Being a Gator

This being my first posting on Voice of the Gators, I find it appropriate to tell you what being a Gator means to me.

Being a Gator is yelling at an alumni for sitting during the game. Being a Gator is going to Growl every year. Being a Gator is losing your cool when you read about the top 20 traditions in college football and you don’t see Mr. 2 Bits, We are the Boys, Gator Growl, and the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Being a Gator means wondering when the orange jerseys will come back. Being a Gator means getting nervous before Florida State games even though you know we’re definitely going to win. Being a Gator means having a sweaty back at the home opener, and then the 2nd home game, the 3rd and all the way through the end of the season. Being a Gator means being the guy who jingles his car keys after we go up 7-0 as a joke and then prays to God I didn’t just jinx the team. Being a Gator means thinking my Gator Grandfather up in heaven has a little something to do with our four recent national titles. Being a Gator means you’d love to have Ron Zook come back to Gainesville, as the mascot. It means yelling at students who won’t sit down in front of you after you realize that standing at a game is indeed a young man’s game. Being a Gator means thinking some people should have to take a fan IQ test before they are allowed to enter Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Being a Gator means finding it hard to forgive Darrell Jackson for muffing a punt he shouldn’t have even touched against Bama in 99. It means being physically intimidated in the presence of Urban Meyer. Being a Gator means getting the chills during Tim Tebow’s promise speech. Being a Gator is getting excited at church when you think Ray Graves is two aisles over, looking over nervously throughout the service only to be extremely disappointed when it turns out to be just some guy. Being a Gator means you’re envious of everyone who was enrolled during the 96, 2006, and 2008 seasons. Being a Gator fan is not pressing charges if you get attacked by a football player outside of Swamp. Being a Gator means loving the bad seasons just the same. Being a Gator fan means thinking Plaxico Burress finally got what was coming to him for pushing off in the Citrus Bowl. Being a Gator fan is doing your best ole ball coach impression. Being a Gator means having a nightmare about losing to Mississippi State the night before it happens (Zook’s last year, not this year fingers crossed). Being a Gator is hoping Tim Tebow loses his virginity to your daughter. Being a Gator is pointing out that one fan still wearing orange and blue zubaz. Being a Gator is secretly wanting to have that exact same pair of zubaz. Being a Gator is planning your fall social calendar around the Gator football schedule. That means you don’t go to weddings during Gator games, and yes this includes the home openers. Being a Gator is hoping those who have their weddings during Gator games get divorced. Being a Gator fan means you hope Charlie Strong never leaves Gainesville. Being a Gator fan means liking James Bates better than Jeff Cardozo. Being a Gator means not always remembering how to spell “Wuerffel.” Being a Gator means loving Nat Moore’s color commentary despite the occasional slipup (Percy Harvins). Being a Gator means you think Tim Tebow would be the best fighter in the UFC without any training. Being a Gator means you love the fact that Peyton Manning came back for his senior year to lose to Doug Johnson. Being a Gator means you were excited to watch the Batchelor every week with Jesse Palmer. Being a Gator means knowing we really have a 6 game winning streak against FSU starting in 2003. Being a Gator means I now have to stop, because graduating from the University of Florida allowed me to get a real job, which I now have to get back to. Go Gators!

Until next time,

The Voice of the Gators