Billy Napier clarifies ‘basement’ comments

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — During his Monday press conference, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier made a comment about Florida fans that went viral. On Wednesday, Napier apologized for and walked back comments he made on Monday.

I want to make it very clear that was not my intention there. I think ultimately, and there was no reference to our fans. I was just thinking talking specifically about life in general. I think our young people live in an era where social media is a part of their lives. And I think it’s critical if we listen too much to the wrong voice, no matter who that is in life. I’ve got young kids, me and my wife talk about it all the time they’re going to grow up in an era where there’s a social media environment where anybody can say anything. And I think it’s important,  we have to keep perspective for our players,” Napier said.

“I was in no way referencing fans, you know? I’m thinking about just our young people in in general here. I would never do that or be critical of our fans. It was we had nothing to do with that. So I think just in general, our young people, they’re growing up in a different era, and I think it’s part of our job. We’re obligated to teach them how to approach life and not be influenced in a negative way. And look, part of our job and their job as players and our job as coaches, we live in a public arena where we’re going to get criticized. And I told you guys personally many times, I wish we could make your job easier at times about performing better, and we certainly deserve criticism how we play. And I would tell you this, we challenge the football team to represent the University of Florida better, and when you play poorly, like we did Saturday there’s going to be criticism.”

On Monday, following Florida’s 41-17 season-opening loss to the Miami Hurricanes, Napier was asked three times about the negativity surrounding the football program. He started off that line of questioning by acknowledging his and Florida’s shortcomings on the field.

“We’ve got a responsibility to represent this place, and we need to do it better. I keep it very blunt. I think as coaches we need to do our part to help the players,” Napier said. “Obviously we have a handful of players that can play better, as well. Yeah, I mean, I think it’s part of the job.”

A follow-up question was asked about how you avoid it given the nature of the social media-driven world we live in. Napier said sometimes the players are more resilient than the coaches because they’ve grown up in this world where everything is right at your fingertips and social media gives everyone a stage and a microphone.

A third question was asked on the topic and Napier continued to say the right things. He mentioned that there’s no better experience than game experience and you have to manage your team to handle success as well as failure. Sometimes, a loss can be a great teaching tool and a learning experience if you handle it right and use it to get better.

The answer to the third question was 324 words but near the end of those words came three that people hung on to.

“If we can focus on those things and not necessarily what some guy in his basement is saying in rural central Florida on social media, then we got a chance to get better,” he said. “I think that’s the key. Sometimes you deserve criticism. I think that’s one of those things I would say I have no excuses, right? We got to go get it fixed.”

Napier was born in Tennessee but grew up in Chatsworth, Georgia, a town with less than 5,000 people, so he certainly didn’t mean it as a dig to people in rural areas, he’s from one too. He learned this week that, unless you live in a house on a hill, a basement in Florida would just be a pool. He misspoke. Napier’s intentions were probably to try and move on from what had turned into three questions about a fanbase that was mad about the outcome of a game and an attempt to bring some levity to the situation fell flat.