You get a little idea about media perspective when you see a silly piece like Robbie Andreu’s about coaches… talking.
The other day Urban Meyer and Mark Richt were standing together outside one of the meeting rooms engaged in a friendly conversation for about 10 minutes. Given their past history, this was one of the highlights (and most surreal moments) of the week.
Yes, it’s so strange to see two grown up human beings – okay, football coaches – conversing with each other for a few minutes without engaging in fisticuffs or body slamming. What exactly did Andreu find surreal about their interaction? Just because they’re competitors on the field doesn’t mean they can’t be civil off of it. Sure, there are coaches who by their nature generate a certain amount of personal animosity, but you can say that about people in any profession.
Besides, Richt was probably just getting Meyer to retell the Jeremy Fowler story.
Get The Picture 
Hale had an interesting observation about the rampant homerism of Florida media. Remember the shot of Finebaum in Bama garb? Now picture a whole army of Sunshine State reporters decked out in orange and blue. Other than Fowler, every Florida beat reporter is an extension of the UF SID, apparently. No idea what clown college gave these idiots their journalism degrees, but it gives you some context for how Andreu could blatantly libel Richt about the bird-flipping.
Now, as to where Andreu gets the idea that every gathering of SEC coaches is supposed some Hobbesian poo-flinging match, I’m guessing their newsroom looks like one of those Monster.com ads.
LikeLike
Richt and Myer are not bosom buddies but they are not blood enemies. They have more in common along with all the other coaches than they have with the crazy-ass fans of their respective schools. Urban does what he does to get a competitive advantage, Richt knows that and is not going to hold it against him or any other coach. The UF media feel it is their duty to fire up their fans with perceived injuries. The UF media and fans still have an inferiority complex even after all 0f their success. They are just like the newly rich have to show off their riches just prove to themselves they are rich. This personalty trait makes UF fans the worst winners I’ve ever been around. Real winners act like they have won before and move on, UF wants to insult the fans of the opposing team.
LikeLike
Absolutely and spot on.
Gators continue to act as if they just won their first SEC title. Fast money acts that way.
Problem is fast money usually finds another home sooner or later.
LikeLike
Well said, 69Dawg. The insecurity of the uf fans makes them even more obnoxious than they were before. We have often blamed the bad behavior on their Northern heritage, and they are as different from other SEC fanbases as Vandy, but you can tell they are overwhelmed by their recent (and hopefully fading) success. Maybe with a good dose of humility they will be better than before, not classy of course, but more tolerable. Currently they are the one fanbase that is universally disliked around the league when you speak to other fans.
LikeLike
One of the reasons for the inferiority complex is that it took the Gators 52 years to win their first SEC football championship. Since UGA was for many years FLA’s last SEC game the Dawgs cost FLA the SEC championship several times by beating them when a win would have gotten the Gators the trophy. 1966 comes to mind with SOS as the Gator QB.
LikeLike
That, and the fact that Florida would play Auburn before us and get beat the hell up.
The we’d mop Gator Bowl with their tails.
Spurrier (to his credit) realized this and changed the schedule to reflect a bye week before UGa. Hence, he turned our advantage on its head. And just how many times does this need to be stated as a distinct advantage for FL?
I, for one, wish Richt would punch Meyer in the face and take a baseball bat to his head. The stand over his bloodied body and tell him he and his team are going to bloody it again in Jacksonville.
You want to know how to defeat a cocky bully? This is it.
LikeLike
All figuratively, of course.
LikeLike
No you don’t, even figuratively that is what makes CMR so special. We know that he will always make us proud he way he represents us, in any situation. I would bet pretty heavily Richt was having a concern about Urbie’s health, and out of genuine concern.
Hard to believe he takes the heat he does from some of the media quacks (Rome and F-Baum), and some of the extremists in the UGA fanbase.
LikeLike
You’re not suggesting I’m giving Richt heat are you? That would be poor reading interpretation skills.
Not that Richt would ever literally or figuratively beat Urban upside the head with a bat, but it would be fun to see Meyer’s shoe on the other foot.
Meyer is a bully, plain and simple. The way you beat Capone is pulling a gun when he pulls a knife, and if he sends one of your to the icebox then you send 3 of his.
I’m not criticizing Mark Richt, and the truth is I’d rather see class than not. But you have to admit that it would be extremely entertaining to have an opposing coach employ effective intimidation against Meyer.
Some may criticize Richt for being “too nice” but the fact is that he is extremely competitive but holds it within better than most.
LikeLike
I didn’t mean that in a critical way at all, sorry if it sounded that way. I agree about CMR, people misread Richt because he is such a gentleman, and stays calm in a crisis…….that is a strength to me, not a weakness. Kenny Rogers’ “Coward of the County” lyrics apply here, imo.
LikeLike
God forbid that Richt was inquiring about Meyer’s health. That just wouldn’t make for an interesting story if Richt wished him well, now would it?
LikeLike
CMR gave CUM the finger?
Did I miss something?
LikeLike
You and me both. I’ve even done some searches on the Googles and can’t find anything. If anyone can direct me to some proof of this I would be very interested.
LikeLike
http://www.gatorenvy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7140&page=2
Above link shows the TV screen shot of the supposed “one finger salute”…
LikeLike
That happened in 2008 and was a bunch of b.s.
LikeLike
Wow, that’s a stretch. I can’t believe a “journalist” would cite that in a story. You would think he had flicked off the crowd ala Vick for all the world to see. Thanks for the link.
LikeLike
For the Gator media and Myer, it’s “All shall love me and despair!”
As Tommy notes above, Hale pointed out this week that the UF blogger/internet “journos” are the only ones in the SEC who show up at events all decked out in Gator gear. Given that, it is no surprise that such an idiotic alleged incident would make it into a Gator blog, even one written by an alleged real journalist.
LikeLike
FYI .. Andreu is a tard. If you read his columns they make no sense, are wishywashy and sound like a fifth grader wrote them? If I saw him at the meeting, I would have punched him and taken away his ability to write by pulling his press pass.
LikeLike
Is that tard or turd?
LikeLike
Tard, probably. As in re- .
LikeLike
yes a retard …
LikeLike
If I remember correctly, one of the reasons that Meyer was so upset about the 2007 celebration was that he considered Richt to be “BFF” of SEC coaches prior to that game.
Right or wrong, Meyer took it personally and then decided to rub our noses in it and Richt’s too in 2008.
LikeLike
Yep, and one big difference between the two incidences is that Meyer did it within the rules.
LikeLike
What a retarded observation. I know uf fans are new to football, but your take on this overblown incident shows you do nothing but follow the idiot gator writers lead. Much ado about nothing, and we were over penalized for it. What else do you need? It gave you a short field, apparently that wasn’t enough.
LikeLike
no this is article is about an idiot gator writer and we are by no means taking his lead!
LikeLike