I arrived for session #1, today, at halftime of the UM-Pacific game. It wasn't much of a game at all, although the Pacific mascot was fun to watch. Much better than that stupid DUCK scUM has (yeah, I know it's supposedly an ibis named Sebastian, but I don't see much difference from the Oregon mascot). The Illinois-Colorado game was lots of fun to watch, as I was surrounded by both Colorado and Illinois fans. Colorado has scads of cheers and songs and chants -- it reminded me of Gators.
-- Since the Austin regional was sold as three sessions, the Erwin Center had to be completely cleared after the Illinois-Colorado game before people were admitted for the second session. Since the Illinois-Colorado game didn't end until a little after 6:00, this meant that the doors opened at about 6:33 p.m. for the 6:40 tip. There were three people at each door; one held the door open, one had a penlight to look in purses and bags, and the final one had a hand scanner that took a good 10-15 seconds to scan each ticket. When we got to our seats (since they were the same ones from session #1, this took less than a minute), only 26 seconds remained before tip. The place had maybe 200 people in it at tip-off. I felt bad for both teams! NO ONE was in the center for warm ups.
The Gators were well represented, but we were spread out. The NW St fans solidly filled up their section of the stands. I read that we sold out our allotment of tickets, but our section was maybe 75% full. We were also quite subdued, but I chalked that up to our experiences of watching second half collapses by our team anytime they play outside of the O'Dome. :-) It pains me to say this, but scUM was very well represented in the first session. There were about the same number of UM as UF fans, but the 'Canes were much louder and supportive. I'll let you know what Sunday is like...
Pat Dooley's column in today's G'ville Sun contained a rave review of the Erwin Center. As much as I hate to dis the O'Dome, UT's basketball home is a better venue. All chairbacks, lots of concessions, and the number of bathroom facilities (all my Gator Grrrls know what I am talking about!) are far superior. Sight lines in the arena are great, and even the nosebleed seats don't seem that far away from the floor.
Aside from a brief contagion of "underdog fever" by non-Gator fans during the second half of the game, the crowd didn't pull for NW St much. I was a little concerned that we'd be subjected to that all game long, but it didn't happen. Probably the defensive domination by UF shut up lots of people, as well as all the defensive rebounding. That was pretty nice to watch.
Late in the second half, a man in the row behind us loudly said (clearly for our reaction), "Are those dirty Gators winning?" David and I both slowly turned around, and a man in a garish neon yellow-green shirt said, "It's just the good old Tallahassee boy coming out. Nothing personal." Turns out, he lived there all of six years -- how typical, right? More surprising: I bit my tongue and didn't point out the obvious. [That he had embraced the last refuge of the pathetic: cheering for a team to do what his team couldn't... beat Florida.]
I wanted to stay for the UCLA-Minnesota game, but my day started with a 5:45 a.m. alarm, and we have a 40-min drive to get home.
It was great to get to watch a Gator team in person in Austin. I'll be there Sunday, and hope to file a happy report afterwards...
Go Gators!
Mary
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GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY!
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Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996),
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