Tuesday, September 17, 2002

FRZ Editor’s Notes 9/17/02

Since fireronzook.com has been taken down I thought it would be appropriate to post as much material from that site here as possible. The posts are dated by original publication date.

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Wondering what happened to me? Well, I folded under the pressure. I sold out. I let your 'GIVE ZOOK A CHANCE' comments get the best of me and decided to bring down one of the greatest spur of the moment web pages in sports history, but not again. No way. This time I'm back until the sweet sound of Zook's resignation hits the AP newswire.

To tell you the truth you got under my skin. I'm still a Gator fan, you know. So many emails had that one line staring me in the face:

'You haven't even given him a chance....'

As you can plainly see from the last three weeks, I have now given him 3 chances...and he's blowing it. Here we are staring Tennessee in the face this weekend with a 2-1 record, and any of you who are familiar with Gator Football know that this is a game which will most likely define the program for the next 5 years. This is the game of the year. This is the one next year's recruits are going to remember. Unfortunately I'm not feeling too optimistic.

Now before you start getting all pissed off at me again....let me say just a few words.

First of all, I'm not alone. Search the web for Ron Zook. Better yet, just simply go to ESPN.com and you'll find similar, unbiased opinions. Even the analysts are starting to see that Zook is not the right man for Florida Football. Today's quote just happens to be:

"The Gators looked awful last weekend in their 34-6 win over Ohio, and a day later, Ron Zook was still spinning a positive story. "I think if criticism is due, then you do it," the first-year coach said. "But I see a lot of things a lot of people evidently don't see."
--ESPN.com

What exactly does Ron Zook see? (insert 'I see dead people' joke here...) What game was he watching? Notice I said 'watching', cause I sure as hell wouldn't call that coaching.

Next I refer you to your own comments. One of the most typical comments I received in your emails:

"Zook is more energetic and is fired up about this job."

That's great. I'm really excited that he was fired up a few weeks after winning the Gator Head Coaching job from his buddy Foley. So where's that excitement now? Is it in the locker room? Is it on the practice field? Because anyone who's watching the games hasn't seen it on the sidelines of the last 3 games, or in the players themselves. I'd be fired up too if Foley gave me the nod, but that still doesn't mean I'd have a clue what I was doing.

Last, but not least, I understand we're stuck with him. Some of you may think I'm a total idiot...and you're completely free to do that. I do, however, realize that no Athletic Director in his right mind (or Foley for that matter) would get rid of a first year coach in the middle of his first season. Nor would he replace him after only one year. That's why the countdown on the homepage shoots for a little over two years. And God willing...