RONNIE WILSON HELPS FLORIDA RELOAD
A powerful high-caliber recruit who shot into the starting lineup as a left guard on the 2006 national title team, Ronnie Wilson will be reinstated at Florida as a walk-on on the defensive tackle position*.
Wilson, who spent over a year away from the team following an incident where the lineman discharged an AK-47 in a downtown Gainesville parking lot**, aims to help the Gators reload on the defensive line. The d-line will need significant firepower this season to assist a secondary still reeling from being shot to pieces by opposing quarterbacks in 2007. Wilson, a 6′4″, 310 pound former starting guard, could provide some substantial fire along the line, though there is a firefight of competition surrounding the spot.*** He’ll have to acquire all the skills d-lineman need: looking down the barrel of an onrushing offensive lineman, shooting the gap, and strafing through blocks in rapid-fire fashion to bring down his target.
Given the current state of Florida’s defensive line, we predict Wilson will rise with a bullet to the top of the depth chart!**** Go Gators!*****
*Really? Reeeeeeeeally? Agog. Agape. Not with surprise, but with disgust, since we sort of expected him to be back on the team in November of 2007. By that standard, we should be happy, if that “standard” didn’t mean “bitter sarcasm,” and it does.
**Fucking around and just discharging a weapon? We could live with that. We could, really. Everyone has a gun in Florida. Alligators have guns. Possums do, too, though really they mostly prefer poisoning their rivals, which explains why you see them lying around half-dead all the time. It’s kind of a passion of theirs.
But discharging a machine gun because you feel threatened, or even just carrying one around in your trunk? That’s a behavioral dealbreaker, or rephrased: should have been a behavioral dealbreaker.
***Because vaunted frosh Omar Hunter allegedly already hurt his back weightlifting. The noise you hear is us punting the nearest puppy into a bug zapper. No, we don’t feel better after that.
****Purchase smoke machines and military fatigues immediately. We’re da U now, and will have to live with it. Jacked Jesus on a pogo stick; having a cyborg as your coach has its drawbacks, but this is the greatest one by far. Well, that and his plan to exterminate the human race one fleshy weakling at a time. That’s a potentially inconvenient bit, too.
*****Only possible upside: Ronnie Wilson can wear 47 if Brandon Antwine’s willing to switch jerseys.









51
JoseOle says:
Shockingly Florida sells it’s soul to a man carrying a FUCKING MACHINE GUN to improve their defense. Meyer is such a piece of shit. Can’t this guy get exiled to Jackson State like everyone else?
August 1st, 2008 at 1:18 pm
52
Biggus Rickus says:
Maybe I’m cynical, but reinstating a guy who carries a submachine gun in his car and is willing to discharge it is begging for trouble. People rarely change.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:19 pm
53
hugh says:
#50
Luckily for all of us bullets fired straight up most certainly don’t hit the ground at the same speed at which they left the barrel. If they did, we would be living in a vacuum, and I think you’ll agree that that would introduce more problems than just Ronnie Wilson’s bullets causing death and destruction.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:23 pm
54
DanF says:
If DT depth is an issue, Paterno just gave two very good ones there walking papers the other day.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:24 pm
55
OhioDawg says:
#39 – I’ve got a bridge to sell you, and Ronnie Wilson has some swamp land for you.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
56
BBQGator says:
Really an AK47 is not that bad. Its not fully automatic or anything. No body got hurt, no harm no foul, right?
August 1st, 2008 at 1:27 pm
57
hobeg8r says:
At the risk of bringing baseball into this – they seldom change…but sometimes they do. Ask Josh Hamilton. I’m hoping the same thing happens for Ronnie. I’m hoping the same thing happens for every player who ever earns Fulmer Cup points. It is less than a month away from CFB and hope springs eternal.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
58
Stephen says:
That dog is seeking to transfer to Gainesville.
Oh, and by the way, that dog liked the way other Presidents looked on the dollar bill.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
59
Gil Henry says:
Your site and your humor is so refreshing in this bizarre world of sports that so many of us worship or at least obsess over. Certainly, most of us take sport and ourselves way too seriously. Bad for our health and bad for our fellowship. Yours is one of if not the only place to read equal opportunity outrage in a humorous package. No glaring signs of owed allegiances to product or sponsor. You and your work are dearly appreciated. If there is anything I can do to help you go national, please let me know. Don’t know if you’ve considered it, but a piece on Jim Gnome has some possiblities. One of my pen names is “Dodd Dimmitt.” On most sports boards, my handle is “SeminoleDog.”
