ARKANSAS/FLORIDA: GETTING AWAY WITH IT
Getting away with it. All our lives. Complain about the officiating as much as you like, but if you look as odious as Florida’s offense looked for a half and still win, you did something right. This is what happens when you’ve emptied the hotel suite of all of its contents and stand looking them through the empty rectangle where a Vegas suite window once stood, shimmering under the blue water. It’s all about getting perspective, really. (We missed with the second flatscreen. It made a spectacular sound hitting the pavement from eleven stories up. Fortunately we registered under our pseudonym, Richard Reilly. )
The dazed aftermath doesn’t shield a few essentials about Florida, though. Something is terribly palsied in the offense, in the execution, and in the playcalling. Arkansas played like mad bastards, especially Dennis Johnson the rolling water buffalo on rails, last seen bowling through the entire Florida defense, and wideout Greg Childs. The playcalling is relentlessly uninventive, and the line buckled under pressure from the Razorbacks’ d-line, the other set of Ro-beasts hounding Tebow and sacking him six times. This offense is, in the words of Sophocles, “kinda shitty.”
Arkansas deserves not your pity, nor any opining about the officiating. If they hit two field goals, they win this game, horrific calls and all. The one irritating us most: another inane taunting penalty in the first half, moving SEC officiating further away from the application of rules from a handbook, and more towards the spontaneous review of interpretive dance.
They didn’t, and now Florida will fall to where they properly belong: number two at best, and possibly three if you’re partial to Texas. If they faced Alabama tomorrow, the Gators lose by ten. There’s time to improve, but the problems go deeper than Percy Harvin demonstrating his mutant skills in the NFL. For now, we’re the Iowa of the SEC, and like Iowa, we’re getting away with it for the moment. As dirty as it feels, it is better than the alternative.
(Excuse us. We have to leave the hotel, as “Mr. Reilly” is wanted for a conversation with the management he would rather not have.)
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101
Jack Fact says:
@97: Outback Bowl? Maybe if Zook was still in charge (and after watching our offense, he may well be.) At worst, as the #2 SEC we’ll end up playing an undefeated non-BCS team (Boise? TCU?) in the Sugar Bowl, and because my short-term memory is awful, I can’t recall a single instance of the SEC’s second-best team losing under such circumstances.
October 18th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
102
Hog In The Hills says:
My opinion can be summed up by my Mom’s comments during the game:
1st Half “We’re putting it to Florida”
End Of Game “The refs gave the game to Florida”
October 18th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
103
Hog In The Hills says:
Sha also said “We should send a thank you note to Alabama for showing us how to play football”
October 18th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
104
North 2 says:
Bitchez,
Bad calls are no different than freaky plays (Rainey “kick” fumble, ball not rolling out of endzone). If your team is much better, then they can overcome, if not, than it is a coin flip situation and whining about calls is a moot point because neither team is much better than the other to begin with, hence the coin flip situation.
Like all teams, Florida has been on the bad end of calls (FSU 2003, Tennessee Dallas Baker PF 2004 anyone?) and we bitched too. But, if we had been able to defend a damn Hail Mary against FSU or had a D against UT, we win those games. Blaming the refs may help the weak-minded feel better (It’s not our fault, it’s not our fault), but the honest person knows better. Shit, Miami should have never been in OT against tOSU, but there they were. Anytime a game is close, Refs can totally change the outcome by their calls, but they make the same shitty calls in blowouts too me thinks.
Undoubtedly refs are influenced by home crowd and big name school, but you know what, me no care. I’m sure Arkansas has been turning down that BCS cheese UF, LSU, Georgia, UT, and Bama have been bringing home year after year. Florida used to be the perpetual underachiever but has more than earned her keep since the ‘ol Ball Coach arrived.
If you want to be THE MAN, you have to BEAT the Man, don’t let the officials f things up for you.
Wooooooooooo!
*knows UF will now lose to Bama on bad call in SEC CG, but also knows that game is AT BEST a coin flip, so see above*
October 18th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
105
ESMjr. says:
Orson:
Hey, know what? It’d be great if we could get a few more posts from you about how undeserving Florida is of a gritty win despite playing their worst game since 2005, in which you put out the welcome mat for all the “OMG refs gave the game to gaytors” folks which make up 90% of your readership. It’s good to see you doing your small part to destroy Florida’s credibility within your sphere of influence.
You, sir, are the most craven, self-loathing, guilt-ridden excuse for a fan on these here internetz. If you don’t actually want your team to win, please go root for Vandy or Wake Forest or some other school where “honor” comes before WINNING.
ATTN ARKANSAS FANS AND AFFILIATED SEC HATERS: your “outrage” has been duly noted, whether of the earnestly-enunciated-conspiracy-theorist or world-wearily-knowing variety. Now grow the fuck up and live with it.
