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Week 6: #20 Florida Gators vs Vanderbilt Commodores 10/5/2021

Escambia94

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It is Homecoming Week, and the Gators have already committed 5,327 false start penalties five days before kickoff! The Gators hobble home from a disappointing trap game in Lexington and they now have an opportunity to make basement-dwelling Vanderbilt into a punching bag of frustration.

The Mighty Gators are 42-10-2 against the Fighting Punching Bags. The last time the ‘Dores blew the doors off the Gators was in the horrible year of 2013. Yuck! The Gators have beaten Vandy by an average score of 31-10 since 2013, and I expect a similar or worse result this weekend. If this game is not a blowout by halftime I may have to set the couch on fire. Again. My prediction: 48-10.
 

DRU2012

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It is Homecoming Week, and the Gators have already committed 5,327 false start penalties five days before kickoff! The Gators hobble home from a disappointing trap game in Lexington and they now have an opportunity to make basement-dwelling Vanderbilt into a punching bag of frustration.

The Mighty Gators are 42-10-2 against the Fighting Punching Bags. The last time the ‘Dores blew the doors off the Gators was in the horrible year of 2013. Yuck! The Gators have beaten Vandy by an average score of 31-10 since 2013, and I expect a similar or worse result this weekend. If this game is not a blowout by halftime I may have to set the couch on fire. Again. My prediction: 48-10.
@Escambia94, @Leakfan12,

Please see my thoughts on all this, already best expressed in response to YOUR comment on “Hopeless” thread, E—. The same functions just as well HERE.
As I had already noted elsewhere in early reaction in the aftermath to our UK loss (soon AFTER that loss), “Homecoming”, or WHATEVER, I see little potential “gain” for us from ANY particular “eventual outcome” in this Vandy game.
Further additional frustration and/or humiliation, should we somehow continue our sudden sloppy slide, but otherwise, as I noted, I personally would have preferred a tougher, acknowledged challenge from the SEC now:
We gain nothing in the way of status nor self-respect in facing “everyone’s punching bag” at THIS point!
No, only with a string of widening victories against the REST of our schedule can we hope to gain even our OWN self-respect and sense of a return to “upward momentum”, let alone anyone ELSE’S former high regard.
I have expressed this strongly and in detail elsewhere the last day or so—and I continue to STAND by it. If I proceed to further withdraw from here in coming days and weeks, it will be because I do not wish to keep imposing that remorseless disappointment and seeming faithlessness on y’all. As long as that is, at “best”, most of what I currently have to offer, perhaps it is best if I am considerate enough NOT to endlessly impose it on anyone who may not share it, who may simply just be trying to “suck it up and carry on”—just trying to enjoy what little pleasure in whatever moments of “fun” and happiness the remainder of this season might bring them and/or the REST of Gator Nation! Sometimes I lose sight of the fact that OTHERS may have different standards for such things than I.
With that in mind, I sign off on this Monday/Tuesday after midnight not sure when or IF I will return. I thank you “all” (my two “GE Gator Brothers” in particular, of course) for “being here”, through it ALL, “thick” and “thin” having been repeatedly “redefined” over the months, games, SEASONS...
Thanks, guys!
Let’s see what happens...
 

DRU2012

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PS Granting that I am PARTICULARLY “down” now, and no doubt still reeling (and reacting) emotionally to not merely the FACT of but the details, circumstances and subsequent consequences of last Saturday’s woeful performance, while my commentary, even my usual IN-game participation may be severely curtailed for a time, I HAD spent a certain amount of time, effort and MONEY gathering various streaming services etc. in gaining extensive, by now fairly comprehensive access to Fightin’ Gator Football games—regardless of opponent, location or general level of fan-interest: No matter WHAT “network” nor regional coverage a particular game may be reduced to, I am SUPPOSED to have “guaranteed” my reception!
Thus, I damn well BETTER still HAVE that “access”, even if (at the moment) I eschew my right (and likelihood that I will exercise it) to actually WATCH the next one.
For example, while I may well not be here at kickoff, I MIGHT be following it (I’ll at LEAST tune in RUF, I suppose) and spurred to chime in at SOME point.
I haven’t, and WON’T be suddenly dismantling that extensive (and rather EXPENSIVE) patchwork of permissions and services that GIVES me that reliably assumed “full and wide access” anytime soon, I imagine (it extends to a HOST of similarly “complete coverages” for what I am vaguely aware extends to a BUNCH of Gator and assorted OTHER sports broadcasts (male AND female, college and Pro) throughout the YEAR; though I seldom avail myself of said showings, every now and then suddenly “There it IS!”—some unexpected tournament, game or outstanding performance by a single shining star in a particular sport or competition).
For the moment, at least, I am not quite pressed to the point that I am motivated to eliminate/dismantle all of that, as I say.
SO: For the moment, we will leave the current “set up” in place “as is”, right?
In fact, I will check up on it all now and, even assuming it is all “properly in place”, and, assuming there is no “more frugal and efficient way of accomplishing the same thing”, I intend for now to leave everything as it is (...I have been thinking it may be time for a review and re-assessment of it all in ANY case—but NOT today!).
For now, be well, and
GO GATORS!
 

