Countdown To Atlanta Death Match 2009
by mlmintampa on Nov 9, 2009 6:03 AM EST
in Florida Football
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PrintIt is a coincidence that Alabama and Florida are playing for the SEC Championship. Since divisional play began, Alabama has won seven SEC West titles and Florida has won ten SEC East titles, the top two in the Conference (including 2009). It is not surprising then that this will be the seventh time the teams have played for the SEC Championship, and the second time it has been in consecutive years (1992-94 were UF-Bama matchups as well).
It is fate though that the Gators and Tide are undefeated and ranked #1 and #2 in the BCS rankings. Both teams have their own pressures to deal with. Florida wears the crown of a champion, which at times has seemed to overwhelm their coaches and players. Alabama has the expectations of history, and the pressure seems to be gaining on them after the angst over their offensive woes, despite improving their total offense with a first year starter.
Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are both mercenaries, but have locked into posts where they can make or break their careers. Neither man can top their historic predecessors. But to a generation that will donate more money and follows college football with more passion and intelligence than their parents, they will be the pinnacle of their schools.
Florida does not have Mark Ingram and Bama does not have Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey or Emmanuel Moody. Bama does not have Tim Tebow and Florida does not have Julio Jones. Both teams still have defenses that prop up offenses that cannot score or kick too many field goals. Just like two heavyweights, it may not be pretty, but they will pound you into submission.
And just like two heavyweights, they will have to go through a few tomato cans before their unification bout. Florida, for all the talk about a terrible offense, has won 8 of 9 games this season by double digits. Now, they get a South Carolina team that hasn't scored more than 20 points in a month and lost 3 of their last 4. After a bye week against Florida International, they get FSU, which cannot win since they are too busy trying to pull a coup on their head coach.
Bama destroyed people in their first seven games, before needing Terrence Cody's big paws and Leigh Tiffin's big leg to defeat Tennessee. A bye week was supposed to fix all the offense's woes. Yet, the Tide was losing entering the 4th quarter against LSU, before two field goals and a Jones TD and conversion sealed it for Bama. They face Mississippi State, who is not scared of anybody, then a bye week against Chattanooga. Bama then gets Auburn, who has scored 96 points in their last two games (wins) after scoring only 47 in their previous three games (losses).
Both fan bases alternate between various levels of panic and booking flights to Los Angeles on Orbitz. Both fan bases think the other is nothing but white trash or high and mighty snobs. Florida fans wonder if Bama fans will just drive their house to Pasadena, and Bama fans will reply that at least the bank doesn't own their home.
Of course, the Gators and Tide have to hold up their ends of the bargain and not slip before getting to the Atlanta Death Match 2009. Players have to avoid getting high on weed or tryptophan, and watch out for cousins giving them pills and NFL players recruiting for agents. Coaches have to game plan for everything or remove their head out of their ass. Florida has been under huge pressure all season. With the date set in Atlanta, Bama will get a taste of that same pressure too for the next three weeks.
The next four weeks will be cruel on fans and players. One loss will end a season, either now or in Atlanta. But we would not want it any other way. Only 27 days...
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Good post.
Although I disagree with this: " Neither man can top their historic predecessors." The Bear is untouchable, but Spurrier is well within Meyer’s grasp. I know some Gators who already put him over SOS. I wouldn’t quite go there yet, but if this season finishes with an undefeated national championship, it would be hard not to vault Meyer over Spurrier.
There will be a segment of fans who always put Spurrier at the top; anyone who was a child or student in the 1960s. I once said to an older Gator fan that Meyer was the better coach. The guy proceeded to lecture me on how bad UF was before Spurrier came on as a player and how bad they were before he came in as a coach. Old people think building the program twice is bigger than anything Meyer can do.
mlmintampa
UF C/O 06
That's the reason why Meyer is still #2 to me.
Spurrier built the machine, Meyer is just operating it. However, there comes a point when we must acknowledge that while Spurrier pulled us out of the ditch, he never got us to the heights Meyer is at right now. In the five seasons of Spurrier after 1996, we won 1 SEC title. In Meyer’s first 4 years, we won 2 SEC titles and 2 national titles, with a very good chance at #3 in both categories in year 5. I feel dirty saying this, but there’s a good chance Spurrier plateaued here. There has to be recognition, even among the old school, that what Meyer is 5 games away from accomplishing is special. Not just for Florida standards, but all-time college football standards. 3 titles in 4 years is what 90’s Nebraska achieved, and we all know the esteem the teams are held in college football lore. If Meyer gives us a record worthy of claiming a dynastic period in all of college football, no serious person can keep Spurrier #1. These next 3 regular season games, plus the SECCG and bowl, are worth more than their face value. A hell of a lot more.
by Giant Catfish on Nov 9, 2009 2:05 PM EST up reply actions
Undoubtedly true on all counts.
