Former Gators Alex Brown, left, and Percy Harvin were inducted into the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame on Friday afternoon in Jacksonville (Photo: Dennis Black/GatorVision)
Florida-Georgia Rivalry Still Fresh for Brown, Harvin
Friday, October 26, 2018 | Football, Scott Carter
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- In a historical sense, the four newest inductees in the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame are low-mileage models.
Former Gators All-American Alex Brown is 39, as is ex-Georgia standout linebacker Boss Bailey. Percy Harvin, one of the most dynamic players in Florida history, turned 30 earlier this year, and former Bulldogs gunslinger Aaron Murray doesn't turn 28 until next month.
As they stood together following Friday afternoon's induction ceremony here at Daily's Place outside TIAA Bank Field, all four looked fit enough to step onto the field Saturday in the annual clash between the Gators and Bulldogs. While their playing days are behind them, their competitiveness and memories of the Florida-Georgia game still burn brightly.
That was evident as each spoke to a crowd of several hundred on hand for the 23rd edition of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame banquet.
Brown, who starred for the Gators from 1998-2001 and still owns the school record for career sacks (33) and sacks in a single season (13), got it started when he playfully thanked Georgia, along with Florida and the city of Jacksonville, for helping him get inducted.
Why did Brown thank the Bulldogs?
"For not blocking me,'' he said, drawing a hearty laugh from the crowd.
Next up, Bailey took a turn at the podium and gave thanks, but when he turned toward Brown and Harvin, he shunned them with a wave and smile. A three-year starter for the Bulldogs from 1998-2002, Bailey then shared a story about his memories of going 0-4 in the rivalry.
"Back before those games used to start, these guys used to go nuts in pregame,'' Bailey said of the Gators. "That had an effect on us. That's probably why I went 0-fer."
However, Bailey said during his NFL career, he took delight in the 2007 game when Georgia scored an early touchdown and then the entire team came onto the field to celebrate in the end zone, setting the tone in the Bulldogs' 42-30 victory.
"That was the day that pregame stuff stopped working,'' he said.
Harvin's turn to speak was next, and as a member of the 2007 team, everyone waited to see which way Percy would go. He went straight at the Bulldogs instead of speeding around the corner.
"I was always brought up by this saying, 'you don't want to wake up a sleeping giant,' " Harvin said. "They scored a touchdown and the whole team, the coaches, the equipment people, I think some people in the front row came to celebrate. It did work. They went on to beat us."
"That kind of stuck with us,'' Harvin continued. "They punched us in our mouth. That whole offseason, that whole ride home, celebrating is something that just kind of sticks with you. That shaped our team. We had a heck of an offseason."
In Harvin's final season with the Gators, he scored a pair of touchdowns in Florida's 49-10 romp over Georgia in 2008 on the way to the program's second national title in his three seasons.
Harvin retired in 2017 after eight seasons in the NFL and is back in Gainesville, where he makes his home and is engaged to be married. When Harvin arrived at UF in 2006 as one of the top recruits in the nation out of Virginia Beach, Va., he never imagined one day he would join former Gators such as Fred Taylor and Reidel Anthony in the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame.
"It's incredible to even be mentioned with those guys,'' Harvin said. "When I was in high school I looked up to those guys and to know that I am joining them, it makes me feel good to know that I lived up to some of those standards that we live by with the Gators."
Murray was the last to speak -- and the most emotional. He paused several times as he reflected on his career and what it meant to play in one of college football's great rivalry games.
Murray grew up a Florida fan in Tampa, but he said after visiting the Georgia campus in high school, he called his mom on the way home to tell her she could donate all his orange and blue clothes.
Murray led the Bulldogs to three wins in four seasons over the Gators from 2010-13 and threw for nearly 900 yards and seven touchdowns in four games against the Gators.
He recalled watching the 2007 and '08 Florida-Georgia games that featured Harvin.
"This was now the rivalry I was going to be a part of,'' he said. "Red and black, orange and blue. It's one of the most beautiful sights you will ever see. It will forever be in my memory."
By listening to his fellow inductees speak Friday, they feel the same.
Brown shared a moment when his 11-year-old daughter asked him a question when he got the call that he was being inducted.
"Dad, is this once-in-a-lifetime type of deal?"
"Absolutely,'' he said.
