I just hope our lines show UP. (Frustrated and bitter? Who me?)
My feeling is that you can't really go by relative-score-comparison in evaluating outcomes with this Gator squad: it would be difficult enough just with the meager information we have regarding our extensive injuries, but when you factor in the realities and actual factors that led to the final scores, especially in the Georgia and Auburn games (this team might well have made games of the first two losses against Bama and LSU, but was far out-weighed in talent in both cases thus far to beat either), it really seems futile, E-. Still, I can't really fault your actual prediction(s)--here's hoping your "hope" triumphs over your "logic" (how often has THAT been the case this season?!!).
Also am happy to hear that, contrary to certain reports, we ARE now eligible for SOME bowl on New Year's Day. Naturally we'd like to see something a bit more "respectable" and interesting (not to mention comfortable--it's absurd and embarrassing to see The FLORIDA Gators breathing clouds of breath on a chilly New Year's Day in Nashville, or somewhere equally non-exotic...). My original point about it being all-important to be able to continue practice and routine preparations for weeks after the regular season is over still holds, though: now, it is ONLY about "image" and what it may or may not mean to recruiting.
I'm, sorry, but it has been a bit of an effort shrugging off my anger and overwhelming inclination to either vent my spleen on this Penn-State thing--or just turn off all thought and discussion of college football entirely for a few days, at least. It isn't that I want to stick my head in the sand and not think about it, like so many do about this sort of thing--ON THE CONTRARY: I have strong feelings on this subject, based both on my general ideas of fairness and decency AND PERSONAL knowledge of, sympathy for and witnessing the lifelong carnage and consequences, direct and indirect, this monstrous behavior has on the lives that it touches.
I'm not going to go into any kind of deep analysis here, or even much in the way of discussion (enough of that elsewhere), except to say that beyond the sick predator himself there are always enablers--and in this case, Joe Paterno was the KING ENABLER here. Period. He should be gone. NOT on his own terms, "at the end of the season" at his own decision.
As someone has already pointed out, complex as the whole LEGAL mess may be, the moral, ethical and institutional decision here (as it SHOULD have been to these cowardly idiots who were in charge at Penn State all this time, CERTAINLY from the moment it went from "whispers" to an actual WITNESS to it IN THEIR LOCKERROOM) is a SIMPLE one: You fire Joe Paterno NOW. (Do you know they "asked" him to resign 3 days ago, and he refused? What the hell are they waiting for? They GAVE him "one more chance" THERE; now out he goes--but no, not these weasels).
You get him and everyone who is connected with his regime, everyone beholden to him--which is just about every coach in the program, the set-up that led to this whole sick stone-walling to protect his "good-buddy" all these years in the first place--and clean every one of THEM out of there (...that includes that WEASEL McQuery: What is HE doing still on the sidelines? He should never be allowed to coach ANYONE ANYWHERE EVER AGAIN).
If you think that's not right or fair somehow, I recommend that you actually read the transcript of the Grand Jury indictment and testimony (I read all 27 pages of it last night--yes, I'm a fast reader, but even a skim-over will open your eyes WIDE and make you see). It is sickening. First of all, it becomes clear that Paterno himself was right on the edge of being charged himself with "obstruction", and avoided it mainly by testifying as he did. Moreover, his own testimony, which he is now publicly contradicting and backing away from (politicians try to play this game in such cases all the time, hoping no one actually reads it and that the public ignores reports), but will either have to ultimately stand by his testimony= or in fact end up charged himself after all. In fact, own words actually expose him to CIVIL penalties--every individual young person (along with their families) who was victimized SINCE that incident in the lockeroom in 2003 can and no doubt WILL name him as one of the co-respondents in their suits, and he has essentially already admitted his complicity with regard to civil law--only the percentage of his liability is likely to be in question. So this will be dragged on and on and the school and everyone else will find it all coming out more and more, again and again in the months and years ahead.
But that of course isn't even the main deal in all of this. It's the corruption of innocence, the utter helplessness and sense of abandonment these kids felt--and continue to feel. Again, when you read the details of what Paterno himself was told that day of what McQuery saw in the Penn State Football Team Locker Room (within hours after it happened--and WTF is with a grown, 28 yr. old man who sees this, and doing nothing except running to his office and calling his daddy?!!, who tells him to "Leave the building, come on home and don't say anything to ANYONE", and after 2 more hours they decide to go see Paterno with it? All they cared about was his "career", obviously, and were all too willing to let it go at Paterno telling them, "Good you told me about it--I'll see to it")...and then everyone continues going along with the cover up after that, with the same Monster still around and with the same privileges and stature in the program.
Sorry--as I say, I have strong feelings in this matter. I'll stop here. I just want to make sure that folks here at least understand that this transcends football matters. This is in a whole different realm from Miami, Auburn, Cecil and Cam, Tressel, Reggie Bush etc. This is the lowest-of-the-LOW, and the disgrace is, must and deserves to be TOTAL--there is no such thing here as "going to far" in SHAMING the people that made this possible, allowed it to continue for so long.
I don't think it is overstating things to say that this sort of sticking-with-the-status-quo, like "I was only following orders", was judged unacceptable at Nuremburg, and is no less so here.
