More Thoughts on BOOM…er…Will Muschamp
By now you’ve seen the press conference. If you haven’t, you need to. Reading about it doesn’t really do it justice. People can’t type as fast as Will Muschamp talks. To fully experience the new Florida head coach, you really need to see it for yourself. You can take my word for it, but it’s worth a view. It was inspiring, pleasing, exiting, and admittedly exhausting. It’s must see television at its best, even if just for the few moments when reporters tried to be funny and Muschamp gave them back nothing more than a “I will destroy you” smirk.
The first thing you’ll notice about BOOM…er…Muschamp is that the intensity label isn’t a wrongly given one. It’s very accurate. While he didn’t come out, smash the podium into fire wood, tackle a few reporters, and then chest bump Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, he didn’t take a single breath either. Some people exist in a different world than the rest of us. They’re superheroes, mutants, whatever you want to call them. We’re merely playthings here for their enjoyment. They have powers that we can’t comprehend and live a life we can only dream of. Muschamp has both of these. His power is that he can survive without oxygen. Breathing is for pussies and wastes time. With so much to do as a coach, why would you take the time to breathe in and out? Those are valuable nanoseconds that are needed for other priorities. Add that to the life of our dreams – Gator football head coach – and Muschamp is a hero, a legend if you will. And he hasn’t even coached a single game yet. But he will and we will all watch in awe.
Muschamp did commit a deadly sin during the press conference, one which must be dismissed and one we find ourselves apologizing for even though we had nothing to do with it. He referred to himself as “Will Muschamp.” In Rickey Henderson fashion he dropped the me and went with the name. But it’s nothing to be upset about and definitely nothing to make fun of. After all, it’s our fault as mere humans that we don’t understand the use of the third person. We are not worthy of using it and never will be and therefore we mock it. Muschamp is at that higher level, the one where referring to oneself in the third person is preferred and even necessary. We can’t understand it and aren’t expected to, but we should apologize for ever questioning it. It’s not our place to mock the unknown. We should only be jealous of it.
Many other moments impressed: the love of Gainesville, the knowledge of the history of the program, the desire to find a staff with both college and NFL experience. Muschamp said all the right things even if we had to watch it in slow motion to fully comprehend it. He mentioned character and the important things he’s looking for in a Gator student-athlete. Urban Meyer was welcomed to always be a part of the program. Muschamp discussed observing Outback Bowl practices and beginning his evaluation of the current roster. He mentioned recruiting and the reception he has already received (a positive one). He talked about the defense and the offense and the conference of power – the SEC. He praised the school, the program, the job, Foley, Florida president Bernie Machen, the sun, the moon, the source of his power, his family, those that came before him, those that will come after him, Texas, Auburn, LSU, Georgia, the Miami Dolphins, Tuesdays, bowl games, exams, the 4-3, the 3-4, a solid running game, hearty steaks, reptiles, steeds, jungle cats, and his lovely wife. Muschamp came ready, born ready if you will.
It seems as if he was destined for this job. Greatness has come before him and will come after him, but not anytime soon. He isn’t on a five-year plan. Muschamp wins now. He doesn’t wait for others to put the pieces together. The pieces are there. He’ll assemble the puzzle; you just better make sure your ready when he says go. There’s a jump/how high? analogy in there somewhere. This isn’t a “rebuilding” process. The foundation has already been built and the parts of it that don’t work will be taken down, not methodically, but by the wrecking ball that is Will Muschamp. It’s hunting season year-round. You wanted intensity, you got it. Now quit complaining and get onboard because if you don’t you’re likely to get run ov…BOOM!!!