A Brief Hello!

Back to work, back to school, very lazy about posting during the holidays, that is me in a nutshell. But our Christmas was filled with family (some of which I actually like) and our New Year celebration was filled with alcohol and good friends without a hangover on Saturday.

On top of that, apparently Penn State wanted to lose the Outback Bowl more than the Gators did, so Coach Meyer finished his time with the Gator Nation on a high note!

I am STILL working on the post about DC and the blogger meet-up. It will happen.

But someone (I don't remember who) asked me to post the analysis I did of Jon Stewart's Rally Speech. The analysis was for my speech class and (reading back over it) I think (with a great deal of false modesty) I did a pretty good job.

That will be the next post.

I would like to post about the upcoming end of the world also, but maybe someone already has?

Happy 2011 To Each and Every One of You!

Because you should see what a cute couple we are!

Before the game, waiting for the team.

Before we knew what was in store!

I WAS ready for some football, but the team was not.

Well I had a lovely weekend in Gainesville. Great weather. Excellent food. Lots of fun.

My team lost.  Again. Third week in a row. This hasn't happened since the mid 80s. Crazy.

Me and Treebow at the Ballyhoo Grill for dinner Friday night.

Dinner was amazing. I am touching his Heisman. 

Why am I not allowed to put more than one picture in this post????? 

Well, there will be another picture in the next post then. Or another post just for the next picture. Annoying. 

I haven't posted much about my love of college football (especially the University of Florida Gators) because there hasn't been a lot to post, they've looked AWFUL, and there have been so many other topics to cover. I'm not going to say much now, except.. "What happened here?" 

Well, there IS always next year!  

GOOO GATORS!!!!

Poor, Pitiful Me

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, and underappreciated. While discussing this weekend's planned trip to the Mississippi St @ Florida game, DSD and I had words. He said he was joking.. about having biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast... fried chicken for lunch... ribeyes for dinner. He probably was, because he has been fabulous about what he is actually eating, but it is stressing me out.

I work full time. I am taking 9 hours of classes this semester (3 hours each term and 3 hours over the semester).  Any way you count it, I am getting 9 hours between August and December (down from the 13 that I took last year this time), I am trying to function working for a %#@@! who barely speaks English (Arkansas) and can NOT write it, but ended up as the boss. I am trying my best to take food with little or no flavor and make it delicious (and doing and excellent job, I might add!!) and I am not sleeping well at night.

I really want a week in a tropical setting with fresh grown food and my Kindle!

Which is not going to happen. I tried that this summer (five days in Destin) and that turned into a nightmare of drunken, crying crap to the point where I no longer speak to the person I thought was my best friend.

DSD's health. Babyboy's lovelife. (He got dumped last week and is sad). Many of my family are exhausting.

I'm just tired. And whining.

Or whining and tired, take your pick.

But, hey, I am going to DC in 17 days. And I am going to be even MORE exhausted when I get home.

But it will so be worth it!!

"The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown

I read the book back in December, because DSD had gotten it for me for Christmas. I enjoyed it. It is a typical Dan Brown book, along the same lines as "Angels and Demons" and "The DaVinci Code," except this one was set in the U.S. DSD thought he wanted to read it, but he would rather watch TV, so the book sat on the end table for months. When we realized that his daughter would be getting married, he mentioned buying "The Lost Symbol" on cd for the trip.*

Ask anyone who knows me; the way to get me to spend money is to mention buying a book. Even a book on CD. For a book I had already read.

So we set off for Nashville and we listened to the CD, but we couldn't every minute of the trip. There were discussions about breakfast and lunch and his son would rise from what appeared to be the dead every once in a while to chat. So the 16 hour trip was never going to get us through the entire 17 1/2 hours of the story, but we only managed 9 out of 15 CDs.

Flash forward to today, when I was discussing our upcoming trip to Gainesville (Woo Hoo! Go Gators!) with the doctor friend that is going with us. We have over three weeks, so Doug suggested he listen to the CDs up to where we are and we can all listen to the rest on our trip. I happen to know this particular gentleman listens to books all the time. He thought it was a great idea.. until I mentioned it was Dan Brown.

Of course the same Dan Brown who told evil tales about Jesus. I asked him if he had read "The DaVinci Code" and he said he didn't have to.. he had read the Bible. How do I get myself into messes like these??!?!

*And I bet I would LOVE to listen to a book on CD if I was driving. But I am not driving, so I would rather read my Kindle.

