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Is Fan apathy setting in?

Discussion in 'RayGator's Swamp Gas' started by gatorzilla91, Mar 8, 2023.

  1. Wanne15

    Wanne15 GC Hall of Fame

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    And it doesn’t change often.
     
  2. gator_lyn

    gator_lyn All American

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    I agree with you about the right coaches. Disagree with the pressure at FL. Regardless of the pressure to win, the coaches we hired just straight up stink.

    Got a little bit of a spark with the Urbs and Mullen hire, but the guys either burned out, got lazy, or went through a mid-life crisis in the middle of their tenures
     
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  3. wargunfan

    wargunfan GC Hall of Fame

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    Inside your head.
    The only cure for fan apathy is winning. Mediocrity in the product put on the field results in lack of interest and empty seats. Fans have too many interests competing for their time to put up with year after year of sub par Gator football teams.
    The new college football world of NIL deals and the transfer portal have turned college football into a semi-pro sport. That fact leaves little room for sentimentality. Win or die.
     
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  4. Skink

    Skink GC Hall of Fame

    Your last statement hits the nail on the head. I think we underestimate the significance of sentimentality over the years. The 6 football seasons I experienced as a UF student were some of the worst in our history thanks to Doug Dickey, yet I never missed a home game when I was there. We basically sucked, yet we rolled out every Saturday to cheer on our Gators and scream at the other team - and pretty much filled the stadium. That kind of loyalty (or sentimentality) doesn’t exist today - pretty much in our society as a whole.

    Yes winning will put more butts in the seats, but it’ll never be what it was
     
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  5. Wanne15

    Wanne15 GC Hall of Fame

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    Yeah, we pack the stadium last year for a horrible team
     
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  6. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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    To me, blame starts at the top. Our overall athletic department is slowing sinking under Stricklin. He's not a leader and doesn't know how to build winning programs. The ones that are still winning are doing so because of the coaches and staff already in place. Football is the engine that drive the train, with men's basketball #2 in prominence. Both programs have floundered under the current leadership and until we get a new Athletic Director, we will continue to slouch towards a Mississippi State-like athletic department.
     
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  7. gatorzilla91

    gatorzilla91 All American

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    Today would be a great day to clean house in the UAA
     
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  8. gatorzilla91

    gatorzilla91 All American

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    Evidently @apkgator disagrees so I’d love to know his reasoning
     
  9. apkgator

    apkgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Well, I guess I would have to know your reasoning for why you think it's necessary, and exactly what you mean by a house cleaning.....surely not because we lost an NIT basketball game
     
  10. paidinfull

    paidinfull GC Hall of Fame

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    Because nobody is acknowledging his incessant whining.
     
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  11. gatorzilla91

    gatorzilla91 All American

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    You really don’t think consecutive losing seasons in both football and basketball, overall decline in athletics, failure to adapt to the NIL etc. calls for new leadership in our athletics department?
     
  12. gatorzilla91

    gatorzilla91 All American

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    I’m glad you’re not bothered that we keep losing to UCF and Vandy
     
  13. apkgator

    apkgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Well, we let the coaches in both those sports go because of a difficult seasons (I'm curious what you think the hoops record was last season and what your definition of "losing season" is)....so I'm pleased they made a change when it became necessary.
    There is no overall decline in athletics.....UF has remained a top 5 national athletic program and is well positioned to continue moving forward. Financially we remain strong AND this admin has vastly improved facilities (something that everyone on these boards was losing their minds about for years). And there are ongoing facility enhancements to keep us well positioned in that regard and maintain a strong balance sheet.
    If there is a failure to adapt to NIL it is our cheap fanbase. The only thing holding us back is people getting off their wallets instead of whining. I mean, you do understand NIL is wholly funded by non-UAA sources right? If you actually talk to the people that are largely funding our efforts they are behind SS. To house clean because of NIL UF should get rid of you and me...the fans
     
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  14. gatorzilla91

    gatorzilla91 All American

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    Florida is absolutely not a Top 5 athletic program right now. Top 5 don’t get beat up by Vandy and UCF and miss the NCAA tourney
     
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  15. Skink

    Skink GC Hall of Fame

    What is this “failure to adapt to the NIL” of which you speak?
     
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  16. Skink

    Skink GC Hall of Fame

    It’s possible — the boy is highly emotional
     
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  17. gatorzilla91

    gatorzilla91 All American

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    Perhaps if they actually had a plan and coordinated with boosters then we wouldn’t have had the Jaden Rashada embarrassment
     
  18. Skink

    Skink GC Hall of Fame

    Perhaps you know nothing of the plan they did have and what really transpired to derail that plan.
     
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  19. apkgator

    apkgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Sorry, you don't get to establish the criteria for NCAA all sports rankings
     
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  20. apkgator

    apkgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Somebody doesn't understand the rules.
    By the way, why aren't you out there putting together and funding these deals rather than wasting time here on the boards? Seems counterproductive to your expectations.