I’m at the 7-11 getting gas. I decide to go inside for a Big Gulp and a sandwich. I’m at the checkout and I look down and there it is. A Sports Illustrated with this ridiculous cover.

DYNASTY! Can Anyone Stop Alabama?

Are you kidding me? Is this what has happened to journalism? If you are going to completely disregard any and all objectivity, at least learn the language. The word dynasty has a meaning. A sports dynasty is a team that dominates their sport or league for multiple seasons or years. This is the definition according to wikipedia. One year does not a dynasty make. You want to talk dynasty? How about 20 years? Here is Florida’s record the last 20 seasons.

Overall SEC Bowl

1990 9–2 6–1 ineligible

1991 10–2 7–0* Sugar

1992 9–4 6–3 Gator

1993 11–2 8–1* Sugar

1994 10–2–1 8–1* Sugar

1995 12–1 9–0* Fiesta (National Title Game)

1996 12–1** 9–0* Sugar (National Title Game)

1997 10–2 6–2 Citrus

1998 10–2 7–1 Orange

1999 9–4 7–2 Citrus

2000 10–3 8–1* Sugar

2001 10–2 6–2 Orange

2002 8–5 6–2 Outback

2003 8–5 6–2 Outback

2004 7–5 4–4 Peach/ Chick Fil A

2005 9–3 5–3 Outback

2006 13–1** 8–1* BCS Championship

2007 9–4 5–3 Citrus/Cap One

2008 13–1** 8–1* BCS Championship

2009 13–1 8–1 Sugar

** Consensus National Champions

• SEC Champions (note 1990 the Gators had the best conference record but were ineligible)

The WORST record Florida has in 20 years is 7-5. This year Lane Kiffin goes 7-6 at Tennessee and proclaims it a success. That 7-5 record got Ron Zook fired before the season ended. Notice that there are no trips to Nashville. No trips to Shreverport. No years since 1990 without a bowl invite. There are 11 trips to a “BCS Bowl”. There are 7 trips to one of the three other New Year’s Day games. Schools like Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Tennessee are happy to go to Florida for a New Year’s Day game. Schools like MSU, Vandy, and Kentucky can only dream about it. At Florida, going to the Cap One or Outback is a down year. Do it twice in a row and the coach is on the hot seat. That’s a dynasty.

And it’s not like we are in a down cycle. Memo to SI, we just finished 13-1. And in case you haven’t heard, Florida is hauling in the #1 recruiting class in the nation according to EVERY reputable rating service. Are we going somewhere? How about we go a decade or so without Bama losing to UCF or Louisiana-Monroe before we use the “D” word? Their last trip to Shreveport was three years ago for crying out loud. If it’s been only three years since you lost to ULM and ended 7-6, I think you need to wait on the dynasty talk.

By: James Folsom