News of My Demise Has Been Greatly Exaggerated

I am alive. I am kicking.

Somedays I am screaming.

Work is work.

Sometimes fun is work.

I miss you all more than I can say. More than I probably should.

I will check in with your 'blogs briefly over the next few days.. but then school starts again.

School..
and college football!!!

Really Quick

Hello!! I hope everyone is well. I am well. Just insanely busy. Still.

Term 1 is completed. I managed 2 A's and 1 B. That World Politics class was TOUGH. I am really lucky I got a B, I think.

Into the 2nd week of Term 2. Working my butt off. I keep thinking I am going to have a stroke or something, but I keep getting up and going to work and going home, cooking dinner, studying and sleeping. Wow.

This weekend, I have 3 papers due on Sunday for ONE class (assignments in the other class are completed and turned in) and DSD and I are leaving in the morning for Starkville, MS to watch UF play @ Mississippi St. I figure I can write the papers (2 are started) on the way and type them on his laptop on the way home. I hope.

Keeping a close eye on the President. I want the rest of the TARP money to go toward healthcare. I don't think bailing out anyone else is a good idea, but I do like the idea of capping salaries for those businesses who have not paid the taxpayers back. Is that legal?

Why is Glenn Beck still allowed on the air? I have emailed and called sponsors. I have complained. How does anyone with a brain believe the lies on put out by the hate mongers? Sad state our country is in.

Trying to eat healthier, less processed food. It is more work to PLAN the meals, but not really to cook them. I spend a lot of time on FoodNetwork.com.

That isn't all, that isn't even CLOSE, but I have to shut down the computer and get out of here for a doctor's appointment. Maybe I will have a minute before the end of the month?

Football and Facebook and Schoolwork and Crazy

I have started at least 2 possibly more posts on the health care bull hockey floating around. I am not even certain NPR is giving it a fair wrap. I am, personally, sick of the fighting, but then I realize most of the people doing the fighting are those with jobs who provide decently priced benefits. Or those who are older and on Medicare who shudder at the thought of "socialized" medicine. Damn hypocrites.

Today was the first day of UF Gator football. Ok, it was actually a scrimmage game against Charleston Southern University, who drove to Gainesville for the $450,000 they were being paid to get their behinds kicked. 62-3 is a pretty nice behind kicking for that kind of money. DSD and I were in the Swamp last year when the Gators did a beatdown of the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Final score 63-5 and they didn't make any money from the game.

I will be in the Swamp next weekend for the Gator beat down of the Troy University Trojans. Yes, I am, technically, attending Troy University. Yes, I am cheering for the Gators. I have been a fan for at least 25 years that isn't going to change. Ever.

I should be working on my book report. Ok, it isn't technically a book report, but that is what I call it. I have to do assignment, 1 other and 2 mid terms before I leave town next Saturday morning. I should do that now. Any of it. But it is late and I am tired. I will work on it tomorrow, I swear. Maybe.

I have been spending too much time on Facebook. I have mentioned the fact that some of my family is slightly insane. It isn't just me, I have confirmation from others that they are crazy. On Thursday I posted the following on my 'status'

"Daddy Bush spoke to school children across American and no one thought anything about it. Maybe, those of you who have a problem with the duly elected President of the US speaking to your child(ren), you should search your hearts and ask yourself "Why?" I am pretty sure I KNOW why. And none of those reasons are very Christian. Yes, I went there."

In case you have not heard, the President is supposed to speak to the nation's school children on Tuesday. He is supposed to speak on the greatness of education. I am not certain how that is going to hypnotize our children into murdering Jewish people (there was a Hitler reference in the comments to the above status), but I guess it can be done in less than half an hour.*

On top of everything else my life at work has been... uncomfortable. Two of us have blown the whistle on a third and the investigation is moving slooooooooowly. So person #3 is still there until it is over. I am constantly looking over my shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I am also job hunting, because I will not be comfortable continuing in my current position if that person stays.

So, all in all, a fairly busy week in front of me. Probably a busy month. I am trying to make sure I stop by all of your blogs as often as possible, although it isn't often enough. I will try to do better.

I am working on getting a guest blogger, so that someone else can talk about the political stuff that I am missing, because I know I am missing a lot.

Thank you all for your patience.

*I hope I have done a better job of raising my child than that. If his mind can be swayed in less than 30 minutes, maybe I should let the crazies have him?

