Am I a Florida Gators fan now?
I live in Florida now, I got a Florida Gators shirt, and I’m going to see a Gators game on Saturday (in person). So, my son asked, “Does this mean you’re a Gators fan now?”
Does that make me a Gators fan now that I have a Gators t-shirt and I’m going to watch a game in person?
The implication was that I’m now a Florida Gators fan and no longer a Nebraska Huskers fan.
Before I answer his question, let me take a few steps back.
Last year, my family and I moved from a small town in Nebraska to a small town in Florida. The town names are insignificant to this story.
If you know anything about college football you know that Nebraska used to be a powerhouse. And if you’re in your 30’s or older, you might even remember it.
Unfortunately, nothing significant has happened in terms of football since 2001. That was the last time Nebraska played in the national championship game.
Earlier this year, a friend of mine and I were talking over a beer about going to a college football game here in Florida.
What were our choices?
If you know anything about Florida, they’re kind of like Texas regarding football. They have a lot of teams and many of them are good enough to play in Division 1.
In Florida, there are multiple Division 1 teams. The University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Central Florida, University of Miami, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, and more. There are 13 Division 1 (D1) schools in Florida. But not all of them have football teams. And not all of them have football teams.
Of those that have football teams, there are only a few that are near where we live.
Why the Florida Gators?
My family and I moved to northeast Florida last year. Because of our location, there are really only two major universities that are relatively close to us. With a decent football team that is.
There are 4 Universities in Florida with decent football teams. Florida State University (FSU Seminoles), University of Miami (Miami Hurricanes), University of Florida (Florida Gators), and University of Central Florida (UCF Knights).
Florida State University is in Tallahassee which is about a 3-hour drive, and the University of Miami is about 6 hours away.
Therefore, our choices were really between the UCF Knights and the Florida Gators. They are both roughly 90 minutes away. It wasn’t necessarily an easy choice, but not a difficult one either.
Because we live in Florida, we decided we’d see a Florida Gators game.
I got a Florida Gators shirt
Today’s my birthday. I’m nearly half a century old. For my birthday gift, my wife got me a Florida Gators shirt. She got it because we’re going to a game this Saturday and I’d talked about getting a Gators shirt before the game.
Rather than get one for myself, she asked that I refrain from doing so. She wanted to get it for me (though she didn’t say those words) from her and the kids. And I plan to wear it to the game.
Does that mean I’m no longer a Husker fan?
Coach Tom Osborne – 1996 Fiesta Bowl
I was born and raised in Nebraska. When I left for the Army (both times), I returned to my roots. However, my family and I now live in Florida. We can watch a Husker game on television, but we can no longer (at least not easily) go to a Husker game in person.
If you’ve ever been to a good college game, the atmosphere is electrifying. And there are very few things that are like it.
Nebraska plays in the Big 10 and the Gators play in the SEC (Southeastern Conference). The last time Nebraska and Florida played was in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl for the national championship game (Nebraska won).
Therefore, it’s evident that they’re not a rival in any way, shape, or form.
I bleed Scarlet Red. I’m a Husker by birth and don’t plan to change that, ever.
Just because I’m going to watch another football team play, and just because I wear a shirt to support the team, doesn’t mean that I’ve abandoned my team.
The Huskers aren’t very good and haven’t been for more than 20 years. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to turn my back on them now that I’ve moved away. I still get just as mad when watching the games as I did before. Living in Florida just means that I have to yell a little louder now, for them to hear me.
Tommy Frazier – 1996 Fiesta Bowl
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