Pat Dooley’s Back Nine (March 27th)

The Back Nine comes at you after one of those awesome weekends in Gainesville. Hope you took advantage of it.

10. I have to be honest. I didn’t watch much of the Elite Eight. I think I was basketballed-out in part because I watched so much during the season and then planted myself in the recliner last weekend. Anyway, congrats to Florida Atlantic and Miami, which join the list of Florida teams to make the Final Four. The others? Florida five times, FSU and JU one each. That JU team was something.

11. So, we have a Final Four of Miami, UConn, San Diego State and FAU. We really shouldn’t be surprised that it’s a final with such low seeds (they add up to 23 with three first-timers). This is what NIL, the transfer portal and the COVID year have wrought. The older kids are taken back the sport and you can buy your way into the tournament finals. Sorry, it is what it is.

12. No matter what, I’ll take Miami because I picked Miami to go to the finals and it was pretty much the only thing I got right. Man, when you get that notification that you are in 30 millionth place (I rounded up) it takes the wind out of your sales.

13. It’s opening day for baseball this week, but we have plenty of baseball to worry about here in Gainesville. This Jac Caglianone thing is getting ridiculous. Just when it looked like he might be slowing down with the homers, he belts four in two games in Oxford. Man, forget about the school record, let’s start looking at all the records.

14. The best part of Florida’s sweep of the defending national champs is that the Gators did it without great starting pitching. That includes Cags, who walked eight and didn’t get deep into the game, Brandon Sproat got tagged and Hurston Waldrep was mediocre. But here came the bullpen to the rescue. And Florida is 22-4 and 5-1 in the SEC with another game against FSU next up.

15. The news that Keon Zipperer is out with a knee injury is a blow for the Gators. I always say that the only good news in the spring is bad news. To be honest, I haven’t heard a lot of good news coming from the Palace during this spring, just a lot of black smoke.

16. I am reminded that the last time I jumped off the softball ship was about the time they caught fire and went all the way to Oklahoma City last season. I say that, because I have one leg over the railing right now after they were run-ruled in Fayetteville. Just not sure about this team, but I do know that Tim Walton will figure it out. The SEC is so different than the one I used to know. There was a 14-13 league game this weekend. Chicks dig hitting the long ball.

17. Sponsorship issues are the culprits behind the Match Play even Sunday being the last on Tour for a while. I love match play, but to be honest, it’s only interesting during the first three days. Kind of like the NCAA Tournament.

18. There was some music on the golf course this weekend, including this playlist:

* “Hungersite” by Goose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktjYcMyW9H0

* “Ain’t It A Sin” by Charles Bradley, who was born in Gainesville so we are going to take credit for him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD1eaRDY-q4

* “No Reason” by Sunny War.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=mMiorXhua5A