From a Florida Gator FAN

A friend of mine e mailed me this from a Gator board.This guy really nails it. Only Maisel has come this close to putting it so eloquently into words:

SIAP.

"Many posters here last week, mostly probably those under the age of 24 who think the history of SEC and college football began when we (UF) hired Spurrier in 1990, scoffed and mocked the 'traditions' and 'history' of the Alabama program and dismissed what those things mean to the fans and players (and the Head Coach) at Alabama.

Alabama, some may say arrogantly, believes they are one of the 'Capstone' college football programs and we/they will point out that we won National Championships in the 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1960's, 1970s, and 1990s and SEC Championships in every decade beginning with the 1920's (when the conference was the Southern Conference) as evidence of that claim. There have been periods where Alabama was not all it could and should have been, but all those 'silly' traditions and history demand and fuel a commitment to excellence. And the people who embrace those traditions and that history will not allow the program to wallow in shambles, and shame, too long.

Saturday was a cathartic experience for the Tide Program, some might even say an exorcism of the demons gripping the program as a result of the actions of Dubose-Franchonie-Price-Young (booster). For five years the players at Alabama have been handicapped by the actions of irresponsible adults and Saturday was their chance to shine; their chance to test their mettle against a quality program. All those 'silly' traditions and history only served to feed the beast on that day.

Since Shula's return, he has sought to benefit from the gloried history of the program's past. The players are constantly introduced to former greats like Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Kenny Stabler, Ozzie Newsome, Ray Perkins, Lee Roy Jordan, John Hannah, Dwight Stephenson, Tommy Wilcox and Jeramiah Castille, Bobby Humphrey, Shaun Alexander, and many others who have played a role in the Alabama lore (like Tommy Lewis who came off the bench to tackle a breakaway Rice running back in a Cotton Bowl in the 1950's because Lewis was 'too full of Alabama' to see the back score on another long run). The players are constantly reminded that Alabama has been one of the best programs since the founding days of college football and that they are just a link in the chain of past championships and the potential for present and future ones as well.

Saturday may have been a rebirth of a proud program or it may prove to have been a lucky-one-time-shot-in-the-dark. If I were a betting man, I would bet it will prove to be more the former - at least in the long run. Afterall, history and tradition demands, and has proven, as much.

I would be a happy fan if we (UF) spent more time trying to mimic the Alabama history than mocking it."