Not A Big Deal At All

[Matthanuf06]

Originally Posted by born2beagator

Err...what?

No.

By Vegas standards it was the biggest upset

[UFreak]

It's the Effing Sugar Bowl. Anyone who says this loss is no big deal does not have a great respect for history. It's still the Sugar Bowl. We would have finished in the top 3. This was a big ugly loss. No need to gloss over it. I can assure you our coach thinks it was a pretty big deal.

[Matthanuf06]

Originally Posted by gatormoe1

Easy, 6 turnovers and we still had a chance to win. We gave Louisville 2 easy TD's and still had a chance to win (albeit, very low chance). Look, my wife will tell you how I get when we lose a game that means something. She leaves the house during games sometimes and if we lose, she knows not to talk to me. This game simply doesn't mean anything. I'm not a fan of bowl games unless its called the BCSCG. I would have liked to win but losing means absolutely nothing to me.

I was physically sick for a week when we lost to UGA. All day little things irrelevant to football reminded me of the loss and it gave me the stink face. Losing to FSU last year did the same thing. If we had lost to them this season, effectively ending our title hopes, I would have been on suicide watch. This was just a bowl game though, it really means nothing. Sorry, it just doesn't.

I agree with you that's it's not the most important game. But that doesn't mean that the players didn't try. It also doesnt mean that any evaluation of this game is meaningless

What this game means
1 nothing for next yr in terms of momentum
2. Nothing for recruits
3 evaluation for current players
4. Experience for current players
5. Finishing rank; probable 5th in the SEC...so basically an average season within our true peer group

I'm like you, I want titles. Losing this game doesn't really bug me bc we lost...although 5th in the SEC feels disappointing. It bugs me because it emphasizes major holes at QB and coaching philosophy that may hamper is from winning it all next year. Most of us already knew it, so it's not new, just newly exposed.

[gatormoe1]

Its the Sugar Bowl against the #21 team in the country. Yeah, thats a big deal!

It's the #21 team in the country and its a bowl game that means nothing.

[masterswordmaster]

These bowls are meaningless because it's basically a glorified scrimmage at the end of the year. There's so much time off in between the regular season and when you actually play it, that it's tough to say if you're actually the same team anymore. Then, you get match-ups like this all the time with a super fired up underdog going against a disinterested juggernaut who's longing for a place of higher glory somewhere else (see: UF 2012, Bama 2009, Oklahoma 2006). These bowls do nothing towards earning a championship (besides earning money), and until a playoff system is fully implemented, unless you're one of the two big boys at the end of the year, the best you can hope for at the end of your season is a feel good story.

[gatormoe1]

Originally Posted by Matthanuf06

I agree with you that's it's not the most important game. But that doesn't mean that the players didn't try. It also doesnt mean that any evaluation of this game is meaningless

What this game means
1 nothing for next yr in terms of momentum
2. Nothing for recruits
3 evaluation for current players
4. Experience for current players
5. Finishing rank; probable 5th in the SEC...so basically an average season within our true peer group

I'm like you, I want titles. Losing this game doesn't really bug me bc we lost...although 5th in the SEC feels disappointing. It bugs me because it emphasizes major holes at QB and coaching philosophy that may hamper is from winning it all next year. Most of us already knew it, so it's not new, just newly exposed.

I can agree there are things that are annoying about this game and some question marks. We need a better OL, Driskel needs to get a lot better and we need playmakers at WR.

Losing the Sugar Bowl however, means absolutely nothing. It sucks, sure, but its just a crappy bowl game against the #21 team in the country. Maybe our team didn't -- not try, but I guarantee you Louisville "wanted" it more and came to play just a little harder than UF. This happens a lot in these bowl games.

Another reason this really doesn't mean anything is because of what Bama has become since losing the Sugar bowl to Utah. I'm not saying we follow that exact path, but it really didn't mean anything to Bama at the time and I guarantee you not now.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by Matthanuf06

It bugs me because it emphasizes major holes at QB and coaching philosophy that may hamper is from winning it all next year. Most of us already knew it, so it's not new, just newly exposed.

The only thing that suprised me tonight was how poorly our defense played on third downs. They were uncharacteristically bad.

Driskel is the same QB that he has been all year. The offensive line was as bad in pass protection as they have been all year.

We lack weapons on offense, especially guys that can scare defensive coordinators into respecting the pass. I'm confident that our recruiting will shore up our weaknesses and another year of competition and coaching will improve our QB play.

The coaching philosophy is dictated by the talent that we have. They know what they have and don't have and have been able to successfully cover up our weaknesses and amplify our strengths to win 11 games this year. Sadly, they weren't able to do it successfully twice more.

[UFreak]

It's the Sugar Bowl. Am I that old? Playing in the Sugar Bowl not that long ago was a big deal. A real big deal. It's a BCS game. A win would have meant a top 3 finish. This is a big deal.

[masterswordmaster]

What does a top 3 finish get us? What did that get us in 2009 when we beat Cincinatti in the Sugar Bowl? Felt pretty great watching Bama run away with that national title.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by UFreak

It's the Sugar Bowl. Am I that old? Playing in the Sugar Bowl not that long ago was a big deal. A real big deal. It's a BCS game. A win would have meant a top 3 finish. This is a big deal.

It used to be a big deal. There were only four NYD bowls and no BCS CG. If you made the Sugar, Rose, Cotton and Orange; you were something.

Now with at least three more games after tonight, its anti climatic. I guess some consider it progress.

[tommyuf21]

Let me correct myself, for years the Sugar Bowl was on New Year's Eve.

