Heisman statues are a waste of $1.6 million

by mlmintampa on Jun 17, 2010 10:33 AM EDT in Florida Football

Wednesday, the UAA announced the approval of three statues honoring Florida's Heisman winners; Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Tim Tebow. Each statue would cost $550,000 and be funded with private donations that have been pledged. The statues would be on the west side of the stadium and be 15 percent larger than life-sized.

I am already on record as to being against Heisman statues. I am not against statues, but honoring three individual achievements over three National Championships, two basketball championships and the inventor of Gatorade does not seem right to me. If UF had historical markers honoring each player, that would be fine. But individual statues raises Spurrier, Wuerffel and Tebow to the level of deities. (Not to mention that Spurrier is a division rival and Tebow has not accomplished anything yet in his post-college career.) Maybe those three are Gods in some minds, but they would not have been successful without Ray Graves, the Fun n' Gun and Dan Mullen or Percy Harvin. The idea that one player can be elevated in the ultimate team sport is strange to me. Also, do we want to start acting like these assholes? (By the way, the statues are being made by the same person who did the Bowden statue. Get excited.)

The other problem I have is that all non-revenue sports took a 10 percent budget cut this year. While it was in line with a university mandate to cut costs, three statues are not going to help support baseball or soccer teams. Statues won't renovate the O'Connell Center, buy new equipment or finally build UF an indoor practice complex.

I hate to bite the hand that feeds, but it seems like the statues are another way to get a Bull Gator donor's name on something. I can only guess that Stumpy Harris is pissed Gale Lemerand got North-South Drive and three Heisman statues are his revenge.

That said, I am a huge homer and I'll be taking pictures with the statues at next spring's Orange and Blue Game. I just wish the donations would have been spent on something more useful.

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I'm not a big fan of statues either....but

1) The donors wanted them and they paid for them, so it’s not lke the money was taken away from anything else. If Stumpy wants to put up statues, who are we to tell him no thanks?;

2) Now, we’ll have a good meeting place for games "hey man – we’ll meet you next to Wuerffel’s statue around 12:30; and

3) These 3 guys are the greatest Gators to ever wear the orange and blue. I am cool with all of them (even Spurrier the Cock) and believe that they will (continue to) represent the University with total class for the rest of their lives.

by skigator93 on Jun 17, 2010 12:04 PM EDT reply actions

i agree 100% with mIm.

If we want to do something to honor these guys lets do something like the Yankees do. Put their faces on a plaque a summary of their career and what they did for the university make a nice little space in the corner of the stadium and just let ppl go see it before or after games. I know we already have the Ring of Honor going around the stadium but i think the plaques would be a nice compliment to it. Itll give ppl information about those names going around the stadium cuz lets face it not everyone knows what Jack Youngblood or Wilbur Marshall did in their time at Florida.

by gatorempire127 on Jun 17, 2010 12:11 PM EDT reply actions

dont agree with the deity argument

because we make statues all the time, doesnt mean you are elevating anyone that high. the heisman is a big deal, and its really hard to get. it also shouldnt matter that wuerffel and tebow didnt and havent accomplished anything in the nfl yet (although some would say being a first round draftee is an accomplishment), because its a college award, so thats a silly argument. i agree that maybe honoring spurrier should wait until hes retired, just doesnt seem right to honor him while hes trying his hardest to beat the gators presently. my main problem is the money, i cant believe in times like what we are having, they are wasting so much money on this. i mean if it was a booming economy and money wasnt really a big problem for anyone, then who cares, but the fact that this is going up now is…..well just bad timing. but yes, none of this means i wont be taking pictures with them

also what happens when brantley wins the heisman? they better build them and install them to add more to it, because i doubt these are the last heismans to be at UF. and i cant believe they havent done more to honor the gatorade guy…

Buffalo, that's where it's at baby. - Adam 'Pacman' Jones
To us winning is a tradition. We are victors and need not explain. You may hate us, but your girlfriends love us. - BC

by silverstreak3k on Jun 17, 2010 1:24 PM EDT reply actions

Re: we make statues all the time

There is one statue on campus; UF’s second president Albert Murphree. However, there are three alligator statues. Each time they make one, it’s bigger than the previous one.

