Usually, hindsight puts all things in the proper perspective. I wish I could be feeling the hurt today that the Florida fans are feeling if it meant that my team had won two national championships in the past 4 years, that our overall record in that time span had been incredible, and that our senior QB would go down as one of the greatest ever to play the game. Hindsight will clarify these facts. Instead, the hurt that ND fans are feeling is on the far opposite end of the spectrum. Hindsight doesn't help in our case. Congratulations, Florida fans. You have a program to be very proud of.
Don't remember UF even playing VaTech.....don't think we did. In any event thanks for the congrats on Fla's run of 22 straight wins. You can't win them all... all the time and for whatever reason Bammer was more prepared and wanted it more. Our defense was a complete mystery yesterday and lesser defenses in the SEC have had a much easier time stopping the Tide's offense. For that reason I am not yet.....without some serious analyzing.....ready to trumpet Bama's coronation as national champ as Texas can play some defense too. Normally you would think after a thumpin like that I would be all hail Bama and the SEC in Pasadena but I am not sure what happened yesterday just yet.....other than the fact the Florida team that showed up in the Georgia Dome got it's ass kicked.
It goes without saying it's extremely difficult to repeat as National Champs (hopefully Bama will have that problem :?: ) USC kind of repeated a few years ago, but most probably don't recognize that since they didn't go to the BCS championship game. If I'm not mistaken, the only team to do it since then was the Nebraska team in the mid 90's. Even during the great Miami run before that, they didn't repeat as NC's.
It's very difficult to win a Nat'l Championship, you usually have to have some luck in the run. Gators have had a great run and I don't expect it will be over now, Meyer has built a powerhouse down there and will be in contention for quite a few more NC's even if he never wins another one in his career.
And I think that's about all you can ask of any coach isn't it Terry? I hope you are right about us and we are right there with Texas, Oklahoma, S. Cal, Ohio State, Alabama and a few others who are factors year in and year out. Oklahoma and S. Cal this year show just how difficult it is to be there year in and year out. Like I said earlier about Texas, don't count yourself out of the game with Alabama.
Yes that is about all you can ask of any coach. When you think of Bobby Bowdens great years, those 14 straight top 5 finishes and 14 (or more) straight bowl wins but 2 Nat'l Championships shows you how hard it is to win one and one of those NC's was disputed by some! I always think back to that Tenn Nat'l Title when Ark all but had the game won and just had to run out the clock, but Clint Stoner drops the ball (wasn't knocked out of his hands he just dropped it), Tenn recovers kicks the FG to win. Stoner just falls down and Tenn doesn't win the NC. There are others that won NC's when they had lucky days. Alabama this year had it's share of "fortuneate" wins...but they got it together at the right time and look likes they'll win another NC.
If someone at the start of the season told me USC would end up tied for 5th in the conference I would asked if they were drinking! In fairness, the Trojans had a lot of players to replace this year, I have a feeling they will be right back into BCS contention next year. I do think in the coming years UCLA is going to close the gap, though.
Dave, No one claimed you played Tech. Bill was saying that FSU was better than VTech when the series between UF and FSU was inked... Im not even bothering to verify that because it is actually moot. I was saying that you guys can't be knocked for playing FSU because they are terrible...at least in terms of intent. It's like playing ND, big name..big talent..no defense..no results. I was pointing out to Bill that VTech has been very good since the early to mid 90s, and while the rest of the world struggled to beat 'Da U', VTech seemed to annually ruin their year. VTech was suppose to vanish into the ACC and instead they have dominated it...
Tennessee did not kick a field goal. A touchdown run by Travis Henry won that game. I know. We were there. :wink: