Receiver Jacquez Green was one of the stars for the Gators when they knocked off No. 1-ranked FSU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in 1997. (Photo: Courtesy of the Tallahassee Democrat)
Carter's Corner: Some Gator-Centric Distractions via YouTube
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 | General, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – When I finished washing my hands this morning for the third time in 30 minutes, it finally dawned on me how much I already miss sports.
I'm clearly not alone.
Maybe it's time to learn to play the guitar. Perhaps this is your inspiration to start speaking Russian. Maybe I'll finally take that class to refine my cha-cha steps. Ha, scratch that last thought. No one wants to see that.
If you are fatigued from reading and hearing about COVID-19 – yes, I'm taking precautions to keep myself and those I encounter healthy and hope you are too – join the club. We all need distractions and unfortunately, for the time being, we don't have sports to take us there.
Thankfully, we do have Netflix and Hulu and HBO Now and iTunes and books and magazines and Twitter. OK, you might want to avoid Twitter for the time being if you have high blood pressure.
Whatever you do, don't forget about YouTube. That has become my go-to outlet the past couple of days after I wash my hands. Where else can you search for re-runs of "Captain Kangaroo" and watch a Kool Moe Dee concert at the same time?
As life during the coronavirus pandemic continues to evolve, take a deep breath, relax and check out some Gator-centric oddities from YouTube.
The first one posted here is nothing more than a great trip into the past. In all my time with a connection to UF, I can't ever remember a better atmosphere inside the Swamp.
Time to get distracted …
1997 Florida-Florida State Game
We all have our favorite Gators games. This one is mine. I was not at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium that day nor did I watch the entire game on TV. I was actually in my car listening on the radio in the final moments.
Still, I could feel the electricity inside the Swamp on Nov. 22, 1997.
No. 10 Florida 32, No. 1 FSU 29.
This was the 40th all-time meeting between the rivals and the 10th consecutive one in which both were ranked in the top 10.
"If there is a louder stadium in the country, we have not heard it,'' play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough said during the CBS telecast.
The Allman Brothers Band at UF Bandshell
On Jan. 16, 1982, I was a kid living in East Tennessee and had never been to Florida.
That changed later that year when I relocated to Orlando.
As for the Allman Brothers Band, they were at the University of Florida that day playing a live show. Gregg Allman delivered the vocals and Dickey Betts some mean chops on guitar.
The show lives on thanks to YouTube. And yes, they play "Ramblin' Man."
1988 McDonald's All-American Game
Stacey Poole signed with the Gators out of Forrest High in Jacksonville.
Before joining the Gators, though, Poole joined future NBA stars such as Alonzo Mourning, Shawn Kemp, Christian Laettner and Chris Jackson at The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M., for the McDonald's All-American Game.
Keith Jackson -- yes, that one -- and Dick Vitale are on the call.
Poole makes a shot at the 29-minute mark of the video in this slice of history from the hardwood that includes some interesting discussion between Jackson and Vitale about the Kentucky Wildcats.
Florida vs. St. John's in 1988 NCAA Tournament
Staying on the court, I was hoping to find a replay of Florida's win over N.C. State in 1987 in the first March Madness game in school history.
I missed a rare shot on YouTube. But at least I touched the rim.
A year after making a run to the Sweet 16, the Gators were back for another run under Stormin' Norman.
Mad Max and Schintzius' mullet are here. So are Brent Musburger and Billy Packer and a halftime appearance by a young James Brown.
The video's quality leaves something to be desired, but Gators fans will like the final score. As for the final outcome, that's another story.
Anz It Is at 1984 NCAA Gymnastics Championships
Gators gymnast Maria Anz walked onto the team as a freshman.
As a sophomore, she became Florida's first NCAA floor champion.
Anz edged defending champion Kim Neal of Arizona State and UF teammate Elfi Schlegel with a score of 9.70 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion.
To watch Anz's winning performance, fast forward to the 42-minute mark of the video.
Titus O'Neil Debuts on TV
What's it like at the Carter home these days?
I spent part of Monday night watching "WWE Raw" with my daughters, who couldn't believe sweaty grown men in underwear grapple with each other.