[g8rboy]

Originally Posted by tommyuf21

It used to be a big deal. There were only four NYD bowls and no BCS CG. If you made the Sugar, Rose, Cotton and Orange; you were something.

Now with at least three more games after tonight, its anti climatic. I guess some consider it progress.

Watered down bowls to make everyone feel good and not leave anyone out. Yup, progress.

[UFreak]

Originally Posted by masterswordmaster

What does a top 3 finish get us? What did that get us in 2009 when we beat Cincinatti in the Sugar Bowl? Felt pretty great watching Bama run away with that national title.

I guess if I have to explain it, then it's not really going to resonate with you. So national title or the season is a disappointment? Finishing No. 3 and 12-1 is a great accomplishment. It is much better than 11-2 and No. 10.

[gatormoe1]

If the Sugar gets in on the playoff picture, it will be a real big deal. It's simply not a big deal anymore to teams that are looking to be a National Champion year in year out. Thats what we have become. Spurrier and Meyer brought us a culture of winning and Sugar Bowl means your main goals weren't lived up to that season.

[gatormoe1]

Originally Posted by UFreak

I guess if I have to explain it, then it's not really going to resonate with you. So national title or the season is a disappointment? Finishing No. 3 and 12-1 is a great accomplishment. It is much better than 11-2 and No. 10.

You're mixing up two things. I'm happy with this season. I thought we lose 3 games and we only lost 2. You're confusing being happy about a season with not caring that much that we won a meaningless bowl game.

I'm really happy about where this team is headed. This game, win or lose wouldn't do anything to change my feelings about Muschamp or this team.

[kgator94]

So if Florida was exposed tonight, why could Louisville exploit their weaknesses more so than other teams, say like the 4 of the top 12 ranked BCS teams we played? And that includes Georgia who beat us after having 6 turnovers and still had to have the last one at their goal line to stop us from possibly sending it to overtime? Do you think Louisville is better than TX A&M, Georgia, SC, FSU and all other teams we played? I mean they "exposed" us more than any of those other teams. Could it be a psychological phenomenon instead of a physical one? Maybe UF did look at this game as a lesser game because the trophy goes behind other ones. That would make sense based on what I saw. If you can honestly tell me that man for man Louisville had a better team and won this game on a talent discrepancy then I will buy your argument. Maybe Louisville had a better qb, but do you think their defense was better? After all they did shut us down more than LSU, SC and some other very good teams. No, I think Louisville played with a fire and passion that Florida could not even come close to matching. Maybe because they thought it was a lesser game that "didn't matter that much".

I would love to see your motivational slogan. Maybe it would say something like "Give 150% for those really important games and 85% for those not so important games. After all it doesn't really matter because those trophies go in the back of the closet".

[Matthanuf06]

Originally Posted by gatormoe1

I can agree there are things that are annoying about this game and some question marks. We need a better OL, Driskel needs to get a lot better and we need playmakers at WR.

Losing the Sugar Bowl however, means absolutely nothing. It sucks, sure, but its just a crappy bowl game against the #21 team in the country. Maybe our team didn't -- not try, but I guarantee you Louisville "wanted" it more and came to play just a little harder than UF. This happens a lot in these bowl games.

Another reason this really doesn't mean anything is because of what Bama has become since losing the Sugar bowl to Utah. I'm not saying we follow that exact path, but it really didn't mean anything to Bama at the time and I guarantee you not now.

There is no such thing as season to season momentum though, so Bama dominating post Utah had nothing to do with Utah. I guarantee you Saban would have preferred to win that game than lose it.

And your premise of no MNC = not caring is just a bit too far fetched. A&M looked pretty jacked up vs Bama and they had no MNC shot. That's just one mega obvious example. Point is you are using results based analysis to cherry pick. Either being out of the MNC picture makes you not care, or not. You can't claim it just when a higher ranked team loses. Sometimes teams just do lose. It happens in sports

Hell did you watch the game tonight? Our D was FLYING around and making crushing hits. Seemed they "wanted" it. I find it FAR more likely that an elite college QB was able to find open guys on third down. Wasn't LV the best third down O in the nation? Can't we give them some credit?

[UFreak]

Originally Posted by gatormoe1

If the Sugar gets in on the playoff picture, it will be a real big deal. It's simply not a big deal anymore to teams that are looking to be a National Champion year in year out. Thats what we have become. Spurrier and Meyer brought us a culture of winning and Sugar Bowl means your main goals weren't lived up to that season.

I think that's a real drag man. We all want the national title. But just because you aren't playing for it in most years, it doesn't make those games irrelevant.

[masterswordmaster]

Originally Posted by UFreak

I guess if I have to explain it, then it's not really going to resonate with you. So national title or the season is a disappointment? Finishing No. 3 and 12-1 is a great accomplishment. It is much better than 11-2 and No. 10.

Sure, winning feels great, but if you lose, then it''s really not a big deal either. Without a playoff system these bowl games are just meaningless feel good stories at the end of the year. I don't have very much (read: none) 2009 Sugar Bowl winner paraphernalia laying around my house, but you can bet I have a lot of national championship stuff because that's what matters.

[gatormoe1]

Originally Posted by UFreak

I think that's a real drag man. We all want the national title. But just because you aren't playing for it in most years, it doesn't make those games irrelevant.

Bowl games not named BCSCG are irrelevant. It sucks we lost, I've said that, but I'm not mad and it doesn't change the way I feel about this team. Thats what I mean about this game not meaning anything.

Sugar bowls don't mean much anymore.