Fun - And the Gators

I had a great time this morning, first walking Rosie out in the cool, grey light before the sun rose, and then walking Cooper and Lola, and watching Cooper go into the "hunt" mode...  Tipsy and Pounce were very loving this morning, and all of us had a blast watering the plants, with the dogs playing duck and run from the water - and the cats trying to catch the dogs as they ran by...  It was a total circus, and i had to remember not to laugh too loudly - because it wasn't 7:30 yet, and I didn't want to disgruntle the neighbors on a Saturday morning.  We're supposed to be much cooler today, but with a higher than usual humidity - so I'm not really looking forward to the afternoon hours.
  I'm trying to remember how long ago, and who the Athletic Director and Head Coach was, when it was decided that the University of Florida Gators needed to play a non-SEC, much weaker team to begin their football season.  I suppose that when I was a child and teenager, the Gators played fewer games per season, but I know that we played the University of Miami, Florida State and Florida A & M - they were considered in-state rivals.  Since I was a student at UF, it seems that the Gators start off the season playing a much smaller, less-competitive school just to have an easy first game win.  To me, that is not sporting. That is like having me (age 57, with COPD, a bad back, bad hips and knees, bad ankles and feet) race against Usain Bolt - unless he drops dead in the middle of the race (which I do NOT wish upon him), there's no way I would win.  I easily remember playing LSU, Auburn and Alabama for Homecoming...  But then, college football wan't the big business then that it is now, either.  Oh, well.   I'm not yet 60, and I miss "the old days" in sports.  That's kinda sad.
  Speaking of which, the Gators will kick off the season in about an hour - and who are they facing?  The University of Toledo Rockets - the school was begun in 1871 in Ohio, and - this is amazing in this day and age - the UT regents have not raised tuition costs in two years.  That's almost enough to get me to root for them, in and of itself.  Of course I want the Gators to win, but I wish we were playing another SEC team, or a team that can be a contender in this game, today.
 -   Oh, and, just as an aside, former Gator Timmy Tebow was not caught in yesterday's first cut from the New England Patriots.  Right now, it's just "wait and see"...

Florida Scenes

Alachua County, Florida

 

Stuart, Florida

 

Live oak trees in Micanopy

 

Gator eyes reflecting light at Lake Alice, University of Florida

Photo Miscellany

From several years ago:  Urban Meyer (coach), Albert the Alligator (UF mascot), and #15, Tim Tebow

 

Free Ambrose, a roan quarter horse stallion

 

A Hobbit Hole home in New Zealand

 

Thracian gold from a tomb over 2,000 years old - notice the horsehead boss that was used on a bridle or harness

 

A sign board in the town where my Dad was born:  Hooker, Texas County, Oklahoma

 

CU Football

I'm going to stick my neck out a bit and blog about college, football and coaches. If you know me, you know I love football - collegiate and professional. For me, I enjoy it because I can yell at the players, coaches and referees from the comfort and privacy of my own home, and that's my way of venting all of my frustrations that I find in this world. I love to watch a good defensive game. I like to see and hear the hits and the grunts of the men exhorting themselves. I am not going to delve into the very real problems of traumatic brain injuries and concussions. They are an existing fact, and I wish the game could be played without their occurrence. (But as long as the players accept their paychecks and go out and play, I have to admit that I'll watch them.)

  This all started when the University of Colorado at Boulder, whose proud stadium is two blocks down Folsom Street from my apartment, fired their head football coach of a little less than two full years. CU will be borrowing money to pay off Coach Jon Embree, so that CU can legally break their contract with him. They had to pay-off the previous coach, Dan Hawkins, too. That, to me, means there's something fishy in Denmark. Some one, some where is not doing their job; but is it actually all on the head football coach's shoulders? Jon Embree was hired to take the place of Dan Hawkins; he has coached the CU football team through 25 games, and was fired this past Monday morning. Last year, the Buffs played in their old Division and won three games. This year, CU began competing in the PAC-12; they won one game. As I said before, I love football - but, but, but, but the collegiate sport of football should never be the be-all and end-all for any university, college, or assembly of alumni of any educational institution.

  I've looked at the University of Florida head coach position as opposed to the University of Colorado head coach position - Between the years of 1950 and today, each university has had 11 head football coaches. Bill McCartney coached longest at CU; 12 seasons - 153 games, with 93 wins, 55 losses, and 5 ties. Steve Spurrier was the coach at UF for 11 years; 150 games - 122 wins, 27 losses,and 1 tie. UF had a head football coach for one single game in 2004 - Charlie Strong (the Gators lost). In 1962, CU had their shortest tenure with Bud Davis for 10 games, with a 2 and 8 record. So what is the big difference between the two colleges and the two athletic directors and the two head coaches and the players who go out for both teams and almost bust their guts trying to play well?

  I honestly have no idea. Will Muschamp started coaching the Gators when Jon Embree started coaching the Buffs - the Gators were 11 and 1 this season; the Buffs, 1 and 11. Jon Embree was told to pack his bags and leave on Monday. I'm pretty certain that Will Muschamp hasn't received that directive. Is "the problem" recruitment? Is it CU alumni? Is it the Athletic Director? Is it the Board of Regents? Is it the whole university? I don't think the problem is those young men who go out and practice so hard on a daily basis. They give their bodies and their pride to the game and to the fans.

  Whom has failed who in the CU football program?