Posts Tagged: Gators

Alligators — 2 Comments
2
Dec 11

Musing on #Urban Meyer. #Gators #OSU

Number six.

I saw a good friend out at a restaurant the other night.

“I can’t believe you haven’t blogged about Urban Meyer,” she remarked.

Hmm. This was coming from a kindred spirit. Another lifelong Gator fan living 22 miles due south of Athens, Georgia.

Therefore, I shall blog about Urban Meyer.

~       ~        ~

Doug Dickey, Charlie Pell, Galen Hall, Steve Spurrier, Ron Zook, Urban Meyer and Will Muschamp.

Urban Meyer is number six in the line of University of Florida head football coaches since I have been rooting for the Gators.

He brought the Gators two national championships and two SEC championships. Three consecutive ten game win seasons.

Meyer is a great college football coach and was great for the University of Florida.

That’s it.

I figure it’s like being a member of a denominational church — ministers come and go, but your church and your church family is what matters.

What about winning Jamie? Doesn’t that matter?

Of course. But last season, I sat at Florida Field (that’s what us old timers still think of it as) and watched Florida, an Urban Meyer-coached Florida, get humiliated by a Steve Spurrier-coached South Carolina 36 -14.

With my nephews before that 2010 game. The game where the Gators played the worst I had seen them in 20 years.

Just like a Muschamp-coached team got humiliated by FSU last weekend.

There is no magic formula. Sometimes the hard work and breaks fall your way and you win a championship. The vast years in a lifetime, you don’t.

This is not like when Spurrier left.  That was First-Wife-left-for-a-younger-hipper-model scorned. Why the difference?

Spurrier taught my beloved Wait-Till-Next-Year Gators how to win. And they won big like never before. He made Gator football exciting.

When they won that first national championship in 1996, I read a quote from a lifelong Gator saying he was going to take the sports page headlines down to the cemetery and read them to all the Gators who had passed on before that monumental day.

How dare he leave? I felt the stab of betrayal when Spurrier left.

Because I loved him so.

There I admit it. I still love that scowling, visor-wearing ball coach.

Urban was great. And I wish him all the best.

Spurrier said he didn’t like recruiting because (I’m paraphrasing here) “I don’t want to have to beg anyone to come play ball at the University of Florida.”

I feel the same way about coaches. If you’re done coaching the Gators,

See ya later.

No hard feelings.

Well, except for the number four.

The one who broke my heart.

 

Alligators / beach — 2 Comments
27
Apr 11

Musing on twigs that submerge.

This was my view for most of the day yesterday. It really was that blue.

And here’s what will really make you mad.

The water was warm. Okay, not middle of August bathwater warm but warm enough that I really enjoyed swimming.

The kids and I are visiting my sister for spring break.  If the kids weren’t at the beach this is what they were doing. 

 

 

Sitting outside last night, the kids were across the lake in the kayaks.

My sister sat up and said, “What is that?”

I saw a bitty twig.

“It’s a twig,” I replied. She thought it might be an alligator. Well, no way to know unless you investigate. So I got up and walked toward the lake. As I got closer and closer to the floating twig, it started to change shape..or was that my imagination?

I got almost up to it and yelled, “If it was something, it would have disappeared by now.”

And with that it submerged.

Later we saw him (or her.)

 

My sister said in Tampa  the other day a woman went into her bathroom to find a 7-foot alligator in the bathtub.

Do you know how big that it? She said it was hissing at her…she shut the door and put a table in front of it.

They surmised it came in through the dog door.

Are you believing this?

All I can say is I looked under my bed last night.

Life in Madison / South — No Comments
1
Apr 11

Musing on letting go. My bracket’s demise might have been a bit premature.

I felt compelled. Like a six-year-old boy with  a scab that had to be picked.

I had to know. So I went to ESPN.com and looked.

After all the blood-letting, after all the tears, my bracket bottomed out at…

Number 5.

Do you believe this *@?

And this is not an April Fool’s Day post. I’m not that clever…

But I am of the ilk that could pick a decent bracket, since this year only the odd-ball people are doing well at this stupid thing.

There’s one gal ahead of me who has Kentucky winning it all. I figure if I knock her out — I win.

I only needed the access code to ESPN Tourney Bracket Central. If only someone lived close by, who might work for ESPN. I could break into their house, steal the master ESPN code — knock this clown  who picked Kentucky (erase her bracket out of existence).

Then I could win it all..

If only.

Group Results
RNK ENTRY, OWNER R64 R32 S16 E8 FF NCG CHAMPION PPR TOTAL PCT
1 karebear_f2 1, K. Allred 230 200 160 160 0 0 Pittsburgh 160 750 99.6
*****has to go….2 ErinGolsen 1, E. Golsen 230 220 200 80 0 0 Kentucky 480 730 99.3
2 Kristi-Helvig 1, K. Helvig 250 200 200 80 0 0 Kansas 160 730 99.3
4 kmw2137 1, K. Washburn 240 160 160 160 0 0 Kansas 160 720 99.1
5 theplavichs 1, A. Plavich 230 200 200 80 0 0 Kansas 160 710 98.8
5 southmainmuse 1, J. Miles 210 220 200 80 0 0 Florida 0 710 98.8
7 Sarah Aro 1, s. aronson 210 200 200 80 0 0 UNC 0 690 98.0
7 sdoverton14 1, S Overton 250 200 160 80 0 0 UNC 0 690 98.0
9 taratylertalks, T. Tyler Robinson 230 200 160 80 0 0 UNC 0 670 96.8
9
South — 5 Comments
27
Mar 11

Musing on My Bracket’s Obliteration.