Escambia94

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Four days until game day, and the Gators already committed another 500 false start penalties. Jerks.
 

DRU2012

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Four days until game day, and the Gators already committed another 500 false start penalties. Jerks.
Ha ha ha!
And that DOES remain one of SEVERAL “proximal causes” of our loss last Saturday—stupid, ill-timed penalties, while a regular feature of Gator play last coupla seasons or so, descended in a torrent this time against UK.
There were others, but the factor that befuddled, frustrated and STILL baffles ME was the PLAY CALLING. Our Coach, so regularly and so often an acknowledged “superior play caller”, somehow seemed to turn cautious, even “ultra-conservative” at key moments in a game that had already devolved into an unexpectedly tough day: a big letdown against an at best average SEC opponent.
I don’t know what happened—but it WASN’T just “WHAT happened”, or what we DID.
Along with all those penalties, as the game went on, all the “missed opportunities” began to pile up as well. And most surprisingly to me were those offensive (in BOTH ways, IMO) calls.
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
TwoBits_Vintage.jpeg

The honorary Mr. Two Bits will be a team of Gator Olympians: Caleb Dressel, Bobby FInke, Nathalie Hinds, Grant Holloway, Mark Holzsvary, Taylor Mansion, Aubree Murno, and Kieran Smith.
 

DRU2012

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@Escambia94, @Leakfan12,

Regarding my last posts here (and specifically re the one directly above, as a “reply” to previous one from E—):
There is MUCH WORK TO DO.
A host of clear, obvious and inescapable problems that persist in cropping up at crucial moments in key games!
They are the difference in our repeatedly truncated drive to the very top of major college football:
Either we solve them, ELIMINATE THEM—ONCE AND FOR ALL—“here, now, and FOREVER”—or we can just forget the dream of our “Gator return to that Football Elite”...
But they ARE FIXABLE!
In fact, I believe, through and THROUGH in my heart of HEARTS, that these ARE only obstacles, hurdles that CAN be addressed, solved and overcome in a logical and efficient, responsible, dedicated and hard-working response that this Coach, staff and players are well-capable, well-POISED and POSITIONED to accomplish quickly and with a minimum of radical change: They KNOW what-to-DO and how-to-DO-it!
Introduce it all as a “process”: Design, propose and PRACTICE INTENTLY that process, that “SET” of attitude and activities—purposeful actions with clearly-defined method and intent, practiced and incorporated with the whole team’s daily regimen, and a new, deeper UNITY might well emerge. An over-arching feeling of freshness, of “team rebirth” might replace the sinking-feeling we ALL felt (are STILL feeling) during and AFTER the Kentucky debacle...
And God knows we MUST shed that “feeling”, ASAP—or more than a game, or a SEASON, will be lost!
 

DRU2012

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View attachment 606
The honorary Mr. Two Bits will be a team of Gator Olympians: Caleb Dressel, Bobby FInke, Nathalie Hinds, Grant Holloway, Mark Holzsvary, Taylor Mansion, Aubree Murno, and Kieran Smith.
Wow. Talk about your “All-Star TEAM”-approach...
A little “overkill” for a Vandy “run-though”, doncha think?
Even for “Homecoming”, I’d say. I know, I know: No one knew what the circumstances would be for this game when preparations were being arranged months back.
I suppose it would have been easy to imagine a pretty SAFE “upbeat scenario”:
“Likely coming off a win versus ‘a team we ALWAYS beat’, heading into an easy victory at home, a winning record with EVERYTHING TO PLAY FOR...”
How fragile a season in the SEC truly is!
Ah well. Only time (and a TIDAL WAVE of difficult factors, gathering and growing, rushing towards us now) will tell as to how we will respond and emerge from what is turning INTO an ENORMOUS TEST FOR OUR Fightin’ Gators.
Thing is, while still somewhat devastated by the turn it all took downwards with our performance and outcome LAST Saturday, I am ALSO beginning to see this as an enormous “chance at EXCELLENCE”:
To a surprising degree, we were BLIND to our own flaws and weaknesses. We can’t say that now. The GOOD news: These are now revealed, and THEY ARE FIXABLE...and WE have the Coach, staff and players I believe to FIX them: If we do it right, if we recognize this and are permitted the time and space to do what needs to be done, we can GET it done and yes, still have ourselves back on track and properly positioned for a TRUE “run” by NEXT season after all.
But for now at least we must be realistic in our goals and what we are after right here and NOW. This is all about learning, growing, ATTENTION TO DETAIL—to a great extent for now it must be about US, coming together, for the moment playing with and FOR OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER.
To some extent our eventual actual RECORD from here THIS season is secondary to our progress as a tight and competent TEAM.
If we DO in fact pile up some (what will probably seem, to outsiders) “surprising wins”, all the better—but fans, boosters and administrators MUST try and see the “Big Picture”, regardless: If necessary “weather the storm” of uneven results (very possibly the overall pattern the rest of THIS season) if we indeed go the “retrench and rebuild”-route, as I am suggesting we aim for from here.
Sorry, but the “writing on the wall” is there and clear to read.
“Young up-and-coming programs” have some unexpected “rough patches” along the way; WE thought we were PAST that stage but found otherwise these first few weeks of the 2021 season.
We now need to rewrite the current impression and narrative: back it up a ways, then trumpet the subsequent “stirring drive back up the Leaders Board”!
 