Two out of Three Ain't Bad

I said to watch this space for updates on those Gator juniors who had decided to stay at the University for their Senior year or jump to the NFL with one year of eligibility left.

Tim Tebow, of course, announced his intention to stay during last Sunday's Celebration in the Swamp, but Gator Nation has been on pins and needles all week waiting for a decision by Percy Harvin and Brandon Spikes.

The decisions were announced yesterday.

One prominent Florida player is going, another is staying with the BCS champion Gators.
Junior wide receiver Percy Harvin announced Thursday that he will enter the NFL draft, while All-American linebacker Brandon Spikes said he will return for his senior season.

I'm not shocked that Percy is going. He should be taken fairly high in the draft and I have felt all year that a BCS win would send him away. Heck, probably just the SEC win would have done it for him, if he had played in the SEC Championship game. Percy is an amazing, dynamic player with incredible speed who will be a bonus to whichever NFL team drafts him. But Gator Nation is going to miss him.

Of course, I am happy that Brandon Spikes is returning. He was the heart and soul and leader of the defense this year and his return means all 11 starters will be around for the 2009 season. Pretty impressive.

So, of the 3 possible team members who could have gone early, only 1 did.

I'm ok with those numbers. Let the Countdown to Kickoff begin!

HodgePodge

I received a lovely surprise this morning while cruising through the 'blog world when I opened up Unpopular Ideas and saw Carl's latest post, The Gator Lady. It was a very flattering post about my Gator and hurricane obsessions. Carl, very sweetly, says that I am intelligent and informed, not obsessive, but I can acknowledge my OCD. If you have never read Carl's 'blog, you should, even if you don't want to know how cool I am. He is a little older than I am and sees the world from a different, a lot of the times more interesting, place.

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I did win this year's football pool. $240.00. I think it was less than my 2006 winnings because the creators were out of town. My record was 15 -5. It did come down to the Championship Game. I was 14 - 5 and one of the other players was 13 - 6, but he had Oklahoma to beat Florida. That would have caused a tie and his number (the combined total points) was less than mine. The entire world thought the game would be an offensive shoot out, with the last team who scored winning, so both numbers were MUCH higher than the 38 total points scored. Basically if Oklahoma had won, I would have been out of the money. I am enjoying the money, but Florida winning was really all I could hope for.

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While my knowledge of football is fairly extensive, I am not an expert. There are several reasons for that, but the #1 reason is that there are NO college football experts. I won this year's pool by going with my heart over my head. No one who knew the rankings and the odds would have deliberately picked Vanderbilt (last bowl game won during the Korean War) over Boston College's longest active bowl winning streak. Or Ole Miss to actually win over Texas Tech. But I picked both and won them. The only time my heart was wrong was in the Fiesta Bowl (tOSU did not beat Texas) and in whatever bowl FSU was in. Did I really think Wisconsin had a chance?

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Just FYI, in 2005 the Bowl pool winner picked teams based on uniform color. No joke. Again it came down to the National Championship Game; I tied with her, but her tiebreaker number was better and she won the money. On.Uniform.Color.

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A scrunchie (or scrunchy) is a fabric-covered elastic hair tie, commonly used to fasten long hair. Large, elaborate styles and diminutive, unassuming forms are available.
The scrunchie was invented by Phillip E. Meyers for the Scunci family in 1963, and Rommy Revson patented the design in 1994.

You can see a picture of one here, although my GameDay one is orange and blue and not that fancy.

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According to Sarah Palin, I am a liar.

According to me, she is an idiot.

Anyone want to lay odds on which one of us is correct?

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I have more, but no more time and this is getting looooooong. I'll try to do another one soon.

Gators Win! Gators Win! Gators Win!*

Wow, what a game!

Wow, what a team!

2 National Championships in 3 years. **

Offensive Player of the Game: Tim Tebow! Who else?

Defensive Player of the Game: Carlos Dunlap!

Coach of the Year: Urban Meyer

Best Play: Ahmad Black's 2nd half interception

It was a great game. Although I am certain the Sooners are not happy this morning, they don't have any reason to be ashamed. They played beautifully. They were just outplayed.

And it was a National Championship game for the ages. Two high octane offensive teams who were held to 24 and 14 points respectively. A defense (Oklahoma's) who was not ranked very high managing 2 interceptions on a quarterback who had only thrown 2 in his previous 13 games.

