I think they delayed this too much, but living in Florida we’re still very excited about the Big Game* tonight. The Gators are predicted by just about everyone, save Gator fans, to lose, so most of the pressure is on Ohio State. Everything I see about OSU and Tressel indicates that they’ll be prepared, and should win, but I hope UF can give them a game to remember.
Is anyone else watching, or does nobody care?
*I have no idea what this is actually called. I think it’s no longer associated with a bowl game. Also don’t know if it will now always be played in Arizona.
I’ll be watching it with my 5 y/o son. I love college football, but I’m an Alabama fan so Gators are the enemy to me. My ex is a huge Gator fan (got the tattoo and everything) so my son is a Gator fan. So I’ll keep my mouth shut and cheer for the Gators. At least I’ll be cheering for an SEC team to win.
Not that I think it will do much good, but I can still cheer for them (I got that philosophy from the last 5 Iron Bowls!).
My boyfriend went to OSU: he flew to Arizona on Friday, and will be at the game tonight. I’m not a football person, so at most I’ll watch bits and pieces of it just to see how the game progresses.
If I keep dating him – as I hope to do! – I have a feeling that I’ll wind up caring/knowing more about college football and the Buckeyes than I ever thought possible.
I’ll watch the first half and go to bed. I hate OSU, but they are our Big Ten brothers and we have to root for them in order to maintain the prestige of the conference.
FWIW, I predict a crowd heavily in favor of Ohio State at this one, for a number of reasons:
OSU was “in” a couple of weeks earlier, so had first crack at the market (not sure if this is technically correct).
A heck of a lot more Ohio expats in southern areas than Florida expats anywhere. Floridians tend to stay in Florida, for the most part, and wouldn’t relocate to the west purely for meteorological reasons.
Florida is a poor state and most of us have to work for a living and can’t go gallivanting around the country at a moment’s notice.
My boyfriend’s observations bear this out: he e-mailed me yesterday and said that he’s hardly seen any Florida fans, and that it feels just like being in Cleveland. He said that the bar he went to Saturday night was full of OSU fans.
I live in Gator-town, but I’m not a sports fan at all. I’m at work today placing orders with companies in different states, and all the representatives are mentioning the big game. I’m like, “Huh? Oh yeah, uh…go Gators.” Until I saw this thread, I didn’t know they were talking about football.
I’m watching. I went to UF. I hope we give them a game. FWIW, I think OSU got a two week jump on ticket pruchases and hotel rooms. I know a lot of folks who wanted to go bu couldn’t find a place to stay. Fact of the matter is two very large schools (OSU and Uf have to be two fo the largest universities in the country) with very large alum bases makes for tight quarters. You give one team a two week head start and UF get’s the Joseph and Mary treatment.
Anyhoo, for my part, I’ll see your O-H and give you an
two-bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar, all for the Gators, get up and holler!!
I loved to eat at Alan’s, particularly after too many pitchers at the O&B… is it still there? I looked for it last time I was in Gainesville, but couldn’t find it.
It’s been 8 years. I don’t remeber it. Do you remember where it was? The University Ave bars/restaurants when I was there went, from east to west: The Swamp, Copper Monkey, Grog House, Salty Dog, Balls, Porpoise, Joe’s. I lived on 11th St and 2nd Ave. Rode my bike to work at the Dog and generally walked it home after an ill fated tumble in the middle of University.
The Orange and Brew was an on-campus eatery/pub, with pretty mediocre food but decent prices on pitchers. I doubt that they still have that, or at least not in that incarnation, given the changes in drinking ages over the years. The Rat burnt down at least a decade ago (probably more) and AFAIK was never rebuilt, and also was a beer/chow hall on campus.
Off to a party to watch the game now – GO GATORS!!
It’s officially called “The [Tostitos] BCS National Championship Game”. This is the first year of the game being seperate from the 4 BCS Bowls. It will rotate amoung the BCS bowl sites, going to New Orleans next year, then Miami, then Pasadena, then back to Glendale. The name of the game will change each year to match the title sponsor of the BCS bowl at the host site (next year it’s Allstate BCS NCG, then FedEx BCS NCG, then I suppose “The BCS NCG presented by Citi”)
I’m not a football person, so at most I’ll watch bits and pieces of it just to see how the game progresses.