Brown then took a seat to prevent his emotions from registering a sack.
Former Gators All-American Alex Brown is 39, as is ex-Georgia standout linebacker Boss Bailey. Percy Harvin, one of the most dynamic players in Florida history, turned 30 earlier this year, and former Bulldogs gunslinger Aaron Murray doesn't turn 28 until next month.
As they stood together following Friday afternoon's induction ceremony here at Daily's Place outside TIAA Bank Field, all four looked fit enough to step onto the field Saturday in the annual clash between the Gators and Bulldogs. While their playing days are behind them, their competitiveness and memories of the Florida-Georgia game still burn brightly.
That was evident as each spoke to a crowd of several hundred on hand for the 23rd edition of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame banquet.
Brown, who starred for the Gators from 1998-2001 and still owns the school record for career sacks (33) and sacks in a single season (13), got it started when he playfully thanked Georgia, along with Florida and the city of Jacksonville, for helping him get inducted.
Why did Brown thank the Bulldogs?
"For not blocking me,'' he said, drawing a hearty laugh from the crowd.
.@alexbrown96 and Percy Harvin are the #GatorStandard.
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) October 26, 2018
And they're the newest #UFvsUGA Hall of Fame members!#GatorsAlways pic.twitter.com/t6JJmBuwPo
Next up, Bailey took a turn at the podium and gave thanks, but when he turned toward Brown and Harvin, he shunned them with a wave and smile. A three-year starter for the Bulldogs from 1998-2002, Bailey then shared a story about his memories of going 0-4 in the rivalry.
"Back before those games used to start, these guys used to go nuts in pregame,'' Bailey said of the Gators. "That had an effect on us. That's probably why I went 0-fer."
However, Bailey said during his NFL career, he took delight in the 2007 game when Georgia scored an early touchdown and then the entire team came onto the field to celebrate in the end zone, setting the tone in the Bulldogs' 42-30 victory.
"That was the day that pregame stuff stopped working,'' he said.
Harvin's turn to speak was next, and as a member of the 2007 team, everyone waited to see which way Percy would go. He went straight at the Bulldogs instead of speeding around the corner.
"I was always brought up by this saying, 'you don't want to wake up a sleeping giant,' " Harvin said. "They scored a touchdown and the whole team, the coaches, the equipment people, I think some people in the front row came to celebrate. It did work. They went on to beat us."
"That kind of stuck with us,'' Harvin continued. "They punched us in our mouth. That whole offseason, that whole ride home, celebrating is something that just kind of sticks with you. That shaped our team. We had a heck of an offseason."
In Harvin's final season with the Gators, he scored a pair of touchdowns in Florida's 49-10 romp over Georgia in 2008 on the way to the program's second national title in his three seasons.
Harvin retired in 2017 after eight seasons in the NFL and is back in Gainesville, where he makes his home and is engaged to be married. When Harvin arrived at UF in 2006 as one of the top recruits in the nation out of Virginia Beach, Va., he never imagined one day he would join former Gators such as Fred Taylor and Reidel Anthony in the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame.
"It's incredible to even be mentioned with those guys,'' Harvin said. "When I was in high school I looked up to those guys and to know that I am joining them, it makes me feel good to know that I lived up to some of those standards that we live by with the Gators."
Murray was the last to speak -- and the most emotional. He paused several times as he reflected on his career and what it meant to play in one of college football's great rivalry games.
Murray grew up a Florida fan in Tampa, but he said after visiting the Georgia campus in high school, he called his mom on the way home to tell her she could donate all his orange and blue clothes.
Murray led the Bulldogs to three wins in four seasons over the Gators from 2010-13 and threw for nearly 900 yards and seven touchdowns in four games against the Gators.
He recalled watching the 2007 and '08 Florida-Georgia games that featured Harvin.
"This was now the rivalry I was going to be a part of,'' he said. "Red and black, orange and blue. It's one of the most beautiful sights you will ever see. It will forever be in my memory."
By listening to his fellow inductees speak Friday, they feel the same.
Brown shared a moment when his 11-year-old daughter asked him a question when he got the call that he was being inducted.
"Dad, is this once-in-a-lifetime type of deal?"
"Absolutely,'' he said.
Brown then took a seat to prevent his emotions from registering a sack.
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