I'm with you, Juno. I hope the Gators kick his drunken old butt all over Florida Field!
Oliver Barry, CRS, GRI Real Estate Broker Bob Parks, LLC 1517 Hunt Club Blvd Gallatin TN 37066 615-972-4239 615-826-4040 Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: > From: JunoGator <[email protected]> > Date: August 12, 2011 7:02:41 AM CDT > To: GatorNEWS <[email protected]> > Subject: [gatornews] Gatornews from the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post > courtesy of JunoGator > Reply-To: [email protected] > > Our current Gator players weren't alive – and our current coach had not yet > moved to hogtown with is family -- when Smellyburger sent his scUM kicker in > to put an in your face FG up on the scoreboard in the final seconds of a 1980 > game in which the Hurricanes had a huge lead. > > It was bad enough to do that to our players that day. But the old scUM coach > did that to make it personal to ALL the Gator fans at Florida field that day; > not just the drunk frat boys who tossed tangerines at the Miami Bench. > > UF would go on to beat Maryland the Tangerine bowl that year. > > Juno and a bunch of his grumbly middle aged old gator friends hope > (i) our current players give him a sound butt whuppin' in our opener and > (ii) our coach sends our kicker out to tack on (and make) a meaningful field > goal to put the gators up by 'half a hundred'. > > In 'honor' of this rival coach who JunoGator grudgingly acknowledges a > respectful hate, here's an article by a south Florida sports editor upon the > announcement of Smellyburger's retirement after the upcomming year. > > Howard Schnellenberger’s legacy is unequaled > BY GREG COTE MIAMI HERALD > > The old Owl will fly one more year before he is done, and he will leave the > nest secure. > Howard Schnellenberger revealed Thursday this would be his final year of a > lifetime of coaching ending at Florida Atlantic University. It is the > football program he created from scratch, literally from nothing. > He spoke in a second-floor meeting room inside FAU’s modern new athletics > center. It is the building that rose on the donations that came on the power > of his salesmanship, the cache of his good name. > He spoke less than a mile from the Owls’ new campus stadium opening this > fall, also his invention, the stuff of his imagination and determination. It > is the stadium, once seeming so unlikely, that FAU should name in his honor > when this coming season has ended, along with one man’s monumental career. > Schnellenberger will leave our present-tense second only to Dolphins icon Don > Shula as the football coach who meant the most for the longest in South > Florida’s sports history. That’s good company. > At age 77, this farewell season will mark Schnellenberger’s seventh decade in > coaching, dating to 1959, his prints all over football history. > As a championship protégé of Bear Bryant’s at Alabama, Schnellenberger honed > his skills as a recruiter and happened to land a player by the name of Joe > Namath. > He was Shula’s right-hand man when the 1972 Dolphins were perfect. > His place in University of Miami history is indelible, of course, for the > Hurricanes’ first national championship in 1983. Because only one man can be > first, and he is that for all time. > His place at FAU is different, smaller from a national perspective, > certainly, but bigger in some ways. > “This was more personal,” he said Thursday. > In 1998, at 64, the age when most men are winding down their professional > lives, this man accepted the challenge of growing a football program from a > blank page and a flat patch of ground. > “There was no place to hang any equipment, let alone a jockstrap,” he said > with the slightest smile. > A week ago, Schnellenberger ceremonially flipped the light switch that > illuminated the new stadium — his stadium — for the first time. > “Very emotional for me,” he said. “It was something magnificent.” > His baby had grown. But at the same time, flipping that switch began to > gradually start dimming the lights on his long coaching career, signaling the > start of his final season on a sideline he has been walking, somewhere or > another, since 1959. > “The architect, the builder of it all,” FAU athletic director Craig Angelos > rightly described the old coach. > “The house that Howard built,” university president M.J. Saunders rightly > called the new stadium. > NOT GOING ANYWHERE > There was a chuckling response from Schnellenberger to the idea he might miss > coaching and seek to rebuild some other school’s program elsewhere. > “You won’t see me anywhere but here and at the beach,” he said. > After this season, he will segue into emeritus status as a paid “ambassador,” > doing what he has