It’s Great to be a Florida Gator

This is usually one of my favorite weeks of the year. It’s time for Florida versus LSU in football. I enjoy it because I went to law school at Florida and just about everyone I know and love is an LSU fan. It’s just not the same this year. It should be. Both teams are undefeated and ranked high nationally. Normally I would be exchanging silly texts and emails with LSU fans.

This year two idiots from the Florida team have ruined it all. The quarterback got suspended for illegal drug use and one of the best defensive players is off the team after getting in trouble with the law. It’s not the first time a Florida or an LSU player has done something stupid. (Wow is that an understatement.) I always one upped the LSU people because we produced Tim Tebow; they can’t top that one for all round good guys.

Consider the problem. If LSU should win, they are,  after all, at home and two of our best and dumbest players are out, then there will always be the “what if.” You always want to win when your opponent is at their best. If Florida should win that would just be funny.

There are lots of life lessons to be learned from this.

Football players are just kids. Face it they are teenagers or twenty-somethings. Remember the dumb things you did at that age.

It’s just a game. It’s a solemn reminder that for at least a couple of guys, there are bigger problems than winning a game.

Our foul ups have big impact. When we make a mistake or do something stupid, it’s rare that we can limit the damage to ourselves. Our families, friends and even folks we don’t know are impacted.

We don’t have a clue.  I never played sports, not even in high school. I have no clue about the real work involved. The pressures to win. The temptations of perceived fame. Great athletes make it all look easy on game day. We don’t see what goes on behind the scenes. Maybe that’s a blessing.

It’s great to be a Florida Gator. My time at Florida Law School was great. I went on scholarship and met some good people. My family was able to live on campus just two blocks from the school and I think they have good memories. I’m not going to let two dumb football players ruin that. Plus I never had to live in Baton Rouge or smell tiger poo. Life is still good. Go gators.