Tampa, Florida					Thursday, September 09, 2010

Gator Nightmare in Knoxville
Sunday, September 19, 2004
TAMPA—So the proud and vast Gator Nation awoke late Saturday night to a familiar Fall football nightmare, Tennessee ahead at the final whistle, once more because so common Florida misdeeds in recent years mixed with so common winning deeds by Tennessee. Once more, plenty in the Gator Nation, most in fact will cry: + Foul because of so many penalties, but one in particular that probably cost Florida the game— + Phooey because this Gator team, like those of the last couple of years under the present reign, could not hold a lead, could not run out the clock, could score no points at all with a first down at the Volunteer one and those put the game away— + Forget it because the Gators with a lead could not make a first down to keep the ball and run out the clock, with more imaginative play-calling to maintain ball possession, oh, perhaps like letting quarterback Chris Leak simply run the ball around himself instead of the quick, nothing gained handoffs into that big, big Vol line. + And how worse can it be if your veteran place-kicker misses a 21-yard field goal that likely would have won it, just as a 50-yarder on the game’s last play did win it 30-28 for Tennessee with the mighty, clutch winning placement winner by FG man James Wilhoit. But, most of all, the vocal, me included, will decry the official who clearly watched (the back of his head was visible non national television while he had his eyes glued to action we saw just before him—Volunteer defensive back head slap Gator receiver Dallas Baker, then Baker head slap him back. When Baker retaliated, the official yanked out his yellow flag and threw it to the ground. It not only stopped the clock as the game was winding down, but the 15-yarder penalty caused Florida to add 15 yards to its punting duty ahead. Television commentators then watching and others later berated the official, never mentioned by name—though he will be—but said it was a bad, bad call. The call should have been two personal, off-setting fouls for the slaps, thus no penalty assessed, with the clock to restart. It was one of the differences. It also was one of eight penalties assessed this nightmarish night in Knoxville for 77 yards, two stopping drives. Tennessee was penalized only twice in the grand old game, for 20 yards. A similar thing happened last year when many phantom penalties were called against Florida in the loss to Florida State, so many the officiating crew was reprimanded. Bet here is there will be at least one reprimand coming out of that Tennessee atrocity, the one against the field judge who penalized selectively against Baker of Florida and did not punish	the Volunteer who provoked the retaliation. The game is only the books. It will not be changed. Tennessee won it because of Florida mistakes and their own good results, lead by a giant offensive line and a freshman quarterback named Enik Ainge and the field goal kicker Wilhoit who hit the one he had to kick in counter point for Matt Leach, the Gator kicker who missed. Tennessee will get better, and this win may well propel the Vols into all manner of title races. The Gators have more talent than last year, but are sorely lacking in the defensive front, manhandled by the Vols, and sophomore QB Leake is going to have himself a big year. He did not desire to be the losing quarterback of record in this nightmare. My, but he made some wonderful plays, as did Ainge. Leake’s 81-yard TD hookup with Chad Jackson for the touchdown that should have won the game, was beautifully maneuvered, then executed. That should have been it at 28-27. But, again, as so often last year, the Florida thinkers on the sidelines and in the press box were unable to put the right plays into the heads of the young Gators to produce a first down late, then another, to run out the clock. However, the Gators put in such situations have solid, and proven experience in this nightmarish part of the game. Think back to Miami last year, to Mississippi last year, to Florida State last year, to the Outback Bowl in Tampa. Had not planned to rev up the Hey Tom so quickly this season. Am involved in three other jobs and compiling a book of some of the things that have been the best of my times in this position. Couldn’t help it, you out there in Hey Tom Land. The nightmare woke me up too. Dadgum it! I mean, heck, ahead 28-27, 3:25 left in the game and possession of the football with a heady quarterback of time killing talent. Oh, Florida is good enough and has the schedule to win a bunch in a row now. but, shucks, Coach Ron Zook, what a chance this was for you to make those points you clearly need with the legions out there in the prideful, grateful, yearning Gator Nation. All they want is the chance to embrace you for good deeds done, instead of creating these devilish nightmares like the frightening, fiendish one conjured at Knoxville when sweet dreams but were a snore away. Dang it coach. If nothing else. Coach, blackball that one-eyed official who was the only one of 109,000 live ones in Knoxville and all of the Gator Nation (plus TV commentators) who saw it as he called it and as one commentator said: “The pity is these players played their hearts out for 59 ˝ minutes only to have a non-player make a bad call that decided the results.’’
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