Had my Dr's dissertation ready to send - and then I got an out of memory alert and everything was lost...
Lots have already been shared and discussed about how sweet the victory was and various stats etc...
Figure I'd use this abridged version to cover some underated elements to the Gators victory and being National champs...
> In the first half when both teams were like 0-7 - Florida committed another turnover and the ball made its way to Will Richard. And as any player given an opportunity would took the free shot from the corner. It went in. Did it count - no ... but I bet it gave Will confidence seeing it thru the net - cause lo & behold the next possession - there's Will making the same shot from the corner for the first 3 and his impact was felt from there.
> As amazing as Will's offense was in the first half - his D throughout was phenomenal.
> Alex Condon - when it was crunch time this whole tournament - he was the Alex Condon we needed and counted on. His crunch time plays were winning players and now he's cemented as a winner for life.
> As a groundhog - a special skill I'm trying to develop is prognostication... I had predicted the national championship would end on a buzzer beater where Walter's 3 point shot was missed and Condon tipped it in at the buzzer. Would the final play be the defensive equivalent? Aspiring prognosticator wants to know?
> Another key moment in the game happened just before the final under 4 min TO. If you recall - Houston was up 3, with the ball. Houston had scored on their last 4 possessions and was looking at a 5th straight score until divine intervention took over. At 3:24 Cryer was whistled for stepping out of bounds before a clear drive to the hoop. What happened next - everyone remembers - Walt hitting his only 3, Houston only scoring 3 points more with 4 straight TO's to end the game.
> Officiating... It was 2 completely different games from the same crew... I know it was bonkers and frustrated everyone on both sides - especially Florida's (the 2 T's as a result). Let me pull the curtain back to some of the thinking as to why it happened. The first half - officials want to let the players play, call the absolute obvious and avoid affecting the outcome of the game by getting key players in foul trouble - the result - 4 total fouls called... however everyone can see the ratching of the physicality with neither side backing down.
Now it's HT in the locker room - the officials will discuss the first half... what did they see, any concerns for the group. I guarantee you they discussed about how the physicality was starting to bleed into chippyness and that we (officials) need to rein it back in. Hence the immediency of the parade of fouls. It got one sided against Florida in the first 2 1/2 min - however the officials recalibrated quickly and it was Florida who got into the bonus first and the fouls were pretty evenly called the rest of the way. Do I like this approach to officiating? Yes & No... but it's like a teacher on the first day of school... Do you go easy and treat your students like adults and tighten the belt if necessary ... or do you come in super strict and ease up as the students know the demands and expectations. That's what this crew was faced with. I've officiated both ways before... where no blood= no foul... however you can see the rising tensions and powderkeg building... again - that's why the crew got super tight - they were trying to deescalate a potential full on brawl (I'm sure they talked about Rueben's KO of the Houston player after the basket - no foul called (& rightfully so)
> Thought it was cool how Florida's schedule really built on itself in the sense of learning and overcoming adversity. From NC to TN (SEC Champ) to Houston - winning in "Neutral" court games in the opponent's home state. Battling back from large deficits on the road (SC, Auburn, GA) helped come tourney time when they one upped an earlier tourney game (UConn, TT, Aub, Hou)
> With the Gators National Champs - it locks in their abiilty to win the National Championship in years when the 3 largest comebacks in the Sweet 16 took place... they've beaten 2007 Ohio St after they came back from 20 vs TN; 2006 UCLA after they came back from 17 against Gonzaga and this year after Texas Tech came back from 16 against the Hogs.
> San Antonio has to be the coolest place to celebrate a National Championship after immediately winning in it's stadium - the Riverwalk cruise where all the fans can congregate and have that intimate moment with the team... Can't think of another place - unless in New Orleans - and they broke out the Mardi Gras float for the team to ride on down Bourbon St.
> Winning breeds winning... can we thank DJ Lagway for changing the Gator fans mindset and believing we can win. Now with the basketball National Championship - can football take that momentum and build upon a successful fall. Wouldn't mind the Gators rising of the cicadas now.
> Finally a message to fellow posters who like to post on the game thread... warned y'all your comments would be hilarious to reflect on at the U16 TO... you gotta believe. Keep the faith and learn from it.... cause football season is near and we don't need another meltdown - otherwise you'll be stuck with @gator1776 trying to mend you... and do you really want that?