DRU2012

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@Escambia94, @Leakfan12,

Just read Pat Forde’s Sports Illustrated post-Kentucky article about Mullen, his status, general performance and specific play-calling in THAT game—and I recommend it.
Yes, it covers much of the territory I have touched on last few days, but does so in I think fair and succinct manner that only underlines the most important and telling points.
Check it out.
PS. If you don’t have direct access to the article itself (mag hard copy or online), you can read large portions of it quoted on “Gators Wire”, posted online October 5...
 

DRU2012

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(Cont)...and in doing so:
Again, I wonder, loudly and plaintively:
“What happened to our Coach’s much-vaunted PLAY-CALLING?”
What’s wrong? Is it a sudden or growing lack of faith in the QB position? Who, what, or WHY? The way the first half ended was stupefying.
Those last two late-game possessions down deep were almost as bad—considering the situation, possibly WORSE.
It was like Dan Mullen was replaced by the mind of “MUSCHAMP-in-his-body” or some damn thing!
(Of course, that last (typically LATE) throw by Emory Jones WAS a kind of demo of why Coach might have been hesitant by then, too...)
Sorry—I just wanted to recommend the article, but that game and its finish continues to haunt me...I will henceforth try to drop it and move on.
 
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DRU2012

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Well, despite everything I’ve thought, felt and said last few days, here I am—and I expect I’ll be here WITH y’all tomorrow before noon...
Maybe with barely-one-EYE on the game itself (it DAMN well shouldn’t REQUIRE more than that—better NOT need a whole lot of monitoring OR “second-guessing” from the likes of US!).
“All” I’d particularly wanna see would be all facets of tackling, play-calling and execution cleaned up, penalties mainly eliminated, and tighter play from BOTH young men at the QB-position!
THAT’S “all”...Is it so much to ask?
Frankly, in too many ways this will be hard for me to watch just from the point-of-view of a fan who has seen every longtime, longTERM hope and dream for this team for the most part more or less ripped away in the course of LAST week’s debacle and its aftermath. I suppose all, or at least MOST of what we have left at this point is some sign that it all may be “RECOVERABLE” somehow—so we’re looking for what few such signs may be out there to show that this is still possible.
It all seemed to come apart so fast, so EASY!
Ever hear of “The Myth of Sysiphus”? A GREEK tragic allegory describing the endless curse of a man who must day after day, hour after hour roll a huge and heavy Boulder up a long hill—and each time he nears the top with his burden pushed ahead of himself, he ALMOST makes it but ultimately fails: The Boulder teeters near completion but then topples backwards and rolls out-of-control all the way back down to the bottom, back to the starting point...
He trudges back down, gets under/behind it, leans his shoulder into it and begins his dogged, endless chore once more.
THAT’S how the last ten-plus years of our watching Gator Football has seemed. Only under Mullen has it finally felt as if we were truly making progress, that we would “soon” actually “cross the threshold”, get “over the TOP” and enter the College Football elite—Compete for SEC and Nat’l Championships (now among the CFP Chosen) once more.
Instead, at this moment it sure SEEMS as if we have toppled (or at least ARE TOPPLING) back to the bottom, where we must pick ourselves up, lean in and begin the long climb once more.
I am PRAYING it ain’t so—that there is still some hope that there’s a way and a means by which we can skip all that, get back on track and find ourselves back near the top, about to move up and into that “elite” again by NEXT season after all. But THAT means showing certain things, reaching certain heights and accomplishing certain goals in remaining games THIS season that our inconsistent play so far has shown little sign of being within us.
It’s a tough road, and it starts here and now. It ISN’T just about “wins”, either: It is in how we go about our business, game-by-game, play-by-play.
Does this team just “GIVE UP” now, or SUCK IT UP, dig down deep and begin to DOMINATE, for the sake of its OWN sense of self-respect?
That’s the ONLY way “over the top”! Otherwise, we’re just another “also ran”.
 

