Yes, this is an apology to the Gator Nation, but I’m not going to use Tim Tebow’s words, as I feel we’ve all heard them a good four million times too many at this point. Instead, I must borrow the words from one of the most revered characters in all of cinema: Happy Gilmore.
After Happy realizes that he does in fact need the help of his mentor, Chubbs, he issues this Tebow-like apology: “I'm stupid. You're smart. I was wrong. You were right. You're the best. I'm the worst. You're very good-looking. I'm not attractive.”
And those words sum up exactly how I feel about this year’s Gators—and specifically Urban Meyer.
Back in August, when everyone pretends to be Kirk Herbstreit, I wrote that while the Gators would win the East, they would not claim the SEC Championship and would therefore not reach the national title game.
Below are excerpts from that article. In italics, I’ve added a few follow up thoughts:
The 2008-2009 Gators have a loaded offense, the returning Heisman winner, a manageable schedule, and one of the country’s best coaches—a sure-fire recipe for a national championship contender.
But here are five reasons the Florida Gators will not only miss out on the national championship game but also on winning the SEC.
1.) The Defense
The Gator defense was flat-out awful last year, and while all those players are now a year older, we just don’t know if they’ll be any better.
In the SEC, it all starts in the trenches, so if Florida can’t get a pass rush or stop the run, it will be déjà vu in 2008. While I think Florida’s defense will be improved, it will still be a very young squad, and eventually that youth will catch up with them in a close game.
Defensive end Carlos Dunlap led the SEC in sacks and didn’t even start the entire season. Jermaine Cunningham was a freak. Brandon Spikes single-handedly stopped the best runners in the SEC. The defense had 24 interceptions, led by surprise star Ahmad Black.
I got served.
2.) Two-Minute Offense
Gator fans don’t want to hear this—and some will argue otherwise—but the fact is, Tim Tebow never led the Gators to a come-from-behind win last season, despite three chances to do so: against Auburn, LSU, and Michigan.
This is obviously not all on Tebow, as play calling and other players factor into the two-minute drill. But clearly the Gators did not have the late game execution they wanted in their three closest losses of last season—and it all starts with Tebow.
Yeah, umm, about the Alabama game. I got served again.
3.) Tebow Backlash
While I highly doubt too many defenders will actually get the last word on Number 15, some determined team will find a chink in the Gator armor
To the Gator Nation: I Apologize
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22 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment
Anthony Elias 6 months ago
Haha. Don't apologize. We all make mistakes. I as a Penn State fan thought we had a chance beating USC in de facto road game. ha! If anything, the media should apologize to us for ranking Clemson so highly in the preseason rankings, because that was the "big win" that propelled a now seemingly mediocre Alabama team into the #1 ranking early on. Stuff like that deserves apologies.
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Mitch at sportschatplace.com 6 months ago
Actually it was the win at Georgia
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Anthony Elias 6 months ago
I meant non-conference.
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Damon Wildman 6 months ago
That mediocre Bama team lost to the only undefeated team in the nation who will wind up with probably a top 3 ranking and to possibly the BCS national champions when all is said and done. Not what I would call humiliating defeats by any means.
But yeah Bama was over rated for a period of time. And Utah may be the best team in the nation but will never get the accolades. Do you want Bama to apologize for winning 12 games in the SEC this past season even though the SEC was over rated?
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C L 6 months ago
Idea for your next article - "To the Owl Nation: I Apologize"
All in good fun...I know you would, strangely, rather apologize to the Gaytor nation than to the nascent Owl Nation, but whatever.
See you all next year.
GO OWLS! BACK TO BACK BOWL CHAMPS!
2007 Sun Belt Champions
2007 New Orleans Bowl Champions
2008 Motor City Bowl Champions
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Tim Pollock 6 months ago
You're a faithful fan, C, I'll give you that.
I'd love to see an article every once in a while.
Creature vs. Creature next year?
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C L 6 months ago
Ha...yeh battle of the birds.
Diminutive Raptor vs. Angry Chicken.
It will be a tough year for us in 2009 (losing lots of seniors)...but then again, the Owls seem to flourish when they are down and out. Finishing the season 6-1 when everyone (including the Owl faithful) threw up their hands. None of us actually believed we would make it to a bowl game...but somehow our coach that some (cough cough) love to hate sold our story, to the chagrin of stAte and ULL (although they were more pissed off at LA Tech's 'No Sun Belt Opponent' policy). Then, 92% of the country including our very enthusiastic beat reporter at the Sun-Sentinel picked us to lose. Despite that, we sold more tickets (2 to 3 times as many) as we did for the New Orleans Bowl, with the vast majority being given to local military and youth in the Detroit area. In front of 40,000 CMU fans, a home game in nearly every way, we beat up on one of the best teams in the MAC. The close score, if you were watching, was more a factor of how we Owls like to keep viewers interested (and give fans heart attacks). :) The Chips will blame officiating, they will blame their coach, but despite the fact they sacked us more than Texas was able to, we came through. I was surprised frankly, and I still am in shock. It took Florida something like 40 years to go to a bowl. We did it back to back in only 3 . We currently hold the longest bowl win streak in the state...
I love my Owls, and I hope our Older Ball Coach can give your Old Ball Coach a run for his money.
Prayin the Cocks look past the Owls on the 19th of September!
GO OWLS!
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Mitch at sportschatplace.com 6 months ago
TIm, good read, and your Utah comments on my 10 top 10's?
Look at all the Ute backers today, I didn't see the cavalry at my back a month ago..lol
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Tim Pollock 6 months ago
I hear you, Mitch. I was shocked at how Utah took it to Bama. It looked like the Bama players hadn't seen a minute of game film.
