GatorCountry brings you a new podcast as we break down Keyontae Johnson’s decision to return to Florida for his junior year.
Andrew Spivey and Nick de la Torre are joined by Eric Fawcett who tells us why Florida fans should be excited about next year’s team with the return of Johnson to the Gators basketball team.
Andrew and Nick also talk about the latest news surrounding the return of sports in the country, plus we talk about college football.
TRANSCRIPT:
Andrew:                 What’s up, Gator Country? Your man, Andrew Spivey, here with Nicholas de la Torre. Nicholas, back and we’re going to talk some more basketball with Eric, and then we’ll talk some football and anything else that kind of comes to mind here. The Gators did pick up some big news on Tuesday. Keyontae Johnson’s back. As you said on Tuesday, Mike White’s getting the gang back together.
Nick:                         Yeah. I mean, if you get Nembhard back as well, you’re going to have like 80% of your scoring back. Certainly, the joke was the excuse tour this year, that if you get all these guys back. I mean, even if Nembhard doesn’t come back, it’s the no excuse tour next year.
Andrew:                 Right. Yeah. We’ll talk about this with Eric in a minute, but I don’t want to say they’re better without Blackshear, but some of Eric’s numbers proved, or didn’t prove, but showed that they were better at times without Blackshear on the court. We’ll talk with Eric here in a few minutes about that.
Nick:                         That’s the only thing. Some people are just like, they want to just hate Mike White so much, and I read Eric’s stuff, and like reading Eric’s stuff will make me even question what I saw. I’m at the game. I’m watching it live, and then I’m writing about it. Then I’m like, these guys stink. Then I read something Eric writes, and I’m like, well, that makes sense and maybe they don’t stink?
Andrew:                 Right. You and I are old-school baseball guys. We hate analytics, but analytics are taking over sports.
Nick:                         Yeah. It’s hard to argue with them. I don’t love seeing metrics in baseball. I’m kind of like you. I can look at a guy and be like, he can play. His stuff plays, or it doesn’t. And they’re like, actually, this guy that you think stinks …
Andrew:                 His WAR is -.1.
Nick:                         I’m like, cool. I don’t think he’s good. I watched him. I don’t think he’s good.
Andrew:                 Yeah. You’re not going to convince me some bench player is good. No. Not happening at all. I mean, we’ll talk with Eric here in a second about that and get his thoughts on that and really break that down. We’re still shut down. We’ll talk about this here in a little bit more, but a lot of traction gaining that football season will be pushed back some. We’ll get into detail here on that in a minute. Let’s go to Eric. We’ll talk to Eric, get his thoughts on Keyontae, get his thoughts on this team, and then you and I will come back and chit chat on the pigskin and maybe some diamond sports.
Guys, we’re back with our man, Eric. Eric, first off, how’s Canada right now? Are you bored up there yet or what?
Eric:                          Oh yeah. I mean, I’m bored. One thing that was probably good for the general health and safety was last week there was just this like fluke blizzard that just came through, and it was super cold. There was snow in April, and that sucks, but it’s kept people at home, so maybe a good thing for general health. Now the weather’s good, and now I’m really wishing I could go and shoot some hoops at the park across from my apartment or get together with some friends to play some spike ball, or most notably I just wish I was watching sports on TV. Yes. Yes, I am bored.
Andrew:                 Did you build a snowman?
Eric:                          Oh,