Tonight, my beloved Florida Gators football squad battle the Oklahoma Sooners for the BCS Championship. I’m hoping and thisclose to praying that the Gators will win their second national championship in three years, and their third overall.
After spending the last decade watching Gator games in person or on TV with good friends, my Florida fandom has drastically changed since moving to New York. Here’s a rundown of how I’ve watched most of this season’s games:
vs. Miami Hurricanes
Alone in a sports bar. After I stared at the big screen for three hours, a girl asked if I was OK and invited me to go out with her and her friends. I politely declined, but felt way cool about myself.
vs. Tennessee Volunteers
In the apartment, on the laptop using “borrowed” wireless internet. Annoyingly intermittent connection, but it worked.
vs Ole Miss Rebels
First half at a “Gator bar.” Certain that the game was in hand, we left. Caught the tragic end peering into a Greenwich Village sports bar from the sidewalk while wearing CB in a baby carrier.
vs. LSU Tigers
In the apartment, on the laptop. Much better internet connection.
vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Missed most of the game. That is all.
vs. Florida State Seminoles
In the apartment, on an actual TV. Man, are we moving up in the world.
vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (SEC Championship)
Watched second half with a Gator fan that we met randomly at a local pizza place a few weeks back. If you want to enjoy a game with actual non-imaginary people, there’s no better way than inviting yourself over to their place. Great guys, great game.
Tonight, I’m watching the game at an Upper West Side sports bar with some friends. And no one will be wondering whether I’m in need of medical help afterwards (unless we lose).
I hope that my next post will be a giddy rambling about how the Gators scored more points than the Sooners and other complicated football analyses. I can’t wait for 8:00 pm tonight – not just for the Gators, but for the camaraderie of friends.
Go Gators! Go Friends!
Note: Cool Mum loves me, likes the Gators, but abhors football. Thanks Cool Mum for putting up with so many hours of football blaring in the background! Thanks also to Cool Baby for watching short stretches of games with me before going off to bang things together. Next year, we’ll be talking football.
photo: David Mercer/US Presswire
Related posts:
I just have one thing to say before saying something else, and that would be “Go, Gators!”
Thanks for dropping by little slice of the net.
Good luck tonight. I am hoping to catch much of the game, need to make sure kids homework and stuff gets done. And yes, when the kids get a little older you can have someone to talk and watch football with (since Cool Mum has no interest). We watch more NFL football – hoping for an Eagles victory over the NY Giants on Sunday! Go Birds!!
GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!GO GATORS!
BTW – amy just saw a car that had “In Tebow we trust” on the window…
GO GATORS!! =)
Go NOL… Oh… N/M.
Go that team in Gainesville and represent for Florida and Florida College football teams.
Congrats – it was a good game!
ron – always happy to read pro-Gator blogs!
coolstuff – not a huge NFL fan, but also rooting for the Eagles.
matt – not a bad idea, at least when it comes to football.
eugy – YES.
sam – thanks for the support
coolstuff – thanks!