Thursday in
mlmintampa: On Alligator Army, I've been going back over the 1996 championship season in part because I think the pressure the Gators face this season, might be similar to what the '96 team faced after the Nebraska loss. What was the mood like for that team returning and were you concerned that you might have missed your chance at winning a National Championship?
Danny Wuerffel: I think the loss helped prepare us for the next season. We had gotten so close and tasted the championship. And I think it helped us to prepare better for the Sugar Bowl the next year as well.
mlm: Tim Tebow seems to be reaching folk hero status. In your interactions with him, has he changed at all since coming to UF?
DW: Tim is so blessed to come from such a great family. He is very grounded and still seems to me to be the last person to know he isn’t a folk hero.
mlm: So much is made of what Tebow does in the community and his work in the
DW: I was very involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and did a lot of community service through that organization. The relationships through FCA helped to shape who I’ve become and all I’ve done since.
mlm: Many Gator fans are familiar with Desire Street Ministries but it might just be another charity to some. What makes
DW: We work in communities where children often don’t get the same opportunities of most kids. We believe that our job is to build relationships, create opportunities, restore hope and build leaders who will then take the initiative to transform their own communities. Not only are we a Christian organization that plants churches and does spiritual development, but we also address areas such as healthcare, housing, economic development, and education.
mlm: Do you ever worry that people might forget about rebuilding
DW: Unfortunately, our society often pays attention only to what’s on the news. So as the story of
mlm: I visited
DW: The Ninth Ward was devastated by the storm and will take a long time to recover. Our facility is in what’s called the "upper ninth ward" and is in a little better shape (relatively). We have started several new initiatives in
However, since Katrina, Desire Street Ministries has been focusing on replicating our ministry model in other impoverished communities as well. To that end, we’ve decided to leave our school,
If you cannot get to Jacksonville Thursday, visit Desire Street’s website to learn more about their programs. You can donate, volunteer in
Huge thanks to Danny Wuerffel and