I'm the Gator Jinx

My apologies to the entire Gator nation for my role in our loss to Georgia this weekend. My self-imposed exile from the game that I invoked in 1984 apparently extends to the entire stadium grounds, not just inside the stadium. As I said before, the Gators went 1-7 before my exile and have gone 14-4 since then. Obviously, the recent success against Georgia is due primarily, if not entirely, to my self-imposed exile (OK, so Spurrier may have had something to do with it but Zook went 2-0 against them before this year.)

I went to the stadium this year to tailgate with some friends. I had MANY people who know about my exile ask me, with a hint of panic in their voice, "But you're not going INTO the game, are you?!?". I said, "No, just hanging around to tailgate and watch the game at Richie's RV." I stayed on the stadium grounds until halftime. When I left, the Gators were down 21-7. We watched the rest of the game at Matt's house and they rallied back to a 24-21 deficit in the beginning of the 4th quarter before losing 31-24. I guess I stayed at the stadium too long for the Gators to overcome my bad karma.

But, I'd do it again because it was a blast. It was like old times hanging out with Deb (Wench!!) and Matt. I got Deb to come with us despite the fact that she's been battling a severe cold for two weeks, works as a teacher of autistic 4-6 year olds so she's got a physically, emotionally and mentally challenging job, and she wanted to use the weekend to rest up. And I didn't even have to pull out the old college taunt of "Oh, Bluto, I have a little cold and can't go party with my best buds." Richie's RV was a blast, the lobster, steak and Voodoo punch were worth the 10 hours in the car. And the GSMB get together at Smitty's RV was fun, too. I climbed to the top of Smitty's RV to get an aerial photo of part of RV city. That was fun.

The photos tell the story....
Kat's Trip to the World's Largest Cocktail Party

As we were going to the stadium, we crossed the St. John's river on the water taxi that was filled with fans from both schools. I had an interesting conversation with my daughter who is a freshman at the University of Florida--
Me-- "Amy, did you know that the St. John's River flows north."
Amy-- "No, mom, I didn't know that."
Me--"Its the only river in the northern hemisphere that does that."
Amy--"Oh really, mom, that's interesting."
Me--"Do you know why the St. John's River flows north?"
Amy--"No, mom, why?
Me, with an increased volume--"Because Georgia SUCKS."

As the Georgia fans around me gave me dirty looks, my college roommate Deb, who used to console me through my tears when we lost the game every year while we were in school said, "Kat, please try to not get us beaten up before we even get to the stadium."

Before the game outside the stadium, as we walked between the various parties we were going to, my 7-year-old daughter, Claire, asked me when we could start yelling at some Georgia fans. I said, "Now's as good a time as any" so she kept chanting "1 in 13, 1 in 13" (their record against us over the last 14 years), as we walked around the grounds. Its important to start them young with the family traditions.

So, the old Gator rallying cry of "Wait 'till Next Year" has been changed to "Wait 'till Next Coach!"




GOOOOOOOOOOO Gators!!