done for 13 years. Selling FAU. Using his salesmanship and > name to raise donations and continue to grow what he planted. > The exit strategy, this plan, was important to him. > “Fifty-two years in coaching, 13 years here, having the stadium in place, we > came to the conclusion that [we would not] get into a situation other schools > have gotten into,” Schnellenberger said. > “All of us know there comes a time. So we wanted to make it as seamless as we > can. Do it in a civil way.” > He was thinking of his friend Bobby Bowden. He didn’t want to leave FAU, or > leave himself, in the situation that wrenched the heart of Bowden at Florida > State, wanting to stay on but gently forced out. > So this had been in the works for years, “since the last contract.” He would > see the new stadium to fruition, coach the first season in it, then stop > being what he had been since 1959. A football coach. > “I think we all were in agreement it was important for him to run out with > the team in the new stadium,” Angelos said. > At one point Thursday, Schnellenberger stood at his lectern, looked out and, > pointing, methodically counted from one to 11. He was counting the TV or > video cameras at his news conference. > The media crowd was impressively large considering he was announcing not his > retirement, but his plan to retire. > “That’s a big jump from 13 years ago,” he said, smiling. > The 157 career college victories that put Schnellenberger top 10 among active > coaches don’t begin to tell his importance in this community. > The FAU years that cap his career form a real legacy, but Schnellenberger is > significant in a broader sense in South Florida sports history mostly for his > time at UM. > He didn’t invent Canes football like at FAU. But he launched it. > After that 1983 championship thriller over Nebraska on Jan. 2, 1984, past > midnight, a much younger Schnellenberger stood outside his team’s locker room > at the Orange Bowl in a suit with a pipe clamped in his mouth, looking > erudite, as if the national championship had just been won by one of the > school’s professors. His wife, Beverlee, beamed at his side, incongruously > wearing a floor-length mink, like royalty. > Miami Hurricanes football had arrived like never before, with the first of > five national championships won during a 19-year span. > ALL BECAUSE OF HIM > Whatever success that followed started with Schnellenberger. > Whatever Al Golden is working right now to revive dates to this man. > Yes, Schnellenberger inherited some talent from predecessor Lou Saban, > including Jim Kelly, but it was Howard who made a sinking program breathe > with his “state of Miami” recruiting philosophy that hit the backyard hard. > Almost 30 years ago, that was. > These days, the latter-years Schnellenberger still wears suits on the > sideline under a broiling sun, old-school. That baritone rumble of his still > makes everything he says start out sounding like a big dog growling low. The > trademark pipe is long gone, for health reasons. The hair and push broom > mustache are a silvery white. > In a year his career will be past tense but, Coral Gables to Boca Raton, his > legacy will always be here, untouchable, never to be equaled. > Any recitation of UM’s greatest days must start with one man. > Any greatness FAU might achieve from here owes to the same man. > The coming season will amount to a long goodbye for Howard Schnellenberger. > He earned it. > > Ex-Dwyer standout Gerald Christian happy to be back at tight end for Florida > Gators > By JASON LIESER Palm Beach Post > GAINESVILLE — At the end of a strange off-season, former Dwyer standout > Gerald Christian finally is playing the role he always wanted: a > pass-catching tight end. > > Christian, a sophomore, signed with the Gators to play tight end, though he > was almost exclusively a blocker in former coach Urban Meyer's offense. When > offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and the new staff arrived in January, they > moved Christian to linebacker for spring practices, but they ultimately > reversed the decision and put him back on offense. > > He spent the summer trying to catch up on the playbook and the new pro-style > offense, and now he is enjoying his opportunity to have an impact in the > passing game. > > "In this camp so far, it's changed some," Christian said. "Charlie Weis is > doing a lot of two-tight-end stuff and he has us all running routes. I've > been running a lot of routes." > > * Kicker Caleb Sturgis, who missed a lot of last season with a back injury, > said he is pain-free and has been making field goals from as far out as 50 > yards. > > * Florida still needs a third starting linebacker to run with Jon Bostic and > Jelani