Lots have already been shared and discussed about how sweet the victory was and various stats etc...
Figure I'd use this abridged version to cover some underated elements to the Gators victory and being National champs...
> In the first half when both teams were like 0-7 - Florida committed another turnover and the ball made its way to Will Richard. And as any player given an opportunity would took the free shot from the corner. It went in. Did it count - no ... but I bet it gave Will confidence seeing it thru the net - cause lo & behold the next possession - there's Will making the same shot from the corner for the first 3 and his impact was felt from there.
> As amazing as Will's offense was in the first half - his D throughout was phenomenal.
> Alex Condon - when it was crunch time this whole tournament - he was the Alex Condon we needed and counted on. His crunch time plays were winning players and now he's cemented as a winner for life.
> As a groundhog - a special skill I'm trying to develop is prognostication... I had predicted the national championship would end on a buzzer beater where Walter's 3 point shot was missed and Condon tipped it in at the buzzer. Would the final play be the defensive equivalent? Aspiring prognosticator wants to know?
> Another key moment in the game happened just before the final under 4 min TO. If you recall - Houston was up 3, with the ball. Houston had scored on their last 4 possessions and was looking at a 5th straight score until divine intervention took over. At 3:24 Cryer was whistled for stepping out of bounds before a clear drive to the hoop. What happened next - everyone remembers - Walt hitting his only 3, Houston only scoring 3 points more with 4 straight TO's to end the game.
> Officiating... It was 2 completely different games from the same crew... I know it was bonkers and frustrated everyone on both sides - especially Florida's (the 2 T's as a result). Let me pull the curtain back to some of the thinking as to why it happened. The first half - officials want to let the players play, call the absolute obvious and avoid affecting the outcome of the game by getting key players in foul trouble - the result - 4 total fouls called... however everyone can see the ratching of the physicality with neither side backing down.
Now it's HT in the locker room - the officials will discuss the first half... what did they see, any concerns for the group. I guarantee you they discussed about how the physicality was starting to bleed into chippyness and that we (officials) need to rein it back in. Hence the immediency of the parade of fouls. It got one sided against Florida in the first 2 1/2 min - however the officials recalibrated quickly and it was Florida who got into the bonus first and the fouls were pretty evenly called the rest of the way. Do I like this approach to officiating? Yes & No... but it's like a teacher on the first day of school... Do you go easy and treat your students like adults and tighten the belt if necessary ... or do you come in super strict and ease up as the students know the demands and expectations. That's what this crew was faced with. I've officiated both ways before... where no blood= no foul... however you can see the rising tensions and powderkeg building... again - that's why the crew got super tight - they were trying to deescalate a potential full on brawl (I'm sure they talked about Rueben's KO of the Houston player after the basket - no foul called (& rightfully so)
> Thought it was cool how Florida's schedule really built on itself in the sense of learning and overcoming adversity. From NC to TN (SEC Champ) to Houston - winning in "Neutral" court games in the opponent's home state. Battling back from large deficits on the road (SC, Auburn, GA) helped come tourney time when they one upped an earlier tourney game (UConn, TT, Aub, Hou)
> With the Gators National Champs - it locks in their abiilty to win the National Championship in years when the 3 largest comebacks in the Sweet 16 took place... they've beaten 2007 Ohio St after they came back from 20 vs TN; 2006 UCLA after they came back from 17 against Gonzaga and this year after Texas Tech came back from 16 against the Hogs.
> San Antonio has to be the coolest place to celebrate a National Championship after immediately winning in it's stadium - the Riverwalk cruise where all the fans can congregate and have that intimate moment with the team... Can't think of another place - unless in New Orleans - and they broke out the Mardi Gras float for the team to ride on down Bourbon St.
> Winning breeds winning... can we thank DJ Lagway for changing the Gator fans mindset and believing we can win. Now with the basketball National Championship - can football take that momentum and build upon a successful fall. Wouldn't mind the Gators rising of the cicadas now.
> Finally a message to fellow posters who like to post on the game thread... warned y'all your comments would be hilarious to reflect on at the U16 TO... you gotta believe. Keep the faith and learn from it.... cause football season is near and we don't need another meltdown - otherwise you'll be stuck with @gator1776 trying to mend you... and do you really want that?
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