Officials who seemed to not be paying close attention to much of anything. Although Tebow's unsportsmanlike conduct call kind of tickled me, and seemed to be a fair call, Louis Murphy's was ridiculous. And I do not remember more than one holding call the entire game and there was blatant holding throughout. They did seem to be fair on their lack of calls though, except for Murhpy's, they weren't calling much on either team. (Do you think they knew there were other possible calls out there besides 'false start?')

My heart was in my throat for most of the game. Only at the end, with a 10 point lead and possession of the ball, was I able to relax.

I am so proud to be a Gator fan.

And now I start the countdown to the 2009 season!

Go Gators!

*I was going to get this in last night after the game, but was too hyper at first, and then too tired.

**Yes, I understand that others have a legitimate beef with the system. Texas, USC and, especially, Utah all had a right to play in last night's game and be declared Champions. But the system is broken and, since my team won, I am just going to enjoy it!

Less Than 12 Hours until Kickoff!

I am ready. Dressed in my #1 jersey (Percy Harvin's) at work, with my blue/orange scrunchy in my hair. I bounce between euphoric and nauseous, just like all the other games!

I hope these people know me well enough to understand that I will not be accomplishing much today.

Hope your day is wonderful.

Go Gators!

Counting Down to Kickoff!

I know there are important things going on in the real world. I know the Middle East is at war. Again? Still?

I know that the new President will take office in less than 2 weeks. (Thank goodness!)


I know that the economy is in the toilet, and it isn't looking like there is a quick fix or a fast turnaround.

BUT, kickoff for the NCAA Division 1A (FBS) Championship in Miami, FL is in just under 25 1/2 hours away.


This year's game is between the #1 Oklamhoma Sooners and the #2 FLORIDA GATORS!

GO GATORS!

There is much speculation about how this game will be played out.
Will Florida be able to stop the Sooners' no-huddle high octane offense?
Will the Sooners be able to score on Florida's young, but effective, defense?
Will Tim Tebow prove that he should have beat Sam Bradford for the Heisman?



The last 2 years' National Championship games were not, well, competitive. Not for 60 minutes anyway. Will this year's be? Are we going to enjoy an Alabama/Florida like game? Or one like USC/Penn State?


I don't have answers. But I can tell you that I won't get a lot of sleep tonight and I will probably not accomplish a lot at work tomorrow.


I would like to say that I would live blog the game, but I would probably end up throwing the computer.


So I will say that I hope NO ONE gets hurt.


And that the Gators spank the Sooners into the ground to win their 2nd Championship in 3 years.



Go Gators!

The Beginning of 2009

I managed to spend the entire first three days of 2009 either playing video games on my pc or watching college football. How lovely to just let my brain and body rest and relax and rejuvinate.

After reading the news and the blogs, maybe I just wanted to stay with my head in the sand, though. I've come out of my self-induced news coma to discover that Israel has started a ground war in the Gaza and over 400 Palestinians are dead. And the White House is supporting Israel or, at least, not condemning them. And I still don't understand why the Israelis are so pissed off.

On the homefront, however, things are not bad. BabyBoy has managed to secure very, very part time work and has friends who want him to move in rent free. He says he will be out of here in a week. While the thought of him living somewhere else makes me want to throw up in my mouth a little, he is almost 20 and it will probably be good for him. I am hoping that this dose of the Real World (the real one, not the TV show) will wake him up some and he will focus more on school in the upcoming semesters. I am guessing he will move out for 2 - 3 months and then return home for a while. But that gives us time to remodel the main bathroom while he is out of the house. (Us being DSD with me making runs to and from the hardware store.)

And (knock on wood) I may in the money for the end of year Bowl football pool. While the weekly pool has 10 games with a $5.00 entry fee, the Bowl pool has 20 with a $10 entry fee. Our friends who run the pool are out of town and have been since about Dec 20, so they asked DSD if he would collect money and papers from those who had not had a chance to enter before they left. I went through the ones he had gathered on Friday night and there is no chance that any of them can beat me, even if I lose the last 2 games (Ohio State & Texas, Florida & Oklahoma). So far I am 14-4, thanks to the SEC's Vanderbilt and Ole Miss pulling out amazing wins. I won the entire thing two years ago to the tune of $320.00. That would be a nice New Year's bonus this year!

Feeling better and Headed to Miami!

Well, I am not personally headed to Miami. I have thought about it. I have considered the feasibility of leaving here on Jan 7, trying to find a scalper some time on Jan 8 and watching the game that evening. What game?

