Pat Dooley’s Back Nine: Florida Men’s Basketball Needs To Stay Course

The Back Nine comes at you as the proud owner of an undefeated T-shirt. I guess I have to put it in the wash to have its powers ready for tonight.

10. I’m kidding, of course, because we all know that what we wear or where we are sitting has nothing to do with Florida’s 11-game winning streak, a streak that has felt like 11 playoff games. Still, if you change clothes or seats or TVs, it will be your fault if Florida doesn’t win Monday night. It’s almost a good thing when Florida falls behind by nine points in the second half. The Gators have ’em right where they want ’em.

11. This town is abuzz, and it certainly has been good for business. Just to be somewhere chanting how great it is to be a Florida Gator is something I was never able to do as a sportswriter for 47 years. But I am enjoying it now. This team has defied belief and defined belief. It doesn’t let the Internet or poorly timed newspaper articles oozing classlessness cause any problems on the inside. I’m going to miss these guys slightly less than Todd Golden will.

12. Oh, and that Walter Clayton Jr. guy? It’s almost like we are watching a movie where it keeps getting better right up to the climax. For Clayton to score 34 with the lights that bright against a team that knows what he is trying to do was just mind-blowing. This looked like a team without any draft picks when the season started. I think that might have changed. And the team that drafts Walt can know I will buy a T-shirt … unless it’s the Celtics.

13. I have to admit, I flipped off the Duke-Houston game to watch the last five minutes of Florida-Auburn on DVR. Then, I turned it back and it was a ballgame. And then, of course, Houston’s defense prevailed. It’s going to be a rock fight tonight, but I like the rocks Florida has. And that includes a coaching staff that leads the world in halftime adjustments.

14. Kevin O’Sullivan said it best after Florida was swept for the third time this season in an SEC baseball series, this time by Vanderbilt – “It’s really hard to watch.” I would agree wholeheartedly. The clutch gene skipped this team and I’m afraid this is a season off the rails. Whatever this team needs to lose, it is easily discovered. If the Gators hit, they don’t pitch and if they pitch they don’t hit. To be outscored 20-5 across three games in a home series you needed to win badly is downright embarrassing.

15. Softball has its own problems after allowing 20 runs in fewer innings than baseball did. Still, the ladies are 34-8 and the schedule softens up a little or as much as it can in the SEC. Korbe Otis’ walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth Saturday just as basketball was getting going was the highlight of the weekend.

16. Heck of a job by the women of the Florida gymnastics team (and the male coaches) who made it through the Tuscaloosa regional with a tight win. Scores were down and I think it was because you didn’t want to take too many risks in a regional. Now, it’s on to Fort Worth, Texas, for the NCAA Finals. Gosh, is everything played in Texas this year?

17. This is as good a place as any to make sure everyone knows we are postponing the 30^thBob Dooley Invitational. It’s a combination of reasons, but mostly I have the body of a 79-year old man and I’m only 70. Hopefully, I am raring to go next year or maybe even in September. I’ll let you know.

18. I have felt good enough to play three holes here and four holes there, so I have had this playlist ready:

• “Horses” by Jesse Welles.
• “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers.
• And for an old one that will make you laugh, “Doubleback Alley” by The Rutles.

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.