"The Difference" between "the RIGHT guy", and all "the WRONG ones".
This really BEING a stark, sudden realization on my part, I will keep it short and sweet:
I have been stewing in abject amazement of late at the inescapable conclusion that our last few Head Coaches (starting even with Meyer as he somehow "lost his edge", or however you wish to analyze or at least describe his last couple of seasons here, but certainly with his last one, then on through Muschamp, MacEllwaine and Mullen) completely scrambled and ultimately wrecked virtually all the progress that had formerly been made through the 80s (the same one once built into a true elite "powerhouse" under Spurrier-- which the "earlier-Meyer", with a fortunate collection of top talent, was able to retrieve and return to similar heights for a time)...
My point here, however, is that those "last 3 and a 1/2 M's" summarily BUTCHERED our program over the last dozen years or so...and I say they did it ALL FOR THE SHORT TERM MONEY!
That's right: the last 3 especially were intent on coming to Florida, flush with cash as it was and is, cutting corners to find some quicky, short-term improvement and flashy temporary success, then cash it in--using the threat of "other dreams" and interested-parties-on-the-horizon to leverage an extension bonus and/or maybe a buyout clause that made them rich when their short term plans and interests crapped out and left their shallowly-founded program floundering (and all of us, the Gators left behind who'd believed in and counted ON them, high and dry!).
And we fell for it all, hook line and sinker...
By "WE" I refer not just to us fans who wanted so badly to BELIEVE, but to ADs, boosters and all the rest who willingly loosened the purse-strings, after all.
Contrast that with Billy Napier, a hot young Coach who was solidly installed where he was, beloved there AND more'n'more much-sought-after throughout college football by a widening array of programs yearning their OWN "return to glory".
He chose US-- and seemingly NOT simply "for the fast money" but "for the long haul"...In order to build something solid, special and LASTING--over time here in Gainesville.
This is the first Coach since SS whom I didn't, and still DON'T get the feeling he is thinking of (let alone somehow eventually PLANNING towards) somewhere else, some OTHER job he secretly "REALLY wants".
He chose the UF job because he could envision realizing his dreams here--and be living in a place he wanted to be, with his family, while he did.
And those are big dreams, ones we all happen to SHARE with him, too.
None of us, top to bottom, Regents, ADs, boosters on down through Alumni, current undergrads, local fans etc could or CAN afford another error in this regard.
Billy damn well BETTER be the genuine article.
I THINK we finally got it right.
Just in time.
This really BEING a stark, sudden realization on my part, I will keep it short and sweet:
I have been stewing in abject amazement of late at the inescapable conclusion that our last few Head Coaches (starting even with Meyer as he somehow "lost his edge", or however you wish to analyze or at least describe his last couple of seasons here, but certainly with his last one, then on through Muschamp, MacEllwaine and Mullen) completely scrambled and ultimately wrecked virtually all the progress that had formerly been made through the 80s (the same one once built into a true elite "powerhouse" under Spurrier-- which the "earlier-Meyer", with a fortunate collection of top talent, was able to retrieve and return to similar heights for a time)...
My point here, however, is that those "last 3 and a 1/2 M's" summarily BUTCHERED our program over the last dozen years or so...and I say they did it ALL FOR THE SHORT TERM MONEY!
That's right: the last 3 especially were intent on coming to Florida, flush with cash as it was and is, cutting corners to find some quicky, short-term improvement and flashy temporary success, then cash it in--using the threat of "other dreams" and interested-parties-on-the-horizon to leverage an extension bonus and/or maybe a buyout clause that made them rich when their short term plans and interests crapped out and left their shallowly-founded program floundering (and all of us, the Gators left behind who'd believed in and counted ON them, high and dry!).
And we fell for it all, hook line and sinker...
By "WE" I refer not just to us fans who wanted so badly to BELIEVE, but to ADs, boosters and all the rest who willingly loosened the purse-strings, after all.
Contrast that with Billy Napier, a hot young Coach who was solidly installed where he was, beloved there AND more'n'more much-sought-after throughout college football by a widening array of programs yearning their OWN "return to glory".
He chose US-- and seemingly NOT simply "for the fast money" but "for the long haul"...In order to build something solid, special and LASTING--over time here in Gainesville.
This is the first Coach since SS whom I didn't, and still DON'T get the feeling he is thinking of (let alone somehow eventually PLANNING towards) somewhere else, some OTHER job he secretly "REALLY wants".
He chose the UF job because he could envision realizing his dreams here--and be living in a place he wanted to be, with his family, while he did.
And those are big dreams, ones we all happen to SHARE with him, too.
None of us, top to bottom, Regents, ADs, boosters on down through Alumni, current undergrads, local fans etc could or CAN afford another error in this regard.
Billy damn well BETTER be the genuine article.
I THINK we finally got it right.
Just in time.
