Gators and Public Property

Fans can go before and after practice and see the team walking to and from the practice facility, until the day the UAA connects an underground walk way to the practice field.

Any sidewalk at the University of Florida is public property you, me, anyone has the right to be there. The people Urban Meyer's wants to beef up security for the autograph seekers, security will tell them to get out.

Something was mentioned about scumbags and internet people were tossed in that mix. I'm an internet person who has for many years followed the UAA's guidelines while others haven't so this man resents being lumped in that category.

Perhaps it was a misunderstanding so this man asked. Certainly they weren't going to ask someone on public property to leave.

(Please note the email concerning this and one other topic will not be posted, they other topic is inappropriate especially at this time of the season.)

From Steve McClain
Sports Information Director
Athletic Department
University of Florida

Richard:

Thanks for your note and your concerns.

What you have seen in various reports is a simple case of the media embellishing some quotes by Coach Meyer and not putting them in the proper perspective.

Rest assured, we are very aware that the players walk to practice on public property before they get to the private practice facility.

If you have encountered any of the football players walking to practice this year, you probably would say things are not much different until you get to the
entrance of the facility. There, you will see some protective gates to funnel the players into one entrance point and limit crowding by the gate. The main intent was to limit the number of autograph seekers who were bothering our student athletes daily and then turning around and selling various autographed items on the internet. I think we would all agree that practice had gotten out of hand.

Thanks again for sharing your concerns and please feel free to call or e-mail if you have any more questions or would like some additional information.

Go Gators!

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Could an underground path to the practice facility be in Florida's future?

As far as this man knows nothing like that is in the works at this time but an underground walkway to the practice field can be done. Just connect the stadium to the O-Dome then you can go out the back of it a shorter open distance thus easier to secure.

Now I don't know if it's already connected or not. But it could be used for many other purposes.

A couple of names for it? They do you could call it the Florida Chunnel, or the Gator Chunnel.