Anyone who says Arkansas had that game taken from them by the refs is a knob-slobbing knuckle-dragger.
October 18th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
106
Kevin@LSU says:
EDSBS Text from Last Night:
Me: O-H!
Ex-G/F from Ohio: fuck-you!
October 18th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
107
Blog Goliard says:
Putting “honor” in scare quotes? You have just told us everything we need to know about you, sir.
October 18th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
108
ESMjr. says:
@106:
‘Sooth, I do beg your pardon, milord!
May’st I replace your embroidered handkerchief, which hast surely been sullied by much righteous harrumphing over such coarse assertions as “honor is a sop for trembly old folks and their spiritual like-minded to give them warmth against the reality that the noveau riche are eating their lunch?”
Fucking simple-minded nostalgia-mongers.
October 18th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
109
fresh says:
#79…
That’s a crock of bullshit, especially considering that the collection of dumbasses masquerading as officials from your mickey mouse conference completely robbed Mississippi State and giftwrapped a win for your boys.
All this bitching about SEC refs would go away if everyone would just stop and watch a replay of Houston at Mississippi State. I actually found myself missing SEC officials that day.
October 18th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
110
cantcatchuf says:
ESMjr – Sir, I know not what affliction wracks your poor soul, but might I suggest a minor dose of perspective?
UF is perched atop the gilded BCS, and she does not ask for your heartburn-promoting rants in her defense. Instead, exhale in happy relief and do not murderously skewer every Florida fan who dares to concede to some notable incompetence on the part of the referees.
Fucking loquacious twit.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
111
ESMjr. says:
@109:
You drooling half-wit cock-worshiper.
The entire point of my heartburn-promoting rants is that we should be enjoying our meaningless BCS ranking (since, barring more O-line play like yesterday’s, we’ll play Bama and sort all that shit out anyway), not bowing and scraping to the internet lynch mob and pre-emptively asking forgiveness for a come-from-behind win in the swamp against a game hogs squad.
For Christ’s sake, if I wanted to read over-the-top “I’m not a homer” half-baked analysis and associated Gator-hating, I’d read Gregg Fucking Doyel.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
112
Will says:
@110:
And yet, here you are, reading this. Now. To steal some of your language, why don’t you put the dick back in your mouth and get back to doing what you do best? Let the big boys discuss football, while you take care of business.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
113
ESMjr. says:
@111:
Well, I don’t hang around and curse expansively in Doyel’s comment section, because I don’t expect anything better from him.
Orson, when he’s not beating himself (and the entire Gator nation) up for perceived injustices and inviting piling-on from other internet d-bags, really can write like a big boy. On those occasions he doesn’t, I comment. Which is what comment sections are for, I think.
On the other hand, we have your shitty blog, which is an arrow in Buzz Bissinger’s quiver.
October 18th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
114
Jim Grizzle says:
@99 Tractorr
I see you didn’t comment on the obvious offensive PI when Cooper mauled the Arkansas defender in the end zone. That no call would have backed UF up to the 50 for a 3rd and long. Instead, you just lined up for a FG. You Florida guys defending these calls are not doing yourself any favors.
No one is saying Arkansas lost the game JUST because of the officiating. Arkansas made as many msitakes as UF in the game. However, having less talent AND having to overcome too many bad calls was too much. UF’s last two scoring drives were aided by ridiculous calls, no calls and spots. UF may have won regardless. The problem is SEC officials should NOT be helping decide games. This is the exact same crew that called the bullshit celebration on AJ Green vs. LSU. I doubt Rogers Redding gives the Monday apology on this one, though, because he will then have to take action against this crew.
All everyone wants is a level playing field and for crews like the one Mark Curles heads up to be disciplined and/or replaced with better officials. That benefits EVERYONE, including Florida.
October 18th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
115
3rd says:
HAI GUYS!
so yeah Arkansas got fucking jobbed
but who gives a fuck about arkansas, so, now on to more important things: If ala fucking bama gets fucked
even half this bad in the seccg, you’re going to see a fucking war. 2012 type shit. blood everywhere, etc
October 18th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
116
AU_RX says:
Tell me again why people hate douchebag UF fans….nevermind.
October 18th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
117
ESMjr. says:
@114:
Well, this is the real reason (courtesy the boys at Saurian Sagacity):
Florida’s record against each Southeastern Conference team from 1990 to the present:
Alabama 8-4
Arkansas 7-0
Auburn 11-5
Georgia 16-3
LSU 14-5
Kentucky 19-0
Mississippi 3-3
Mississippi State 5-3
South Carolina 16-1
Tennessee 14-6
Vanderbilt 17-0
Total 130-30
There’s your douchebag right there.
