O-town Gator
Gator Fan
"Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30
If Tim Tebow is looking for the appropriate verse of Scripture to cite on his eye-black for the Sugar Bowl, I can't think of anything more appropriate than that verse I just cited.
As Timmy and Ryan Stamper had said during Sunday's presser upon arriving in NOLA for the Sugar Bowl, it has indeed been a whirlwind these past days - and a tumultuous one for Gator Nation.
After a subdued, saddened Saturday for me after hearing the initial news that Urban Meyer had resigned as Gator head coach, I too experienced the same sleepless night Jeremy Foley went through as well as a loss of appetite. But early Sunday afternoon, ESPN broke the news that Coach Meyer had a change of heart and opted for a leave of absence as opposed to outright resignation.
Urban had an epiphany that Sunday morning after watching his Gators practice, and after consulting with some of the Gator staff as well as his wife Shelley, he made the decision that affirmed his love for UF and Gator football that he also reiterated during the Pre-Sugar Bowl press conference. As far as I'm concerned he made the right decision for himself and all involved; in this case, following his heart was the right thing to do.
Based on what he had said during the presser and in a later interview with ESPN's Tom Rinaldi, Coach Meyer would have felt an emptiness and possibly even more distress had he firmly decided to resign. The University of Florida and Gainesville have become a very special place for him and his family, and it would have been more detrimental to his health to have made a decision he would have eventually come to regret.
That being said though, Urban Meyer can no longer afford to take anything for granted - especially where his health is concerned. According to what Buddy Martin wrote in "Urban's Way" regarding the coaching manual for Meyer's assistants, the top priority reads "Take care of your family and your health." Coach needs to heed his own words and get well; once he's ready to assume his duties once again I have no doubt that he'll come back healthier, more refreshed and stronger than before. I'd hate to see the same thing that befell Northwestern's Randy Walker back in 2006 and Wake Forest's Skip Prosser in 2007 (both men died of heart attacks while they were active college coaches ) happen to him; it hurts me to see bad things happen to good people like Coach Meyer, and as much as I appreciate all that he has done and will continue to do for Florida football I also don't want to see him put his long-term health in jeopardy.
American society in general seems relentless in their pursuit of "The Dream" and a comfortable lifestyle; some of us are so determined to find that pot of gold that we'll go to great lengths in that pursuit - and for some of those who take uncalculated risks, they often pay the price in one form or another if they don't have their priorities in order. I was once told "Never work for your job - your job must work for you." Luckily for Urban Meyer, the Florida staff is working with him during these difficult times and are behind him 100% - not only that, he has the support of his family at home.
All being said, it's critical that Gator Nation stand behind Coach Meyer and support him as well. We also need to stand behind him and offer our love and encouragement as he recovers from his illness. Those who still have unrealistic expectations for this football program need to change their attitudes and change them NOW.
Coach Meyer has also made his faith his top priority at this time. As a fellow Catholic I'd like to offer him these words from St. Francis de Sales; if Coach should ever happen to read this post, I want him to know that this comes straight from the heart:
To sum up those lines in four words: Let go, let God.
Let's all pray for Coach Meyer and his family as well as our team -
IT'S GREAT TO BE A FLORIDA GATOR!!!!!! :gator::gator:
If Tim Tebow is looking for the appropriate verse of Scripture to cite on his eye-black for the Sugar Bowl, I can't think of anything more appropriate than that verse I just cited.
As Timmy and Ryan Stamper had said during Sunday's presser upon arriving in NOLA for the Sugar Bowl, it has indeed been a whirlwind these past days - and a tumultuous one for Gator Nation.
After a subdued, saddened Saturday for me after hearing the initial news that Urban Meyer had resigned as Gator head coach, I too experienced the same sleepless night Jeremy Foley went through as well as a loss of appetite. But early Sunday afternoon, ESPN broke the news that Coach Meyer had a change of heart and opted for a leave of absence as opposed to outright resignation.
Urban had an epiphany that Sunday morning after watching his Gators practice, and after consulting with some of the Gator staff as well as his wife Shelley, he made the decision that affirmed his love for UF and Gator football that he also reiterated during the Pre-Sugar Bowl press conference. As far as I'm concerned he made the right decision for himself and all involved; in this case, following his heart was the right thing to do.
Based on what he had said during the presser and in a later interview with ESPN's Tom Rinaldi, Coach Meyer would have felt an emptiness and possibly even more distress had he firmly decided to resign. The University of Florida and Gainesville have become a very special place for him and his family, and it would have been more detrimental to his health to have made a decision he would have eventually come to regret.
That being said though, Urban Meyer can no longer afford to take anything for granted - especially where his health is concerned. According to what Buddy Martin wrote in "Urban's Way" regarding the coaching manual for Meyer's assistants, the top priority reads "Take care of your family and your health." Coach needs to heed his own words and get well; once he's ready to assume his duties once again I have no doubt that he'll come back healthier, more refreshed and stronger than before. I'd hate to see the same thing that befell Northwestern's Randy Walker back in 2006 and Wake Forest's Skip Prosser in 2007 (both men died of heart attacks while they were active college coaches ) happen to him; it hurts me to see bad things happen to good people like Coach Meyer, and as much as I appreciate all that he has done and will continue to do for Florida football I also don't want to see him put his long-term health in jeopardy.
American society in general seems relentless in their pursuit of "The Dream" and a comfortable lifestyle; some of us are so determined to find that pot of gold that we'll go to great lengths in that pursuit - and for some of those who take uncalculated risks, they often pay the price in one form or another if they don't have their priorities in order. I was once told "Never work for your job - your job must work for you." Luckily for Urban Meyer, the Florida staff is working with him during these difficult times and are behind him 100% - not only that, he has the support of his family at home.
All being said, it's critical that Gator Nation stand behind Coach Meyer and support him as well. We also need to stand behind him and offer our love and encouragement as he recovers from his illness. Those who still have unrealistic expectations for this football program need to change their attitudes and change them NOW.
Coach Meyer has also made his faith his top priority at this time. As a fellow Catholic I'd like to offer him these words from St. Francis de Sales; if Coach should ever happen to read this post, I want him to know that this comes straight from the heart:
To sum up those lines in four words: Let go, let God.
Let's all pray for Coach Meyer and his family as well as our team -
IT'S GREAT TO BE A FLORIDA GATOR!!!!!! :gator::gator:
