Big Game Week

Ah, that most wonderful time of the year...Canes football season...is here. And, this year we open against a hated rival, the Gators. So it's even a bigger deal than usual.

We used to play the Gators every year. My freshman year at UM, they were our last game -- they were awful. They were 0-9-1, and we finished them off -- they ended up 0-10-1. And I learned about the history of the rivalry, like the infamous Gator Flop, where their defense collapsed intentionally to allow the Canes to score, so their QB could break a passing record. The Flop was before my time in Miami, but I still heard lots about it.

My friends and I went to several games in Gainesville -- sleeping on the floors of friends in apartments there. In '83, we went up right before the start of law school classes, and the Gators beat us handily, but I remember being impressed by our freshman QB -- a kid named Kosar. The Canes went on to win the rest of our games, and our first national championship. The sore Gators had t shirts printed up showing they had beaten the Champs. Whatever.

We dominated them through the 80s, and then they realized maybe it was time for the losing to stop, so they dropped us from their schedule. Still, we beat them badly in a few bowl games, and then they grudgingly agreed to renew a few games.

I traveled to UF in '08 -- D1 was a sophomore then, and the Gators were dominant, with Tim Tebow. But the last time we played, in '13, we beat them at home, and my Ds, then a UF alum and a UF junior, wore orange and GREEN to our tailgate. I cried. They love me so.

I think their sorority wanted to end their membership...but they let it slip.

And now we play again -- at a "neutral" site -- Orlando. It'll probably be 70% Gator fans, given their larger alum base, and the fact that Gainesville is less than 2 hours away. But my fellow fanatics are making the trip -- Scott, recent Maryland grad, is flying down the morning of the game. Norman's boy Michael planned his visit home from Israel to coincide with the game -- he'll be there, too.

The night before, Jeannine, Mike's sister, is hosting a barbecue. She will have brisket, and maybe Gator meat. I'll be bringing vodka.

Game day we'll bar hop on Church Street, and then slouch over to the stadium -- the old Tangerine Bowl. I was there years ago -- it made the Orange Bowl look plush. But it doesn't matter -- we're all looking most forward to the game.

The media hype has been intense. The game is the season kickoff, and this year celebrates 150 years of college football. So there'll be a huge TV audience.

The Gators are favored to win. They were better than we were last year, and seem to have more talent this year, too. But, as the sports cliche goes, when the teams play, you can throw away the stats and predictions -- except the prediction that we will have a ball -- that's guaranteed.

If I was betting, I'd bet the Gators win this one. But the great news is, the teams have agreed to play again -- '24 in Gainesville, and '25 here in Miami.

Barry's boy Josh was part of the text group where we shared that news, and he remarked that, given the ages of we old guys, maybe don't rush to buy tickets for games 5 and 6 years from now. He has a good point -- if I only make it to be as old as MY Dad -- well, I'll only see one of them.

But for now, the excitement is in the air. Wifey and I leave Friday after traffic -- I think we'll fetch Paul and Patricia, and drive up with them. Paul's boy Alex and family will be there as well --they have a birthday to celebrate -- lovely and wonderful little girl turning 4.

And, win or lose, we have a great time.

It elevates the entire week leading in -- the coming big game.