Tough to get a better week ...

[hifigator]

After a week that saw the Gators drop games to South Carolina and Xavier, while the Hoyas were stumbling against Rutgers and Syracuse, I really needed a pick me up ... (door open for obvious cheech and chong jokes) ...

Seriously though, the past 6 days couldn't have been much better. I know that most of this won't matter much/at all to you, but some of it will, but either way, most of you can appreciate the sentiment:

Thursday, the Gators beat Auburn in a game they really needed to win. Can't afford a bad loss at this point.

Friday, my main joy -- Gator Baseball -- started what is highly anticipated season, with a 6-2 victory.

Meanwhile, the Gator softball team wins a couple in their tournament, while the Gator Gymnasts beat Georgia at home for the first time since George H.W. Bush was president! Wow!

Saturday marked more wins by the softball and baseball teams, as well as a win in the first ever Gator Lacrosse program.

On Sunday, the Lady Gators basketball team upset the ranked Georgia Lady Bulldogs, while the baseball team completed the sweep of a quality opponent in USF, and in exciting fashion. Down 6-3 going to the bottom of the ninth, the Gators plated 3 to tie the game, perhaps most encouragingly, benefitting by 3 clutch at bats by true freshmen. The future is good for my true love -- Gator Baseball! Incidentally, the Gator Softball team completed their perfect weekend and the Gator tennis teams won their matches as well!

To top it off -- and I am somewhat throwing myself under the bus here -- I left at the end of the 8th inning. I wasn't giving up on my team, but I figured I would listen to the end of the game on my drive out to the lake. I also had to get to the pub by 3:20 to get my drivers for the race. Driving out, I knew it would be close, so I called ahead and the bartender did something she's not supposed to do -- she pulled my 2 drivers for me. When I got there I gave her the money and upon opening them, found out that I had Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson! Wow! For the record, I don't especially like Johnson and can't really stand the rainbow warrior Gordon. Still, my hot streak continued, as Johnson won the race!

Then I drove back -- very carefully -- to the lake and lo, and behold, the USA-Canada hockey game was coming off the first intermission. Needless to say, the following couple of hours added immensely to my weekend!

Then after a peaceful Monday, I was treated to an awesome Tuesday night, starting off with a tough, come-from-behind Hoya win at Louisville and then topped off with a come-from-behind Gator victory over Tennessee!

Once again, I know the majority of this is relatively, if not totally unimportant to most of you, I do trust that the "real fan" inside of you can at least empathized.

As far as I'm concerned, I see no reason for it to end. The Gator baseball team plays UCF tonight and Siena tomorrow, before beginning what should be a thorough shellacking of LaSalle this weekend. And of course we have that matter of basketball between Georgetown and Notre Dame as well as Florida and Georgia. And of course the Olympic medals will be decided soon as well.

Could I possibly have another week as good?

[PhillyHoya]

Could you make a more obvious TVBP?

[Boz]

Well, it certainly was[/i] a pretty good week........

[hoyarooter]

That post belongs in RDF's razzle dazzle thread.

[williambraskyiii]

Mods, please move to Razzle Dazzle and Lock. Thank you.

[Elvado]

I had a better week right after Bama kicked the crap out of Florida and Swamprat went into hiding...

[hifigator]

OK, why I expected even any semblence of "as much as I hate you/the gators, I at least see your point and am still waiting for my week like that," I have no idea. Either way though, I'm not going to let you guys pi$$ on my cornflakes. I'm a happy camper. I am all for the Gators and Hoyas winning to continue. Any objections?

[Elvado]

Feb 24, 2010 15:45:06 GMT -5 hifigator said:

OK, why I expected even any semblence of "as much as I hate you/the gators, I at least see your point and am still waiting for my week like that," I have no idea. Either way though, I'm not going to let you guys pi$$ on my cornflakes. I'm a happy camper. I am all for the Gators and Hoyas winning to continue. Any objections?

only to your existence generally and presence here specifically

[PhillyHoya]

Feb 24, 2010 15:56:49 GMT -5 Elvado said:

Feb 24, 2010 15:45:06 GMT -5 hifigator said:

OK, why I expected even any semblence of "as much as I hate you/the gators, I at least see your point and am still waiting for my week like that," I have no idea. Either way though, I'm not going to let you guys pi$$ on my cornflakes. I'm a happy camper. I am all for the Gators and Hoyas winning to continue. Any objections?

only to your existence generally and presence here specifically

Seconded.

