Gator Tales with Sean Kelley

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Gator Tales #273: State of the Program with AD Scott Stricklin Jun 23, 2021

Show notes

Any number of words can be used to describe the 2020 athletic season: unprecedented, weird, nerve-racking, bizarre, frustrating, exciting and many more all across the spectrum. It was undoubtedly a difficult year, and that required a steady hand at the wheel to lead the program through the unknown. On today’s show, host Adam Schick welcomes athletic director Scott Stricklin to assess where the program has been, and more importantly, where it’s going, with a focus on what the fan experience will look like in the fall, highlights from the spring season, hiring just the second coach in the history of Florida soccer, the grand vision for the new football facility, the issues around compensating players for their likeness, future plans for The Swamp, the proposed expansion of the College Football Playoff and more. Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

GATOR GREATS – Soccer Coach Becky Burleigh Jun 17, 2021

Show notes

When it comes to coaches, especially at the collegiate and professional levels, they tend to be easy to typecast as hard-driving and laser-focused individuals with one goal – winning. But then there are those like Becky Burleigh, a true original who recently retired as the only head coach in the history of the Florida soccer program. On the special edition of "Gator Greats," host Adam Schick takes Becky Burleigh down memory lane in a wide-ranging and revealing discussion about her improbable beginnings as a young head coach, the challenges of launching a new program, her toughest opponents, how she knew it was time to step aside, what she plans to do with her second act and much more. Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

Gator Tales #271: Gator Roundtable (BB, FB, MBK) and Season Recap Jun 10, 2021

Show notes

Following baseball’s early exit from the NCAA Tournament, the athletic calendar has nearly reached its conclusion, although track and field is hoping to have something more to say before the book is officially closed. On today’s show, host Adam Schick convenes the final Gator Roundtable of the season with FloridaGators.com senior writers Scott Carter and Chris Harry, covering baseball’s last stand, a critical milestone in the construction of the massive new football training facility, men’s basketball assembling its new parts for the first time, the most memorable storylines from this COVID-altered athletic year and great Olympians in the PAT. Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

Gator Tales #270: SB’s Katie Chronister and Gator Roundtable (SB, BB, MBK, MTN) Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

Our last show highlighted the joys of men’s tennis prevailing at the end of the NCAA Tournament, but softball’s disappointing weekend served as a stark reminder that only one team gets to truly finish their season the way they want, and it’s incredibly difficult to be that last one standing. And though one bat-and-ball sport is done, the other is entering its own final proving ground. On today’s show, host Adam Schick convenes FloridaGators.com senior writers Chis Harry and Scott Carter to discuss the end of the road for softball, baseball’s difficult regional draw, the final piece of Mike White’s coaching staff, another remarkable triumph for Sam Riffice and the men’s tennis program and the challenging situation involving Naomi Osaka and the sports media in our PAT (1:47). Then, with her playing career having reached its close, we’ll chat with softball’s Gainesville native Katie Chronister about her journey as a Gator and what comes next (30:29). Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

Gator Tales #269: MTN’s Ben Shelton and Gator Roundtable (MTN, SB, Soccer, MBK) May 27, 2021

Show notes

Thanks to a prolonged track record of success, the Florida athletic program has a check next to most items on the proverbial bucket list. But this past weekend, one of the few remaining boxes was filled in, with men’s tennis claiming its first national title in front of a rowdy bunch of Gators in Orlando. On today’s show, host Adam Schick connects with the man of the hour – championship-clinching freshman Ben Shelton – about their path to the title and what it meant to bring it home for his teammates, his school and his coach, who also happens to be his dad (1:45). Then, FloridaGators.com senior writers Scott Carter and Chris Harry stop by to talk about tennis’s crowning achievement, softball’s shutout regional, a new head coach for the soccer program, Mike White’s latest assistant and more (20:16). Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

Gator Tales #268: SB’s Hannah Adams and Gator Roundtable (SB, BB, Lax, Tennis) May 20, 2021

