN team and program, we sure look forward to whatever our Coach will do in reaction to not only yesterday’s events, but the deeper problems and weaknesses that have thereby been further revealed. Only in seeing, facing and doing EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to FIX it, going forward, will we have ANY HOPE of going where we dream of going, achieve long-shared goals—our players and Coaches having worked so hard to do so.
We all had HOPED that we were “close”—at the very least were on the verge of COMPETING to JOIN the elite of teams: To have a chance among those invited to play in the CFB.
Personally, I can envision little MORE “hopeless” than to now have to go out and face Vandy, the widely-acknowledged weakest football team and program (with respect to their on-field play, anyway) in the SEC: In the very moment when our honor and proficiency-of-play might ONLY be reclaimed, however minutely, we instead face a team with whom, even under the best circumstances, only our NOT winning easily and by lopsided score could affect our standing in public esteem; as it is, no performance or outcome will help to rebuild our honor OR self-esteem.
Now, no matter what else, it is clear that we had and HAVE substantially more progress, work, and time required to further improve our play.
We’re not as “close” as we had “HOPED”.
 

Leakfan12

VIP Member
Let's face it, it's not good. At least Vandy is the next game. For the season, I hate to say it's over but the CFP dreams are done. Bama and Georgia are too good right now and the Gators would be lucky if they "only" lose four games.
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Let's face it, it's not good. At least Vandy is the next game. For the season, I hate to say it's over but the CFP dreams are done. Bama and Georgia are too good right now and the Gators would be lucky if they "only" lose four games.
Agreed: “...it’s not good”—for all the reasons you imply.
For ME, I may feel differently later (IF, for example, MULLEN and Co. actually treat the REST of the season—from here on—as an extended opportunity to retrench, repurpose, practice and perfect their style and proficiency of play: eliminate carelessness and ingrained tendencies towards sloppy penalties, poor technique and self-destructive unforced-errors—invest the time and energy as much or more into the effort towards becoming mistake-free WINNERS than worrying so much for now about racking up WINS—Aim at preparing for NEXT year’s PROPER “run”!)
but for now, I see THIS season as INDEED “over” as far as “moving up”, improving ourselves in the larger “CFP”s scheme of things.
Arguably all THAT was more or less “on life support” by the end of the 1st quarter against Alabama ANYWAY:
We managed to keep ourselves right there through the Tennessee game and headed into Lexington, but then last night happened—our mask was ripped away (or perhaps more accurately, we LET it be pulled away from our faces—for that matter without much of a fight on our part)...THAT’S the sad and painful part!
We GET little, and in all likelihood (unless we go out there and REALLY stink up the joint in THOROUGHLY inept and self-destructive fashion) LEARN NOTHING next Saturday against the Commodores.
An all the more safe place to begin the process I am recommending: I suggest Coach be thoroughly honest about our aims and goals for the remainder of our season—as I am proposing, to dedicate the rest of THIS one to preparing this team and program for a PROPER run NEXT SEASON.
I know, I know—it ain’t gonna happen: Coach’s job is as much to “put people in the seats” and “stir eternal hope and optimism in fans, alumni, boosters and potential future recruits” as it is to “get WINS”, and be seen DOING so!
I‘m not sure MY suggested road would be appreciated by many, least of all the folks responsible for considering, reevaluating and ultimately PAYING Coach’s contract!
But I’d WELCOME IT:
It strikes me as the one clear and effective way to most quickly and efficiently DIRECT road to the very goals we all share.
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
Continuing the sad discussion on consolation prizes, the Gators could still play for a bowl game even with 3-4 losses (depending on what the rest of the field looks like). The bowl games could look like this if everything plays out as assumed:
  1. Alabama - Orange or Cotton
  2. Georgia - Cotton or Orange
  3. Ole Miss - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, or Outback
  4. Texas A&M - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, or Outback
  5. Kentucky - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, or Outback
  6. Auburn - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, Outback, or Gator
  7. Arkansas - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, Outback, Gator, or Duke's Mayo
  8. Mississippi State - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, Gator, Duke's Mayo, Music City, or Liberty
  9. Florida - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, Gator, Duke's Mayo, Music City, Liberty, Birmingham, or Gasparilla
  10. LSU - Duke's Mayo, Music City, Liberty, or Birmingham
  11. Tennessee - Liberty, Birmingham, or Gasparilla
  12. Missouri - Liberty, Birmingham, Gasparilla, or none
  13. South Carolina - none
  14. Vanderbilt - none
Florida could theoretically land in the Sugar Bowl by winning out, but with an inevitable loss to Georgia coming up they are more likely going to land in the Gator Bowl at best. If they drop Georgia and another game, e.g., LSU, they could squeeze into the Music City Bowl. They could land in the Birmingham or Gasparilla Bowl if they somehow drop yet another game such as Missouri.