Thanks for your work and your wonderful attitude.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:31 pm
60
justanotherbuckeye says:
#47,
In a vacuum that may be correct, but air friction both up and down will not allow it to come even close in this case.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
61
Ken Nall says:
Bullets do not hit the ground with the same speed as when they leave the barrel. When a bullet leaves the barrel of a gun it immediately begins to decelerate. If it did what you say, then a bullet fired parralel to the ground would never hit the ground. Gravity and friction with the air the bullet passes through slow it down. A bullet fired into the air moves in parabolic motion. At the top of that motin, it essentially stops its upward motion for an instant then begins its down ward motion. This is whay firearms and their ammunition have what are called “effective range”. This is why a shotgun fired at close range is lethal, but at over 100 yards, most of them will not even break skin or penetrate the lightest of clothing. Mythbusters did do a show on this and they were able to observe that a bullet fired from a high powered rifle straight up would come back down and had enough power to barely penetrate fairly soft ground on a dry lake bed.
And get the facts right, it was not an AK-47, it was essentialy a target rifle that is a mock up of an AK, but fires rounds more like a .22 cal
August 1st, 2008 at 1:34 pm
62
Mr.Pelican Pants says:
What is it with Russian weapons, Mexican Liquor, and African American athletes? That Dog wants to know.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:41 pm
63
TCOAN says:
RE: Mythbusters, both commenters are correct in that they busted the myth and confirmed it. They found that if you fire a bullet (perfectly) straight up in the air, it will not fall back down and injure you. However, if there is any deviation from directly upwards in the bullet’s trajectory, it can and has killed people nearby:
http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2006/04/episode_50_bullets_fired_up_vo_1.html
August 1st, 2008 at 1:42 pm
64
dudis41 says:
Enough of this self-loathing…
Has Holly hit the bar already???
Damnit woman, were are my Corrections?
August 1st, 2008 at 1:48 pm
65
Papa Lou BSU says:
#58, fair enough. But the stray bullets decending from the sky are still capable of killing and/or maiming innocent bystanders (particularly if they weren’t fired straight up into the air, but at an angle). And that’s Orson’s point. Wilson’s behavior was undeniably reckless and he cavalierly put people’s lives at risk.
Meyer’s slap on the wrist for such a serious offense makes Florida look bad.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:55 pm
66
zzgator says:
LMAO the comments around here crack me the hell up. There must be a previously unheard of “Gator” level on the moral outrage meter. I’d be willing to bet DRUNK DRIVING kills many many many more people every DAY that bullets fired into the air but none of you seem to suggest every player convicted of DUI be summarily removed from the team with no shot (pardon the pun) at redemption.
We better build bigger prisons cause any mistake means we should “lock em up for life” cause ya know…”they never change.”
Ahhh cynicism…all the cool kids are doing it.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:06 pm
67
SDSMP says:
#56 — Using drugs (potentially harming oneself) ? randomly firing an AK in the middle of a city (Though I use the term “city” loosely, there is substantial potential harm to others)
#60 — I’m sure Wilson fired at an angle exactly perpendicular to the earth and was merely performing a science experiment
As for Urban and his dedication to rehabilitating Wilson, I’m sure a walk-on scout team player would have received precisely the same treatment
August 1st, 2008 at 2:09 pm
68
NCT says:
@ all the folks discussing whether firing the weapon up into the air was dangerous:
How ’bout all the apologists volunteer for an experiment? Everybody gather ’round a gunman firing straight up repeatedly until someone’s hit, and let’s see if it hurts.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:10 pm
69
dogtown gator says:
The big difference for me between the lax terms with Marcus Thomas and Ronnie Wilson, is that Marcus was doing lots to hurt his dumbshit to himself, and Ronnie’s transgressions could’ve hurt others.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:11 pm
70
zzgator says:
#64…odds are a walk on scout team member wouldn’t have the testicular fortitude to work his way back onto the team…or the incentive of a possible future profession at stake.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:12 pm
71
Irish09 says:
“We’re da U now.” Them’s powerful words, Orson.
So how much time left until Sports Illustrated demands that Florida shut down its program?
August 1st, 2008 at 2:13 pm
72
Bobby Decatur says:
Looks like Bob Stoops just juxtposed the hell out of this one…hasta la vista Josh Jarboe…..
