Carlos Alvarez - Walk Proud
Monday, September 29, 2008 | Football
By Kelly Reynolds, UF Communications
There's no question about it. Carlos Alvarez was, and still is, one of the best wide receivers associated with the University of Florida football program – one of the best Gators ever to step foot in The Swamp. Alvarez's name is still engraved in the Gator record books, and, nearly 30 years later, his loyalty and devotion to The Gator Nation are as strong as ever. The product of an outstanding academic and athletic institution in UF, Alvarez's accolades and accomplishments include feats both in his academic studies and on the football field.
Alvarez ended his tenure at UF in 1971 as the all-time leading receiver in school history, topping the record books in numerous categories. A consensus All-American and All-SEC selection in 1969, Alvarez had quite possibly the best single season of any Gator wide receiver. Nicknamed “The Cuban Comet” after his Cuban heritage and tremendous speed, Alvarez peddled his way to the top as the Gator record holder in receptions in a game, with 15, and in a season, tied for first with 88.
Additionally, Alvarez is still the career leader in receiving yards, racking up 2,563 in his UF tenure, while claiming second for his 1969 season receiving yards (1,329), and ranking second on the receiving yards in a game list after the '69 Miami game, when he tallied 237 yards. Alvarez led the SEC in receiving that year and still has a place in the SEC record books for his stellar performances. Until Nov. 17, 2007 last year, “The Cuban Comet” also held the record for career receptions (172), but recent Gator great Andre “Bubba” Caldwell surpassed Alvarez against Florida Atlantic and finished with 185 career receptions.
After 38 years of calling the record his own, Alvarez knew Caldwell was closing in on his long-standing mark, and while his great seasons of athletic success have since passed, Alvarez still has love for the Gators, making trips to Gainesville to see UF play. That day, when UF took to the field against FAU, Alvarez decided to make the trip to Gainesville from Tallahassee to witness his record fall.
“I probably wouldn't have come to this game, but especially with Percy (Harvin) out, I knew they'd be going to Bubba a lot,” Alvarez said following Caldwell's feat that day. “I'm thrilled for him, I really am. He's such a nice kid.”
Alvarez even stayed around to give a speech in the locker room, reiterating his pride as a Gator, but emphasizing that records and goals can't be achieved without the collaboration of the whole team, coupled with individual perseverance, like Caldwell's. Not only did Alvarez preach teamwork, selflessness and perseverance that day, he has been an example of those characteristics in his everyday life.
"I was one of the first at Florida to believe you had to work year-round if you wanted to be good," he said in 2006, a year before Caldwell broke his record. "I felt that if you want to present the best product you couldn't stop working at it. That's one of the things that really helped me at Florida. Being a Gator has opened up so many doors for me over the years and I'm extremely grateful, so I owe the University of Florida a lot.”
For Alvarez, everything wasn't always easy, and hard work was instilled in him the second he stepped foot in Miami, exactly the reason he takes pride in his accomplishments and being a part of The Gator Nation. Alvarez's family relocated from Cuba to Miami in the 1960s when Fidel Castro was in power, forcing his family to drop everything, and start a new life from the ground up in America. Starting over meant beginning with the basics, like learning English and the customs of American society. Watching his parents persevere through transition taught Alvarez the rewards of attentiveness to his school work and in extracurricular activities, including football.
Aside from his astounding statistics on the turf, Alvarez was the epitome of a standout student-athlete at Florida, reeling in Academic All-America accolades three times in his tenure as a Gator from 1969-71, while also being tabbed Academic All-SEC all three years. The knowledge he embraced at Florida translated to success following his football career. Alvarez earned his undergraduate degree in political science from UF in 1972, graduating with high honors.
A 1972 NFL 15th-round Draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys, Alvarez made the decision to forego a NFL contract to focus his attention on pursuing a law degree from Duke University, by way of a NCAA Post-Graduate scholarship, awarded to him in 1971 for his outstanding work in the classroom during his tenure at Florida. Continuing the excellence in academics, Alvarez graduated summa cum laude, “with supreme honor,” from Duke Law School in 1975.
Alvarez proceeded to move to Tallahassee as a successful lawyer for the firm of Hopping, Boyd, Green & Sams after its inaugural year in 1979, and has been there ever since.
The passion “The Cuban Comet” has for UF is still evident today. He has developed a relationship with head coach Urban Meyer and enjoys following the Gators and watching success unfold for the program. The moment Alvarez met Meyer, he was impressed and could sense the potential of success of the UF program.
“I think he did an incredible job in that first year,” Alvarez told the media on a visit to Gainesville. “The Gator Nation needs to give him the time he needs. We need to be patient and let him get his system in place and get the players in to run it. It's going to be incredible once that happens.”
With one National Championship under the program's belt in Meyer's tenure, Alvarez believes there's more success to come.
“I love the way he relates to the players. I love the passion he has for the players and for the University of Florida.”
