Something Old, New, Something Orange And Blue

By Buddy Martin

If laptops could only talk, what a tale my last three could tell.

This weekend, my wife bought me another Apple Mac Airbook for my birthday, a midnight blue beauty with a panoramic 15-inch screen and speedy M3 chip — wiping out our emergency savings.

After all, it WAS an emergency because my Mac Airbook 3 was gasping for air and words, having endured the Dan Mullen years — hundreds of stories and the launching of the Gator Nation Kingdom which has produced over 1,000 podcasts.

This is my fourth Apple laptop Mac since 2006, Volume 6 story #1 Mac Airbook 3 was

battle-scarred but boldly unbowed through the glory years of two national championships under Urban Meyer in football, The Promise by Tebow and two basketball nattys produced by the incomparable Billy Donovan.

Those previous three computers birthed four books and tons of magazine and newspaper stories, some of them mysteriously pilfered by the fine print of Public Storage, who would not let me pay the bill despite numerous attempts because it was in the name of my deceased wife. So they commandeered it and sold it before I got back to town. Though it was worthless to anyone else.

Mac AirBook #4 arrives under a cloud of uncertainty. Though sleek and shiny and poised and ready to keep hunting and pecking for truly refreshing angles from new people with new ideas and new dreams, the keyboard must be commanded by a fresh spirit, for it only knows the songs of the player. There are some promising new tunes.

Billy Napier's 13 new transfers make for nice new sheet music additions, several of which have already enrolled in school and participated in spring practice.

There is an emerging new cautious optimism in recent weeks, spirited in part by the landing of the coveted USC transfer Jason Zandamela, with the 6-3, 306-pound interior lineman filling an immediate need.

The search for an additional quality wide receiver still continues but the ‘24 recruiting class ranking has jumped back up to No. 7. Napier has signed 20 high school prospects and will be joined by at least four more this summer.

All this was enhanced earlier by the spring debut of wunderkind quarterback DJ Lagway, edge rusher LJ McCray and mates like tailback Jadan Baugh and defensive stalwarts Pup Howard (LB), Joey Slackman (DL) and Asa Turner (S).

You can feel a little pride swelling around The Swamp these days. But the Gators don’t get to corner the market on that.

Kyle Curtis

We here at GatorBait are swole up with pride over two of our very own.

Not only did writer/podcasters Kyle Curtis and Matt Quartararo pick up their degrees in communications but served for a long stretch in top notch capacity of bringing news, features and insights on the Gators to our readers and listeners.

Matt Quartararo

It feels like Kyle and Matt have been a part of our family forever and we’re hoping they will continue to contribute.

Kyle Curtis

Truth is, my Mac Airbook 3 has been here longer — but it can be replaced. Kyle and Matt cannot.

Mac 3 is gone, but these two young stars are just getting underway.