[hifigator]

As the saying goes: don't hate the playa' ... hate the game!

[CTHoya08]

Why don't you go share your pleasure with your real life friends, who might actually care, rather than an anonymous internet message board devoted to a college/basketball team other than your own?

[TBird41]

Feb 24, 2010 17:22:51 GMT -5 CTHoya08 said:

Why don't you go share your pleasure with your real life friends, who might actually care, rather than an anonymous internet message board devoted to a college/basketball team other than your own?

I assume that is a rhetorical question.

[rosslynhoya]

Feb 24, 2010 17:33:06 GMT -5 TBird41 said:

Feb 24, 2010 17:22:51 GMT -5 CTHoya08 said:

Why don't you go share your pleasure with your real life friends, who might actually care, rather than an anonymous internet message board devoted to a college/basketball team other than your own?

I assume that is a rhetorical question.

No it's just open-ended, like your average Problem of God class, except instead of contemplating God's existence we ponder that of an omnipresent Gator's fan.... a hifidicy if you will.

[hoyarooter]

Feb 24, 2010 16:44:10 GMT -5 hifigator said:

As the saying goes: don't hate the playa' ... hate the game!

Speaking of which, I see where Ric Flair got assaulted by his (much younger) wife a few days ago, but he didn't lift a finger in response. Good for him. Even though she has 20 years on him, I'm sure he could have put her in a figure four if he'd seen fit.

I know that isn't relevant to this thread, but then again, nobody here cares about UF softball/water polo/curling/marshmallow tossing.

[hifigator]

First things first, and before this goes too far, obviously, we are just having some fun with this thread. I am fully aware that most are not interested in Gator game outcomes, and if they are, they most likely are rooting for the other team. I am also aware that I am most likely to blame for such resentment. That being said, I am a Gator and I am a Hoya fan. 'Nuff on that for now.

CTHoya wrote:

Why don't you go share your pleasure with your real life friends, who might actually care, rather than an anonymous internet message board devoted to a college/basketball team other than your own?

Oh, don't you worry. The glee and downright joy from the past week has been resonating all over these parts. I just felt that depriving others of it would be downright unfair. Obviously, "winning it all" in a sport that really matters, dwarfs the trivial or almost mundane little triumphs of the past week. Still, if you shed your blue and grey goggles for a minute, I think you would have a hard time denying the empathetic feeling I am talking about.

rosslyn wrote:

No it's just open-ended, like your average Problem of God class, except instead of contemplating God's existence we ponder that of an omnipresent Gator's fan.... a hifidicy if you will.

I give you full marks for "hifidicy." I will have to remember that one and use it in the future -- in a slightly modified form, obviously. Although I do promise to retain the implicit context. Well done.

rooter wrote:

Speaking of which, I see where Ric Flair got assaulted by his (much younger) wife a few days ago, but he didn't lift a finger in response. Good for him. Even though she has 20 years on him, I'm sure he could have put her in a figure four if he'd seen fit.

At first I wasn't sure where you were going with this, but when I finished reading your post, I saw that you weren't going anywhere. Ironically, there is a connection. Ric "WHOOO!" Flair is actually somewhat of a Gator fan. He's more of a Spurrier fan, for some reason I don't know. Still, your stumbling into a tangential connection when the intent was just the opposite, was rather amusing.

I know that isn't relevant to this thread, but then again, nobody here cares about UF softball/water polo/curling/marshmallow tossing.

On the joking side, I give you full marks for the marshmallow tossing comment.

On the serious side, I hope you understand that the only reason such secondary sports were even mentioned was to support the point of the entire thread to begin with.

Lastly, and I close with this:

The beat goes on! On a blustery Wednesday evening, the Gators hosted the undefeated UCF Knights. After jumping out to a 7-0 lead, the Gator bullpen faltered. Nick Maronde and Greg Larson, who were thought to be the "closers" on this team, allowed 6 runs in the 7th and 8th innings. But the Gators held on, and won 7-6!

Yes, it was cold. And yes, I made some "friends" who were rooting for UCF. But "it's all good!"

[hoyarooter]

I posted my Flair reference because, IIRC, one of his secondary slogans (after WOOOOOO) was "don't hate the playa, hate the game" (think Booker T used that too, but Flair was first) and that was posted here, so when I read that, I thought of Flair. I had no intention of making a UF connection, nor do I care that I did so. And I get that the success in the lesser sports added to your pleasure. I feel the same way about UCLA when it does well in water polo, softball, tennis, baseball, etc. The difference, though, hifi, is that I DON'T GO TRUMPETING IT ON A BOARD WHERE I KNOW NO ONE ELSE WILL CARE. I am now convinced that you do this solely to torment us, but I have only myself to blame for reading the posts in the first place.

