Hail Florida Hail
Fansided

Florida Football fans are not unique in their toxicity over the state of the program

The idea that any other major program would be okay if their program mimicked Florida is debatable

By Benjamin Henderson

Sep 7, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier looks on against the Samford Bulldogs during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Sep 7, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier looks on against the Samford Bulldogs during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit

In case you haven't heard, Florida Football is 12-15 under Billy Napier. We here at Hail Florida Hail have made our case over the past two weeks about why we don't believe Napier is cut out for the job. That doesn't make him a bad human being; he just doesn't have the grit or cutthroat mentality required to survive in the SEC.

Of course, firing someone means hiring someone, and the allegation starting to bubble is that Florida fans have created too much toxicity in Gainesville for anyone else to want to be next.

But somewhere, between the sacred silence and sleep, there is a moment of clarity for those paying attention: the disorder of impatience isn't unique to Gainesville—it is a part of SEC culture everywhere.

Florida Football: Toxicity In Our City

Expectations in life, no matter where you are, are usually relative to the amount of money you are being paid. In a high school, for example, less is expected from the substitute teacher than from the regular teacher because the substitute is paid less. Less is expected from a drive-through worker at McDonald's than a waiter at Bern's Steakhouse because of the pay difference. Less is expected from a YMCA coach than the head coach of the Florida Gators because...

Well, you get the idea.

Let's make one thing clear: Billy Napier is not in Gainesville because of the goodness of his heart. If that were the case, he would be a high school coach making a $3,000 supplement in Florida while also teaching six classes a day.

Napier is in Florida for two reasons:

  1. He wants to be at a program that can win a national title, something that his old school will never achieve, no matter who the coach is.
  2. He is being paid over $7 million a year.

With that backdrop, it is silly to suggest that Florida fans are unique in their toxicity over the state of the program. One can not collect a $7 million paycheck, ask fans to pay over $100 per ticket per game, put out the product that has been put out, and expect fans to be like, "Yeah, it's cool."

That goes for any SEC fanbase. Outside of maybe Vanderbilt, find an SEC school that would stand by idly if their head coach was 12-15.

  • Butch Jones was 34-27 at Tennessee when he got fired.
  • Mark Richt was 9-3 in 2015, and Georgia still fired him.
  • Will Muschamp was 28-30 when South Carolina fired him.
  • Barry Odom was 25-25 when Missouri fired him.
  • Matt Luke was 15-21 at Ole Miss when he was fired.
  • Zach Arnett was 5-6 with Mississippi State, and he was fired.
  • Tom Herman was 31-18 at Texas and was fired.
  • Bret Bielema was 29-33 at Arkansas when he was fired.
  • Jimbo Fisher was 45-25 at Texas A&M and was fired.
  • Mike Shula was 26-23 (before sanctions) at Alabama and was fired.
  • Auburn and LSU both fired head coaches within two years of winning a national title.

If Napier is unable to turn his ship around and Florida is forced to find a new coach, the idea that quality coaches will be scared away because of the fanbase feels foolish. Outside of Luke, and even he is by a whisker, Napier's winning percentage of 44% is below that of all those coaches.

If that seems like an unfair standard, then don't accept a $51 million contract with an 85% buyout clause.

If that seems like an unfair standard, go back to Louisiana, where tickets against Tulane start at $15.

Fans in the SEC expect more. And when you lose, it's more wood for their fires, loud neighbors.

And that isn't unique to Gainesville.

feed

Home/Florida Gators Football