Buddy Martin Blog: Richardson’s First Step Back On The Road To Recovery Starts Against South Florida

There is a prevailing feeling that Richardson’s improvement is underway and it has also stemmed from positive reaction to his mistakes and how it has resulted in some more mature decisions. (Chris Spears Photo)

By BUDDY MARTIN

GatorBaitMedia.com Editor

Tiger Woods did things with golf clubs we never before thought possible. His consistently low numbers were staggering. He was in the 60s more times than the weather in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Tiger’s most amazing feats were not just the 15 majors he won or his 10 lowest rounds during them. I was there for the remarkable 65 he carded in the first round of 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach which he went on to win by a whopping 15 strokes. And I still don’t believe it!

I bring this up today because Tiger’s most astonishing accomplishments are not in the record books.

Contrary to fiction, he was never able to post the perfect round of 18 and didn’t crack 60 in official competition. On days when his putter or wedge betrayed him and he had to improvise to avoid missing the cut, he turned a potential 78 into a round of par or better. Incredibly, he made 142 consecutive cuts. And that’s how you become a real champion, when competitive spirit takes over and won’t let you crash and burn.

Anthony Richardson wasn’t even born when Tiger captured that first Open at age 24 with rounds of 65, 69, 71 and 67. Not intending to compare this young phenom with such an iconic athlete of age 20, but the fact is it’s important to remember that the crucible of struggle is what molds character. Perfection is just a mirage.

Gator fans need to get a grip on the realization that a “work in progress” means the best is yet to come. Richardson’s opening day win over Utah was, in golf parlance, a round of 67. Richardson’s second round fell off to, say, a 79, but he was on the way toward to a decent round against Kentucky until the 65-yard Pick Six interception.

Now Anthony must put that one in his back pocket and go play like Tiger Woods – in terms of attitude and effort. Which is to say: On days when he doesn’t have his best stuff, to use his arms, legs and brain and keep from missing the cut. And setting the example for his teammates.

Nobody knows this better than Richardson’s coach. Billy Napier is a truth-teller and doesn’t mince words. Billy is wise enough to know there will be fender-benders in this journey which should not be classified as roll-overs or NASCAR-type crackups that destroy the machines. At the same time, mistakes must be addressed and corrected.

“It’s like getting a speeding ticket,” Napier said of the loss to Kentucky, inadvertently referencing a sore subject that became topical over the summer when his quarterback got tagged with one on Archer Road in the wee hours of the morning while lead-footing his new NIL-gifted Dodge Charger. “You’re a little more aware of the things you need to do.” (A few days later, A.R. gave back the Charger in favor of a more docile Toyota).

Perhaps most bothersome about Richardson’s off-night -- when it seemed like he sometimes couldn’t hit the proverbial bull in the ass with a bass fiddle -- was how it almost dented his ego. He admitted after the game that missing open receivers caused him to “lose my confidence.” That’s something we’ve seen that could destroy good athletes should it linger.

“In this game, you’ve got to handle success and you’ve got to handle failure,” said Napier.

In baseball, sometimes a pitcher doesn’t have his best stuff or he can’t get it over the plate, so he gives way to the bullpen. But there are only a dozen or so football games vs. 162 or more baseball games, so there’s not as much opportunity to get it right. Saturday will be a test to see if A.R. can return to the form he displayed against Utah, or close to it, in a game the Gators are favored to win by over three touchdowns. He needs to get back on track – now.

“I don’t care who we play. We’re consumed with improving,” said Napier.

There is a prevailing feeling that Richardson’s improvement is underway and it has also stemmed from positive reaction to his mistakes and how it has resulted in some more mature decisions. As embarrassing and devastating as the way he performed in losing to Kentucky may have been, Napier said several times he believes the hard work and “character” of his team will prevail this season. Richardson included in that group. Perhaps primarily.

In sports, sometimes it is the things you can’t see in the box score or stats which make the difference. For instance, how you handle the defeat and your immediate response to failure. In that matter, there were two events that immediately followed Anthony’s bad night which spoke volumes to me.

1. Instead of ducking the press and taking the easy way out, as is so often the case today with many elite athletes, Richardson manned up by coming to the post-game press conference and owning his poor performance -- even admitting he “lost my confidence” after failing to hit open receivers.

2. On his way home, according to the father of one of them, A.R. stopped to talk to a group of kids playing catch – even tossing the ball with them in the parking lot. That he would even think of such a kind act of consideration at such a difficult time really impresses me. Even more than facing the press firing squad.

If Karma is keeping score at home, he or she owes Anthony Richardson one. Maybe even two, or more.

Florida 38, South Florida 10

Carlton Reese

Proudly Announcing Our New Teammate: Carlton Reese.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that GatorBaitMedia.com has been joined by a highly respected, longstanding member of the Fourth Estate.

Carlton Reese, a lifelong Floridian and fourth generation Marion Countian, begins this week as Contributing Editor/Columnist. You’ll see and read lots of his stellar work in GatorBait, but won’t always recognize his skills and talent behind the scenes as an editor which will make us all better.

A graduate of the University of Florida, Reese has worked as a sportswriter and copy editor for the Gainesville Sun, Ocala Star-Banner and Bradenton Herald -- covering nearly all sports one can imagine.

He is particularly keen on story lines and historical data of the Florida Gator football program.

Most recently, Reese has worked as a freelance writer and editor with his works appearing in Ocala Magazine, Ocala Style and Good Life of Central Florida where he has won numerous writing awards from the Florida Magazine Association.

From 2010 to 2020, Reese worked as a tournament director and writer for Golfweek Magazine.

He is the author of the book, "Setting the Records Straight: How Rod Carew Hit .400... But Not Ted Williams" which is available for purchase on amazon.com.

Reese currently resides in Ocala and is married to wife Marlena with four daughters, the eldest currently a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania.

He is also a longtime friend with whom I have previously collaborated – and plan to do so again in the future on book projects.

Please welcome him to the GatorBait family.