Jenkins, and junior Lerentee McCray seems to be in the lead for that > spot. Of the players competing for the job, McCray has been getting the most > first-team reps, Jenkins said. > > Florida Gators training camp update: TE Gerald Christian finding role in > passing game > by Jason Lieser > Former Dwyer standout Gerald Christian is finally playing the role he always > wanted: a pass-catching tight end. > > Christian, a sophomore, signed with > the Gators to play tight end, though he was almost exclusively a blocker in > former coach Urban Meyer’s offense. When offensive coordinator Charlie Weis > and the new staff arrived in January, they moved Christian to linebacker for > spring practices, but they ultimately reversed the decision and put him back > on offense. > > He spent the summer trying to catch up on the playbook and the new pro-style > offense, and now he is enjoying his opportunity to have an impact in the > passing game. > > “In this camp so far, it’s changed some,” he said. “Charlie Weis is doing a > lot of two-tight-end stuff and he has us all running routes. I’ve been > running a lot of routes.” > > Christian said he thought he was playing well at linebacker in spring > practices, but it was “not as natural” for him since he had not played the > position in more than year. > > – Kicker Caleb Sturgis, who missed a lot of last season with back injury, > said he is pain-free and has been making field goals from as far as 50 yards. > > “I think this is the best I’ve felt going in to any camp, kicking-wise,” > Sturgis said. > > – Florida still needs a third starting linebacker to run with Jon Bostic and > Jelani Jenkins, and junior Lerentee McCray seems to be in the lead for that > spot. Of the players competing for the job, McCray has been getting the most > first-team reps, Jenkins said. > > Bostic believed there was less separation, at least in the minds of the > coaches. He said there has been a pretty even rotation among several players, > including McCray, Gideon Ajagbe, Graham Stewart, Dee Finley and Mike Taylor. > > – Robert Clark, a sophomore receiver from Dwyer, is having the kind of > training camp anyone who knows him would expect. Clark is only 5-foot-7 and > will probably have a tough time finding a consistent role in the pro-style > offense, but is making an impact simply by outworking people. > > “One thing about Robert is he doesn’t whine about anything,” Christian said. > “He just goes hard. He gives whatever he has all the time. That’s why I think > he makes a big impression on the coaches, whether it’s special teams or > offense. Wherever they put him, he goes as hard as he can.” > > Clark was the first freshman to have the black stripe removed from his helmet > last year. He played 11 games, missing two only due to an ankle injury. He > caught seven passes for 69 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown reception. > > Florida Gators counting on Bostic, Jenkins to be defensive anchors > BY MIKE WATTS MIAMI HERALD WRITER > GAINESVILLE -- Linebackers Jon Bostic and Jelani Jenkins are being counted on > to anchor the defense. Not only must they mentor younger players, but also > Bostic and Jenkins will make the calls and get the defense in proper > alignment before the snap. > After a year starting together, things are starting to gel. > “I kind of know what he’s thinking, and he kind of knows what I’m thinking at > all times,” Bostic said of Jenkins. “Any play we’re out there, he knows if > I’m going to take a chance, I know if he’s going to take a chance.” > Bostic said the familiarity between the two has helped each grow as a > linebacker, including switching roles in certain situations to maximize each > other’s strengths. With depth at the position a concern, Bostic and Jenkins > have seen a constant rotation around them as coaches try to cross-train > players in case of injury. Lerentee McCray is reportedly the front-runner for > the strong-side role. > “A lot of the guys are stepping up, some of the sophomores that are going to > be juniors next are starting to take that leadership role,” Bostic said. > “Those young guys are figuring out it’s their time, it’s their time to step > up.” > Jenkins also pointed to McCray as a leader for the vacant position opposite > Bostic. He said Kedric Johnson has been rotating heavily with the second-team > and also said Dee Finley and freshmen Mike Taylor and Graham Stewart have > been performing well in camp. > • Tight end Gerald Christian said there is more pressure at the position > after A.C. Leonard went down with a torn meniscus. Christian said he is more > comfortable in this offense than in Urban Meyer’s spread attack. > > > -- > 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
