Aberdeen was a huge contributor to our Championship. Now that he is at UK?

You can get a surprisingly good one at Shapiro's in Indianapolis of all places. Better than any I every had in Chicago and they have some good ones.

Katz's is pretty much the gold standard.

 

We will have a different set of players with different skillsets and tendencies than Will, Walter, and Alijah had. I don't see it being an issue.

 

I was and still am surprised he left. I felt he was going to be the stud next year for the gators and be their leader. I wish him the best and hope we do not miss hum too much! Very excited to see our new squad this winter as I am as bug of a basketball fan as football fan. Off subject but Walter Clayton Jr. is the best basketball player to ever wear the uniform!

 

I am bug on this basketball team too !

 

GATOR BAIT

 

No loyalty equals Gator Bait. When someone transfers out he's dead to me and hope when they play the Gators he gets stoned. Same for everyone who transfers out.

 

Billy Donovan?

 

He went pro. He didn't transfer to a rival.

 

So, to be loyal to UF, Gatkek and Szymczyk should never have transferred. Meaning that there may not have been a roster spot for Handlogten, Condon, or Chinyelu (which I suspect means we don’t have a title). Unless, of course, loyalty only runs one way, and UF was welcome to cut them from the roster and scholarship in favor of someone better.

Which, I think is essentially what happened; they, Lane, Bonham, maybe Kugel got told they should best move along. Okay, that’s not likely what happened with Aberdeen, but I think to say simply that every player who transfers out should be treated as a turncoat worthy of no respect is not recognizing the reality of the situation faced by the player, or by the coaching staff.

I’m not going to look it up, but my recollection is that when Urban Meyer came aboard, there was an incoming quarterback who was highly ranked, but not the mobile Alex Smith type he wanted, and (IIRC) after meeting with the kid, the LOI was rescinded. My UGA fan boss called it the height of unethical behavior, but my position was - and is - that it’s better to be honest with a kid who’s got a short window to do something, somewhere, and if he’s not a match, or for whatever reason it’s not going to happen here, part ways. If some athletes end up caught in that kind of situation, I’m not going to castigate them.

 

I believe that it is likely that we would not have won the national title without Denzel’s contribution. I am rooting for this guy at UK even when he plays against us as long as we beat UK.

 

I don’t know the number, but I thought that people were saying it was substantially less than what Lee got. My guess is that the NIL payments to UF hoopsters for the coming season would be about $12 million, which would be based on Fland and Lee getting about $4.5 million, Condon and Haugh getting about $4.5 million, Chinyelu getting about $1.5 million, and the rest of the team getting about $1.5 million. Does that sound ballpark to you guys?

 

I have no idea about most of the team. But my understanding is that Fland got a smidge over $2 million, and so Lee is maybe around that or a little less. Lee is making a ton ($6 million) off his shoe deal, outside of what our system is paying.
My guess is that Klavzar is making good money, else he'd have gone to Europe. But I don't know what constitutes good money in overseas leagues.
I do appreciate that we've been doing merch that shows every member of the team, including the walk-ons. So everybody gets a piece of the pie.

 

I heard 2 million. Regardless, a lot of dough to go.

 

Zel would have found himself coming off the bench. He didn’t want that. UK offered him coin and a starting position. We’ll see if he was lied to.

 

How do you know he would’ve been coming off the bench? Do any of you know that we would have signed Boogie Fland regardless of whether Aberdeen stayed? Also, do any of us know whether Haugh would’ve started over Aberdeen at the three if Boogie Fland had signed with the Gators?

 

Tommy H is starting over Aberdeen every day and twice on Sundays. Tommy is a bonafide first round draft pick and will be contending for NPOY. Now, there is a possibility that Fland would not have come to UF had Aberdeen stayed. However, Fland is also probably a first round pick and Zel is not. If Fland came, Aberdeen would be coming off the bench like he did this past year. If Fland didn’t come, Aberdeen would have started, but we wouldn’t be as good.

Competition at UK will be equally as stiff.

 

You missed my point. My point was that how do you know that Haugh would have started at the three instead of remaining at the four if Denzel, Boogie and Lee were all on the Gators. Tommy would also start over Will Richard every day of the week and twice on Sundays. However, Will Richard was the starting three last season for a national title team.

 

He left for a huge bag of money, probably at least 3x what Florida offered. I'm not disappointed in Aberdeen, I am disappointed in the mess big money NIL created and the yearly transfer portal pouring gasoline on a fire. Aberdeen is unlikely to start for UK or play in the NBA, and he could make more next year than he will for any subsequent year of his life. Don't hate the kid, but don't root for him either when he's playing Florida. IMO, there are too many Gators to root for to have any time to spend on a former player who transferred to a hated rival, but that's just me. I wish him good luck but I don't care about him anymore. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.