They Talked, We Listened. We Didn’t Know Much. But We’re Learning About The New World Order.
GatorBait Inside Straight Newsletter #3
JUNE 15, 2022
"...I am not alone in this darkness for journalists. If there’s one bright light shining, it’s the willingness of Florida athletes to talk about their athletic experiences at Florida, their families, hopes, dreams, teammates and coaches in the interviews I’ve conducted with the help of The Gator Collective.
By BUDDY MARTIN
GatorBaitMedia.com Editor
I’ve made a decision about not trying to explain things that I know almost nothing about. Frankly, I’m tired of 10-cent opinions from know-nothings with 25 Twitter followers. I confess that I, too, am pretty much in the dark on most of the NIL deals and have very little true insight on how recruiting is going or how the transfer portal is working. But I’m learning.
All I can do is try and offer what insights that I can glean from reliable sources and share few quotes from people I’ve interviewed --- commenting on their actions or words. Otherwise, those dime-store theories, cheap opinions and feigned knowledge is worthless and a waste of all our time. *OK, there was this one time (see below).
Having said that, I am not alone in this darkness for journalists. If there’s one bright light shining, it’s the willingness of Florida athletes to talk about their athletic experiences at Florida, their families, hopes, dreams, teammates and coaches in the interviews I’ve conducted with the help of The Gator Collective.
This came about because of 1) My realization that I was completely clueless about these kinds of things and wanted to learn; 2) The willingness of Eddie Rojas and Jen Grosso of Gator Collective to form an alliance so that we might connect with the players without their orchestration or any caveat for what we asked them; 3) The willingness of players to cooperate.
My colleagues Ben Troupe, Franz Beard and I have had the pleasure of holding lengthy conversations with 18 different Florida athletes – most of them football players – on The Buddy Martin Show/Gator Collective Corner since we began over four months ago. Actually, it turns out that they’ve been extremely forthcoming and have enjoyed speaking to the fans through us.
The measure of trust established has been remarkable and it almost gives me hope that we might eventually return to the type of working relationships I’ve enjoyed with athletes like Steve Spurrier, Carlos Alvarez, Scot and John Brantley, Chris Doering, Shane Matthews, Ben Troupe, etc. over the years.
The athletes’ personalities have popped out in a manner I’ve not seen since more than 30 years, and for this I am grateful. It has given me hope that we are going back to establishing relationships with players for mutually beneficial reasons – mostly helping them tell their stories. We don't pay them a dime for it, nor do we get a dime.
I don’t know why it has taken us so long to show Gator Track & Field Coach Mike Holloway the respect, love and admiration he’s been due for long time. Perhaps because his sport is not as revered as it is around the globe. Including Europe, where sprinters are like gods. But Holloway’s latest “Double” in winning both men’s and women’s national championships on the same weekend has some media going ga-ga. Like suggesting on a Mount Rushmore of Gator Coaches, “Mouse” belongs right there with Steve Spurrier, Billy Donovan and Urban Meyer. Don’t disagree. Meanwhile, how about the Ring of Honor?
HO HUM! ANOTHER 'BAD YEAR':
Two track Nattys, a near-miss in gymnastics and now a singles championship in tennis – hardly a “bad” year. On Saturday, Florida became the first men’s tennis program since 2004-05 to have different competitors win back-to-back NCAA Division I Men’s Singles National Championships. No. 2-ranked Ben Shelton defeated No. 6-ranked August Holmgren of San Diego 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to clinch the title. Shelton, a sophomore and the son of men’s tennis coach Bryan Shelton, joins Sam Riffice (2021), Jeff Morrison (1999) and Mark Merklein (1994) as Gators singles champions.
*A Sleek Look: Rashada and the Lambo (UAA Photo)
WHY I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE RASHADA IN ORANGE & BLUE
*(OK, It’s Just A Hunch)
HI hope I’m wrong, but when Shane Matthews asked me on his “PodUp With Matthews” show if I thought 4/5-star quarterback QB Jaden Rashada from Pittsburg (Cal) would commit to the Gators on Saturday, I just took a shot with a wild hunch and replied “no.” Why? Before all you recruiting warriors start stalking me: Scouts say his arm talent, accuracy, poise in the pocket and escapability make him more than just a bright, shiny thing. But I have absolutely no inside information. Realizing how important the validation of Billy Napier’s program would be by such a highly regarded athlete committing and knowing Gator fans crave the notion of scoring a 4/5-star like Rashada, I’m certainly not throwing cold water on the idea. But as exciting as hitting the jackpot would be, I’m also confident in Napier’s ability to recruit, train and grow a quarterback behind Anthony Richardson. And I doubt anybody can speak into existence the 6-4,185-pound California quarterback becoming a Gator. As long as they’re reaching, why not Arch Manning? (Sorry.) BTW, the Lamborghini in the photo belongs to Hugh Hathcock, founder of Gator Guard and several recruits posed with the car. It just seems to fit Rashada better.
THERE'S THIS OTHER QB
The Worldwide Network has embraced Anthony Richardson as a future star and ESPN has anointing him as one of the five hottest QB prospects. Mel Kiper Jr. picks AR-15, Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke as “the ones to watch.” Frankly, almost all the eyes are going to be on Young, but it signals a bright future for Richardson.
BAD NEWS? Hearing former Gator WR Tyrie Cleveland went down on the final play of Denver Broncos practice Monday and had to be carted off in a stretcher, onlookers feared it was some sort of leg injury that looked serious. Later we learned it wasn’t serious. “The MRI came back negative,” Cleveland tweeted. Only a sprained ankle.
OFF THE GATOR BEAT
CALL YOUR TRAVEL AGENT: All due respect, I know the young prospects are excited about their recruiting trips, but I really don’t need to know your itinerary of visits on Twitter. As far as I’m concerned you just clutter my feed. Call me when you’ve got your list down to two.
RAYS REPORT: FOR THE TWO FANS WHO CARE
Followers of The Buddy Martin Show know that I’m a Tampa Bay baseball fan and follow the Rays closely, just as a break from Gators 365/52 weeks/24/7. Although they were 10 games out in the AL East, I give Rays Manager Kevin Cash props for keeping his team in contention with about eight of his starters missing, including superstar to be Wander Franco, 2021 home run hitting leader Brandon Lowe, catcher/quarterback Mike Zunino and top relievers JP Feyereisen, Andrew Kittredge and Pete Fairbanks. The red-hot Yankees are in town. Last year when the Rays won the AL pennant, they went 11-8 vs. the pinstripers. They lost a heartbreaker in the opener of the four-game series vs. Gotham 2-0.
LET'S CHECK THE MENU FOR TAKEOUT
I can’t be the only one annoyed by the robot-like reflexes of athletes who continually have to stare at their cue cards before making a move on defense or throwing pitch. Don’t athletes use instincts anymore is every move pre-programed?
MORE BLOWBACK
Rory McIlroy said: “Last week in Canada … LIV will never have that. Last week meant something. What they were doing over there meant nothing.”
TWEETS WORTH REMEMBERING
“Don't just be good to others, be good to yourself too.” — Pastor West.
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