Gator Football Eve

We are on the eve of one of the most anticipated days of the year for me - the first game for the Florida Gators. This day is always a big deal for me as Gator football ranks at the top of my list of things I enjoy the most in this world. The only thing I can think of to rival it would be maybe if they created edible money wrapped in bacon. The Gators are the heavy favorites going into the season and this has the entire Gator Nation buzzing. Obviously, I'm excited about the possibility of another championship. However, history is littered with teams that fell short of winning the title despite being the popular choice to do so. So, for me, my preseason joy is not rooted in any title talk, Tebow talk, etc. No, I am looking forward to football for a whole other reason...tomorrow is the first game that I will get to watch with Amelia. Now, I'm pretty sure she isn't going to know everything that is going on, but I'm hoping subconsciously this is the beginning of two things - her love of sports and me secretly brainwashing her into being a Gator fan. Why do I want her to love sports? Primarily, because I feel all of life's important lessons can be learned through sports. I want her to learn how to be healthy, how to compete, and how to be a teammate. If she can get these things down, I know she'll be fine in this life. Why do I want to brainwash her into being a Gator fan? Well, I think this is pretty obvious...I would LOVE for her to one day follow her dad and mom and become a UF graduate. I'm thankful for everything UF did for me. It was the source of my career, it is where I met my best friends, and it was the home of the best years of my life. It is only natural that I would want Amelia to follow that path. There is one caveat - if Harvard or Yale come knocking, we'd need to weigh our options (I may be a completely loyal, blinded by allegiance fan, but I'm not stupid). So, while the rest of the Florida fans watch the game tomorrow hoping Florida looks unbeatable, I will be at home with my daughter getting her started on a lifelong journey of fanhood.