CAN'T WAIT for basketball season!

[ApexNC]

Just sayin'.....bring it on...can't come soon enough!

[don23lucia]

Especially since it might be a long football season!

[UFreak]

:)

[ugaGator]

agreed!

[InstiGATOR1]

Donovan has a very fun program to follow. Most years not number 2007, there is just enough turnover to make it interesting and enough guys back to make you encouraged.

[Singaporegator]

Judging from Saturday's game, we ARE a basketball school so of course we can't wait for the season to begin!

[sec1]

billy d and the boys will be fun to watch again , Go Gators !!!

[akaGatorhoops]

me too!!!!

[ufhomerj31]

I don't think I can take any more of swamp gas. I wished bball started sooner.

[austingtr]

I hate down football seasons because it ruins the basketball board. Football fans come here to bitch about. It will get ugly again. No perspective, ugh.

[InstiGATOR1]

I hate down football seasons because it ruins the basketball board. Football fans come here to bitch about. It will get ugly again. No perspective, ugh.

I am happy to have more people here to discuss the UF basketball program. I do however wish I could have more optimum about the football program.

[JohnC1908]

Hey whatever your reason is for cheering on Gator Bball it doesn't matter if you're at the game and making noise. We all have different motivators.

[GatorLurker]

Even when they had great football teams at UF I couldn't wait for BB season. I have been a hoops fan at a football school for over 30 years.

[ApexNC]

I don't think I can take any more of swamp gas. I wished bball started sooner.

Yep. Me too. Can't wait to see how this year's team does and I couldn't be more excited about the next few years too!

[themistocles]

More optimism about the football team, huh, Insti. You realize, I hope, that they essentially lost the line of scrimmage to what is effectively a DII school last week, that the offense showed absolutely nothing except that Gillislee is a good RB and the defense, which should have completely shut down pathetic Bowling Green, gave up not 1, but 2 TDs.

I'm optimistic that the team may win 6 games this year because the schedule is considerably weaker than last by substituting two Big 12 teams for two SEC schools.

Roundball, on the other hand, is consistently a contender because of good coaching and good recruiting. This year could prove particularly interesting after what was a frustrating prior year, except for the Elite 8 NCAA Tournament. I mean finishing 4th in the SEC with what was surely the 2nd best team in the league talent wise was a disappointment. If a couple of Frosh prove worthwhile, this could be a very exciting year.

[InstiGATOR1]

More optimism about the football team, huh, Insti. You realize, I hope, that they essentially lost the line of scrimmage to what is effectively a DII school last week, that the offense showed absolutely nothing except that Gillislee is a good RB and the defense, which should have completely shut down pathetic Bowling Green, gave up not 1, but 2 TDs.

I'm optimistic that the team may win 6 games this year because the schedule is considerably weaker than last by substituting two Big 12 teams for two SEC schools.

Roundball, on the other hand, is consistently a contender because of good coaching and good recruiting. This year could prove particularly interesting after what was a frustrating prior year, except for the Elite 8 NCAA Tournament. I mean finishing 4th in the SEC with what was surely the 2nd best team in the league talent wise was a disappointment. If a couple of Frosh prove worthwhile, this could be a very exciting year.

I am with you on both points. I wish I could have more optimism about football, but alas I am not. I did not mean I wish I could READ more optimism about football. That is a waste of time.

[bullish]

This year will be an exciting year as we are getting a lot of new talent. 2013 we get two talented transfers, two HS All American's, if that doesn't get the blood moving, well then ado to you!

[bullish]

I forgot to add, 3 state of Florida players, which I the Gators need to keep as many great ones home as Billy can. Our other High Schooler is from Charlotte, NC and he is supposely 6'1" pg. With another pg coming in 2013 that is 6'1" we replace Ervin with size and ability. I know I will always miss Walker's 35-40' shots that swished. Billy ball this year will make some noise if this young talent fills in nicely. 2013 the talent is through the roof! I guarantee the Media will have us in the Final Four in 2013 before we even play a game. Now with Missouri and Texas A&M in the mix of games and out conference foes like Georgetown, for those of us who love Gator college basketball, we can be the team HS All Americans want to run with. I hope in 2013 we can have an exciting Midnight Madness that would bring out a large turnout and give us momentum into the season all the way to the Final Four!

[themistocles]

Excellent points about the Florida kids Bullish. In recruiting, like real estate, three things are important: location, location, and status (in real estate, of the location).

This year's frosh are not a highly ranked group, but I think they all have a pretty high upside (based partly on Bullis's assessment of Graham). With any luck, among the four of them, they can contribute 20-25 minutes of good backup time this year, which should provide more than adequate depth for high-speed game-long BillyBall.

[your_perfect_enemy]

In a vacuum I definitely agree, but since I'm pretty sure it's a shot at the football team (after a win no less) I find it pretty pathetic.

[GatorLurker]

With any luck, among the four of them, they can contribute 20-25 minutes of good backup time this year, which should provide more than adequate depth for high-speed game-long BillyBall.

I know that what I'm going to say will rub a lot of posters the wrong way, but I will say it anyway: What they call "Billy Ball" is absolutely not where you want your hoops team to be.

A fast paced game played at break-neck speed and chucking 3's is fun to watch, but it is an approach to the game that you take when faced with superior talent on the other side.

I think that our program is beyond that point.

[themistocles]

Lurker, what you describe is not "BillyBall."

BillyBall is a fast-paced, high-pressure game plan, like Arkansas former 40 minutes of Hell, but whether one chucks up a lot of 3s or not depends on the makeup of the team. Last years team had multiple options for 3-pointers: Murphy, Boynton, Walker, Rosario & Beal, and also Wilbekin & Walker were not slouches. This year's team will also have a lot of good 3-point shooters. Last year's team was, if I recall correctly, the top 3-point shooting team in the nation.

But a good coach (e.g. Billy D), matches his game plans to the qualities of the team he coaches.

I have been involved with BB for almost exactly 50 years, and one thing I have observed consistently through those years is that when you stretch the floor and make your opponents have to be in shape to stay with you throughout the game and especially at the end, even if the other team has better "quality" players, you will win more than your fair share of games. BillyBall does exactly that.

[ufhomerj31]

Bump, for the new swamp gas lukers. We just look lost:-S

[ApexNC]

Great win for the football team, but I still can't wait for basketball!

[ThePlayer]

I know that what I'm going to say will rub a lot of posters the wrong way, but I will say it anyway: What they call "Billy Ball" is absolutely not where you want your hoops team to be.

A fast paced game played at break-neck speed and chucking 3's is fun to watch, but it is an approach to the game that you take when faced with superior talent on the other side.

I think that our program is beyond that point.

A lot of truth in what you wrote...mostly because we HAVE been outmanned for the most part.
Luckily, I see us having another great run like our teams did from 2000 and 2005-to-2007.
The future looks really bright.