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Continuing the sad discussion on consolation prizes, the Gators could still play for a bowl game even with 3-4 losses (depending on what the rest of the field looks like). The bowl games could look like this if everything plays out as assumed:
  1. Alabama - Orange or Cotton
  2. Georgia - Cotton or Orange
  3. Ole Miss - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, or Outback
  4. Texas A&M - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, or Outback
  5. Kentucky - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, or Outback
  6. Auburn - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, Outback, or Gator
  7. Arkansas - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, Outback, Gator, or Duke's Mayo
  8. Mississippi State - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, Gator, Duke's Mayo, Music City, or Liberty
  9. Florida - Sugar, Texas, Citrus, Gator, Duke's Mayo, Music City, Liberty, Birmingham, or Gasparilla
  10. LSU - Duke's Mayo, Music City, Liberty, or Birmingham
  11. Tennessee - Liberty, Birmingham, or Gasparilla
  12. Missouri - Liberty, Birmingham, Gasparilla, or none
  13. South Carolina - none
  14. Vanderbilt - none
Florida could theoretically land in the Sugar Bowl by winning out, but with an inevitable loss to Georgia coming up they are more likely going to land in the Gator Bowl at best. If they drop Georgia and another game, e.g., LSU, they could squeeze into the Music City Bowl. They could land in the Birmingham or Gasparilla Bowl if they somehow drop yet another game such as Missouri.
I appreciate your steady hand and dedication to “the record”—and likely fate, E—, regardless of our wishes or “fantasies”, as the case may be...
I apologize if my frustrated negativity is an impediment to others’ “healing process”...That pessimism arises not just from the LOSS just suffered, but its timing, nature, and the way it seems, in retrospect, to be a persistent aspect of this team and program’s fundamental nature and fabric under the current regime: I fear that unless we somehow face, solve and ESCAPE this “habit of self-destruction” soon—NOW, and for the future—we will never surpass these and similar less-than-our-potential “high-water-marks” that now seemingly find us (or maybe we inevitably find THEM, however SUBconsciously?) at some point on an annual basis.
As things stand (admittedly from my present point-of-view and state-of-mind), only at minimum a near-sweep of our remaining schedule (and even then, a sole CLOSE loss if NOT an (unlikely, to be sure) outright WIN, against Georgia) can restore MY optimism, my former faith in this Coach and eventual “Championship future”.
I say “former faith”, but I want to be clear that THAT is far from irrecoverable:
It is a relatively short and manageable journey back to belief in MY former optimism and certainty as to this Coach, team and program’s upward trend and eventual breakthrough ascension to the CFP and what I once, not long ago thought of as our inevitable “Champion”-status.
At the MOMENT, of course, I’m not at all so sure. Not until we face our INNER foes, whatever they may be, and act to overcome our SELF-limitations will we transcend our current “state-of-NEAR-grace” and PERHAPS be able to finally “grasp the Brass Ring” after all...
WE HAVE THE TOOLS! The pieces are already here and in place, with more on the way—that hasn’t changed!
I’m not SURE what is missing.
I even still think this Coach holds the key: WHAT COMES NEXT is crucial to whether we are to realize it after all, or sink back to the floundering mass of “also rans”. THAT I cannot accept...So it is incumbent upon our Coach and staff to rise above its recent failures and current uncertainties, gather team and inner resources together and endeavor to RECOVER THEIR BALANCE AND CONFIDENT SENSE OF THEMSELVES—and that certainty of a positive future.
In a sense, we are at “the tipping point”: Poised on a knife’s edge, things could go either way—and in a very real way, it is up to THEM, Coach, staff and TEAM, how and where things go from here.
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
Speaking of hopelessness, what's the over/under on Meyer being fired?
Good question! How cool was it that a Florida Gator kicked the field goal that handed (footed?) him a loss? He was so distraught that he stayed in Ohio to visit grandkids while the team returned to Jacksonville. Then he returns to Jacksonville a couple days later to get caught with a twenty-something year old blonde bringing in him. Yeah. He might not return to the NFL next year. If he keeps this up he might not make it to the end of the season.
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Speaking of hopelessness, what's the over/under on Meyer being fired?
(laughter) Good One!
And how do we rate that?
In days, weeks, or “additional losses”?
(But as I consider it further, I must add this concerned q:
Who would we even consider?
I PRAY it doesn’t come to that...In fact, I remain MORE concerned that he may now be more seriously reflecting on whether it is time HE leave US:
I remain fairly sure that Coach had, HAS a mid- to long-term PLAN for this team and program at the University of Florida—one I remain somewhat hopeful he is well-along in realizing. As I said above, “the pieces are in place...more on the way!”
Given everything, despite my frustration and disappointment with specific recent events, I suppose I feel we HAVE to stick with him, see this thing through for now. I just see NO VIABLE ALTERNATIVE at this time.
Do You?)
 

