Championship You Most Desire

[GatOrlando]

Oregon is blessed with a great track and field program. Your baseball and softball squads aren't shabby either. I don't really follow much beyond football myself, but Florida has won a baseball, basketball, softball and numerous Olympic sports as well. But I would trade all of those for a couple more football titles.

 

You would think Florida would invest in it's football program, but that wasn't the case. It took Dan Mullen to get an indoor practice facility. Can you imagine a football program in the SEC having to be called out to finally invest in the sport that pays the bills? Heck the school didn't even want to get into the NIL game until it became apparent to keep a guy like Lagway, that you might want to tap into those who've been willing to invest. Maybe not like Phil Knight, but there are some derp pockets that are willing to make sure Miami doesn't continue to run circles around us.

 

I ask you, my Duck friends a fun question. If you could guarantee a title or two in the next five years. What would it be? Would you take two basketball titles, one baseball and softball title, or a football championship?

[Jon Joseph]

 

Shake Your $ Maker! 

 

FOOTBALL!

 

And a Good Knight for Uncle Phil! 

[DanLduck]

And a baseball title.

Tired of little brother bragging.

[Fitnessczar]

Football. And also Football. 

[Porter]

On 6/15/2025 at 12:55 PM, GatOrlando said:

Oregon is blessed with a great track and field program. Your baseball and softball squads aren't shabby either. I don't really follow much beyond football myself, but Florida has won a baseball, basketball, softball and numerous Olympic sports as well. But I would trade all of those for a couple more football titles.

 

You would think Florida would invest in it's football program, but that wasn't the case. It took Dan Mullen to get an indoor practice facility. Can you imagine a football program in the SEC having to be called out to finally invest in the sport that pays the bills? Heck the school didn't even want to get into the NIL game until it became apparent to keep a guy like Lagway, that you might want to tap into those who've been willing to invest. Maybe not like Phil Knight, but there are some derp pockets that are willing to make sure Miami doesn't continue to run circles around us.

 

I ask you, my Duck friends a fun question. If you could guarantee a title or two in the next five years. What would it be? Would you take two basketball titles, one baseball and softball title, or a football championship?

I'm going with one basketball and one football in the same season.  Everything would take care of itself from there.

[30Duck]

On 6/15/2025 at 12:23 PM, DanLduck said:

And a baseball title.

Tired of little brother bragging

That would be nice. Basketball was so close in 2017, of course football has been close so many times, need to get that Natty!

[30Duck]

I've been wondering, Gat. Is Tebow considered the GOAT of the Gators?

[Nevada Dawg]

I would guess Tebow is considered the GOAT by most of the jort crowd (as I sit here at my keyboard wearing a pair of jorts so loathed b Dawg fans). Actually, I kinda like jorts--they last forever it seems, probably longer than I will.

[GatOrlando]

On 6/15/2025 at 5:39 PM, 30Duck said:

I've been wondering, Gat. Is Tebow considered the GOAT of the Gators?

He is right up there. Spurrier is seen as the Godfather of Florida. He won a Heisman as a QB. When he left Duke to join Florida, people forget that Florida had won nothing. They were more known for Gatorade than success on the field. Steve brought swagger and the fun &gun reveloutinized the game. Danny Wuerffel won the school's second Heisman under Steve. 

 

Free Shoes University was a quip Steve made that really irked Bobby Bowden, and boy that Florida vs FSU rivalry in the 90's was bigger than FSU vs Miami in the 80's.

 

The 1996 season saw FSU hand Florida it's only loss, but Florida trounced them in the Sugar Bowl to win it's first ever National Title. That was the game that made me a Gator fan, even though I later attended FSU because of my major and decision to enlist in the Air Force.

 

But my top 3, and most people's would be

 

1.) Spurrier 

2.) Tim Tebow

3.) Emmitt Smith

 

Some might have Wuerffel or Kearse up there. But Tebow is undoubtedly in the discussion. It helps that he is genuinely one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. I saw him with his fiance eating dinner and he talked to me for ten minutes. 

