Welcome to Georgia week?

Gator fans are not looking forward to the Georgia game.

I always look forward to the UGA game.

As the Kiss of Death, we got Tom Rinaldi writing about the Gators like it is a Shakespearean tragedy.

Damn.

I don’t care if both teams suck this year. It’s UGA week….time to play.

UGA is favored in this game for the first time since…I can’t remember – maybe one of the Zook years or maybe Galen Hall. Both teams have looked bad at certain points – UGA early on, UF pretty much all season.

But UGA has “righted the ship” against UT, Vandy and Kentucky. So we’re not really sure how right that ship’s course is. I am hoping that the Gators physically healed up last week and refocused themselves for the rest of the season.

We’ll know within the first possession of the game whether Urban made some offensive adjustments or whether we’re in for our second loss to UGA in the Meyer era. I feel Urban has done a poor job thus far this season, but he typically has our team prepared when he has extra time. Let’s hope that trend continues.

I also hope that Rainey doesn’t play, because I don’t want to hear the belly-aching from the UGA fans.

But again, why are we talking about replacing Coach Meyer? I mean, let’s just focus on the fact we actually could still get to the SEC Championship Game. It doesn’t matter what the records are, beating Georgia is always fun. Focus on that.

After only three losses, it is premature to even consider the thought of replacing Urban Meyer. While many of the posters on this board probably hold degrees from UF or have significant ties to the program, as for myself, I had the pleasure of obtaining two degrees from UF. I spent the better part of six years in Gainesville as a student and die hard Gator fan. Thus, in my opinion, I have earned the right to feel slighted by the inclination that UF should consider replacing Urban Meyer.

Like I previously stated, I understand that many of the posters on this board possess firmly rooted ties to the university. However, the over-abundance of fair weathered fans and critics have begun to pull at a nerve. While I am not satisfied with losing games, any Gator fan knows, acknowledges, and understands that Urban Meyer is also not satisfied with anything less than perfection. As a Gator fan and UF alumni, I feel both privileged and blessed to have had the opportunity to witness the incredible run which UF football has experienced over the past few years. We enjoyed three seasons in which UF football posted a 13-1 record, and we won two national titles under the guise of Urban Meyer. That being said, it amazes me to even fathom the thought of replacing the figurehead of this program.

If you feel it necessary, then you may curse me for saying this; however, I feel it is necessary to make my point conspicuously clear. If you are one of those people being overly critical of Urban Meyer and entertaining the idea of replacing Urban Meyer, then Gator Nation is better off without you as a Gator fan. It is attitudes such as this that will eventually cause Urban to leave UF. In my honest opinion, I do not think there is another coach in this country that cares more about winning, tradition, and achieving unfettered athletic dominance than Urban Meyer. Perhaps, Urban needs a year to reset. Perhaps, this year is merely a residual consequence of our past success (i.e., our players leaving for the NFL and our entire coaching staff being recruited by other institutions). Whatever your reasoning for this season’s unfortunate turn of events, it is nothing more than mere ignorance to display anything but appreciation and gratitude for one of the best coaches to ever walk a sideline of a college football field.

Lastly, I have to phrase this point in the form of a question. Do you think it would be easier for our coaches and players to turn the corner if the fans showed support, gratitude, and believed in their judgment and abilities or by acting like a bunch of judgmental and entitled @$$es? One of the reasons Urban Meyer encountered health issues is because of the insurmountable pressures in which he placed upon himself. Although I am not making excuses for him, I have to believe that this teams lack of productivity is driving him down the same or similar path. What are we accomplishing by adding more insult to injury? Moreover, when I was 18-20 years old, I know for certain that support and encouragement provided me with more incentive to perform better rather than constant criticism. By considering both of the aforementioned together as a whole, it would seem logical to conclude that by displaying undivided support for this team rather than dissatisfaction would yield a more positive result.

In sum, in my opinion, the absolute worst thing that could happen to this program would be losing Urban Meyer as a head coach. To think otherwise, well, the word idiocy comes to mind. Thus, rather than criticizing Urban Meyer, I suggest showing support. Why would we want to contribute to driving off arguably the best coach in college football? While your individual comments and attitudes may not have such an affect, it is the collective attitudes of certain fans and the media that may be the straw to break the camel’s back.

Like I said, this post may not apply to you. However, I have merely heard enough from those for which this post does apply. Through all kinds of weather! If you do not believe in what UF stands for, by all means, jump off the wagon already.