The NCAA Div 1A National Championship Game! Where the University of Florida Gators will put their #9 Defense against the University of Oklahoma's over powering offense.

Yes, I know this is a fictional title. Only playoffs are going to make it fair to ALL of the teams. But if a fictional title has to be awarded, I would like for it to go to my Gators, who covered the spread in a 31-20 win over Alabama's Crimson Tide on Saturday.

But I am not going to Miami. I am going to watch the game in the warmth and comfort of my living room, mainly, because I can't see spending the money right now.

At the end of last week, I was still planning to keep the doctor's appointment that I had scheduled for tomorrow as a follow-up to last week's issues. But I woke up Saturday morning feeling like new and have not had a problem since. I think I will stick to the bland diet for a while and give my internals a bit more time to heal. But, for now, I am doing wonderfully.

I hope your weekend was as good as mine!

Go Gators!

A Little Football Poetry

Obviously doing some stealing from " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas," my brother wrote this one day last week. All Gator fans just hope it is true. We will know tomorrow, won't we?


'Twas the night before the SEC Championship game
And all through Nick Saban's house
Everyone was worried
Including the mouse

Nick was up late watching game film
Of Florida's wide open attack
Wondering if Urban Meyer
Might cut him some slack

Watching Percy Harvin run the ball
He thought, "How can we stop him?
My defense couldn't catch him
Even if he was hoppin'."

"Then there's Rainey and Demps
A very scary combination
They hit the hole and they're gone
Without any hesitation"

And he thought about Tebow,
"Will he throw it or run?
The chances of stopping him
Are between slim and none."

He turned off the game film
And said to himself with a frown,
"I guess after tomorrow
I'll be Sugar Bowl bound."

Don't get me wrong, of course, I hope the Gators win and then play for the National Championship against whichever Big 12 team goes. But 'Bama has a lot to be proud of. They are undefeated so far. They are #1 in all the polls. And they whooped Auburn.

And I wish them all the luck in the world, beating Utah in the Sugar Bowl!

Go Gators!

I Was One of the Crazies

No, not on Black Friday. I slept in, ate leftovers, did laundry. Why isn't the laundry ever finished?

But yesterday, DSD and I were out of the house by 9. (We live in the Central time zone). We made our way 2 hours to the NE and arrived in Tallahassee by 12 (now in Eastern time). We parked at the Tallahassee/Leon County Civic Center because there are buses every few minutes between there and Doak Campbell Stadium and we had a pass. But it was probably less than a mile walk, so we walked it. We had plenty of time.

We called our friends, who were supposed to there EARLY to tailgate, but they didn't answer. We saw A LOT of people dressed in blue and orange. We found a little bar right off campus. Only beer was served, so DSD had a couple and we visited with the other gator fans who were sitting around there. I was starving, but the food didn't look really great, so I decided to wait. Eventually our friends wandered by (of all the luck that we would just run into them) and we made our way over to their tent. We weren't there long, though, because it was starting to rain and the stadium was open. So we headed in, found a couple of hot dogs and then just looked at each other, because it was starting to pour!

Apparently the YouTube crowd has not had time to upload any portion of the game and MSNBC has it fixed so that you can't get the code, but I did find this video from the Gainesville Sun



Ok, it starts off with Florida State stuff, but it doesn't seem to show any of the Seminoles big plays, but what can you expect from the Gainesville Sun?

So normally I watch the games on TV and I am incredibly smug about how warm or dry I am. Yesterday I was one of those nuts sitting there in the rain. Soaked to the toes. We did have ponchos, so shoulders to knees were dry, but I am not certain that my shoes will ever be dry. Our heads were fairly dry, but the hoods kept slipping.

I had a blast. DSD was a great sport.

I was sadly disapointed in a couple of the FSU fans who were near us. Most of them were fabulous, but one guy and his girlfriend kept talking smack and they wouldn't stop standing in their seats. So I had no choice but to stand in mine, because I am short. I couldn't see anything.
I was very apologetic to those behind me who were very gracious and understanding and kept glaring at that guy. He also kept bitching about the calls. Which stunk. It was a really poorly called ball game. But the bad calls went both ways. There was one point where a Florida player held an FSU D player and allowed Tebow to throw a touchdown. There was on FSU player who could be seen CHOKING a Florida player (that is probably a personal foul, at the least it is holding). But the crappy calls didn't help (or really hurt) either team, so it was probably as fairly called as any team gets.