[GatOrlando]

On 6/15/2025 at 10:20 PM, Nevada Dawg said:

I would guess Tebow is considered the GOAT by most of the jort crowd (as I sit here at my keyboard wearing a pair of jorts so loathed b Dawg fans). Actually, I kinda like jorts--they last forever it seems, probably longer than I will.

I've owned maybe two pairs my whole life. To me they don't have the durability of a good old fashioned pair of Wranglers. If I'm rocking the shorts I prefer camos or even khaki.

[30Duck]

On 6/15/2025 at 10:42 PM, GatOrlando said:

But my top 3, and most people's would be

 

1.) Spurrier 

2.) Tim Tebow

3.) Emmitt Smith

That's what I came up with, at Oregon I'd go

 

1. Marcus Mariota

2. LaMichael James

3, Haloti Ngata 

[Porter]

On 6/16/2025 at 9:58 AM, 30Duck said:

That's what I came up with, at Oregon I'd go

 

1. Marcus Mariota

2. LaMichael James

3, Haloti Ngata 

I'm thinking DAT and Fouts should break up that set

[Jon Joseph]

On 6/15/2025 at 8:39 PM, 30Duck said:

I've been wondering, Gat. Is Tebow considered the GOAT of the Gators?

 

Presumptuously jumping in. (I know, you're shocked !)

 

For younger Gators, it has to be the iconic Tebow. For a person in advanced middle age, I'll take Steve Spurrier as the all-time greatest Gator. Steve won games for the Gators at QB and also as Florida's head coach. Steve was known coast-to-coast well before (un)social media. 

 

In 1966, Spurrier won the Heisman Trophy. The 1st time a Gator won the Stiff-Arm. (I was a senior in HS and watched Steve play ball.)

 

Spurrier finished with a college coaching record of 228-89-2, a .718% winning percentage. He amassed this record coaching Florida, which he transformed into an SEC power, as well as at 'punching bags', Duke and South Carolina.

 

He was the SEC COY on 5 occasions and the ACC COY twice in three seasons at Duke.

 

In 1996, under Spurrier, Florida won its first national title in football, defeating rival No. 1-ranked FSU 52 - 20 in the Sugar Bowl. The victory was made sweeter by Florida having lost 24-21 to the Seminoles in the regular season.

 

If you have two QBs you have too many? In 1997, Spurrier took Florida to a 10-2 second-place SEC finish behind Tennessee, alternating QBs Doug Johnson and Jesse 'The Bachelor' Palmer on every play, and occasionally, also playing QB Noah Brandise. 

 

Spurrier's O was justifiably referred to as the 'Fun N Gun.' 

 

Tebow was one of the greatest Gators, but Spurrier elevated Florida as a player and a coach.

 

Oh, and don't forget the great one-liners.

 

In 1993, Florida State was put on probation for agents paying for free shopping trips at Foot Locker. (I know , compared to today?) Spurrier: 'You know what FSU stands for, don't you? Free Shoes U.'

 

Asked about a fire at the Auburn football dormitory that destroyed twenty books. 'The real shame is that 15 hadn't been colored in yet.'

 

'You can have good ballplayers and still not win games. All you LSU fans know that'

 

Spurrier loved to tweak his home state of Tennessee.

 

'Peyton Manning came back to Tennessee for his senior year because he wanted to be the first three-time MVP of the Citrus Bowl.'

 

'You can't spell Citrus Bowl without UT.'

 

I rest my case .

[JabbaNoBargain]

Football and football. IMO we’ve become a “football school” but have zero titles, which is something that anyone can throw in our face and there really is no comeback for it.

 

Basketball (both teams) would be nice as well  
 

Sad as it may or may not be, all the other sports really don’t move the needle. IMO, if you ask an average sports fan “who won the last championship?” in baseball, indoor track, etc, they’ll probably have zero idea unless their team happened to be the one.

[Charles Fischer]

Football and BASEBALL!