At the same time, give it up to the SEC in bowl games. I know you called the LSU game, but Vandy, Kentucky, and Ole Miss pulled off big wins. No need to mention the Gamecocks, thanks.
Tough games to pick this year, huh? How are you doing so far?
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Mitch at sportschatplace.com 6 months ago
It's been choppy, started red hot, mixed in between, a bad day on the 2nd and well...i guess we'll see how we bring it home had UConn so that's a start.
Of those games Vandy surprised me the most. The Kentucky game was so tight as most thought it would be and too bad it was settled by a miserable call, I guess I never complain when they go in my favor. as for Ole Miss, I think you know I was on them a lot of the season but when we had the few weeks off well I guess I figured they were as good a team as any to pick to get beat.
I see u r the hoops leader here and I am starting a hoops site like my football one (not my brain storm, my readers requested it) but I am going to be more of a manager because I think everyone knows that I'm a college football guy.
In any event, if you know of any writers that do picks, or really good analysis (not fluff stuff) you can send them my way if they are looking for more exposure and if it's anything like my cfb site they might end up making a few bucks as well in the long run.
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Travis Miller 6 months ago
Humility! Something more writers need!
Perhaps not, actually: The occasional "I was wrong" is always nice, but if every writer did so every time they were wrong, we'd just be flooded with anti-Falcons, pro-Browns, pro-Georgia, anti-...ah, you get it.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Alabama was overrated. So was Georgia.
Florida looks good. I root for the Gators. I don't see them getting past the Sooners though. That Ole Miss loss looks haunted all of a sudden....Oklahoma scored 65 points on Texas Tech. The team that beat Florida scored 47 on Tech and allowed over 30 pts to be scored on them- the Rebs supposedly have good D. Harrell was off target and like Bama, didn't respect their opponent.
Lets not forget that Bama and Florida were duking it out until the 9 minute mark in the fourth quarter. Bama is not that good. They are average. The two very good teams they faced, they lost to.
I do believe D wins championships, but Oklahoma's D ranking is deflated due to all of the prolific offenses they have faced. SEVEN top 30 scoring offenses they faced. The Gators have faced NONE.
That's worrisome. That's exactly what was the doom of Penn State. They got way behind USC and had to throw away their game plan to play catch up. Bama got way behind Utah and was forced to throw, and we all know JPW is not a strong passer. Doom. Play against prolific offenses and your D looks mediocre.
Nice article! Five stars!
Let's hope that Florida can hang with the Sooners on the scoreboard. They can't allow the Sooners to get too far ahead. :( I am worried.
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Tim Pollock 6 months ago
I appreciate the read, dude!
Shocked you think OU will win, Lisa.
I see FL having the advantage in every area--and the biggest one, which no one is talking about for some reason--is special teams (again).
While Bama looked awful last night, I think they were rock solid during the year. And I simply think it's easier to get up for an SECCG then the consolation Sugar Bowl against an opponent no one knows about.
As far as Ole Miss goes, their pass D was 11th in the SEC, so the fact that they didn't give up more is pretty amazing. Harrell threw over 60 passes and still had average numbers. If anything, I would think OU fans would be worried with the way the Big 12 D's are getting shredded in bowl play.
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Damon Wildman 6 months ago
Lisa...Where do you think Bama should be rightfully rated? No doubt they were over rated.
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Justin Goar 6 months ago
glad to see you accountable to the gator nation.
who doesn't love happy gilmore??
btw, did you cry at any time during this apology?? if not, i don't believe it to be sincere.
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Joseph Morgan 6 months ago
Good piece. I was way off on some picks this season as well! I had Ole Miss as a below .500 team and Auburn winning the West as well. Looks like I was more more wrong than you. Ha!
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Michael Collins 6 months ago
I've picked Oklahoma. They have top ranked scoring offense, protect Bradford (3rd in nation in Sacks allowed) and get after the opposition QB (3rd in nation in Sacks). He is the top QB in the nation, completes almost 70% of his passes. The Sooners have scored more than 60 points in their last five games. If Florida can rush and maintain possession, they win. Should be a great game.
How about an apology from those teams who hired new coaches and overlooked Kyle Wittingham? He's 37-14, behind only Urban Meyer, Les Miles and Bronco Mendenhall of coaches hired in 2005. Utah is not exactly a hotbed for recruiting talent.
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Lance O'Brien 6 months ago
I understand exactly how you feel apologizing. Before the season started I was telling anyone who would listen that I thought the Gators were the most overrated team of the pre-season. I mean come on, they went 9-4 last season! And especially after the Ole Miss game, I pretty much thought I was a fortune teller.
But alas, they go on to dominate the rest of the year and could possibly knock off the greatest offense college football has seen to win the national championship. I understand.
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Bill Buby 6 months ago
‘Bama is a great team they didn't seem prepared and acted confused with the no-huddle offense. And actually it looked as thought Utah had studied the offense Florida used against Alabama. I don’t know if Utah played their typical game or not but sure looked like some of Florida plays. And maybe that is what thru ‘Bama off.
You can see how well Ole Miss was prepared against Texas Tech. I think Florida will borrow some defense play from Ole Miss. All Florida has to do is get 2 TD’s ahead and stop OU in first half.
It’s going to be a great game. I think the talk about Utah and USC should have been will stop at the end of this slug fest. The shoot out at the FedEx corral, who ever brings their guns will win.
Go Gators!
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Gray Ghost 6 months ago
Tim, as a Dawg fan I humbly accept your "I told you so". :)
I think the Gators take the title. We shall see.
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O-town Gator 6 months ago
To quote a line from "Glengarry Glen Ross": "You NEVER open you mouth, 'til you KNOW what the shot is".
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Tim Pollock 6 months ago
Umm...
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