August 1st, 2008 at 2:16 pm
73
Chas says:
I’m all for giving kids second chances to correct their mistakes, but some mistakes – like wildly discharging an automatic rifle, for example – are just plain inexcusable. Okay, so no one was hurt, but even if they were, what would that have meant? Maybe Ronnie Wilson would have had to tack on stadium steps in addition to sitting out a year? Seriously, this is exactly the sort of thing that I’ve gotten on FSU and UT about over the past decade or so. The only (very) small comfort I take in this is that I – and the majority other Gator fans are sickened by this- and not trying to make excuses for this or be Meyer/Wilson apologists. But then again, it’s not like he shot the president.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:18 pm
74
Mr. Pelican Pants says:
Acceptable punishment? How bout making him watch the Fla-Michigan game over and over……that was painful…..
August 1st, 2008 at 2:20 pm
75
blon57 says:
#47
Dear CincySooner,
I stand corrected in my assessment of Bob Stoops. I do, however, remain firm in my opinion of Barry Switzer.
Sincerely,
blon57
August 1st, 2008 at 2:26 pm
76
zzgator says:
#72 you’re right…Stoops “juxtaposed” what happens when you’ve already made a mistake and you are given guidelines to follow to stay on the team and you don’t follow them as opposed to making a mistake, being given guidelines to follow to stay on the team (or earn your way back on) and you DO follow them.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
77
Chas says:
One other thing, re: second chances. If Ronnie Wilson wanted to stay at UF to get a degree and NOT play football, I would have been perfectly okay with that. If Ronnie Wilson wanted to transfer to another school and try to get his life and career back in order, that would have also been kosher. But playing for the Gators should be a privilege, not a right, and an offense like Wilson’s should have cost him his Gator football privileges permanently.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
78
TAFKastOSUB says:
Damn, I can only imagine the backlash Ohio State would have received had Clarrett, a man who never fired a weapon, simply carried them around with some grey goose, was reinstated at Ohio State. Holy shit…stop the presses it would be unprecedented.
Clifford got busted with some pot and got involved in a small dispute in a bar in Cincy and was sent packing for good. Tressel helped him get transferred so he could get a fresh start, but made it clear…it is a privilege to wear the Scarlet and Gray and you’ve lost that privilege for good.
Dude was a 5 star recruit and potential stud at corner or safety.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:37 pm
79
CincySooner says:
Yep… I’m an idiot and left out air resistance…
However, I did the calcs real quick at my desk here.
Taking into account variation in air properties throughout the flight, taking an average of drag coefficient during the supersonic and subsonic portions of flight, and limiting the bullets speed to its terminal velocity on the way down, the bullet slows down, on average, by about 58% by the time it reaches the ground.
This means that instead of the bullets hitting the ground at twice the speed of sound, they “only” hit the ground at nearly a thousand feet per second.
Still think Wilson wasn’t endangering people?
August 1st, 2008 at 2:42 pm
80
Orson Swindle says:
We have scientifically determined that if you fire a bullet into the air, when it comes down you will have what is empirically one of the smartest and stupidest threads in the history of this website.
We’re proud and ashamed at the same time, which is how it usually works out for us.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:47 pm
81
Brian O'Blivion says:
There must be a previously unheard of “Gator” level on the moral outrage meter. I’d be willing to bet DRUNK DRIVING kills many many many more people every DAY that bullets fired into the air but none of you seem to suggest every player convicted of DUI be summarily removed from the team with no shot (pardon the pun) at redemption.
Fantastic point. Kudos. The moral outrage meter is always over the top when UF is involved. Probably Dawg fans mostly. Most of them are just pissed because it will make Florida a better team defensively, and it’s something they can use as “ammo” (pun intended) when UF beats them.
August 1st, 2008 at 2:52 pm
82
Another Dave says:
I don’t see how any of you can say ‘oh no big deal.’ Tell you what, if he’s learned his lesson, let him finish out school but NOT play football.
Do you honestly think if this had been some random student they would have even been let back onto campus???????
August 1st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
83
blon57 says:
#80
No, the more interesting thread has been the response to the first post of the day and the opinions about beer.
I now realize that is the fourth most important subject to a man behind sports food and sex. I learned something new today.
