gatorcast from paul smith

Tonight I went to the LSU game at the Odome and I think I had the best time I have ever had at a game.  Of course the Gators beat the Tigers, but my attention was elsewhere.   This was my first game at the odome since giving up my season tickets last year.  The seats were just too much money.  

Thank you Sid for the seats tonight!

My old seats are just to the right of the video screen in the back right of the picture.

Believe it!   The Gators just beat the Arizona St. Sun Devils in Phoenix to make the final 4 in the NIT.  Yea baby!  I think maybe they just accomplished something big for this season, even if they don’t win in NY.  Go Gators!

Tonight Cameron and I went to see the Gators play the South Carolina Gamecocks at the oDome.  We managed to pull out a win despite almost blowing a second half 17 point lead.  It was real fun and special to be Cam’s birthday.   What made it special is that Cameron was born in Charleston, SC and has a bit of a connection to USC.   You see, the day we brought him home an old ex-navy USC fan neighbor in Charleston told us that our newborn was technically now a “Chicken”, he said “Once a chicken always a chicken”.   We assume this is the affectionate name given to a Gamecock fan.   Anyway, Cameron does take pride in this and  he and his mom made a poster for the game.  He was a little apprehensive and used the sign spareingly and was very worried to not upset his fellow gator fans.  But by the end of the game he was displaying his true colors for all to see.  Before we walked in he said, “Dad, I have been raised a gator fan for 12 years!, 12 years!”, as to justify his sign. 

Awesome!  The Gators just beat Alabama by 7 after being 7 down at the half.   What a great game. 

Jay Lucas had a great game.  He scored a 3 at the buzzer at half time that was just a sign to come.

Gators are now 14-2 (1-0 SEC)

Last night Cameron and I went to the OC (oDome) and watched the Gators beat Charleston Southern.  We started off the evening sitting at the bar at Beefs. (I had a momentary flash forward of 10 years when he can actually sit at the bar and have a beer with me.. but thats another blog post)  We loved the game and Cameron is increasingly enjoying getting his mug on the big screens.  With 3 minutes to go, Cameron went down to the floor level where the students sit.  Here he is proudly trying to get the camera’s attention.

Tonight Cameron and I went the the oDome to watch the Gator Basketball team take on the Dolphins of Jacksonville U.  Cameron is really enjoying the games.  He loves to wear his gator gear.  After some un-neccessary resistance from me he really wanted to wear his plastic orange dreadlock hair.  And boy was it a hit.  Within seconds of sitting down the camera man pointed the camera at Cameron for the “Fan of the Game” contest. 

After several closeups and cheering, Cameron WON the contest.  So not only did he get his face (and hair) on the 4 large 25 foot video screens for all the fans to see, he won!  He was so thrilled he beat the college kids “in their own house” as he put it.    What he won was a large goodie bag for everyone in our row.  It was really cool for him to get thank-you’s throughout the game. 

The real fun began when we left our seats at halftime to get ice cream.  Every single person that walked by smiled and made a comment about his orange hair and the fact that he was the “Fan of the Game”.  Even Mr. Trombone-Man (Cameron’s Idol) pointed him out. 

Even Albert congraduated Cameron

Cameron & Dad, oDome – University of Florida campus