Gator Country

**lhnewman** · 02-16-2013, 07:43 PM

Never have I seen....a more discipline( they bought into this )...focused...well coached...team-oriented...squad...as this one of Billy's...no real star...yet a team that can reach the final-4.........amazing judge of talent...and very-well coached

Was on the same high school basketball team with Neal Walk....great shot...from the baseline...couldn't jump....

Al E Gator · 02-16-2013, 07:48 PM

Billy's coaching football now?

No team compares to the 2006/2007 BB teams...THE definition of teamwork/swag/come-and-get-it-and-let's-see-who's better. Best Gator team of all time in any sport.

**lhnewman** · 02-16-2013, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al E Gator

Billy's coaching football now?

No team compares to the 2006/2007 BB teams...THE definition of teamwork/swag/come-and-get-it-and-let's-see-who's better. Best Gator team of all time in any sport.

agreed...but, this team is less talented, and...over-achieving...

we're more guard-oriented than the 2006/2007 teams

gatorbogey · 02-16-2013, 08:39 PM

i want to rejoice and all, but i fear that we're going up against sec talent and teams that are way way down this season.

still, well coached and fun to watch. love the intensity and pride the team is showing - as a team.

**GatorEst1992** · 02-16-2013, 08:41 PM

Yea I was fixin to say, not as much "stars" on this team but team chemistry is def there and they are overachievers which is awesome, but they don't even compare to the 06 07 team they were the most unselfish competitive team iv ever seen for any sport and they won back to back national championships its not fair to compare these 2 teams completely different squads

TampaGatorFan · 02-16-2013, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al E Gator

Billy's coaching football now?

No team compares to the 2006/2007 BB teams...THE definition of teamwork/swag/come-and-get-it-and-let's-see-who's better. Best Gator team of all time in any sport.

Oh, yeah...that was one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time.

InstiGATOR1 · 02-16-2013, 08:49 PM

This is a great team. The 2005-2007 teams were great teams. The 1999-00 team was a great team. The mark of the Donovan era so far has been UF it at its best when it has had teams that play like they like each other.

tommyuf21 · 02-16-2013, 10:18 PM

Three different teams and removed enough from each to stand on their own.

We'll see at the end of the season where this one ranks in the conversation. The benchmark has been set.

themistocles · 02-16-2013, 10:20 PM

Well, I certainly question whether the 2006/07 BB teams were the Greatest Gator teams in any sport, simply because the Gators have fielded more national championship teams across the numerous sports than any other school in the Universe.

Some of those Gator tennis teams were simply incredible.

This team does share some very important characteristics with the 2006/07 teams:
06/07 - 4 Jrs, 2 Srs, 1 So - who played regularly
13 - 4 Jrs, 3 Srs, 1 Fr who play regularly

Outstanding Defense
Inside and outside scoring, pick your poison
Terrific PG play

Note that the through the fall 2005 through spring 2007 period, the Gators were 1-3 against Tennessee, and 0-2 for the 2007 team.

Im really not sure that you can say that was the Greatest team. They did win both SEC and National tournaments, however, which tends to be what people remember most about a season.

GatorRade · 02-16-2013, 10:27 PM

As pointed out by REM, I think the 2003 Kentucky team is another such team. They were impressively team oriented, and their biggest star was probably Keith Bogans. You should look them up if you haven't seen them play.

**wci347** · 02-16-2013, 10:35 PM

I think the championship teams had deeper talent, but I don't think this year's team is less talented.

**GatorNorth** · 02-16-2013, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by themistocles

Well, I certainly question whether the 2006/07 BB teams were the Greatest Gator teams in any sport, simply because the Gators have fielded more national championship teams across the numerous sports than any other school in the Universe.

Some of those Gator tennis teams were simply incredible.

This team does share some very important characteristics with the 2006/07 teams:
06/07 - 4 Jrs, 2 Srs, 1 So - who played regularly
13 - 4 Jrs, 3 Srs, 1 Fr who play regularly

Outstanding Defense
Inside and outside scoring, pick your poison
Terrific PG play

Note that the through the fall 2005 through spring 2007 period, the Gators were 1-3 against Tennessee, and 0-2 for the 2007 team.

