“10 Things I Want Out Of The Florida Gators 2012 Football Season” – The Bull Gator
5. Less than five losses. Sure 8-5 would be an improvement based on 2010’s 7-6, but I’m a Gators’ fan and I want more. I’m not expecting Florida to challenge for a national title and I think the Gators still have a lot of work to do before being considered a true contender again in the SEC. But I could live with 9-4 and search for the progress made to get there. Many (including myself at times) are saying 2012 will be another building year for Florida and that 2013 should be the year it comes together again. That’s fine and may be true, but 9-4 or better would show us the Gators are headed in the right direction. (Saying all of that and coming to the realization that I might actually accept a 9-4 season hurts, but I’m also looking right in the face of 15-11 over the last two.)
4. A star running back. I never want a talented player to get lost in the shuffle. It leads to a number of things, but lately seems to end up in that player transferring. However, I do like big numbers from running backs. The Gators can have a dangerous running game with the stable of backs on the roster, but I’ll always believe having a go-to guy is better in the long run. I’m fine with two or more backs splitting carries, but when you need to move the chains and run down the clock, I like having one star you can rely on. Florida needs to find that back they can give the ball to 20 times a game if they have to. It may not be needed every game, but sooner or later it will be a necessity.
3. Beat the big three. You know who they are: Tennessee, Georgia, Florida State. Beat them all. Not one. Not two. All of them. Beat them and beat them bad. All Florida fans should want that year in and year out. Destroy them. I’m not a trash talker by any definition of the term. If I do talk trash, it’s usually done in a sarcastic or joking manner. That said, I HATE the fans who are quiet for 364 days (or 365 in 2012’s case), but are suddenly the biggest Vols’ or Dawgs’ or ‘Noles’ fans in the world the day after they beat the Gators. If you’re going to talk trash after a win, great, but you also better be doing it before the win and every other day of the year. Either way, I want you to shut up and leave me alone so I can actually get something done, but at least I’ll respect you if you bring it even in the middle of May. Of course, nothing shuts you up better than a beat down, so Gators do your best.
2. Find sanity. I don’t know how I feel about Muschamp the head coach just yet. There were many things I questioned during 2011 and things I still question today, but there are also factors that worked against him that he couldn’t completely control (like the roster issues and injuries we always talk about). Therefore, I’m willing to give him more time. In my opinion, every college football coach should be given three years with a program unless he goes off of the deep end and start publicly handing cash to his players on national television. There is so much that can happen beyond a coach’s control to give him less than three seasons. At the same time, if he can’t get it done in three, chances are slim he’ll get it down in four or five or six.
What happened in 2011 was laughable. You would think the loss to Alabama was Muschamp’s 50th as the Gators’ head coach and suddenly we had yet another reason why Twitter is equally as horrible as it is a social wonder. I’m truly amazed at the hostility expressed toward Muschamp, Charlie Weis, Jeremy Foley and practically anyone else on the football staff. Those of you that want Florida to go 14-0 every season, good for you; fans should want to best. Those of you that believe people should be taken out back and shot when the Gators don’t go 14-0 or call for the destruction of it all after only one season under the new guy, need a new hobby and definitely don’t need access to the Internet.
Here’s my point: criticism is good and can be healthy (I started not one, but two sites devoted to the Gators so that I can voice my own opinions), but where’s the praise? One Eyed Willy and I always joke that when it comes to sports he’s the empty half of the glass and I’m the full half. At times, that’s definitely true (you should have heard our Urban Meyer arguments), but he’s also the first one to text or call me when something good happens and he has many more moments of orange and blue induced happiness. During the 2011 season, most people like that disappeared. They saw and commented on the down, but never acknowledged the up. Those people will tell you they’re fans until the end, but they never cheer, they just complain. To them, I say lighten up. There’s a great deal to be happy about, find it. Remember, this is supposed to be entertainment. Sports have great moments and awful ones. It was only a few shorts years ago when the Gators were on top of the world. Things could be worse; we could be Vols’ fans.
1. Finally, the ability to sit down. This summer, less than two months before the start of the 2012 season, I’ll welcome my son into the world. Of the many things I’m looking forward to doing with him over the years, watching Florida football is high on the list. This season, I’m sure he’ll be more interested in crying, sleeping, eating or just about anything else, but if I can’t sit down to enjoy a game, I want him to be the reason, not the Gators. Mrs. TBG will tell you she’s glad we have tile in our living room and not carpet, because if it was the latter we would have had to replace it after the 2011 season. I’ve become a pacer. I used to sit and take it all in as Florida went 13-1 and won national championships. Now I stand as my nerves take over. Give me a sitting season Gators. Odds are he won’t want to, but I’d like to attempt to sit down and watch games with The Son of TBG (that name is still under review).
Come back for more of what we want from the Gators’ 2012 football season from Evandagator.
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