I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Florida Gators for looking to move their season opener a week earlier, to August 18 24. It’s truly thoughtful on Dan Mullen’s part to give me a chance to sneer at all things chompy sooner rather than later.
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UPDATE: Either I was asleep at the switch this morning when I posted this, or distracted by work, because I missed this obvious observation.
Of course Mickey’s driving this bus. Can’t believe I overlooked that. (By the way, has anyone asked the players how they feel about having their season extended another week?)
Get The Picture 
Let the sneering begin! The UF-UM game used to a huge game back in the day for many years. Then UF, I believe under The Old Ball Sack, quit playing them after Miami had kicked their ass a couple of times back in the late eighties. This used to be an annual event. I’m no fan of either one, but it’s great for college football. But, the Gators did punk out from playing the Canes..
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They can play it on July 4, for all I care. Two has been programs, straining for attention? Fabulous. Winner gets UCF for the Florida state championship (FSU is such a dumpster fire that they don’t get an invite. Thanks, Jimbo!)
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The UMmmm- EffF- U Fans “Kickoff with your Shirtoff Jorts Classic in 1000 degree heat sponsored by Two Dicks – Dan and Diaz Sporting Goods
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What’s the angle? Exposure for one and starting fall camp earlier for the other?
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I think Mullen sees a chance to rebrand FU as a championship caliber program with this game. Miami, coming off a 7-6 season, first game with a new HC/coaching staff and likely a new QB seems vulnerable. But people around the nation still remember Miami as the program that won all those natties. If FU wins the Gator crowd can crow that they are back.
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Orlando on August 24th. Yay !
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“Greg, It’s Gainesville on Line 1…”
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I blame Taggart, not Fisher. After all, based on recruiting rankings, Fisher left him something like the 6th most talented roster in all of cfb, and Taggart immediately turned it into a train wreck, along with their worst season since the early 70’s. Hell, when Taggart took the job they were desperate for QB’s, yet in his first two classes there he has yet to sign just 1 – the only P5 program in country that failed to do so the past 2 years.
If you watched any of their games last year, you quickly would have noticed what a complete train wreck they were in terms of coaching. From declining penalties that would have given them a first down near midfield because the punt backed the other team up deep, from horrid play calling and all the rest, it honestly was some of the worst coaching I’ve ever seen.
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…meant in response to 81dog above.
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Fisher let the OL go to garbage. Granted Taggart may have done nothing to help
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Perhaps the OL was weak, but hell you can still plan and scheme around that. After all, didn’t we do exactly that the last 7-8 years of CMR’s career? Besides, every facet of the program was horrid, not just the OL. Fo ex. their D was really bad, and gave up close to 600 yards to Samford (not Stanford) at home. The play calling was bad, the coaching decisions inexplicable, and finally, their recruiting also has been poor.
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Glorious isn’t it? Karma has finally touched down in Tallahassee. Payback for letting players rape girls, steal seafood, etc. and still play.
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I personally have nothing against FSU, and if anything I want them to be strong as it helps keep UF in check.But I will say I’ve always found it fitting that Chief Osceola’s horse is named Renegade, as FSU has been a renegade program for as long as I can remember.
That, and I’m continually amused by those who continue to deflect on how bad Taggart has been by blaming the previous coach. Taggart entered last year bragging about his ‘lethal simplicity’ offense, yet they were horrid with bumbling at best play calling that made no sense.
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I agree completely. I watched some portions of their early season games and was shocked at how FUBAR their whole operation seemed to be. He is so bad they should have gotten rid of him this offseason. Another year and it will be an exponentially tougher road back.
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The one play that perfectly sums up their sheer incompetency is when they were playing Syracuse, and they punted on 4th down yet were bailed out on a ‘Cuse penalty that gave them a first down somewhere around their own 45. Yet, instead of naturally accepting the penalty and putting their O back on the field, to the shock of everyone (fans, refs…even the broadcasters), they instead declined the penalty, and Syracuse took over somewhere around their own 15.
After the game, Willie was asked why he declined a penalty that would have given them a first down with great field position. His reply (paraphrasing) – ‘well it was a great punt and we pinned them deep, so I thought that was the right call.’ Mind you, that was just one of many inexplicable on-field decisions I could mention, thus when I continue to ready about how it’s all Jimbo’s fault, I just shake my head.
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You would need Grantham on the other side of the ball to have a chance at scheming something as terrible as they are. Taggart doubled down on skimping on OL.
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They sure can dance though.
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Oh, I;m sure Taggert deserves some of the blame, too. But Jimbo didn’t exactly leave things in great shape. Recruiting rankings aren’t necessarily guarantees of production (remember UGA’s 2013 recruiting class?). If it was so great, he wouldn’t have left at all. YMMV.
Taggart may have played a bad hand badly, but Jimbo left him with a lot of bad cards, too. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.
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I think this is a great ratings move. While I do not care for either team, I’ll be watching and grateful to have football a week earlier.
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I’ll watch in the hope for a meteor.
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Or, a huge sinkhole would work.
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I can take that.
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Article says Aug 24….not that it matters, but the 18th seemed really early to me.
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Thanks for catching my brain fart.
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Florida just wants that extra week to prepare for UT Martin
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If this were a one bye week year, I would say it is a good trial balloon for expansion of those years by a week.
They’ll approve it, but this is a big Pandora’s Box being opened.
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When does Fall Semester begin at FU? Would think that kids who arrive this Fall will not be eligible if they haven’t attended FU yet. Also, how many kids are on the cusp of eligibility and will they play in a game before their eligibility is reviewed.
Just thinking of shit we can throw their way, I. e., going all Republican on them.
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No on the eligibility. When we were on the quarter system, some years we would have already played two games by the time classes started. Coaches were the ones that hated seeing the switch to semesters most of all. On top of that, nearly all kids come in for the summer semester nowadays, except a very few that may be waiting on getting cleared by the NCAA.
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Yes, and some of them will also still be attempting to be sqoze through a small sphincter called “Tech academic standards”.
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This is the first year in a long while where I do actually believe (even though they didn’t do much during FA) that the Braves are going to be a perfectly enjoyable distraction before football season arrives, and I’m okay with non-Spring football still being 6.5 months away!
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I hope you are right, I enjoyed Braves BB last season, hoping for another fun year from them.
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Its hard for me to get behind the braves anymore. When that pitching coach left, they went down hill.
When he was there he had a hall of fame bullpen and just a bunch of division titles. I know they got one series, but damn.
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Good. UF will now have 2 weeks to sit on their loss before they play again.
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I’m sure that August 24th in Orlando, Florida in full pads is going to feel amazing for the players. But at least ESPN has #content for that night.
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