Keith, Ed, and others,
First, regarding GatorCountry and Bob Redman (AKA Hollywood Bob), I have been a member of GatorCountry while Bob was there. I have met him and he is generally a nice guy. He created quite a stir on GatorCountry when he quit. Franz and Ray both told me that he was not fired but quit when he did not like the new direction GatorCountry was going to take. (I am not sure what the rip was but I am suspicious that it may have had something to do with the video programs. They were attempting to do almost daily shows and he may not have wanted the additional work load or did not want to be on camera. He was never on one that I can remember.) Franz and Ray both said at the time that Bob was still their friend. We should remember that GatorNet and GatorCountry have had a long history. Ray was an early member and actually hosted GatorNet for a few years. Ray still allows us to post occasional "Premium" articles. (I have not posted any for a while because I have felt that out "reporter" system was working pretty well. During the off-season, I will post some more.) I rarely see any major threads on GatorCountry attacking Scout or Fightin Gators. I do not subscribe to any other site so I cannot comment on their attacks on GatorCountry. I will say that I personally like GatorCountry. Their articles are usually excellent-better than any I have seen in any newspaper. I don't pay that much attention to the "insider" information on recruiting because, frankly, I don't trust what a high school star says. I have been disappointed too many times by kids saying one thing and then switching at the last minute (NuKeese for example). I will say that GatorCountry has thrown some nice BBQs. Jerry I don't know if Billy Gonzales was fired, but I did hear Urban Meyer say in a GatorCountry video that Gonzales was upset that he was passed over as offensive coordinator last year and that he left because he wanted to be one. (It is interesting that after he left for L$U, his title was changed from being their offensive coordinator to their passing game coordinator. I wonder if this was just a misunderstanding or if it was a change once he was hired.) From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ed Williamson Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 1:51 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [gatortalk] Randy started a MAJOR soap opera / insider information I am a member not only of this list, but Gator Country, Fightin Gators, and Gator Bait in addition to several other much smaller and less active sites. The major issue that is really being fought over is not really the information or misinformation (depending on which site is your favorite), but results from Gator Country firing Bob Redman, who was the recruiting maven and "insider" a little over a year ago. Bad blood has simmered with the folks at Fightin Gators sniping and twisting any bit of information that they can to try to make Gator Country look bad. Each site has its own strengths and weaknesses. FG is significantly better and up on recruiting for those of you who are "recruitniks". It is plugged into the Scout recruiting data base which is very good. GC has a much more user friendly site with much better technology available as far and video, message boards, chat rooms and superior "news reporting". Their association with ESPN has not yet produced the recruiting information bonanza that was promised as of yet, but it is getting better. Now why the two sites can't get along and respect each other is beyond ridiculous to me. But frankly other than the recruiting, the message boards at FG are very poor and not much activity compared to GC. The only threads that get any action are threads that assault GC. If a thread it dying at FG, all you have to do is insult GC and it will crank up. The next issue is that when Bob Redman was fired by GC, many "recruitniks" became very upset with GC and began complaining loudly and vociferously about the decline in inside recruiting information. Within a few months, Scout hired Bob for the FG site and many GC'ers joined FG, (me included) to enjoy his expertise. Most of them keeping dual memberships. Unfortunately, most of the FG'ers still on GC has kept up a rather continual barrage of complaints and looking for any issue that they could try to raise to cause unrest at GC. There have been skirmishes all along since then. The most recent flap occurred when a GC insider made a post that alleged that several of the Junior class that has possibilities of being drafted by the NFL had not given an all out effort in the SECCG. He linked it to the party where Carlos Dunlap got drunk resulting in his DUI arrest. He also alleged that Billy Gonzales the WR coach that left UF and went to LSU was really fired rather than resigning. Another insider that posts on both GC and FG took issue with him and called him out. The ploy worked out well for FG as far as this causing an internet flap and getting a real major argument going between the two sites. The interesting thing as I observe this (I refuse to participate in the idiocy of Gator fighting Gator) is that FG is unanimous in the castigation of GC as most of their members are followers of Bob Redman and most of them still have dual memberships and they have turned GC into the battleground so that their site does not have the bitterness on display other than their disdain for GC. The supposed issue of Tebow missing a tackle on purpose was a mistake in understanding some commentary and was quickly rectified and apologized for by the person making the post on GC, but the good folks at FG refuse to acknowledge that and continue to throw that old issue on the current fire to try to make it burn hotter. The sad thing to me in this is that Bob Redman is a very informed person(and I like him) and he could put a stop to all of this idiocy, but for some reason he and the other leaders at FG seem to want to destroy GC and they continually encourage their followers to continue with their assaults on GC. One other point that I would make for any that are following any of this on the two websites is that although the first GC poster did disparage the "NFL Juniors", the rebuttal FG poster said that the kids played their hearts out, they just weren't well prepared because the Coaches thought that Alabama would be easily defeated. Now I really don't want to rekindle any of this type of thinking, because I don't think either of them are correct or on target, but which is worse to say kids were distracted by future wealth or the Coaches didn't take their jobs seriously getting prepared for the SEC CG?????? Here is some controversy to spice up your eggnog during the holidays. J Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And a United Gator Nation in 2010 From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 10:06 AM To: gatortalk googlegroups Subject: [gatortalk] Randy started a MAJOR soap opera / insider information For those that care and are following along at home That "insider" information that was emailed to Randy and he posted here - MAJOR soap opera / drama regarding it. (I am kidding that Randy had anything to do with inciting a riot - or at least not this one) The guy that generated all that information is/was an important member of GatorCountry (ESPN affiliate). Fighting Gators site (Scout affiliate) is saying that it is all made up and not true. I remember a remark by one of the Gator Players parents - maybe Tebows? - about some internet rumors being way off base. At the time - it did not sink in. But supposedly the GC poster said that Tebow missed a tackle on an interception on purpose. This poster is the same poster that said a lot of the juniors going pro and seniors did not play hard in the SEC CG because they were afraid they would get hurt. Made up some stories about Gonzalez leaving, etc. I am currently not a member of GatorCountry - all my information is from Scout site - so take it for the bias it's worth. I would expect loyal GC members to have a contrasting view. The third site (Rivals) appears to be staying out of it. I live and breath everything Gator Football. When Gator Bait was a weekly newspaper and the Gainesville Sun was a daily newspaper - I use to get both mailed to me in North Carolina - just so I could have my Gator fix. I remember so many Thursdays - dying for the mail man to come because that was when the GatorBait usually showed up. Of course the internet changed all of that. But they usually had knowledgeable people going to the practices and telling us what they saw. But all of that is gone now - with the blackout on the media. All we get is the sterilized news from the Sports Information office. Now, I see the same sterilized "news" articles over and over from most of the major news outlets. So I subscribe to get the "insider" information - which is rare - perhaps once per month. They try to push all the recruting stuff - but that is so wishy washy - and full of more drama - its like - who cares? Until a kid is sitting in his classes and is wowing coaches and players on the field - they might have even not signed with the Gators. Deonte Thompson, Carl Moore, and Debose were all five stars and going to change everything. For a variety of reasons - they did not change anything this year. My point is - why follow all the recruiting stuff - when you have no idea who will sign, much less play, much less perform? But I noticed this disconnect in insider information - and it has really blown up. Scout site saying that GatorCountry is in meltdown, etc. I have no dog in this fight (to use a Michael Vick phrase). All I want is Gator practices open so that the sites can go back to watching practice and reporting on it. Not this sterilized information and fighting over which insider information is right. -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us
