Resilience I wanted to pause before the plunge in Omaha to appreciate what has already been accomplished in this season. Consider the mental resilience of Brandon Neely. Brought in to shut the door in the 8th inning, in a hostile road house, with 2 outs, he has a "big talk" on the mound with his coach and asks to have the ball in his hands...then promptly gives up a 3-run homer that brings the home team even with the Gators and inflames the home crowd. How many other people, in that situation, would have folded like a camp chair, if not physically then mentally? How many other athletes - at any stage of development as players, but especially one still just a college kid - have you seen have the grit to, again, ask for the ball, step back onto the mound, and go finish the inning? I am agog at the resilience of mind that Brandon demonstrated in that moment. I make the possibly in-apt comparison to a combat leader who sees his men fall following his orders, yet must shake off that loss and continue to lead to accomplish the mission. That grit, that will to persevere, is not a natural trait. It must be born from both specific tuition and learned experience. Brandon, I appreciate you.
We need to have far greater appreciation for athletic competition ( by any athlete, Gator or not ) and that was an exhibition of real athletic perseverance amidst high level competition. Damn good post.
Yah, he has the basic first trait of what I would want from a player...... He WANTS the ball..... He definitely throws gas (with movement). Love it! However, as any pitcher knows, it's all about location... Strikeouts can happen, and the occasional, inopportune home run..... He's the best we have, so let's ride with him.... Guts! GO GATORS!!!!
Self-indulgent of me to bring this back to attention but I read another sage voice here that said Brandon was the reason we were in Omaha. Pretty much have to agree. Brandon will represent the grit of this years team; often beaten, bruised but wanting the ball and fighting with everything he had to get the Gators the win.
Dude was on fire late in the year; counting the Friday Georgia game, this is how he finished: Final 8 appearances: 28.2 IP (nearly 3.2 IP per appearance), 1.88 ERA, 0.84 WH+IP, .175 BAA, .289 SLGA, .231 OBPA (.519 OPSA) First 20 appearances: 50.1 IP (includes 6 starts), 6.97 ERA, 1.77 WH+IP, .275 BAA, .495 SLGA, .376 OBPA (.871 OPSA) Go GATORS! ,WESGATORS
Cags and Neely were the heart of this team for sure. Seeing Neely with tears in the dugout, he was 100% Gator, and a fighter until the end. His performances in Stillwater and Clemson got us here. Loved his fire.
Neely REALLY wanted to be a starting pitcher but went back to the bullpen because as a team we needed him out of the pen. Great Gator. Much admiration from me. And throwing over 100 pitches in a relief role shows that he could be a starter.
