Pat Dooley’s High Five: Reasons Why UM Fans Hate Gators

I said this on the Tailgate Show and I have said it before – nobody hates the Gators more than Miami fans.

It seems kind of silly because they don’t play each other that often. But it is there, as thick as barbecue sauce, the hatred.

They don’t like Florida. Florida? Gator fans don’t really think that much about Miami.

People have asked me why, so the High Five is here to explain it to you with the five reasons Miami hates Florida with the passion of a white-hot star:

1. Florida is everything Miami is not

On-campus facility, much bigger school, civility. Better school, better campus, better facilities in all sports, fans who show up. Gator fans don’t help when they constantly complain about how Miami’s biggest fans didn’t go to the school.

2. The Flop

You probably know the story of the Gators flopping on the ground to prevent Miami from holding the ball to keep John Reaves from breaking the national passing record. They will never get over that.

3. It’s been around for awhile

This hatred, I mean. We all know about the success Miami has had on the field under some great coaches and you would think that would dissipate the meanness. But Carlos Alvarez told me that when he was being recruited down there, the coach had a Gator doll hanging from a noose IN HIS OFFICE.

4. The end of an era

Florida and Miami played some incredible games over the years, but when the SEC went to seven games in 1988, UF dropped the Hurricanes. They started referring to the “chicken Gators” and still do.

5. Baseball has something to do with it

I will say this – Florida fans DO think about the Hurricanes all the time when it comes to baseball. And Kevin O’Sullivan has owned them.

WRUF.com sports columnist Pat Dooley can be heard on “The Tailgate” along with Jeff Cardozo from 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday on 98.1-FM/AM-850 WRUF.