Yes, these are strange times.
However, professional wrestling has turned a former UF football player named Thaddeus Bullard into an international wrestling star over the past decade. He got his start on the Florida Championship Wrestling circuit.
In fact, here is his TV debut on Jan. 16, 2010. Bullard, err, O'Neil teams teams with former Texas A&M football player Skip Sheffield for some football drills in the ring before the match as an incredulous British announcer tries to process it all.
That's all I can say. I don't want to give away any spoilers.
YOUNGBLOOD'S GREATEST GAME
Before Jack Youngblood became a Pro Football Hall of Famer, he starred at Florida as one of the best defensive players in school history.
Youngblood then embarked on a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Rams that included seven consecutive appearances on the NFL All-Pro Team during one stretch.
He was so good that after his rookie season, the Rams traded away Deacon Jones.
In searching Youngblood material on YouTube, I discovered an interview where he said his greatest game was in the 1975 playoffs against the St. Louis Cardinals.
I then searched for that game. I love YouTube. And check out that LA smog.
THE ALLIGATOR MOVIE
You never know what you might find when you search for Gators.
This doesn't have anything specifically to do with the Florida Gators, but who cares. We need to be distracted.
Some say this movie starring the late Robert Forster is a hidden gem. It was released on New Year's Day in 1980 and directed by John Sayles.
Admittedly, I don't know much about it. But check out that opening scene.
THE HBC's DESIGN FOR WINNING
Sometime during his NFL career and long before he became known as the Head Ball Coach, Gators Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Steve Spurrier returned to campus to film this great find.
His college coach, Ray Graves, is also in the film titled "Design for Winning."
Check out the old scenery and highlights of Spurrier playing.
Wonder how he liked playing in the snow?
1989 MTV Video Music Awards
You know the story.
Long before he became an international rock star and head Heartbreaker, musician Tom Petty spent a brief time working at UF on the grounds crew around campus.
Petty was born and raised in Gainesville and found stardom in the music business in Los Angeles.
By the time he performed his hit song "Free Falling" at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers had sold millions of records.
So inviting Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose to sing along was just part of the show.
We'll wrap this up with a clip of that performance in addition to Petty's final concert in his hometown in 2006 at the O'Connell Center.
Hope you are distracted.
I'm clearly not alone.
Maybe it's time to learn to play the guitar. Perhaps this is your inspiration to start speaking Russian. Maybe I'll finally take that class to refine my cha-cha steps. Ha, scratch that last thought. No one wants to see that.
If you are fatigued from reading and hearing about COVID-19 – yes, I'm taking precautions to keep myself and those I encounter healthy and hope you are too – join the club. We all need distractions and unfortunately, for the time being, we don't have sports to take us there.
Thankfully, we do have Netflix and Hulu and HBO Now and iTunes and books and magazines and Twitter. OK, you might want to avoid Twitter for the time being if you have high blood pressure.
Whatever you do, don't forget about YouTube. That has become my go-to outlet the past couple of days after I wash my hands. Where else can you search for re-runs of "Captain Kangaroo" and watch a Kool Moe Dee concert at the same time?
As life during the coronavirus pandemic continues to evolve, take a deep breath, relax and check out some Gator-centric oddities from YouTube.
The first one posted here is nothing more than a great trip into the past. In all my time with a connection to UF, I can't ever remember a better atmosphere inside the Swamp.
Time to get distracted …
We all have our favorite Gators games. This one is mine. I was not at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium that day nor did I watch the entire game on TV. I was actually in my car listening on the radio in the final moments.
Still, I could feel the electricity inside the Swamp on Nov. 22, 1997.
No. 10 Florida 32, No. 1 FSU 29.
This was the 40th all-time meeting between the rivals and the 10th consecutive one in which both were ranked in the top 10.
"If there is a louder stadium in the country, we have not heard it,'' play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough said during the CBS telecast.
The Allman Brothers Band at UF Bandshell
On Jan. 16, 1982, I was a kid living in East Tennessee and had never been to Florida.
That changed later that year when I relocated to Orlando.