Show notes

In a year where good news has been hard to come by, the last week has been a spectacular ray of sunshine, as the CDC’s new guidelines for vaccinated Americans have led to the first real movement toward normalcy since this nightmare began. For sports, that means fans are coming back, and in Gainesville, the potential for 100% capacity as soon as this weekend at softball. On today’s show, host Adam Schick welcomes FloridaGators.com senior writers Chris Harry and Scott Carter to discuss softball’s regional draw, baseball’s continued solid run in SEC play, lacrosse’s postseason revenge tour, men’s tennis heading to the Elite Eight and most wanted memorabilia in the PAT (1:45). Then, softball’s web gem wiz Hannah Adams joins us to talk about the Gators’ walk-off winning ways, her astronomical growth at the plate and much more (26:35). Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

Gator Tales #267: MTN’s Josh Goodger and Gator Roundtable (SB, BB, LAX, Tebow) May 13, 2021

Show notes

Approaching or entering the postseason, momentum is a buzz word you often hear, and it can be critical in determining whether a team looks back on a good year as opposed to a great year – maybe even a special year. This past weekend saw a number of Gator teams throwing their weight around, some doing it dramatically like softball, others emphatically like lacrosse. On today’s show, host Adam Schick and FloridaGators.com senior writer Scott Carter dive into a walk-off championship for softball, four straight series wins for baseball, lacrosse’s AAC domination, the impending reunion of Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer and more (1:50). Then, men’s tennis senior Josh Goodage stops by to discuss how he hopped the pond from London to Gainesville and what it will take for the top-seeded men’s tennis team to claim its first national championship (26:15). Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

Gator Tales #266: UF’s COVID Response Coordinators and Gator Roundtable May 06, 2021

Show notes

It was quite a weekend for the Gators in Cleveland, which is not a phrase you hear very often. But that was the site of an NFL Draft that saw eight former Gators taken over the course of the three days, part of an astounding showing by the SEC. On today’s show, host Adam Schick and FloridaGators.com senior writer Chris Harry recap all the new NFL destinations, critical series wins for both baseball and softball and the beginning of what could be a historic NCAA Tournament for men’s tennis (1:35). Then, Adam traces the arc of this twisting and turning athletic year through the eyes of Duke Werner and Stacey Higgins, the leaders of the sports health department who became Florida’s COVID-response coordinators and were most responsible for getting the program back up and running (19:17). Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

Gator Tales #265: “Gator Great” Tyrie Cleveland and NFL Draft Preview Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

Step one to a career in the NFL is making your mark in college, and if you can turn enough heads during your time in places like The Swamp, you just might get a ticket to your next destination after hearing your name called by the commissioner. For the Gators, anticipation is sky high to see where a host of stars are going, especially All-American TE Kyle Pitts. On today’s show, host Adam Schick finds out firsthand what it’s like to go through the draft process as we catch up with former Florida WR and current Denver Bronco Tyrie Cleveland (1:45). Then, FloridaGators.com senior writers Scott Carter and Chris Harry break down where the top Gator targets are likely to go, potential steals late in the draft and more (19:10). Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

Gator Tales #264: Tennis Coach Bryan Shelton and Gator Roundtable (MBK, Gym, VB, BB, SB) Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

While it’s getting late in the spring calendar, this past week saw a flurry of action in Gator athletics, with some teams achieving new season highs at the same time others saw their postseason runs coming to crushing ends. And that doesn’t even account for some major announcements off the court that drastically changed basketball’s off-season. On today’s show, host Adam Schick welcomes FloridaGators.com senior writers Chris Harry and Scott Carter to discuss the bevy of basketball news, the end of the NCAA roads for gymnastics and volleyball, baseball’s streaking behavior, softball turning the tide in Tuscaloosa and Oscar-winning movies that left a mark in the PAT (1:42). Then, men’s tennis coach Bryan Shelton stops by to share his personal journey and how it ultimately led him to elevate the UF program to new heights (29:38). Please subscribe and leave a review if you like what you hear and for more information, visit FloridaGators.com/GatorTales.

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