Thanks for the nice comments! I’ll be around…. Just hanging out with @murphree_hall more, I guess! go gators! oh… and huge congrats to @gatordavisl. These type posts show how much this community of fans has kinda aged together. Enjoy fatherhood, buddy! It’s wild. I’m off to tennis in a half hour, and then immediately taking the other to soccer!
Well I understand the sentiment…… I don’t believe it for one second. Gator athletics is like a drug far more potent than a illegal drugs. Yes, I loved the team of Scotty Casey Patrick and Will and watching them grow. But, here’s exhibit A while you will be back. I barely knew who Alijah Martin was… Other than watching him play a few times on a different team. Cut the middle of March of this year… Alijah was 100% full gator and we were all rooting so hard for him. And Ruben. While the guards are gone… New ones will come in, wearing the orange and blue… And it won’t take long for them to become one of us. Just like Elijah and Ruben did, and Walt last year. Yes I prefer the old way, but this is the new way, and we had a lot of portal transfers on this team that just gave me one of the most exciting March’s of my life. See you here next November
I echo your sentiments. I've been an occasional poster but routine reader since 97 when I was using backdoor access from Swampie's Rumor Mill. After a long break, I dipped my toe back in the water on the football board some last season and it just wasn't much fun. No offense to the posters, it's my level of passion and interest. I enjoyed the historic basketball run this season and will continue to keep an eye on things, but I just don't feel the connectedness I used to and always assumed would be there. I will say I've had a great time over the past few years transitioning to local sports and would highly recommend folks checking out their local schools with an open mind. The skill may not be D1 level, but there's still a lot of passion, pride, and fun with these kids, and having that local, neighborhood connection can make it all the better. And it's even better still when your own kids get to be a part of it. Good luck!
I can totally understand. This Aberdeen situation feels a lot worse than any player loss I can recall.
Enjoy all of the beauty this world and your family have to offer! Your feelings about Gator sports and the death of amateurism are shared by many of us.
Brent: I hope that by saying “I think I’m out” you leave the door open. You are one of the major reasons I still read this board. I posted in the past about how my fandom will diminish as we transfer our alliance to the Gainesville Pro Gators and your departure will surely speed that decline. I remember when my son was 10 and we lived in LA and he had posters of James Worthy on his wall. The came Singapore and other stuff and I haven’t been to an NBA game in many years. College ball is on that path. Meanwhile, my grandson just turned 13 and three granddaughters are coming just behind so I’ll find something to keep me occupied. Best of luck and hope to see you around. Thanks.
What am I missing here???? DID YOU NOT JUST STRUGGLE WITH EVERY POSSESSION FOR THE LAST 5 WEEKS???? Only to have unreal jubilation the last minutes of each game…..and off the charts jubilation when Condon dove….and the horn went off???? And you are “done with that”??? Come on gents.
I checked out years ago. Probably after Billy left but for sure when NIL and the unlimited portal took all the fun out of it. Right after the championship, my brother and I were talking about next year and he was saying how the team will be this and that and I stopped him and said, "wait until the portal closes before making all these assumptions". I told him we will lose the majority of the team to graduation, going pro and the 2 or 3 portal surprises, not us picking up players but losing players a few years ago wouldn't even be considered a possibility. I told him don't be surprised we start a team that might only have one returning player.
My third child, and last is currently a freshman at UF. My two boys before her also went to UF. So I’ve loved going up to games (football and basketball) to see them and tailgate with them and old friends. I will continue to enjoy that while my daughter is there, but I’m not sure after that. This year was a great run, and I enjoyed it. My daughter was in heaven. But things have definitely changed. Hard to feel Anything other than it’s a mercenary system on both sides. The system is definitely broke, and I don’t have a lot of hope it can be fixed. The reason I love it is its relationship to the university, and that truly seems to get more remote each passing year. Having said that, I really do enjoy aka’s insights and will hate to see him go. Can’t you give us three years like Aberdeen did!
For those of us who are older, NIL and the transfer portal are not overall a net positive for the game. If NIL wasn’t pay for play, that may have been one thing and if all players were paid evenly that would be great. I am for players receiving a share of the revenue but what we have now is an unstructured, unsustainable mess. Players jumping team to team ever year is going to put off most fans.
I think it is so different than our first championships in BB. We didn't even get to really enjoy this one for more than 2 weeks. Already we are talking about next season. I am starting to think that championships are kind of overrated. I'm glad we have banners to never forget these accomplishments. These players deserved so much more than the fanbase focusing on a former player so soon after the biggest win in their lives. Again, it is crazy how fast we transitioned to next season in my mind. I understand this is the environment and Golden doesn't have a choice, but it doesn't help fuel my enthusiasm knowing this is the reality we face. JMHO. Still...Go Gators.
Okay, I do have to ask this question. Would you feel the same if Mike White were still coaching here? What if he had just won a national championship for the Gators? Would that have changed your love for college basketball? You said you recently stopped attending the SEC tournament. Have you been to one since Todd was our coach? It’s quite enjoyable to know we now have a chance to win not only an SEC tournament, but a national championship too. I remember your passion for our former coach. When he was here, you may have been the most active poster on this board. Since he’s been gone, I have noticed you’re not nearly as active. I’ll admit, this NIL is out of control. I hope it can get figured out soon. But this is our school, this is our team, these are our Gators! If they choose to be here, they will get my support. I hope you change your mind.
