Coach Donovan speaks to FB team

I just love seeing the important role played by Brandon Spikes on this team. Brandon was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, to say the very least. He has overcome a LOT in his life, things that would have totally wrecked most of us had they been what we came into. To see him seize the opportunity to become a man that helps lead other men is encouraging to me completely outside of sport.

 

A gator to be proud of no doubt. We always need more of those type.

 

Seeing the portion of the story about Adrian Moss highlights one of the things I love most about team dynamics as opposed to fan perceptions. Moss gets none of the hype of those teams but the players respect for him is so important and says so much less about winning/losing and says much about the character of the man.

Forgive my repetitiveness of this story but all Gators, esp. the youngsters, should know it.

I heard an interview with Spurrier once and he was asked about the 1997 32-29 win over FSU: "Greatest Game Ever Played In The Swamp". Steve started to talk about Mike "Mud" Harris, a local boy that labored in relative obscurity on the team, working in the defensive backfield. We have all seen the winning drive, Fred's runs to glory, Dwayne's interception. What gets forgotten is the FSU possession immediately prior to the Gator Game-winning drive.

FSU was deep in their territory, late 4th quarter, up 26-25. Travis Minor, the very talented and fast FSU RB, caught a pass out of the backfield and took off down the east sideline, nothing but green grass in front of him. As he ran for the endzone, the DB covering the other half of the field, Mike Harris, came streaking diagonally across on an intercept. Minor was fast and saw Harris and adjusted his run to tiptoe the sideline. It looked like Harris' sprint was for naught as Minor seemed sure to win the race but just yards shy of the end zone, Harris arrived and was close enough to barely nudge Minor out of bounds with a shoulder bump. FSU: First and goal. It looked bad for Our Boys in Orange & Blue. But the defense, burned badly on Minor's scamper, stood tall and kept Minor and the Nole's feet out of the end zone that was so tantalizingly close. That goal-line stand is another story all to itself, BTW. Legendary effort by the Gator D. 4th down, on came the Polish Powderkeg, rookie PK Sebastian Janikowski. He easily made the chip shot field goal putting FSU up 29-25. He then made a mistake some Gator fans say cost FSU the game: He mocked the West Stands with a Gator chomp after making the kick. Hal Moore noted Janikowski's teammates on the sideline seeming to chastise the rookie kicker for being "too soon."

Now everyone here knows what happened next when UF received the kickoff. Doug-to-Quezzie, Fred Taylor's 3 runs to paydirt. Dwayne Thomas' game-sealing interception. "Insane asylum in The Swamp."

The reason Spurrier often mentions Mud Harris effort in that game is he knows, as should we all, that if Mud, a relatively unknown defensive back, doesn't give every last ounce of effort to come across the field - way out of HIS area of responsibility - to try to deflect the FSU ball carrier, FSU scores a TD and makes the game 33-25, demanding both a Gator TD and successful 2-point conversion - JUST TO TIE. How many times have we seen players slow down, give up, on trying to stop a runner from a certain score? Mike didn't give up. Steve pointed to the play as the sort of thing fans forget but the players remember. I am determined to be a one-man "Remember Mike Harris" fan club. The story says so much about the nature of a TEAM, and the little known things players do to help a team fight to victory.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk. :-D

 

Repeat that story over and over. Me and my friend were at the 97 game and we ALWAYS talk about how Mike Harris doesn't get enough credit when talking about that game. My buddy saw Harris on campus later on that year and made sure he gave him props for that play.

 

You to? Lol

 

I also remember CJ Henderson doing the same thing to run down the Vol TE who was enroute to an easy score in our game against them in 2018. Pope scores there, it makes the game 23-10 but more importantly would have ignited that Tennessee crowd. I told my son, even in the 4th quarter of that game, I was never so nervous with a double-digit lead. The Vols kept shooting themselves in the foot but a CJ doesn't come all the way across the field to not only prevent the score but forced a fumble out the back of the endzone so Gator ball on the 20.

 

I’ve forgotten so much I need to rewatch

 

We seem to share the same attention to the plays of the game that don't necessarily make the memories. This was another one for sure.

 

Always loved Billy D.
I remember when I was a student and was driving to my practicum, saw a sign that said "Welcome Billy Ball" and I thought "who/what is Billy Ball? We certainly found out...

 

Heck, reading his account of that game made me realize two things. My memory needs some refreshing as it was a bit foggy and damn, that was a long time ago, almost 30 years, good lord.

 

I’ll bet a ton of money could be made by condensing into those little 15 minute games where you only see the plays, Spurriers years at Florida. I’d buy it

 

Could probably start a good thread about the Plays of the game that aren't usually talked about when talking about great Gator games.

 

My BLOOD PUMPS HOT every time I hear:

GREEN IS BEHIND THE DEFENSE! He's at the 35, he's at the 25, He's at the 17!

 

I will up you one antny 1 - We could do a thread of great plays concerning our tooth decay friends from Knoxville. !!! hehehe

 

I was there...was so pumped and happy..

 

I just love to rewatch all those classic games, but not spend three hours doing each game

 

I still have the BWTGs on VCR that my mom dutifully recorded and mailed to me in Knoxville. My son watched every second of every one many times. I watched that one "live" in my living room and then many many times on the VCR. It was an Insane Asylum in the Swamp but it was pretty much bedlam in our house that evening, let me tell you. The FSU lineman pulling aside Janikowski was something the Sunshine Network cameras picked up and Nat and Larry talked a bout prior to The Drive.

 

How about Chris Leak's pass to CI on a 2d & 22 behind 17-7 deep in the 3d Quarter vs. UTn in 2006. CI picked up the first and got the ball to within the 10 and it kept momentum and allowed a score on the next play when we were down - inexplicably as we had outplayed UTn but were still behind.

 

Absolutely. That game had a few of those types of plays. Every play counted that game. I used to have several games recorded but I never converted them from VHS and the quality is shot on the ones I can find. Found a gator archive years ago but don't think they are around anymore. Can still find a lot on YouTube but some are harder to find than others.

 

Hell, I had forgotten that Travis Minor even existed and I don’t know where I was watching