There I was telling Jose Gonzalves all about the University of Florida Gator football culture at the Waterfront Grill. Since our August 13 cocktail party and dinner was smaller than last year, it made it easy for conversation and when I told Jose's wife how friendly her husband was in high school, he commented that as an athlete, sports for him broke all barriers and everyone was the same. So, as the conversation progressed and he's asking me about the Gator games and whom had I seen, it was time to follow the others to the next room for dinner and I didn't get to tell him my favorite Gator Football story, so here it goes.

 

          When Anthony and Chris went to UF (they wanted to stay in state) I went to quite a few football games which are events that involve the whole town. The Homecoming game especially are memorable with one of the nation's biggest rally known as Gator Growl (you can google it) and the parade, etc. Well, sitting in the student section can be very embarrassing for a mother since sometimes the students are very enthusiastically vulgar especially when they played the South Carolina Gamecocks.

 

          Anyway, so one of the games in 2001, I told the boys I'd get tickets in the club section and it was great, the comfort, etc. I was having a great time when Anthony left to use the restroom. When he returned the fireworks are firing, the runners are running the flags around the fields, the dancers are dancing, the crowd is wild and Anthony asked what happened. i told him that the Gators had made a touchdown and he said how. I know next to nothing about football and said, "Honey, a Gator ran the ball across the goal. " But how, he asked again, when I left Vanderbilt had at the ball. Was it an interception or a fumble (I think that's what he said. So I stared at him. He said, Mom, you were watching the game. I shook my head, smiled and said, no honey, I looked at kids running in the field, but I was watching you and your brother enjoy the game and the dancers, the cheerleaders and thanking my lucky stars I was at the Swamp (Steve Spurrier's nickname for the stadium) Anthony said I was hopeless.

 

          Now, the point of course is the sheer joy of being there at a game and I'm sure Jose agrees. Don't you? But I still prefer the theater, the opera and the beach.