Going It Alone

Back in the glory days of both the Canes and my law firm, my partner Paul and I each bought many season's tickets -- to give to clients, friends, staff.  The games were at the sacred in memory Orange Bowl -- rickety, but loud, and fun.  I always had someone to go with me --typically my sidekick D2, who grew up with friends in those dusty old parking lots, and then the benches at the Bowl.

The Canes moved to Joe Robbie Stadium, which we old timers will always call the place, regardless of the latest corporate shill name.  I cut down on the number of seats, as they grew more expensive, and we bought Club membership. My thinking was that at least I'd be more comfortable in a place I didn't really wish to visit.

Still, the tailgates were great, and there seemed always someone to go with me. As D2 moved to Gainesville, my sister of another mister Mirta filled in as the go to date.  We had so many laughs, and she was an awesome designated driver.

Years ago, I reduced my order to only a pair of seats, and truth be told, often had a tough time finding someone for even that one extra ticket.  So I'd just motor up to North Dade alone, still enjoying the games.

My partner Paul still buys 8 seats -- gives them out to friends' kids, and enjoys the luxury of watching the first half from his sideline vantage point, and the second half up in the Club.

This season, there's new excitement. An alum, Mark Richt, is our new coach, and he seems to have the fire he lacked while coaching successfully but not greatly at Georgia.  I truly think we'll get our 6th ring under his watch.

The first home game, Wifey actually went with me.  She wanted to see the newly revamped stadium, and she had a fine time. The second game I took my friend Pat, a major Gator guy who has plenty of time on weekends, as his main home is now in Pennsylvania, and he stays in Miami for stretches alone, just to work.  We had a fine time, but he lives near Downtown, and the way I exit the stadium makes me have to circle back, adding another half hour on my return trip.

The greatest home game was last week. We were on the Wifey birthday cruise.  And this week, we play a fellow top 25 team, North Carolina, and Mirta was set to go with me.  But, alas, she twisted an ankle doing yard work, so I'm a solo guy again.

I asked Wifey if she wanted to go.  She was honest, as she too oftenis: she WOULD go, but didn't really wish to.  She explained she was already at one game, and was going to travel with me to Chicago to go watch our boys play Notre Dame.  Wasn't that enough???  It was.

Looks like Paul, and Dr. Barry, are in similar straits today. They both texted -- they had many extra tix, too. So it'll be a bunch of us single guys together, today. Only problem for me is that with no designated driver, I'll be sipping Diet Cokes. After my impressive drinking performance on last week's cruise, it's probably just as well...

So I'll fire up the girlie Caddy I lease, tune to some traveling music on XM, and cruise up to the stadium.  Sometimes it's nice to be a lone wolf...