Escambia94

Aerospace Cubicle Engineer (ACE)
Moderator
Visitors for today’s game:
Official
DL Quency Wiggins
LB Wesley Bidsainthe

Unofficial
DL Nyjalik Kelly
WR Chandler Smith
ATH Chris Graves
OT Matthew McCoy
 

DRU2012

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First big missed tackle.
But now we stop them on 3rd and short.
 

DRU2012

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Found myself at kickoff actually wondering: “How bad are we?”
 

DRU2012

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Would like to see us put this one away early, easily, of course...Geez—seem to be playing Commodes about the way I THOUGHT we would play Wildcats. That’s maybe a mark of our true relative rating in the SEC.
Touchdown. At least we are taking shots this week—and also BEATING THEM AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.
Oh, they are questioning the actual score and mark...
Regardless (and they undo the TD...mark it at the half yard line: THIS time we score.
We just saw several things, attempted and converted with casual ease, that we never even TRIED LAST SATURDAY!
I’m sorry; I KNOW this is a whole different team, in every way, that we are playing—but maybe THAT is the problem (or ONE of them)...WE DIDN’T EVEN TRY TO ASSERT OUR WILL, OUR GAME ON THEM THEN! The kind of “dominance” I am talking about is in OUR heads—within OUR control.
So far today, we seem to be sorta “Jeckle and Hyde”-ing it so far today: Lesson so far may well be, “We are as good, or BAD, as we THINK we are!”
 

DRU2012

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Lucky for us, “up’n’down” still looks good enough so far to win here—going AWAY!
I think I can safely dispense with the “play-by-play” approach today.
Let’s put it like this:
Only a RETURN to that kind of close, descriptive coverage will signify that we have ANYTHING to worry about here.
 

DRU2012

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Aw hell. In comes AR15 (3rd series), hit as he throws and it is PICKED.
We just can’t seem to thrive—even on inferior competition!
Now a STUPID PENALTY—but now that we view it, NOT “out-of-bounds”!
NOW a “targeting” call. This is starting to look like a combo “badly-called by officials” AND silly targeting call. HATE that whole deal, btw.
They are getting escorted down the field. And it is all bullsh*t.
And THIS Gator team can’t handle this kind of adversity—even against a weaker team like this one...
 
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DRU2012

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Well, except for losing a man on Defense for the treat if the day, we weathered THAT storm OK!
Even the “targeting” call was fairly moderate in its effect:
Since it happened in the 1st quarter, he’ll be back NEXT game, and we will probably be ok without him today.
Prob left points on the field after last fiasco of a series—not to mention a misstep for AR.
NOW we are back to looking kind of sloppy again.
ANOTHER missed tackle! BAD.
This is just an uneven-in-it’s-play Gator team.
I just do not SEE a consistent, winning TEAM here.
In other words, we may just BE the mediocre team we saw last week.
ANOTHER slew of missed tackles, allows them to get the 4th and one.
I am SO SICK of this!
 

DRU2012

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This is EXACTLY the kind of “eventual pull-away win” that I feared we’d see...
As I say, pretty sure we will WIN here, but we just don’t look very good.
We are depending on Vandy incompetence right now to hold this 14-0 lead.
Whatever hopes I had of this Gator team pulling it together and beginning it’s “run towards NEXT season’s excellence” are sinking fast here now.
Tennessee is doing a better job of looking that way than WE are, so far today.
In fact, I am just so close to turning this off—and maybe LEAVING IT OFF FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!!!
Another stupid, ill-timed penalty—drive-killer “holding”-call.
I am more and more finding this Gator team almost UNWATCHABLE.
In fact: Sorry guys!
I have to give this a rest.
I am about to descend into a full-time put-down of THE WHOLE GATOR TEAM, STAFF ABD EFFORT! (ANOTHER MISSED TACKLE!!!)
 

DRU2012

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(Finally: Saved by an INT.
Even THAT is pathetic; they were otherwise on track again to drive on us...But here’s a long pass play to reverse the field after all. But he didn’t score—so who KNOWS what’ll happen NEXT?)
 

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