Showstoppa lets everyone know how he feels

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - He doesn&#39;t do interviews these days. Nevertheless, Florida offensive lineman Shannon Snell has a way of telling everyone how he feels. <br> <br> On the Internet, he&#39;s known as ``Showstoppa 75,&#39;&#39; and this week, he let his critics know what he thinks of them in a pointed, expletive-laden posting on a popular web site for Gators fans. <br> <br> ``Some people need to realize that everything isn&#39;t going to be perfect all the time,&#39;&#39; wrote the senior left guard, who has acknowledged being the owner of the screen name. ``What I can&#39;t stand is people who critize (sic) us for giving 100 every week for the team and the fans. This is a perfect circumstance where u (sic) realize what people are with u (sic), and the ones who are just `bandwagon.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Most of the criticism among fans and media this season has been directed not at players, but at coach Ron Zook and his staff. Zook escaped a major firestorm when No. 24 Florida (3-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) overcame an 18-point deficit to defeat Kentucky 24-21 last Saturday, the biggest comeback victory in the 90-plus-year history of the program. <br> <br> The victory, however, didn&#39;t exactly assuage an exceptionally active group of Florida fans who like to play Monday Morning Quarterback on a number of Gator-fan websites. Florida hasn&#39;t lost to the Wildcats since 1986, and the close call last week increased the handwringing in Internet circles. <br> <br> In a 300-word reply to an earlier post, Snell, a semi-frequent contributor to the ``Swamp Gas&#39;&#39; forum on Gatorcountry.com, defended his team&#39;s play and questioned those who criticize the offensive line. <br> <br> ``It doesn&#39;t bother me when a nobody thinks we&#39;re a problem,&#39;&#39; he wrote. ``This is a pretty sensitive subject with me, because people who call us a `problem&#39; don&#39;t know what ... they are talking about. If u (sic) think we are, come out to practice, put on some pads, and come on over to our area, then we&#39;ll see.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> This isn&#39;t the first time Snell has made himself a target. <br> <br> Last year, with the Gators needing to defeat Georgia, then hope the Bulldogs lost again down the road to have a chance at winning the SEC East, Snell guaranteed the Bulldogs would, indeed, lose twice. When they didn&#39;t, he ate crow. <br> <br> Before the Miami game this year, he was quoted as saying Florida wanted to make Hurricanes quarterback Brock Berlin bleed. Although the quote was delivered in something of a joking manner, it became bulletin-board material for the rest of the week in Miami. <br> <br> Snell did interviews the Monday after the Hurricanes game, a 38-33 loss, but hasn&#39;t spoken publicly since except on the Internet. <br> <br> ``What he says there is his prerogative,&#39;&#39; said offensive lineman Max Starks. ``It doesn&#39;t bother me.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Zook, who is no stranger to Internet sniping most notably on the famous fireronzook.com web site hadn&#39;t seen Snell&#39;s posting as of Tuesday morning and didn&#39;t want to comment on it specifically. <br> <br> The coach did, however, say Snell has proven to be much more than just a big talker. <br> <br> ``He&#39;s been a leader, and he&#39;s a good player,&#39;&#39; Zook said. ``You have to respect a guy who&#39;s not afraid to say what his true feelings are.&#39;&#39;