As for the Allman Brothers Band, they were at the University of Florida that day playing a live show. Gregg Allman delivered the vocals and Dickey Betts some mean chops on guitar.
The show lives on thanks to YouTube. And yes, they play "Ramblin' Man."
1988 McDonald's All-American Game
Stacey Poole signed with the Gators out of Forrest High in Jacksonville.
Before joining the Gators, though, Poole joined future NBA stars such as Alonzo Mourning, Shawn Kemp, Christian Laettner and Chris Jackson at The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M., for the McDonald's All-American Game.
Keith Jackson -- yes, that one -- and Dick Vitale are on the call.
Poole makes a shot at the 29-minute mark of the video in this slice of history from the hardwood that includes some interesting discussion between Jackson and Vitale about the Kentucky Wildcats.
Florida vs. St. John's in 1988 NCAA Tournament
Staying on the court, I was hoping to find a replay of Florida's win over N.C. State in 1987 in the first March Madness game in school history.
I missed a rare shot on YouTube. But at least I touched the rim.
A year after making a run to the Sweet 16, the Gators were back for another run under Stormin' Norman.
Mad Max and Schintzius' mullet are here. So are Brent Musburger and Billy Packer and a halftime appearance by a young James Brown.
The video's quality leaves something to be desired, but Gators fans will like the final score. As for the final outcome, that's another story.
Anz It Is at 1984 NCAA Gymnastics Championships
Gators gymnast Maria Anz walked onto the team as a freshman.
As a sophomore, she became Florida's first NCAA floor champion.
Anz edged defending champion Kim Neal of Arizona State and UF teammate Elfi Schlegel with a score of 9.70 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion.
To watch Anz's winning performance, fast forward to the 42-minute mark of the video.
Titus O'Neil Debuts on TV
What's it like at the Carter home these days?
I spent part of Monday night watching "WWE Raw" with my daughters, who couldn't believe sweaty grown men in underwear grapple with each other.
Yes, these are strange times.
However, professional wrestling has turned a former UF football player named Thaddeus Bullard into an international wrestling star over the past decade. He got his start on the Florida Championship Wrestling circuit.
In fact, here is his TV debut on Jan. 16, 2010. Bullard, err, O'Neil teams teams with former Texas A&M football player Skip Sheffield for some football drills in the ring before the match as an incredulous British announcer tries to process it all.
That's all I can say. I don't want to give away any spoilers.
YOUNGBLOOD'S GREATEST GAME
Before Jack Youngblood became a Pro Football Hall of Famer, he starred at Florida as one of the best defensive players in school history.
Youngblood then embarked on a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Rams that included seven consecutive appearances on the NFL All-Pro Team during one stretch.
He was so good that after his rookie season, the Rams traded away Deacon Jones.
In searching Youngblood material on YouTube, I discovered an interview where he said his greatest game was in the 1975 playoffs against the St. Louis Cardinals.
I then searched for that game. I love YouTube. And check out that LA smog.
THE ALLIGATOR MOVIE
You never know what you might find when you search for Gators.
This doesn't have anything specifically to do with the Florida Gators, but who cares. We need to be distracted.
Some say this movie starring the late Robert Forster is a hidden gem. It was released on New Year's Day in 1980 and directed by John Sayles.
Admittedly, I don't know much about it. But check out that opening scene.
THE HBC's DESIGN FOR WINNING
Sometime during his NFL career and long before he became known as the Head Ball Coach, Gators Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Steve Spurrier returned to campus to film this great find.
His college coach, Ray Graves, is also in the film titled "Design for Winning."
Check out the old scenery and highlights of Spurrier playing.
Wonder how he liked playing in the snow?
1989 MTV Video Music Awards
You know the story.
Long before he became an international rock star and head Heartbreaker, musician Tom Petty spent a brief time working at UF on the grounds crew around campus.
Petty was born and raised in Gainesville and found stardom in the music business in Los Angeles.
By the time he performed his hit song "Free Falling" at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers had sold millions of records.
So inviting Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose to sing along was just part of the show.
We'll wrap this up with a clip of that performance in addition to Petty's final concert in his hometown in 2006 at the O'Connell Center.
Hope you are distracted.
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