Leakfan12

VIP Member
(laughter) Good One!
And how do we rate that?
In days, weeks, or “additional losses”?
(But as I consider it further, I must add this concerned q:
Who would we even consider?
I PRAY it doesn’t come to that...In fact, I remain MORE concerned that he may now be more seriously reflecting on whether it is time HE leave US:
I remain fairly sure that Coach had, HAS a mid- to long-term PLAN for this team and program at the University of Florida—one I remain somewhat hopeful he is well-along in realizing. As I said above, “the pieces are in place...more on the way!”
Given everything, despite my frustration and disappointment with specific recent events, I suppose I feel we HAVE to stick with him, see this thing through for now. I just see NO VIABLE ALTERNATIVE at this time.
Do You?)


Honestly, I don't know with the Gators though again he won two titles there. The Jaguars well, I won't be surprised if this is his only season. A reason why college coaches failed in the NFL is because it's easier to control 18 to 24-year-olds than grown @$$ men in the pros.
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Honestly, I don't know with the Gators though again he won two titles there. The Jaguars well, I won't be surprised if this is his only season. A reason why college coaches failed in the NFL is because it's easier to control 18 to 24-year-olds than grown @$$ men in the pros.
Sorry, bra!
I actually somehow misread and thought you were talking about MULLEN here at UF!!!
Dumb-ass error on my part!
So let’s back up:
First, like I say, my comments here (above) were aimed with regard to what’s happening right now at UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA...
As for Meyer, well, I’m no longer much of an NFL fan these days. I WANTED to be a Jaguars fan, even had some hopes that maybe Meyer might fit in there, and LIKED the idea of him maybe doing it as a kind of “Gator-grad Home”—which looked especially interesting when he gave TT a shot at an (albeit unconventional) “comeback” ...However, it now seems more and more likely that instead his various weaknesses (and outright WEIRDNESSES) are being exposed there: It begins to look like a short tenure after all.
Anyway, LF, I apologize for my mistake and maybe “wrong-footing” you because of it.
I WOULD welcome your thoughts in response now that you are aware that it WAS Mullen and OUR program who were the true subjects of my comments...OR by the same token, now that you’ve read my actual thoughts regarding MEYER you may want to address THAT.
Either way, I just wanted to clear the air, set the record straight.
 

Leakfan12

VIP Member
Sorry, bra!
I actually somehow misread and thought you were talking about MULLEN here at UF!!!
Dumb-ass error on my part!
So let’s back up:
First, like I say, my comments here (above) were aimed with regard to what’s happening right now at UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA...
As for Meyer, well, I’m no longer much of an NFL fan these days. I WANTED to be a Jaguars fan, even had some hopes that maybe Meyer might fit in there, and LIKED the idea of him maybe doing it as a kind of “Gator-grad Home”—which looked especially interesting when he gave TT a shot at an (albeit unconventional) “comeback” ...However, it now seems more and more likely that instead his various weaknesses (and outright WEIRDNESSES) are being exposed there: It begins to look like a short tenure after all.
Anyway, LF, I apologize for my mistake and maybe “wrong-footing” you because of it.
I WOULD welcome your thoughts in response now that you are aware that it WAS Mullen and OUR program who were the true subjects of my comments...OR by the same token, now that you’ve read my actual thoughts regarding MEYER you may want to address THAT.
Either way, I just wanted to clear the air, set the record straight.


That's OK. With Mullen, I say he has another season (depending on how things the rest of the way and Mullen doesn't pull any crap like McElwain, Petrino, his old boss). Grantham will be the first guy to go.
 

DRU2012

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
That's OK. With Mullen, I say he has another season (depending on how things the rest of the way and Mullen doesn't pull any crap like McElwain, Petrino, his old boss). Grantham will be the first guy to go.
I pretty well read it the same way...I can’t say or judge what all the other stuff was or is about—not just what we’ve been turning over since the middle of the UK game, but all this sh*t that has hit the news since: the post game “smile”, etc...
These last few days have been a bracing reminder of how fragile the whole process of building a program and driving for the very top really IS. If nothing else, I’m sure Mullen himself has had a cold “dose of reality” here too! Not merely a coupla features or even just a portion of the team has suddenly been under full attack of late—not just his program either, but the man himself: his stature and competence are now called into question. A week ago he was being hailed as “one of the best in College Football now”, finally having that same program on the verge of breaking through into the “CFP Elite”—all under HIS (formerly widely accepted) unstinting knowledge, experience and leadership.
Now many of us wonder...not without grounds, either.
So in many ways, the balance of THIS season will be an extended exercise not just in “getting us back on track”, but at least to SOME extent in rebuilding our Coach’s apparently no longer so irreproachable reputation.
Bottom line:
BOTH of the problems referred to above, AND their respective “required processes” for eventual solution, will depend to a great extent on Coach himself—his specific actions, strategy and tactics as all are applied, AND of course its effect on his team and program!
Things go well, for team and program in the course of the rest of this season, AND in turn a return to balance, calm and confidence (not to mention—FINALLY—a general improvement in on-field clean play and TACKLING technique) surrounding and pervading this team and program, and much of this will fade, even be forgotten—certainly left behind.
I don’t like or want to dwell on the alternative.
 

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