 

 

[GatOrlando]

On 6/16/2025 at 6:58 AM, 30Duck said:

That's what I came up with, at Oregon I'd go

 

1. Marcus Mariota

2. LaMichael James

3, Haloti Ngata 

Ngata was a man and a half. I think he helped prolong Ray Lewis career in Baltimore.  I remember Lewis complaining about the lack of any help after Tony Siragusa retired. I laughed because he had a guy like Ed Reed behind him, but Ray needed some space eaters up front to allow him space to disrupt running lanes or get to the QB.

[GatOrlando]

On 6/16/2025 at 8:48 AM, Jon Joseph said:

 

Presumptuously jumping in. (I know, you're shocked !)

 

For younger Gators, it has to be the iconic Tebow. For a person in advanced middle age, I'll take Steve Spurrier as the all-time greatest Gator. Steve won games for the Gators at QB and also as Florida's head coach. Steve was known coast-to-coast well before (un)social media. 

 

In 1966, Spurrier won the Heisman Trophy. The 1st time a Gator won the Stiff-Arm. (I was a senior in HS and watched Steve play ball.)

 

Spurrier finished with a college coaching record of 228-89-2, a .718% winning percentage. He amassed this record coaching Florida, which he transformed into an SEC power, as well as at 'punching bags', Duke and South Carolina.

 

He was the SEC COY on 5 occasions and the ACC COY twice in three seasons at Duke.

 

In 1996, under Spurrier, Florida won its first national title in football, defeating rival No. 1-ranked FSU 52 - 20 in the Sugar Bowl. The victory was made sweeter by Florida having lost 24-21 to the Seminoles in the regular season.

 

If you have two QBs you have too many? In 1997, Spurrier took Florida to a 10-2 second-place SEC finish behind Tennessee, alternating QBs Doug Johnson and Jesse 'The Bachelor' Palmer on every play, and occasionally, also playing QB Noah Brandise. 

 

Spurrier's O was justifiably referred to as the 'Fun N Gun.' 

 

Tebow was one of the greatest Gators, but Spurrier elevated Florida as a player and a coach.

 

Oh, and don't forget the great one-liners.

 

In 1993, Florida State was put on probation for agents paying for free shopping trips at Foot Locker. (I know , compared to today?) Spurrier: 'You know what FSU stands for, don't you? Free Shoes U.'

 

Asked about a fire at the Auburn football dormitory that destroyed twenty books. 'The real shame is that 15 hadn't been colored in yet.'

 

'You can have good ballplayers and still not win games. All you LSU fans know that'

 

Spurrier loved to tweak his home state of Tennessee.

 

'Peyton Manning came back to Tennessee for his senior year because he wanted to be the first three-time MVP of the Citrus Bowl.'

 

'You can't spell Citrus Bowl without UT.'

 

I rest my case .

I was shocked to discover he was born in Miami. His father was a pastor in both Georgia and Tennessee. The Volunteers didn't recruit him because he ran something called the wing T. 

 

Jon, you know more about the history of college football than I. Was Johnny Majors the coach of Tennessee at that time? 

[Nevada Dawg]

On 6/15/2025 at 10:42 PM, GatOrlando said:

But my top 3, and most people's would be

 

1.) Spurrier 

2.) Tim Tebow

3.) Emmitt Smith

 

Some might have Wuerffel or Kearse up there. But Tebow is undoubtedly in the discussion. It helps that he is genuinely one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. I saw him with his fiance eating dinner and he talked to me for ten minutes. 

That trio was my top 3 as well. One could quibble about the order but from an opponent's perspective, each of these three would make somebody's top 3.

 

Incidentally, I once asked Champ Baily, who was drafted by the Washington Redskins, then coached by Spurrier who used to taunt the Dawgs relentlessly, what it was like to play for Spurrier. He just smiled broadly commenting that he was a great guy and all the taunting was just part of who he was. He seemed to genuinely like the guy.

[Jon Joseph]

On 6/16/2025 at 12:51 PM, GatOrlando said:

I was shocked to discover he was born in Miami. His father was a pastor in both Georgia and Tennessee. The Volunteers didn't recruit him because he ran something called the wing T. 

 

Jon, you know more about the history of college football than I. Was Johnny Majors the coach of Tennessee at that time? 