Also, regarding post-college careers, Wuerffel is a humanitarian in his work in New Orleans and other parts of the South. Tebow’s post-college career has been a TV commercial and getting drafted. Hopefully he does as much as Wuerffel. I didn’t consider NFL careers because Spurrier and Wuerffel both had ineffective pro careers.

mlmintampa
UF C/O 06
http://www.alligatorarmy.com

by mlmintampa on Jun 17, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

when i said "we"

i meant us americans. there are statues everywhere across this country. or presidents, senators, mayors, humantarians, and even athletes, thats why i dont think its a big deal to make a statue for tebow (who brought a lot of recognition and popularity not to mention success to UF) spurrier (likewise) and wuerffel (also likewise, but maybe not as much as tebow). it was just a matter of time they did something to recognize tebow, surprising its this early though.

i still dont think it matters if tebow does anything, his heisman was for his college career, which was outstanding. i could not care less if he disappears after getting drafted (when it comes to honoring his college career), winning the heisman is still a big deal.

Buffalo, that's where it's at baby. - Adam 'Pacman' Jones
To us winning is a tradition. We are victors and need not explain. You may hate us, but your girlfriends love us. - BC

by silverstreak3k on Jun 17, 2010 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Statues

Isn’t there a statue of Criser? Or am I just imagining that?

I also don’t get what the economy has to do with this. If Stumpy wants to spend his money on statues, what does it matter that the national economy is in the dumper? This money is not being diverted from anything else. If it wasn’t being spent on statues, it might be spent on a renovation to Stumpy’s lake house or something.

by skigator93 on Jun 18, 2010 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

oh yeah

Tebow has already brought a multitude of millions to UF – we are eternally indebted to him. How many people have you heard say how sick they were of ESPN talking about Tebow non stop? That is free pub for the Gators which is priceless. That doesn’t even include the 300 million #15 jerseys they sold!

by skigator93 on Jun 18, 2010 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions

What exactly does UF need?

Waste of money? You have plenty.

Just enjoy the statues and be proud to have three heisman winners,sheesh! ;)

......and let the paramedics sort 'em out!

by Scalpemall on Jun 17, 2010 7:12 PM EDT reply actions

Got to disagree

Money wise, it’s this guys personal money, so who is going to say no? As far as the 3 players, spurrier pretty much pit UF football bak on the map, as a player and coach, and it can be argued he revitalized recruiting in a lot of areas as well. Tebow was the face of UF football for a national title, and his pro career has nothing to do with his college days. And Danny boy is hell of a spokesman for local car dealers and real estate… O yeah he was a great player to boot.
Gatorade will be getting the main exhibit in the monstrosity of a new museum in Gainesville. Anyone downtown will attest to the cluster**** of south main street, which is from the renovation of the area where the museum will be (unless it’s already been moved, Porters anyone?)

I’m all for it. Economic bad timing isn’t a reason to hate

by Bourbon Meyer on Jun 17, 2010 11:51 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Like the handle

Have you ever enjoyed a Bourbon Meyer beverage? I think the guys at www.gatortailgating.com concocted it a few years ago.

by skigator93 on Jun 18, 2010 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions

Me and my roommates created it around when he got hired. Ours was basically an Arnold Palmer and some cheap bourbon… Eventually it just turned into bourbon + anything.

by Bourbon Meyer on Jun 18, 2010 10:32 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I'm not sure if theirs included the lemonade

I think it was just bourbon and sweet tea, but I could be wrong. Your version sounds pretty good. I’ve tailgated with those guys a few times – they are an intense bunch and they take their tailgating very seriously!

by skigator93 on Jun 18, 2010 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions