LSU v. FLORIDA: GATOR FANS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE?

As the LSU-Florida showdown nears, the LSU message boards are making it abundantly clear that LSU fully expects to win this game-and, by a fairly significant margin.  

Naturally, there is no statistical significance to the banal banter of fans, nor do fans throw, catch, run, block or tackle come gameday.  However, SNL has long subscribed to the theory that the confidence, complacence, fear, and hubris of a teams fans is often personified by their team with disastrous (or fantastic) results.  

For example, when Florida lost to Ole Miss two weeks ago, the crowd was about as animated as the ostensibly “diverse” group that watched that smooth talking dude debate that  angry old guy on every freaking channel last night. SNL took note of thousands of empty seats before kickoff and (wrongly) assumed that the Gator faithful were “fashionably late.”  By the 2nd quarter, however, it was apparent that Florida fans simply weren’t that excited about playing a 23-point underdog and had instead opted to stay home and nurse their hangovers.

Keeping with SNL’s theory, the malaise of the Gator allegiant had spread like STD’s at a fraternity house and ultimately, manifested itself in the players, who were clearly less than amped before kickoff-which is why the E-SPIN heads will hawk their weekly CFB promo at the Cotton Bowl this week instead of The Swamp. 

Applying this theory to the upcoming SEC showdown, and particularly, the overconfident Tigers of the LSU variety, gives rise to a situation that has been much more favorable to The Gators in recent years;  the role of the underdog.  Naturally, the rigid contingent of fans who worship at the Vegas altar will run to the safety of the current spread, which is Gators by 4-5, to undermine this assertion.  For those who fall into this category, SNL weeps for your lack of understanding.

The fact is that the Gator chatboards, talkshows, and even national media have embarked on a furious “What’s wrong with Florida?” campaign (see SNL’s previous post for more on this).  This engine of discontent has been oiled by Gator fans with disastrous effect ( See Tebow’s stoic reaction after throwing a perfect strike to Harvin last week in last week’s “disgraceful” 38-7 road win as Exhibit “A.”)

Irrespective of the origins, the Gators have found themselves to be underdogs in the eye of the public and more importantly, in the eyes of both Gator and LSU fans.  Therefore, if SNL’s theory holds true, LSU’s players are expecting little adversity on Saturday-the defense will dominate the line of scrimmage and Chuck “The Truck” will run through gaping holes torn in the Baby Gators weak defensive front.

Florida players, conversely, have suffered a shocking loss and heard for weeks now how bad they are. The restless Gator-backers have piled on by openly grousing about the offense’s inability to be perfect and the defense’s seeming lack of progress. 

The predictable result is that the Gators, and their fans, have their backs against the wall.  This in turn means that unlike the poorly prepared and cathartic group of Gators that showed up two weeks ago, The Swamp this Saturday will be the home of a focused, angry, scared, and determined Gator Nation. 

The result, 23-19 Florida, of course. 

But make no mistake Gator fans, there exists a real need to diametrically alter your general tenor, which is eerily similar to the end of Spurrier’s reign, when winning by too little was grounds to attack the OBC and losing was unacceptable.  The current spate of negativity surrounding the Gators should work in our favor this week, but in the long run it will run off coaches, dissuade recruits and make Gator football a “chore” instead of a treat.  Govern yourselves accordingly.

-So Sayeth the Shepherd