Without question, Meyer is well-poised to knock Spurrier from his throne. These are subjective evaluations, but Meyer is well on pace to remove subjectivity from the discussion. Another SEC and national title, should we be so fortunate to add those great accomplishments to the trophy case, will take a discussion about relative greatness and relegate it to simple mathematics. How many SEC and national titles will Meyer have to his credit when his (hopefully long) career at Florida is done? He’s already doubled Spurrier in the MNC count; it would only take another handful of successful seasons culminating in visits to Atlanta to supercede Spurrier’s results within the conference.
No coach at Bama will ever usurp the Bear in the hearts and minds of that fan base. Spurrier, despite all the wonderful things he did for Florida during his time here, does not enjoy that kind of security.
I believe it’s quite likely Meyer will go down in history as the greatest to ever coach at UF.
Frankly, he might be there already.
Orange and Blue Hue: The World through GATOR-colored Glasses -- http://www.orangeandbluehue.com
Spurrier vs Meyer
i think that as far as coaches it would be tough to beat either one of these guys, however SOS paved the way for UM and created the winning attitude and expectancy that is now at UF. SOS also played at UF, and won the Heisman here, those are things UM will never be able to do for our beloved university. time will tell if UM is a TRUE BLUE GATOR
Great problem to have....
I love this argument. I love both Spurrier & Meyer as coaches and for what they have both done for our program. I hope that when I am really old, that I am arguing which of the 3 or 4 great Gator coaches who have all won national titles was really the best ever!!
I say they both deserve special honors.
Spurrier vs Meyer
I am one of the old guys that watched Spurrier play at UF when I was a kid. I remember the pride we all had in the Gators of that era and the glory that shined down on Florida when Spurrier won the Heisman. I also remember the ass kickings we took during the long struggle to win our first SEC title. When Spurrier came back to FL. it did not take him long to show us that he was brilliant, audacious and on fire. Spurrier brought us out of the dark ages of frustration under Ray Graves, Doug Dickie etc. After so many years of having hopes dashed by Auburn, Alabama and Georgia, we could for once hold our heads up in discussions with other SEC fans. When Spurrier got us a national title in 1996 it was one of the happiest moments of my life. Maybe it should not have meant that much to me but it did. It’s kind of like lovers, they may get better but you’ll always have a special spot for the first.
Whatever it takes
…they get FSU, which cannot win since they are too busy trying to pull a coup on their head coach.
At this point I(we) will gladly trade a losing season for Bobby Bowden to no longer be a part of this program.
sorry to hear about f$u QB injury
I really wanted f$u to come into the swamp at 100% with no excuses. regarding your coaching vacancy or the lack thereof i hear mark richt will be looking for a job at the end of next year. f$u was pretty good before he left tally and of course miami and VaTech entered that excuse for a conference that ya’ll play in. if ya’ll had made richt coach in waiting you might still be wining more than 6 games a year. GO GATORS
You are clueless
Mark Richt coming back would not cure any problems our team has. He was our OC when he left and our current OC/Head Coach in Waiting took a piss poor offense and turned them into an Elite/Top 10 Offense this season.
Our problem is our pathetic defense, Bowden hired is unqualified friends to coach this squad.
Try to have some idea of what is going on before you make a complete fool out of yourself.
if you aint a gator you must be gator bait
that unqualified friend coaching the defense is mickey andrews and he has been coaching the f$u defense for 26 years. f$u’s problem before this year has been the offense. the defense has carried ya’ll for a long time. and i remember jimbo, he was lsu’s o.c. back in the day when spurrier and company was beating them like a drum on an annual basis. f$u’s real problem is that your atheletes are reading on a 2nd grade level (see the NCAA documents that you guys forced the NCAA to make public record) and can’t understand your play book cause it’s written on a fifth grade level where your coaches are able to understand it. YOU need to get an IDEA about what is going on in YOUR program before you continue making a COMLETE FOOL out of yourself, and your team. why do they call it common sense when it’s so uncommon. GO GATORS
Do you even think before you speak or bother to look up a single stat?