I hadn’t blogged about my bracket because things were going so well.

I started out in a group of 146. After hitting 33.3 percent the first day and landing at number 126 — I clawed my way  to one of three who sat at  number four.

I’m not number four anymore. I’m number 14. My position will surely plummit further since

Neither of my final two teams remain.

Hate it when that happens.

Florida lost.

I’d like to say I’m one of these people who cares passionately for their team — but can watch other games and enjoy the competition.

I’ll probably glance at the remaining tournament, but when something is so close…

I’m not mature enough to stand back and give it a “for the love of basketball” watch.

No matter what great stories the other teams are or how awesome the games.

It’s just not the same.

And neither is my bracket.

But that’s the silver lining to all this. I lay my 2011 bracket down — leaving it to swirl around the digital wasteland of obsolete data clogging up cyberspace.

I wish all remain teams, fans, people with brackets that shine –  the best.

In my little corner, this chapter closes with these parting words.

Next time feed Macklin. Of course there won’t be a next time because he’s a SENIOR.

South — 3 Comments
14
Nov 10

Florida verses South Carolina 2010 ~ A video essay because there really are no words.

Saturday, I traveled to Gainesville, Florida to see the Gators play.     

For the past six years, we have been traveling with the Cardwells of Madison to see the UF/SC game.  Joe Cardwell grew up in Central Florida but played baseball for South Carolina. Now for some reason, he feels he has to keep up appearances and root for the Gamecocks at these silly things.   

The game was horrible from a Florida fan standpoint. But otherwise…the trip was outstanding.      

The good of the day…            

My dear nephews...so happy before kickoff.

* Saw my sister and her family.      

* It was a beautiful day to stroll campus.      

* And then we had a great tailgate provided by Joe’s brother Mason who is a restauranter.    

Then game..    

    

   

    

 Here’s a video of the rest, because honestly I don’t want to write much about it.    

One thing I will say, thanks to Joe’s father we had the best seats in the house to watch the worst Florida has played in decades. :)     

 And in the highlights — which stopped at kickoff — I included an interception by South Carolina just to show I am unbiased in my reporting and to my amazement when it happened … I didn’t curse.    

    

   By that point it just didn’t matter enough to curse. Good grief Gators!!

Columns / Latest Newspaper Column — 2 Comments
26
Oct 10

A Complaint Free World? Talk About Some Silly Bandz.

Two Sundays ago, our pastor handed out purple rubber wristbands with www.AComplaintFreeWorld.org stamped on them. By slipping it on, you pledge not to complain for 21 consecutive days. Each time you grumble, the band switches to the other wrist and 21 days starts over. As of this writing, I’m still on day one after wearing this darn bracelet for nine days straight.

 Rats. Switch that silly band again. Continue reading →

South — No Comments
3
Oct 10

Musing on the Gators v. Tide. Live.

The Gators are playing the Tide. I thought I’d blog.

I’ve had some wine.

This may not be a good idea.

But in the interest of journalistic integrity, I shall be transparent. In all it’s ugliness.

Okay. Alabama just kicked a field goal.

9:21 left in the 1st. Ala. 3 the Gators 0.

 Last time I was in Tuscaloosa, I had just gotten married, the Gulf War was in full swing and Galen Hall was the Gators coach.

The Gators beat them. At that point, the new Alabama head coach Gene Stallings was 0-3.

We heard a radio show caller after the game say that “Coach Stallings should be taken out and shot at dawn.”

 Just now the Gators went for it on 4th down and didn’t make it. My son is shoveling M&Ms in his mouth. It’s irritating the heck out of me. Noises do that.

 My son and husband won’t stop talking.

HELP————->>>>>>>ME.

They sit and talk like they’re analyzing the game for TV. That’s why the sound is turned down on Gary Danielson and Verne Lundquist. Just irritating.

Now hubs has switched to some Sylvester Stallone movie on AMC. He’s shirtless in snow. (Sylvester Stallone not my husband.)

14:14 in 2nd quarter Alabama 10 Florida 0.

The UF defense needs to stop the other team when they have the ball. (That’s my analysis.) But I feel UF is going to drive and score on this next possession.

Lots of cleancut Alabama students were seen shaking their pompoms. Along with a few of the coeds’ breasts shaking. But that seems to be standard these days.

This one thing I’ve got to say for Ingram…22 is a great number. That’s about all I can say for him.

Just saw score..Stanford 21 Oregon 3.  I mean, with a name like Ducks do they really think they would stay number 4?

This game has gotten boring. I just ate a rather large piece of the prime rib from my hub’s takeout from the ChopHouse. I feel for Faye after Tennessee’s loss.

Wish it were more exciting…I think I might hit bed.

TD Alabama. 6:09 in 2nd.

Good night.

(Okay, I really stayed up till half and saw the Gators kick a field goal.)