 

Phillip Fulmer was the coach at Tennessee. Fulmer went 2-7 vs. Florida and Spurrier. 2-2 vs. Spurrier at South Carolina.

 

(Disclosure: I looked this up. )

[30Duck]

On 6/16/2025 at 7:43 AM, Porter said:

I'm thinking DAT and Fouts should break up that set

DAT has become immortal in the sense that his speed is how every player is measured. If OBD can ever get a player that fast, who can play RB and receiver...!!!  Maybe the next would block better? I'd put Ahmad Rashad (Bobby Moore) from that time. 

[GatOrlando]

On 6/16/2025 at 10:19 AM, Jon Joseph said:

 

Phillip Fulmer was the coach at Tennessee. Fulmer went 2-7 vs. Florida and Spurrier. 2-2 vs. Spurrier at South Carolina.

 

(Disclosure: I looked this up. )

Thanks Jon, he took over in '93 right?

Who was the coach who was there when Spurrier was looking at colleges.Was it Majors? I guess I could not be lazy and do a two minute search and find out. But you are like the Ken Jennings of college football information. I trust you more than Wikipedia. 

 

I don't know if there are any Vols on here.

[Jon Joseph]

On 6/16/2025 at 2:35 PM, GatOrlando said:

Thanks Jon, he took over in '93 right?

Who was the coach who was there when Spurrier was looking at colleges.Was it Majors? I guess I could not be lazy and do a two minute search and find out. But you are like the Ken Jennings of college football information. I trust you more than Wikipedia. 

 

I don't know if there are any Vols on here.

 

I again tapped into A Eye , a knowledgeable dude. 

 

The Tennessee coach in 1962 was Bowden Wyatt. Jim McDonald took over in 1963. I'm guessing it was under Jim that the Vols passed on home boy Steve Spurrier. 

[GatOrlando]

On 6/16/2025 at 11:50 AM, Jon Joseph said:

 

I again tapped into A Eye , a knowledgeable dude. 

 

The Tennessee coach in 1962 was Bowden Wyatt. Jim McDonald took over in 1963. I'm guessing it was under Jim that the Vols passed on home boy Steve Spurrier. 

Yeah my reference was a compliment my friend. I consider myself a visual learner, but that guy Jennings is like a computer.

 

Think of all the pain McDonald could've saved future Vols including Sir Omaha Omaha himself, if only he'd let Steve be a backup or something. Would Spurrier take the Florida job in the eighties? For people under the age of forty that answer is a no brainier.

 

But Florida was like Oregon before Belotti in those dark days. I became a fan in the 90's, but in Florida it was very much Hurricane and Seminole dominated before Spurrier got the Fun &Gun going. Sure the Gators got blown out in '95 to Tom Osborne, but it felt inevitable that it was only a matter of time before they broke through. I think it's a similar feeling in Eugene today. But in the 70's and 80's? Florida was seen as a potential sleeping giant. The facilities sucked, the best in State kids were going to Miami, Free Shoes, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Notre Dame.

 

I have Spurrier as number one because he was the first Heisman winner. He recruited and coached the second, and he brought swagger and fun to Florida. He brought Florida it's first National Title. Without Steve Spurrier, I don't know if Tim Tebow even goes to Florida. Tim is my age, and I'm sure he became a Florida fan for the same reasons I did.

 

I think Chip Kelly and Mike Belotti should be inducted into the college football hall of fame, and both go into the Oregon ring of honor for the same reasons as Spurrier at Florida. Mike built that program, but Chip elevated it nationally with that RPO quick tempo. Dan Lanning is going to be like your Urban Meyer imo. But he's going to do it without the off field drama, and with more longevity.

[30Duck]

On 6/16/2025 at 12:47 PM, GatOrlando said:

Mike built that program, but Chip elevated it nationally with that RPO quick tempo. Dan Lanning is going to be like your Urban Meyer imo. But he's going to do it without the off field drama, and with more longevity.

Rich Brooks did the heavy lifting, but did get the field named after him, so that's right. Bellotti-Kelly, still see 2007 as the closet OBD got to a Natty.  Agree on the Lanning-Meyer comparison.