A gator fans' response to Paul Finebaum

Surprise, surprise. Paul Finebaum is trying to put down a successful Florida Gator football program. The latest assault from the "journalist" is his opinion that Urban Meyer will never be Paul "Bear" Bryant. But quite frankly, why would anyone want to be like Bear Bryant? Don't get me wrong, Bryant was an excellent coach in HIS era. An era that allowed coaches to sign as many players as his heart's desire (or at least as many the school could afford). An era that banned minorities from playing in several conferences (one being the SEC) because of segregation laws. An era that during Bryant's tenure in the league went from 12 teams to 10. Of course, Arkansas and South Carolina joined the league in 1992 to expand the league to 12 teams and two divisions. Bryant's teams never had to play (usually) a top 10 team in a SEC Championship game on a neutral field. In fact, in Bryant's era Alabama's 1994 and 2008 teams would've played for national championships (or perhaps a share of a national championship in 1994). Both teams were undefeated before falling in the conference championship. Case in point, the 2001 LSU Tigers upsetting Tennesee in the 2001 SEC Championship to knock the Vols out of national championship game. Not to mention the parity that exists in the SEC today as Vanderbilt is no longer content to be the laughingstock of the league. Florida has emerged from mediocrity to cream of the crop thanks to the biggest Gator of them all, Steve Spurrier.

Bryant in all his glory never had to coach against the amazing athletes the SEC has nowadays. Lee Roy Jordan may have once recorded 40 tackles in a game, but let him try to tackle guys like Darren McFadden, Percy Harvin, or Knowshon Moreno 40 times in a game. Good luck. In fact, a majority of players from Florida's 2008 National Championship team like Harvin, Spikes, Rainey, Demps, Hernandez, Black, Haden, Jenkins, and the Pounceys would not have been allowed to play in the SEC during Bryant's tenure (except for his last 10 years at Bama). Not to mention talented players from other teams in the SEC such as McFadden, Eric Berry, Trevard Lindley, Patrick Willis, Glenn Dorsey, LaRon Landry, Carnell Williams, and Andre Woodson wouldn't have played in the SEC. Of course the list is just to name a few, but the players aforementioned were all game breakers for schools throughout the league. That's why I laugh when ESPN has one of those stupid polls asking could this team from this era beat this team from this era. Such as the case of the 2001 Miami Hurricanes squeaking by one of Bama's teams from the 1960's. As a Gator fan, I hate to give Miami credit, but they would've stomped a mudhole in Bryant's teams. The only championship team that would've held their own against that 2001 Miami squad was Bama's 1992 championship team loaded with solid big-time athletes. I'd like to think Florida's 2008 team could drop 100 on the Bear's teams, but running the football as much as they did would be impossible. So, I'd like to predict a 70-0 thrashing with Percy Harvin getting over 400 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns and Tim Tebow totaling over 400 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.

Finebaum isn't the only person to put the Gators down. He's simply trying to get a rise out of UF fans and fire up fans in Alabama. Several members of the media in Alabama clearly hates it and is jealous of any successful coach in the league. The media loved calling him names such as "Darth Visor" and "Steve Superior" because of his success. Nick Saban was known as Nick Satan at LSU, but hasn't heard that name since being named coach at Georgia. Mark Richt would receive more jabs if his team won the big game more often and won national championships. A sports writer (who shall remain nameless) with the Birmingham News called Meyer classless. He continued to remind the Alabamians that although Meyer won two national championships, he was 0-2 against Auburn. For the record, the fact that they lost to Auburn two years in a row is absolutely embarrassing.

The media in Alabama, who constantly criticized Spurrier for running up the score, kept their traps shut in the case of Tyrone Prothro's tragic career-ending injury. Up 31-3 with eight minutes remaining in the game, Brodie Croyle chucks a deep pass to Prothro towards the end zone. However, Prothro lands on a defensive players foot and suffers a greusome injury that ultimately ruins his career. In my opinion, Prothro had a very bright future ahead of him on the gridiron. So, let me pose this question? Why was Alabama throwing passes up by four touchdowns with only eight minutes or so remaining in the game? The answer's simple...to run up the score. They were reveling in the fact UF was being humiliated in Tuscaloosa. Of course, we know that Alabama lost to Prothro was sorely missed in losses to LSU and Auburn. That costly decision, in essence, possibly cost Alabama a chance to blow up the BCS. That year USC and Texas played an epic in the Rose Bowl. However, after an undefeated Auburn team was left out of the championship game in 2004, and given Alabama's strong history of 12 national championships, one would think the BCS would've been blown to pieces if Alabama (the second SEC school in as many years) had been left out. They would've had to gone through 8 LSU, 12 Georgia (in the SEC Championship), 16 Auburn, and 19 Florida. Of course, the media looked completely sanctimous by crying afoul Spurrier's decision to run up the score and ignoring Shula running the score up. That one bad decision cost them a great season. Of all the things Shula was criticized for, this was not among them. Go figure.

I'd like to thank Mike Bianchi (Orlando Sentinel) and Bob Redman (fightingators.com insider) for defending the Gators. Bianchi knew exactly how to fire up Finebaum when he said Meyer was the second coming to Bryant. By comparing Meyer to Bryant, he knew he violated the biggest sacrilege in the state of Alabama---thou shall not take the name of Bear Bryant in vein. Finebaum said Bianchi told him that he made the disparaging remarks about Florida because Alabama fans are afraid of Florida and Meyer. All I know is that the last time, the Alabama media took shots at Florida, you-know-who (Spurrier) was dominating the conference. Maybe this will be a sign Meyer will dominate the SEC like the old ball coach.

I do know that Finebaum and his associates are in fact jealous of Florida's success. That's not arrogance, that's a fact. I know LSU isn't liked in state because of the two national championships this decade. From the looks of things, LSU, much like Florida, doesn't appear to be finished winning championships either. Finebaum is making comments suggesting Meyer's departure for South Bend after the season are unprofounded. He's merely hoping he leaves because Florida has faired well with a 4-2 record in SEC Championship games against Alabama.

As for the comments made about Meyer putting down Shane Matthews are concerned. Well, that's none of Finebaum's business. Matthews is a Gator alum, not Alabama or Auburn alum. Had Matthews put together a game winning drive that beat Bama in the 1992 SEC Championship game instead of throwing the costly game winning interception, he wouldn't bother remarking on the exchange of words between Matthews and Meyer.

Lastly, Finebaum criticizes Florida's record of arrests. Florida's record of arrests were just as high if not higher under Zook, but Florida was only 8-5, 8-5, 7-5 during those three years.

For the record, not all of the sports writers in Alabama are negative, jealous, whining, crybabies who cry about the good ole' glory days back in the 1950's and 1960's. It's just wise guys and "journalists" like Finebaum that make me want to cringe when reading their sleezy rhetoric.