Im really not sure that you can say that was the Greatest team. They did win both SEC and National tournaments, however, which tends to be what people remember most about a season.

UCLa has won over 100 NCAA national championships. We've probably won under 20.
I think they're in the same universe so they would appear to have more. We aren't even top 20 for total NCAA titles.

SavageGator · 02-16-2013, 10:51 PM

lhnewman I played for Gables against Beach with Neal, Cherner, Ascott, Goldfarb et al
and got 23 pts at Beach fouling Neal out of the game. On our freshman team as Gators I backed up Walk and Andy Owens at the post. We had a decent team at 19-1.

GatorPlanet · 02-16-2013, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wci347

I think the championship teams had deeper talent, but I don't think this year's team is less talented.

Umm...the championship team had 3 of the first 5 guys taken in the draft, I believe.

This year's group may not have anybody taken in the first round at all.

GatorLurker · 02-16-2013, 11:15 PM

These guys play basketball the way it is supposed to be played. I love it. It is a joy to watch.

They are not the most talented Gator team, but they play the game better than any other one. It is a thing of beauty.

tommyuf21 · 02-17-2013, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorLurker

These guys play basketball the way it is supposed to be played. I love it. It is a joy to watch.

They are not the most talented Gator team, but they play the game better than any other one. It is a thing of beauty.

I'm really impressed with this team. They've improved a lot since the beginning of the season and the decision to have Scottie be our full time PG has paid real dividends.

I was (and still am) worried about the injury factor, but they have responded well to the adversity that they have faced.

There's still a lot of basketball to be played and the '04's shined the brightest on the biggest stage. We still have that question to answer and hopefully its the same answer as it was in 06 and 07.

**regurgigator** · 02-17-2013, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhnewman

Never have I seen....a more discipline( they bought into this )...focused...well coached...team-oriented...squad...as this one of Billy's...no real star...yet a team that can reach the final-4.........amazing judge of talent...and very-well coached

Was on the same high school basketball team with Neal Walk....great shot...from the baseline...couldn't jump....

I agree. The championship teams obviously had greater talent, and yet still personified the expression: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

But, this season's team of "equals" has taken that expression to a whole other level IMHO.

And, I don't think the great results we are seeing are due primarily to the SEC being in a down year. For one thing, we have also completely dismantled some decent OOC teams. Plus, while its pretty clear the SEC is down, it's statistically improbable that the whole conference is as down as our mind-blowing scores would indicate.

Again tonight we had the score doubled up on Auburn with less than 10 minutes to go in the game (as we've done in so many other games this year). Those type of scores we keep putting up are usually only seen in women's games where there is typically much greater distance between the top teams and the lower teams.

I think what we're seeing is incredible, and I hope it doesn't get lost on the fans if we happen to lose in the Tourney prior to the Final Four - which is a possibility for even great teams.

**grayg8rstevo** · 02-17-2013, 06:08 AM

[quote=lhnewman;6415458]Never have I seen....a more discipline( they bought into this )...focused...well coached...team-oriented...squad...as this one of Billy's...no real star...yet a team that can reach the final-4.........amazing judge of talent...and very-well coached

Was on the same high school basketball team with Neal Walk....great shot...from the baseline...couldn't jump.

Alan Goldfarb.?
Drew Cherner?

Narcisco Escobar.....6'2" center for MIAMI HIGH got the center jump. He could sky.
. Neal not so much.

**Juggernautz** · 02-17-2013, 06:26 AM

Losing WY was a step back but so far so good, God speed to them!

**lhnewman** · 02-17-2013, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SavageGator

lhnewman I played for Gables against Beach with Neal, Cherner, Ascott, Goldfarb et al
and got 23 pts at Beach fouling Neal out of the game. On our freshman team as Gators I backed up Walk and Andy Owens at the post. We had a decent team at 19-1.

awesome Savage...yeah that was a great team...Jeff Shane was the other starting guard...played with a brace on his knee...but was a great shot...and little Alan Goldfarb could make you look silly...he at times would dribble the ball through your legs to get around you...we actually played Andy Owens I (I think Tampa Hillsborough) in the old Forida gym in the semi-finals of the state tournament...I actually played more in that game than usual...Walk had foul trouble...Go High Tides!