Thank you, Orson.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
84
Mr.Pelican Pants says:
As far as bullets go, only the little nerdy chicken from FogHorn Leghorn could fiqure the trajectory of a bullet reaching its apex and its tumble to the ground whether it would be fatal or not, draw a diagram on graph paper, and simultaneously dig you up from behind the barn, and leave you wondering how in the hell it happened…
August 1st, 2008 at 3:10 pm
85
willet says:
I love the righteous indignation. Yes it is a privilege to play for the red and gray, win the mac and then get kicked in the dick mitten by LSU/UF/real conference. Enjoy it again this year.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:12 pm
86
willet says:
I love the righteous indignation. Yes it is a privilege to play for the red and gray, win the mac and then get kicked in the dick mitten by LSU/UF/real conference. Enjoy that privilege again this year.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:16 pm
87
tbone says:
#70
yeah, obv correct. walk-on scout team players have zero testicular fortitude. as a group they are profoundly unmotivated. unlike 6′5″ 300 lb 4* recruits who’ve never had a thing handed to them in their life.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:23 pm
88
Amazed says:
I am honestly amazed that some of you applaud this move. History has shown that bringing in low character guys, or reinstatements like this, can really hurt the internal culture of a team. Don’t be surprised if there is some later fallout because of this. Urban is starting to walk a slippery slope between his desire to win, and thinking clearly about the impact of his decisions. * Note this may also be due to him being a soulless cyborg.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:42 pm
89
Chas says:
#81,
So Orson is a Dawg fan? Fuck, all this time I thought I’ve been reading a Gator blog. Shenanigans!!!
August 1st, 2008 at 3:46 pm
90
NRBQ says:
All this rushing-to-judgment.
I suggest we all embrace prudence, and wait until the Fantasy Sports Gurlz have had a chance to weigh in.
August 1st, 2008 at 3:47 pm
91
Brewdog says:
Damn, I wish I had an AK when I was at UF. Of course, that was back in the ’80s and the MAC-10 was considered much more stylish.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:04 pm
92
PeterPumpkinhead says:
Orson, snap the necks of a bucketfull of kitties… I’m sure that’ll help.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:20 pm
93
Domer Guy says:
Bob Stoops thinks that Urban is scared of a kid.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:30 pm
94
watcher16 says:
Shooting guns in the air isn’t dangerous? Look no further than this story from the 2005 Peach Bowl in the Georgia Dome:
Shooting guns into the air: What goes up must come down!
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
JAN. 11, 2005 — Something which has always bugged me is what happens when people shoot firearms into the air, such as at times of celebration.
After all, we’ve always been taught that what goes up must come down.
Well, over the holidays we got an inking of what can happen when people go shooting off firearms, even if supposedly not pointing at anyone, and even when shooting into the air.
We read of an 18-year-old UGA freshman being hit in the leg by a stray bullet while at the Miami-Florida Peach Bowl game on New Year’s Eve in the Georgia Dome. Police say the bullet, apparently fired into the air by a New Year’s reveler, came through the Dome’s roof.
And time that story came out, we read of a second such incident in Atlanta, again an apparently random shot into the air that struck a person. Luckily, neither person was killed by these two celebratory pistol-firings into the air. But why was there gunfire within the city limits?
But now we know of these incidents.
And if a bullet can injure someone’s leg, it can also injure other parts of the body, and no doubt, has the ability also to kill someone.
It’s another instance of the unleashing of destruction when someone fires a gun….even into the air.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:34 pm
95
Biff says:
Ah, sports blogs where facts go to die in the name of whitty rhetorts.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:52 pm
96
Last Dragon says:
People in Iraq scoff at that story. They’re likely to fire guns in the air to celebrate dinner being served.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:04 pm
97
Sean F says:
The sound you hear in the background are Notre Dame fans like myself enjoying a nice Schadenfruede sandwich.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:06 pm
98
watcher16 says:
Not to mention the kid violated the suspension from the firing of the weapon by an “undisclosed violation of team rules”…which is assumed to be (and generally means) a positive drug test.
And as another Gator blogger noted, “Under Florida’s “10-20-Life” statute, he faced a mandatory 20 yr. prison term if he went to trial and was convicted.”
So a year off and having to pay for college only to be get let back on to the team vs. 20 years in prison…sounds like a pretty sweet deal
August 1st, 2008 at 5:08 pm
99
Heston says:
One little oversight … it wasn’t an AK-47.
You need to hand in your fan card after “Da U” call out.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:17 pm
100
Brian O'Blivion says:
89 – I didn’t write that all were Dawg fans. I’m sure there’s plenty of Gator fans criticizing the move, while they are secretly glad that he’ll be playing again. It’s the OMG!1!1 Meyer is slime!1!! people I’m referring to.
Shooting any gun into the air is dangerous. This is not in dispute. But everyone here spouting off on Meyer and/or UF because he was let back on the team should get over it and watch for flying stones in your glass house. As was pointed out, drunk driving is just as dangerous to others, and no one gets their panties in a bunch when they are let back on a team.
August 1st, 2008 at 5:17 pm