Our offense is currently ranked 20th in the nation and that is against some pretty stout defenses. (Your Gators are ranked 19th)
As I said before the problem is our defense, currently ranked 106th out of 120 teams and they have allowed teams to reach their season high in ‘yard per play’ 8 of their 9 games. (Not due to a lack of talent, just poor poor coaching)
Mickey was great for is but the game has passed him by, he wanted to retire 2 years ago after his son committed suicide in his back yard but Bobby begged him to come back. The coaches I was referring to above Amato who does zero coaching or recruiting and Jody Allen who coaches D-Line but had never played or coached D prior to Bobby hiring him.
No need to pile on RaysnNoles
He was just stating his opinion on his own program and didn’t provoke anything or talk any trash about the Gators. I’m sure he’s having a crummy enough time this football season without yall’s attacks.
I really was saddened to hear about Ponder- he appears to be a good kid who had finally put it all together. While I love beating the Noles, I don’t want any of their players to get injured.
Thanks, losing Ponder hurts
But we are trying to be positive, our team was going nowhere this season so it gives a chance for EJ Manuel to get some reps and ensures Ponder doesn’t leave for the draft.
for reals
i would also like to add that it sucks ponder got hurt. i think that kid is a competitor, and i admire him tackling that dude after the int. if theres something you want out of your qb, its 110% each and every play. do you think this brings him back next year?
Buffalo, that's where it's at baby. - Adam 'Pacman' Jones
by silverstreak3k on Nov 9, 2009 10:59 PM EST up reply actions
He is a tough kid
We were kind of hoping he wouldn’t even play that game since he had 2 cracked ribs from last week.
I imagine he has to come back, after surgery he wont be able to throw a ball until next April or so.
it wasn't his comments about his team
it was the part where he said i was making a fool outta myself that i took offense with. i too am sorry for the loss of f$u qb and wish him and the ’noles the best . GO GATORS
by pLANEolG8RB8 on Nov 10, 2009 12:19 AM EST up reply actions
I beg to differ
regarding your coaching vacancy or the lack thereof i hear mark richt will be looking for a job at the end of next year.
Not sure what coaching vacancy you are speaking of here, if you are referring to who will replace Mickey Andrews then Mark Richt would be a terrible choice.
f$u was pretty good before he left tally and of course miami and VaTech entered that excuse for a conference that ya’ll play in.
FSU was not pretty good, FSU was the most ELITE program in the nation.
if ya’ll had made richt coach in waiting you might still be wining more than 6 games a year.
The last time FSU won only 6 games was 1981.
You might no be a fool but your comments tend to be quite foolish.
Everyone, RaysnNoles is the winner, I give up!!!
However, i really feel sorry for this young man. he is in total unbelief that the f$u program’s slippery slope towards loserville started the day that Mark Richt (then f$u’s OC & QB coach) left tally to become the beloved head coach at UGA. He was replaced by Jeffry Bowden and now Jimbo "Cromagnum Man’ Fisher resides there in Richts old post. f$u’s record between the latter two coaches is almost identicle except Jimbo’s is a little worse. Only “this year” has f$u’s offense even resembled the prolific offenses of the 90’s which were led by coach Richt but there is a big difference between then and now. this years team cannot run the ball and keep it away from the other teams like richts f$u teams could, hince, f$u’s defense is on the field too much and by the third qtr they’re worn out. This team relies totally on the big play.
This scenario is a lot like UF’s 07 team. We scored a lot, but our drives only lasted a couple minutes on average so our defense was forced to get back on the field without adequite rest. It even plays into the fact that Ponder has been injured a number of times this season and is now out for the remainder of the season. (remember in 07 TT was injured at Ol Miss and played hurt for most of that season)
I think that is the beauty of the 08 and 09 Gator squads. We can run the ball and we are keeping the ball away from our competition so our defense is well rested in the latter parts of the games and thus are able to finish strong.
Just a thought, with f$u’s recruiting the past few years and the birth of any resemblance of a running game, next year should be a good year in tally.
Where do I begin?
he is in total unbelief that the f$u program’s slippery slope towards loserville started the day that Mark Richt (then f$u’s OC & QB coach) left tally to become the beloved head coach at UGA.
I do in fact believe FSU started to slide due the hiring of Bobby’s unqualified son and nowhere did I say that this was not the case.
f$u’s record between the latter two coaches is almost identicle except Jimbo’s is a little worse. Only "this year" has f$u’s offense even resembled the prolific offenses of the 90’s which were led by coach Richt but there is a big difference between then and now.