Razzle dazzle, baby.

[hifigator]

I see rooter. I didn't know that Flair had used that slogan, and you're right about Booker T. And just today I got even more good news. My wife's birthday is tomorrow and I was trying to figure out how I could go to the baseball game tomorrow night without ticking her off. But LaSalle is having travel issues and tomorrow night's game was postponed until Saturday. Yippee! I get to take her out to dinner and not miss a game.


On Edit: Incidentally, Happy 61st birthday today to the Nature Boy! Whoooo!

[hoyarooter]

Feb 25, 2010 16:17:13 GMT -5 hifigator said:

I see rooter. I didn't know that Flair had used that slogan, and you're right about Booker T. And just today I got even more good news. My wife's birthday is tomorrow and I was trying to figure out how I could go to the baseball game tomorrow night without ticking her off. But LaSalle is having travel issues and tomorrow night's game was postponed until Saturday. Yippee! I get to take her out to dinner and not miss a game.


On Edit: Incidentally, Happy 61st birthday today to the Nature Boy! Whoooo!

You are one lucky sob.

[hifigator]

In all honesty, I was expecting something along the lines of "one man's trash is another (wo)man's treasure," with the obvious reference to my wife's "luck." Still, my wife and I both thank you.

This thread has run its course, but I do hope that at least some of you can appreciate days/weeks that fall into place like this. Lord knows, we've all had times on the other end of the spectrum. Now let's keep it going. If Notre Dame and Georgia don't win any basketball games this weekend, then I presume we will all be happy? I certainly know that I will. 'Cause there's no way that LaSalle is beating us in baseball. (boy, I know I left that door open, but if I don't have confidence in that, then I don't have confidence in anything) ... and yes, I know that I just created another couple dozen LaSalle baseball fans ... for a weekend at least.

[hifigator]

Yuck! What a difference a week makes!

I'm sure that my disappointment will be met with similar enthusiasm as my joy was last week, at least most of it. But first, the Friday baseball game is pushed back, creating a Saturday double header, meaning I will miss much of the game due to work. After dealing with that annoyance, it really didn't matter anyway. About 10pm on Friday night, the University announced that LaSalle still couldn't get out of Philly, and the entire weekend series was cancelled. With the new compressed NCAA schedule, it will be very difficult to work in 3 make up games with anyone, let alone a team that would likely pad our stats tremendously. But that's just the start. "At least" I had already purchased several pounds of grouper filets as well as 2 pounds of sea scallops for today's kickoff tailgatoring party. It could be worse though, since all the food I bought was/still is frozen. A good buddy of mine thawed out a 20 pound turkey that we were going to fry, and bought 5 slabs of ribs that we were planning on smoking. He also bought some 15 or 20 gallons of oil, but that will keep nicely. Enough of the food though. Of course the more important letdowns didn't deal with eating. First, as you know the Hoyas fall to friggin Notre Dame and I couldn't even watch the game. I was stuck with Tennessee-Kentucky --two teams I can't stand. Then, the Gators fall to Georgia on the road in what many think is another "bad" loss. At this point of the year, any loss is bad, but to a team not even in the running as a bubble team, the losses sting is particularly painful.

Fast forward a few hours, and then with the Kansas upset loss to Ok. St. paired with the previously mentioned Kentucky loss to Tennessee, the night set up a very interesting matchup. Certainly no Nova fan, but man did it suck watching all those joyous dipsh!ts from Syracuse stake their claim for the new #1 spot, while also establishing a new NCAA record for attendance in an on-campus game. Yuck!

One bright spot seemed to be poised to take the edge off the otherwise dismal weekend -- the game-tying goal with some 20 seconds left in the gold-medal match between USA and Canada. But as with the rest of the weekend, things just came up short. I'm proud of our guys, and I don't think there are many, if any of us, here that wouldn't have been satisfied with a Silver Medal if asked 2 weeks ago. Still, getting that close and then fighting back from a 2-0 disadvantage, only to then have it snatched away is a terrible feeling. But after the way the weekend had gone so far, I shouldn't have been surprised.

The good news is that tomorrow starts another week -- or more specifically, a new week can always start tomorrow.

Yuck!