SPORTABOUT - Dec. 3

December 03, 2008 11:06 am

— By Tom Daniels
On rivalry weekend my daughter and I got to go to our first FSU-Florida game. After a break in the rain we entered the stadium with tickets in hand. Row 85, not too bad, there is no row 86. The good part is we were above the rain and stayed dry. My daughter remarked it was nice of the Seminoles to put G's on the zero yard line for the Gators. She had no idea how prophetic that would be.
Before you could rhyme Tebow with something on a t-shirt the Gators were ahead 7-0. As the game progressed my child asked about the initials and numbers on the scoreboard.
"Dad what does Ga. Tech 42 Ga. 40 mean?"
"It's rivalry weekend, you know, Duke and UNC in the nicotine bowl, Oregon vs. Oregon State, Houston Rice," I answered.
"What color is Houston rice, Dad?"
"Don't worry dear, no one cares."
As the game progresses things are not going well for the Seminoles.
"Dad, what's that penalty about?"
"Offensive holding, dear."
"That's pretty bogus, Dad this is football, not teenage dating, whoever heard you can't hold someone in football?"
"You were a cheerleader, didn't they teach you anything about football?"
"Dad you were a football player, what did they teach you about cheering?"
Ouch!
Before you could say 28 to 9 it was halftime and basically the real reason for our trip. The Gator band came out with a dozen fire-wielding baton twirlers and gave us a number from the Steve Miller Band. Good stuff, but we new the marching chiefs were equal to the task. Three twirlers but each one with three lit batons. The Chiefs outnumbered them and could have easily put them away, but a musical score from "Candide" followed by a rendition of "Strawberry Soup" was the nail in the coffin -- you figure out who's coffin.
The third quarter started and my inquisitive one wanted to know why USC was playing North Dakota.
"I thought you said it was rivalry weekend."
"Sweetie, ND stands for Notre Dame. They wish they were playing North Dakota today."
The rain began again and with the score 45 to 15 we knew there would be no miracle in the Meadowlands, no miracle of Coogan's Bluff, for sure no miracle at Doak Campbell.
We headed to the car.
"Dad, why didn't you tell me we were going to killed today."
"Dear, if I knew that with certainty, we would have a room at The Bellagio and be ordering take out from Bobby Flay's."
"Dad, why did you let me wear these clothes today?"
"I didn't know it would rain this hard."
"No, no Dad, why didn't you tell me to dress neutral like you."
"Well kid, the Gators have won the past five years in a row."
"Oh, OK I'll keep these clothes. There's always next year."
Isn't that what Gator fans used to say?