The Gator Nation

To quote Woodrow "Woody" Paige: "Why do I always have to straighten you guys out?"

In the fractured Gator Nation that we live in today, I inhabit the middle ground between the kids who didn't live through the Spurrier days and don't know that he built the Florida football program (and the university) brick by brick from his Heisman Trophy through the Orange Bowl in 2001, and the die-hard Head Ball Coach fans whose passion is so deep that it has caused them to lash out against innocent victims like Coach Urban Meyer.

I like to consider myself an independent in the great tradition of a Verne Lundquist or Gary Danielson.

You will hear a lot of talk on Ballplays about the vast anti-Spurrier, anti-SEC, anti-Gator Nation bias that exists in the college football world today. The good news is that people like the aforementioned Gary Danielson are out there fighting the good fight with us. Here is a section of the Wikipedia entry on Mr. Danielson:

Gary Danielson was an analyst for the SEC Championship game on December 2, 2006. Danielson’s remarks in the fourth quarter of Florida’s 38-28 victory over Arkansas in the SEC title game sparked some controversy. He was accused of lobbying for Florida to play in the national title game against Ohio State and against Michigan getting a shot at a rematch against Ohio State.
In a December 5th, 2006 interview on WXYT 1270AM, a Detroit based station, Danielson acknowledged he campaigned for Florida in the SEC title game. "I figure I have two more months to go to catch up with ABC and ESPN. They've been (campaigning for) the Big Ten since September."
Danielson's controversial comments turned out to be accurate, as Florida went on to win the BCS National Championship by crushing Ohio State 41-14. It was Florida's second national championship.

As I watched this game at home it was a great relief to finally see some sane analysis of the BCS situation, after hearing Bart Frankfurter (aka Brent Musburger) avoid even mentioning the Gators all year as he spoke out about the dominance of Ohio State over such great opponents as Indiana and Bowling Green.

Now, as the resident independent on Ballplays, you will find that while I will proclaim Steve Spurrier to be the best coach in college football, I will also defend Urban Meyer. Coach Meyer has spoken highly of the Head Ball Coach at every opportunity, and has been the kind of winner we thought we may never have again after Spurrier left and we were in the dark ages of 2002-2004. Fear not Gator Nation fans, supporting Urban Meyer does not make you any less of a Spurrier fan, and enjoying the accomplishments of the Meyer-era does not in any way overshadow the accomplishments of the Spurrier-era.

Stay tuned for my preseason predictions for both Gator Nation teams, and also the release of the preseason OP College Football poll.