That is ridiculous logic, Jimbo Fisher inherited Jeff’s players who were poorly coached and they were also not the type of players Jimbo needed to run his offense effectively. I would say he is doing amazing things so far and again offense is not the reason we are bad.
http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/201962/Fisher_v._Jeff_Bowden_Yards_Per_Play.JPG
Jeff Bowden’s final 21 conference games and Jimbo’s first 21 conference games.
this years team cannot run the ball and keep it away from the other teams like richts f$u teams could, hince, f$u’s defense is on the field too much and by the third qtr they’re worn out. This team relies totally on the big play
It would have taken you 5 seconds to not look like an idiot. http://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/ncaa-m-footbl-fbs-team-time-of-posession.html UF’s offenses possesses the ball a whopping 28 seconds longer than FSU does.
This scenario is a lot like UF’s 07 team. We scored a lot, but our drives only lasted a couple minutes on average so our defense was forced to get back on the field without adequite rest.
You are correct in your assessment of UF’s 2007 team but in no way do they compare to FSU’s 2009 team.
UF 2007 PPG – 42.46 TOP – 29:18
FSU 2009 PPG – 30.89 TOP – 31:20
It even plays into the fact that Ponder has been injured a number of times this season and is now out for the remainder of the season. (remember in 07 TT was injured at Ol Miss and played hurt for most of that season)
You got something else right but to be honest I think a 3rd grader could have made that comparison.
I think that is the beauty of the 08 and 09 Gator squads. We can run the ball and we are keeping the ball away from our competition so our defense is well rested in the latter parts of the games and thus are able to finish strong.
It also helps that you have 11 returning starters from a 2008 #1 ranked defense who were recruited and coached by defensive personnel who actually care and are qualified.
Just a thought, with f$u’s recruiting the past few years and the birth of any resemblance of a running game, next year should be a good year in tally.
A running game is the least of our worries right now. http://www.tomahawknation.com/2009/11/2/1110686/florida-states-defense-the-cure
I hope this little lesson helped you understand what is going on at FSU since you seem to be absolutely clueless. There is a reason none of your Gator buddies have come to support you, it is because your logic is FAIL.
last comment to raisenoles,
first off, Winning is the only thing that really matters, stats are for people who either write for a living or people like youself who don’t have a life. I understand that you are emotionally traumatised by the way your semiholes are playing, but if they had the same stats and were 8-1 or 9-0 you’d be happy as a clam. so go back to one of them criminole sites and give some of them bowden lovers a hard time. shoot, they might even give a crap enough about this smoke that you’re blowing to go to some of those f$u sites that you’re selling.
son, you need to get a job, you’re doing so much study on them crimi"noles" i believe its driving you mad. Why aren’t you over on one of them semihole sites anyhow? did they run you off? i guess if you have to listen to a buch of morons talking the same garbage that you’re bringin’ on this site when you’re over there, I understand why you you’re spending every waking hour on our sites. good luck sweetie, cause if the rest of the f$u fans are acting like you, ol’ bobby might just stay 2 years instead of leaving after next season just to piss you off, and prove one thing, don’t mess with a legend boy. go back where you came from
by pLANEolG8RB8 on Nov 10, 2009 10:33 PM EST up reply actions
I was really hoping you wouldn’t go that whole ‘criminoles’ route but since you did I will enlighten you on the troubles that exist at your very own university, well not your university. Judging by the way you reason and form sentences I can’t imagine you passed the 9th grade and stepping foot on campus was a mere pipe dream for you.
24 Player Arrests under Urban Meyer
I truly am sorry for burdening you with my statistical analysis and logical reasoning, at first I thought you chose to ignore it but now it is clear that it was merely beyond your level of comprehension.
you sir are correct
i didn’t qualify for UF. but unlike yourself, though qualified, i refused to attend f$u and chose uwf who even now doesn’t have a football program. man, that has got to hurt. why do they call it common sense when it’s so uncommon? what’s that noise i’m hearing……….oh……….clemson just scored again……i know that you hate your life, and it really has to suck to be you, but try to have a nice day troll, i’m sure we’ll hear back from you ;o). you apparently have nothing more to do than come on your rivals’ blogs and show us what pathetic state that the f$u football program and their fan base is in. So Again I Say; GO GATORS
wasn't flag waving, butt,....... that's a matter of opinion mlm,
and you should know what opinions are like, and yeah, everybody has their own. good luck mlm, you sir are truly a gator great, and thanks alot, go gators
by pLANEolG8RB8 on Nov 12, 2009 9:22 AM EST up reply actions
i guess that by mlm's logical opinion Urban Meyer shouldn't be "waving a flag" either
since he “didn’t go to Florida”, thanks again mlm, you have a nice day now, go gators
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