The history of the University of Florida basketball program from its beginnings to the arrival of Billy Donovan, told by a former player and longtime Gator sports analyst
In the 1960s, the University of Florida football players began calling the long-legged Gator basketball players “pond birds.” Bill Koss was one of them. In Pond Birds, Koss tells the definitive story of Florida Gators men’s basketball from the program’s modest beginnings in 1916, through decades of highs and lows that included 55 years without an SEC conference title, and into the pivotal years leading up to the onset of Billy Donovan’s transformative tenure in 1996.
Koss takes a deep dive into the moments and personalities that shaped the program, such as the fiery leadership of coach Norm Sloan and the steady, strategic approach of Lon Kruger. Stories of recruitment efforts, both failed and successful, and the arrival of Gatorade make this book both a sports history and a cultural snapshot of college athletics in a bygone era. For diehard Gator fans and college basketball enthusiasts of all allegiances, Pond Birds is a reminder that greatness is built over time with perseverance. Now that Florida basketball has three national championships, Pond Birds invites readers to appreciate the journey from Point A to Point B—and leaves them eager for the next chapter.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Preface
Acknowledgments
In the Beginning . . . 1916–1960
1. A Man for All Seasons
2. The Early Years
3. Setting the Stage
Norm Sloan—A Basketball Man at Last: 1961–1966
4. The Turning Point
5. Battle Scars
6. Developing a Foundation
7. A Complicated Coach
8. Life and Death Experiences
9. Achieving a Milestone
10. Never Say Never
Tommy Bartlett—An All-American Experience: 1967–1973
11. A Breath of Fresh Air
12. The Best Season Ever
13. WALKing to the Big Apple
14. The Science of Success
15. Taking a Final Shot
John Lotz—Basketball Blue Bloodlines: 1974–1980
16. The Carolina Connection
17. Having Fun Again
18. LOTZ to Overcome
19. Breaking Through Barriers
20. A Fatal Blow
21. Blindsided by Faith
Norm Sloan—A Painful Taste of Glory: 1981–1989
22. Norman Stormin' Again
23. Building a Base
24. Trying Times
25. A Five-Year Assessment
26. Fighting for Respect
27. The Art of Survival
28. Winning is Everything
29. Maxwell Lights Up Broadway
30. Costly Mistakes
31. Talent Personified
32. Little Yellow Balls
33. A Red LETTer Run
34. Championship Rings
35. From Penthouse to Outhouse
36. Agony and Ecstasy
Lon Kruger—Family Time: 1991–1996
37. The Healing Touch
38. Everyone Contributes
39. Finding a Way
40. Final Four Fever
41. Sailing Uncharted Seas
42. A Family at Last
Epilogue
A Collection of Memories
