...because the Gators never seem to score in the EZ in which I am sitting.... 1. Ugh. To lose is one thing. To offer little resistence another. To do it in front of tens of thousands of folks who filled the Georgia Dome to watch you play is disappointing. To do this sort of this thing time and time again leaves the feeling that this was indeed a three year odyssey that has thankfully seen its last game. Much like the game last year against Iowa, there was never a feeling that we wanted to win, could win, or would do whatever it would take to win. From the first three plays; a 2 yard pass, the option, and a throwaway, you could smell what was cooking in the Gator Offense, and that dish was as tasty as my yard shoes. There were many times that the team simply didn't know where to lineup, what the snap count was, where they should be, etc. Which brings us to.... 2. Chad Jackson CJ this season has seemed to be the playmaker, but in this game he was the embodiment of what was wrong with the team tonight. Some samples (because there were plays that were missed among the splendor of our "Middle of Miami" seating tonight): ---What will be known to those Gators attending tonight as "The Slide". Jackson catches a pass, makes anice move to avoid a tackler, zips down the sidelines and then....slides before contact. Huh? Obviously, Jackson saw a yard marker as he caught that 3rd and long pass early on and thought he had passed the first down stick. Alas, it was only the orignial line of scrimmage making his slide even worse. But what was he sliding for? Is he looking at the "Todd Pinkston Guide to Receiving" DVD for tips on making the pros, because what he did tonight was right in line with the "don't hurt me" antics of that Eagles WR. It was an inexcusable offense, obviously highlighting the fact that he didn't come to this game with the intention of winning. Staying in one piece was his only goal. ---Jackson ran wrong routes on occasion, as it seemed often he wasn't sure where to go. Was it Atlanta's night life that put the static in Jackson's game? Who knows, but on his one really good catch, it did appear he cut in front of another receiver who was in the right place and was the intended receiver. ---The last INT Leak threw was likely meaningless to the score, but offered a few chapters on Jackson's psyche tonight. A ball that was lofted with the intention of a "jump ball" situation for Jackson turned into an easy sideline grab for Miami, while Jackson gave up hours before on the pass that he could have made some kind of play on. Awful displays all...and I am sure folks saw more than I listed here.... 3. Miami Fans It has to be said, because we were smack dab in the Georgia Dome's version of South Beach....but we were treated really well despite our cheers, our screams, and our obvious dismay. There was no fist pumping in our faces, no verbal jeering as we tried to pull the team through even when we knew they didn't want to be pulled through. They were pleased their team was eating Gator on New Year's Eve and left it at that. It was probably a sad indictment on what a lack of challenge the Orange and Blue was to them tonight, but they were almost apologetic to us. At least that's what happened where we were... 4. The Offense What can be said....except that it was atrocious in almost every way. The game plan played into the Canes strengths, playing most of the game side to side, which was nullified fairly well by their speed. When the Gators went vertical, there was success...That the Gators did get some good yardage on the night while leaving soooo much out on the field in the shape of some dubious play calling tells you that the game could have easily been different. 5. The "Special" Teams After the blocked punt it was all downhill from there. The Gators insist on letting guys return kicks against them and it burned them again. The blocked FG was a telling omen of things to come....letting our own good fortune turn so rotten so quickly. 6. So Soft....It Must be Tissue I understand that to play the game of football requires a level of toughness I do not possess. The mind is willing, but my flabby flesh is very weak. It is with this perspective that I put forth that this Gator Football team has the football equivilent of my midsection...very, very soft. The slides were one thing...the focus was another. The Canes simply wanted to win the football game, something people questioned about them coming into the game. The Gators looked as if this were an exhibition, a place to work out some kinks but couldn't we play with flags on instead of getting hit? Lack of focus lining up on both ends, endless flags, missed assignments and routes, dropped passes, and on and on all point to the team as being mentally soft for this game, both in preparation and execution. It was an embarassment for them to play that way, whether they know it or not or even care. It is said that Urban Meyer is a discpinarian, coming from the school of thought that says that a lazy player is a losing player. Mr. Meyer, if he watched the Peach Bowl, knows he has a lot of work ahead of him to get this team ready to be hard and tough, both physcially and mentally. Good Luck, Coach.