As a matter of fact, I've had some of the very same thoughts as many of you, looking to lie blame where I thought it/who was most responsible. I have about 20 thoughts in my mind right now about the game, about the loss, and almost all are negative and critical against someone(s) I don't even know.

As poorly as we played tonight, as poorly as we were coached tonight, as poorly as we prepared for tonight, the fact of the matter is we are blessed, we have been blessed since 1990, and with any luck, we will continue to be blessed because of our players, because of our coaches, and becuase we are all part of the finest public learning institution in America, THE University of Florida.

Many of us are old-school and remember when 7-3 was a GREAT season...but since 1990, you and I have come to witness some of the finest players, some of the finest coaching, and some of the finest moments (SEC and National Championships) a program could ever hope to have....more dare I say than we deserve.

I know its cliche' but a better team won tonight. And think about this: how many times in our recent past have we been that "better team", where our opponent felt the pain we are feeling?

Only through suffering does one ever learn to appreciate. Just listen to the Bama players after the game and almost all remarked how their loss to FLORIDA a year ago today drove them since training for the 2009 seson began in late January.

Now, once again, like many times in our SEC history, we have to suffer, it's our time to hurt, to cry, and to ask ourselves why it happened. Every championship team and season is born out of failure...that's a starting point for all champions. Failure (or the fear of it) is what drives a championship-quality team to achieve. We have had share of championships because we have had our share of failure, and the learning curve that goes along with it.

With hard-work, perseverance, focus, good coaching and continued recruiting of high quality-athletes with even higher a quality of character in those athletes, there is no reason why we can't hang a few more banners and signs in THE SWAMP in the very near future.

The better team won tonight.....hats off to Alabama. But tomorrow begins a new season....tomorrow begins our preparation for our 2010 team and another SEC title.

I could not have conceived us playing this poorly tonite....in all areas and facets of the game. We haven't played this poorly, as a team, since the 2007 Citrus Bowl game vs. Michigan. Remember how bad you felt after that one?

And as bad as that game was, as bad as we felt, as bad as our team looked,

didn't we come back a month later, and begin work on a new season after that humbling loss and win a 3rd NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP?

There's no elevator to success....you have to take the stairs.

jmo....

Go Gators!!!!!!!!

Mims