I was gone for several years and when I came back to these forums two forums, were hardly being used. The lounge was only being occupied by someone named Swampgas where he would make posts that no one responded to, and the recruiting forum where the newest post was three months old. Now there's all kinds of discussion going on in both.

I know the sunshine pumpers would love to have a forum where it was all sunshine pumpers with no one being critical of jobs coaches and players were doing. They had it but no one had anything to say because everyone agreed. There was no debate on anything which I'm sure became boring, so they quit coming to the forum except to see if anyone committed. I can see the SP's point that the constant negativity can really drag a person down, but they haven't been able to differentiate between constructive criticism, discussion about an action, or funding decisions by the university from just being down on everything. Someone always needs to be the Devil's advocate on issues.

We critics, I believe, have legitimate concerns most of the time, and speaking for myself I would like to hear something that might encourage me rather than the bumper sticker responses like "Haters gonna hate," "Just trust the coaches," "It's a long way til signing day," "Well the Eeyores are back." It appears to us like you can't give us any evidence to show our concerns are overstated.

I understand that it's not helpful to be constantly negative, and I hope the Sunshine Pumpers understand that trying to belittle those who have a negative comment doesn't help either. I'm going to try to do a better job of sharing in the good news when it's presented, and I hope when I ask the question "Why" the SP's will take the time to explain. It is my hope that the SP's will not be so quick to be dismissive of those concerns, and will try to explain why you're feeling positive about a situation. You know, have a discussion.

I fully admit I haven't been the best at that, and I take full responsibility for my actions. 

team and a coach that has averaged 9.5 wins and a composite #8 recruiting class ranking over the past two seasons. First world problems. 

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football-recruiting/2017/2/2/14483388/college-football-recruiting-rankings-2017-multiple-years

And if you forgot this is the same team that went 11-13 from 2013-14.

I listened to one argument that high school recruiting was followed more closely in the state of Florida than anywhere else in the nation. A state where the focus was on where the players would play in college and what their NFL prospects were became more important than actual prep football. IMG is in the perfect location. This is in contrast to Texas where high school football is a self contained entity. 

You want sunshine, ESPN is trying to make the case the UF is a sleeper team for the CFP in 2017;

https://www.seccountry.com/florida/espn-makes-case-florida-legit-cfp-sleeper-pick-2017

I don't think anybody in here has gone that far.  In fact most of the hand wringing, I think, is because UF hasn't even lived up to the expectations of their diminished recruiting rankings. In the SEC they are not alone. Which of these teams have lived up to their recruiting rankings on the field over the past few seasons,

UF

Tennessee

Georgia

South Carolina

LSU

Auburn

Texas A&M

Arkansas

I would say none of them. I might even include Ole Miss in the above list. Apart from Bama who has had the #1 class for 7 years in a row it does not appear that assembling a hot shot recruiting staff and signing highly rated classes has done much good. 

I'm not saying recruiting doesn't matter because it does, but what is really happening when all the emphasis is on recruiting and pandering to student athletes. Accumulating players that don't fit a system so you can casually attrition them down the road, assistant coaching carousels that begin the day after signing day, and mercenaries marking time before going pro.  Get it over with and just pay them already- it makes more sense than building waterfalls.

I love the SEC but I wonder sometimes if the Bama model in football and the Kentucky model in basketball will or have already ruined the college game beyond repair.  

There has to be another way.