We left with four minutes to go in the ball game. The score was 45-15 and even though FSU was driving, I didn't think they were going to make up the 30 point difference (they fumbled the ball shortly after we left, so the final was 45 - 15). And DSD was only there to make me happy and I figured I would be nice to him.

As we made our way to our bus for the ride back to the Civic Center (it was still raining, our shoes were wet and we were tired so we didn't want to walk) I was APPALLED at the state of the stadium. There were beer bottles all over the place right outside the gate. There was trash everywhere. I almost stepped on half of a chicken while in line for the bus. GROSS. Apparently Florida State fans are not concerned by the cleaniness of their stadium after a game.

We made it home safe and sound though and now the sun is trying to peek out. I had wonderful time, but we will enjoy the rest of Florida's season (SEC Championship next week in Atlanta) from the comfort and dryness of our living room.

Go Gators!

Barack Obama Makes the Tough Decisions

I know we are in the middle of the worst economic crisis in almost a hundred years. I know that we are in an illegal war where men, women and children are dying and are hemorrhaging money like there is no tomorrow. But President-elect Obama knows how to guarantee my vote in his NEXT election, if he can just get this done!*



This was apparently part of his Monday Night Football interview on 3 November, which I missed, but it was replayed this morning on ESPN's GameDay with Chris, Kirk and Lee.

*Really, I am joking. I can live with the BCS throughout his entire FIRST term if the can get us out of Iraq and turn the economy around. I expect playoffs in his second term though!

Pictures From the Weekend

Both teams, before the game. Please notice that they are A LOT further away than they were in the last picture from 2 years ago. We were much higher in the stands, but, honestly, they were better seats because we could see the entire field. Percy Harvin scored two touchdowns and I'm pretty sure he looked straight at us after both scores.

In front of the Heavener Center. The glass doors up the steps house three Heisman trophies and two Lombardi crystal footballs. Will there be another one placed there in January?

Anniversary Trip + a quick Obama story

DSD and I talked about going out of town for our anniversary, but we didn't want to spend too much money (so California wine country was out) and it was our weekend to have his son and working with the boy's mother is not always easy. So, we decided we would just wait and see what came up.

And he surprised me with tickets to KY @ UF tickets in Gainesville on the 25th! He thought this was be fun and sentimental. (Don't tell him I would have rather gone to Jacksonville this weekend for UF/UGA, it would hurt his feelings. But it will be a MUCH better ballgame.)

Then we found out that the KY @ UF game was Homecoming for UF. Homecoming? Fun! Parades and pagents and pep rallies, Oh My!

Well, the pagent was held earlier in the month. And the parade was at 12 EDT, so we weren't going to make it. But the pep rally (called the Gator Growl) was at 7pm and we could make that. Tickets were $20 each, but we felt it would be worth it for The Steve Miller Band alone.

I'm really glad we went. It was fun, but I think it was one of those things that I will not be required to do again in this lifetime.

The best part, though, was during the part called "Growl News." During the entire pep rally there were videos of former Gators or famous Floridians who spoke about how great the Gators are, how much they were supporting the team, the school, etc. Many (present and former politicians) spoke of how important this election is and how each of us need to vote. But at the end of each video (1 - 2 minutes) the person said, "Let the Gator Growl."

"Growl News" seemed to be a take-off of SNL's "Weekend Update." There was a cute Top 10 list and a bunch of stuff that only the current students seemed to get. Then, at the end, up popped John McCain on the video. There was A LOT of noise in the stadium! Much clapping and yelling and whistling. It was disheartening. McLame spoke of voting and blah, blah, blah and, of course, "Let the Gator Growl."

The "News" team then began to sign off, but there was SUDDENLY breaking news. Someone rushed out and put some paper on the desk and everyone became very energized and then, there he was, the next President of the United States (on video, of course) and I.didn't.hear.a.word.he.said! Except for "Let the Gator Growl." The stadium absolutely lost its mind and it didn't quiet down until he was almost finished. That was the most noise I heard in there all night. More than for Coach Meyer, more than for the Steve Miller Band, more than for the comedian (who was funny, but I can't remember his name) and much, much, much more than for McSame. It was a beautiful moment. And, an enlightening one. If the Gator Growl was any indication of the way people are voting in Florida, Obama will win in a landslide.

On Saturday, of course, Florida routed Kentucky 63-5. I enjoyed the game, the atmosphere, the other fans. But I think my favorite part was listening to the noise the crowd made, not for an entire football team, but for one great man.

Obama '08.

One week to go!