First off, don't jump on the defensive some of you as if to say, "What do mean? I'm not trashing Zook!" The fans who I may criticize in this rant know who they are. That said.... Here we are as many of us thought we might be, no matter how much we WANTED to think otherwise, at 2-1 three games into the season. We looked razor sharp drilling UAB and many of us were giddy but guarded about things because it was UAB. We got our ass kicked by a better team in Miami and looked sloppy beating a poor man's UAB in Ohio. I think we all came to grips with the fact that UM was just better but now many in the Gator Nation is going ape over not winning the Ohio game impressively enough. Now would ANY of you think, "Man, we're back on track and we're heading to Knoxville to kick ass" had we beaten Ohio a zillion to nothing? Doubtful. My point is no matter how we looked in that game, it has no bearing or is no idicator as to how we'll do against UT. Look how lackluster some of SOS' teams did prior to the big UT game. 27-3 against Div I-AA Furman in '90, 44-6 against Arkansas State in '93 after being down 6-3 at the end of the first in that game. 45-21 against Houston in '95 after many said including Gator Bait that Houston was the worst team to grace Florida Field in decades. Surrendering tons of yardage and points in games games against Western Michigan and UCF winning those games by the scores of 55-26 and 58-27 respectively in '99. A 40-19 win against Ball State in '00. Nobody went ballistic then because it was SOS at the helm and guess what? In the examples cited above, UF won 4 and lost 1 later in the year when they played UT. The 1 loss being the 45-3 shellacking in '90. It is all perception. SOS came in after one of the most turbulent of years UF ever had in '89. Aside from a couple of probation ridden titles in '84 and '85, UF had done NOTHING before SOS' arrival. ANYTHING he did was a positive. Zook contrastly is following UF's version of Bear Bryant where in the last dozen years, many of the old guard fans have gotten fat and happy on SEC titles and some of the newbie Spurrier era Gators have ONLY known ultra success. Many of these same fans advised prior to the season that they were prepared for a "tough" season with possibly as many as 4 losses while not admitting defeat. Now that this is POSSIBLY going to come half true (half meaning 2 losses instead of 4) by this time next week, many of these same fans are calling for Zook's head. That behavior is in my humble opinion CONTEMPTABLE BULL$HIT! NONE OF US except perhaps Mims and Hog fan Keith know a f'ing thing about coaching football. What really chaps my hide is the fact that many fans TALKED a good game in the pre-season. "Oh there will be a learning curve but I like Zook and think that he'll get the job done here." blah, blah, blah. Now after three games....THREE DAMN GAMES, many of those same fans are going beserk. Well, to the ones who I have just described (and you know who you are) I have this to say..."F the whole lot of you!" We all knew of the POTENTIAL of leaving the month of September with 2 losses and with this schedule, that same potential would be every bit as real with SOS. We get hammered by UM in the 2000 Sugar Bowl. Does anyone think we beat UM with SOS? I think maybe it is closer because of obvious offensive ideas of TFHBC. Say what you will about SOS against UT. "Oh we'd have a chance against UT if SOS was still here". Yes, a chance but far from a done deal. Face it, this "UT domination" jig was long up. We lost in '98, did our best to lose in '99, got a gift in 2000 (a gift I gladly took but a gift none the less) and lost in '01. If we couldn't get it done with SOS in The Swamp last year, why should we be convinced we would get it done it Neyland with SOS? Don't misunderstand, SOS is AWESOME but Zook is our guy now. Get behind him and realize that he has to follow Spurrier. Spurrier had to follow...NOBODY! Bianchi today said UF season is on the brink. BULL$HIT! I say we can beat UT. UT is good but they are untested. They may well beat us and we might head into October 3-2. Suppose we do lose to UT. I won't like it but I'll be back in The Swamp on the 28th against UK. LSU and AU haven't set the haven't set the world on fire. UGA is damn close to having two losses to two mediocure teams. I say what has happened so far this season gives me at least no more worry or optimism about how we'll do this season. I was prepared to go into the transition season and how ever it goes, it goes. I'm a Gator and support Zook. Previously, I was a Gator and supported SOS and before that a Gator who supported Darnell, Hall, Pell, Dickey, etc. Those who aren't satisfied enough yet after THREE games and want Zook gone should get gone themselves. Sure, I want us to get better against the run. Sure, I'd like to score 70 a game like SOS was known to do but I'm content in knowing that Zook and company are busting their asses to see that we do. Him and his staff know eons more than you or me ever thought of knowing about coaching football. Time to step up Gator fans. Are you Gator fans or Spurrier fans? I love SOS but I was a Gator before he came, while he was here, and after he is gone. Here is where your Gator loyalty gets tested. If nothing else, let's learn from Bama. Since '83 they have had FIVE coaches. That's an average of 3.8 years. The only way for us to keep the Spurrier momentum going is to give the next guy a chance. Making a call on things after three games is hardly that. Don't boo the team. Regardless of what has gone on this season so far, Saltwater Gator and I are heading to Knoxville come Thursday. If we lose to UT, I won't be happy. If we beat them, we will deserve it more that the give Zook the Hook crowd. Those "fans" are the ones who deserve the hook. Be disatisfied if you have reason to as I will admit I was on certain plays last Saturday but don't boo our team...PERIOD! Either get behind "YOUR GATORS" or get lost. JMHO. END OF RANT