October 18th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
118
Meg says:
I promise to try not to complain about crappy SEC refs ever again if they would just admit publicly that, although Tebow has had more excessive celebration and taunting escapades than just about any player in the NCAA, they will never call him on it because he is Tim Tebow. If they would just admit that when a team plays UF, they are dealing with two sets of rules, I would accept the inevitable and pray for the best my team could do.
October 18th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
119
Replacement Refs says:
Mike Slive need to quit sippin that Admiral Nielson. Gotta get at least a 4.1 share at da WLOCP.
October 19th, 2009 at 12:32 am
120
Mr. Pelican Pants says:
Well, what did we learn on Saturday?
The SECCG will feature, maybe, Bama vs Florida in a game where turnovers and bad ref calls will give way to a bunch of Tebow Smash vs Ingram in the Wildcat, for a 9-6 FG fest and with both teams having over 300 yrds rushing since both defenses and offenses seem to cancel each other out in the red zone, and whoever gets to 9 first wins. Dont even know who that will be……Hopefully by that time we will have Javy on defense and returning punts, although Julios stiff arm was pretty fun to watch.
All I know is that Bama better get it together this weekend on offense, mainly passing. Ingram and Richardson are solid RB’s, but I dont want to use em up and get them killed before that game. WE used to have a receiver named Julio Jones…….wonder what happened to that guy? Oh yeh, if you triple cover him on a GO route, usually leaves the running game WIDE OPEN……..also helps if the QB could find a receiver and be ON TARGET……
Also, I think the whole Florida thing is overblown…..I think many people have watched the UF-Michigan Bowl game and have come to realize that if you get to Tebow and harass him, you can get him outta rhythm a bit, and play physical, you can beat the Gators. That was the only game I saw where the Gators were outplayed on a physical level. And Michigan should have hung 50 on them that day……long story short…..many SEC defenses have caught up to Urban Meyer,plus no Louis Murphy and Percy Harvin…..and no Dan Mullen…….which makes it a WHOLE LOT EASIER TO SCHEME FOR FLORIDA, they were who we thought they were, and the FG kicker let em off the Hook! The Florida Offense used to be the hot guy at the beach who could pull any chick they wanted to off the beach into the condo in record time,…now being reduced simply as the old creepy guy at the VFW getting turned down by 45 yr old grandmas who still wear thong underwear..
October 19th, 2009 at 1:22 am
121
TampaGatorGal says:
Wow! and tonight, my insomnia serves me well! as usual, Mr. Pelican Pants sticks (admittedly!) to the point of game analysis, and is (admittedly) perfectly on point- per the GAME. I admit, I have adapted Mr. PP’s “What have we learned” construct to bring many real-world scenarios into perfect, much-needed clarity (sadly, some of these scenarios have included business meetings). Kudos.
but, really, after catching up on the comments (admittedly) in the “90-100s”, I have to give props to this (and Kevin@LSU wins!):
Kevin@LSU says:
EDSBS Text from Last Night:
Me: O-H!
Ex-G/F from Ohio: fuck-you!”
you, sir, Win! (what, I do not know) but for hip, timely humor, and perfectly melding “social media” with futbawl- tip o’ the hat! if we were in the same room, time zone, I’d buy you an over-priced tiny-homebrew-with-great-local-following beer.
as always, thanks EDSBS.
October 19th, 2009 at 2:04 am
122
PittsburghTiger says:
The only thing that was worse than the officiating was the forced ManLove story between McCoy and Bradford.
I never thought it would be possible to have something more gay than the JJ Reddick-Adam Morrison courtship.
But they surpassed that. Especially with the “competition” in the Cotton Bowl. The ping pong was riveting.
October 19th, 2009 at 8:54 am
123
OG says:
I don’t know which is worse, the SEC refs, or that pussy ESMjr trying to act all high and mighty.
October 19th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
124
AU_RX says:
Damn, you learn something new every day. I had no idea Florida only starting playing SEC teams in 1990. Who woulda thunk?
Selective douchery at its finest.
Florida’s record against each Southeastern Conference team from 1990 to the present:
Alabama 8-4
Arkansas 7-0
Auburn 11-5
Georgia 16-3
LSU 14-5
Kentucky 19-0
Mississippi 3-3
Mississippi State 5-3
South Carolina 16-1
Tennessee 14-6
Vanderbilt 17-0
Total 130-30
There’s your douchebag right there.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
125
ESMjr. says:
I HAVE ACHIEVED “WORSE THAN SEC REFS STATUS.”
I IMAGINE THIS IS WHAT UNICRON FEELS LIKE.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
126
thetennesseethumper says:
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, POST SOMETHING NEW!
i’m going to have that f!@#king song stuck in my head every time i see a glass of booze!
driving me crazy!
October 20th, 2009 at 8:30 am