MY FIRST GATOR GAME

#5 Florida 28, Alabama 13

Although I was asleep for most of it, I’ll always remember September 30, 2006 as the day I sort-of-watched my first Gator football game (if not, I’m sure daddy will remind me.) Mommy and daddy’s friends “Grampy” Mark and “Grammy” Jan stopped by for the game, and although they’re not Gators, I have no complaints about them. For one thing, they brought me presents…call me shallow, but the fact is it really is all about me! Also, Grammy Jan was the one who cut my umbilical cord (daddy wussed out.) For that I will always love her…and also wonder why there wasn’t someone more qualified to do that job in the delivery room at the time!

I got passed around a lot while the game was on, which was nice even though it made me sleepy…damn those cozy arms! Daddy told me that the Gators were 4-0 and ranked fifth in the country coming into the game, and although Alabama was unranked, they’d somehow been able to beat us last year in Tuscaloosa (up until that day, I didn’t know the Gators could lose!) The game didn’t start out too well; we were losing 10-7 at halftime…or so I’m told, as I was, again, napping…and early in the fourth quarter we were only winning by one point. Clearly, my team needed me!


Daddy took me into his arms for the first time during the game, and immediately Chris Leak threw a 21 yard TD pass to Dallas Baker. As an aside, Dallas’ nickname is “The Touchdown Maker”; coincidentally, my nickname is the “Poop Maker, Heart Breaker.” Anyway, I got passed around again, but when it was daddy’s turn to hold me again, Reggie Nelson picked off a pass and ran it back 70 yards for another touchdown! Sadly, neither Baker nor Nelson has sent me a “thank-you” card, much less a scholarship offer!

It seemed I had become daddy’s good luck charm, and he vowed that he would never watch another Gator game without me by his side. I’m ok with this…as long as people keep showing up with presents!

WELCOME TO MY WORLD

Introducing “Action Jackson!”

Hello Gator Nation!

Please allow me to introduce myself; my name is Jackson, or as my clearly-insane daddy insists on calling me, “Action Jackson.” I’m only two weeks old, so this whole “blogging” thing is fairly new to me…of course, the same could be said about nearly everything. Anyway, I was born a boy, much to my daddy’s euphoria. I’m told that I have two big sisters, and although I know daddy loves them both very much, he keeps telling me it’s great to have somebody on his team. By “team,” I’m assuming he means the University of Florida Gators football squad, as it seems he’s obsessed with the subject. Like I said, he’s clearly insane.

I’m not sure what a Gator is, but then, I’m not sure what anything is (except my mommy; she’s the lady who feeds me…I like her a lot!) Daddy says I’m a Gator, or at least I will be one someday, which is OK I suppose. I’m pretty sure a Gator is somebody who wears orange and blue and hates something called the “Seminoles.” I’m not a hater (I’m very much a lover,) but I have to admit I look sharp in orange and blue. Very few people can pull off that look, but what can I say? I’m a looker! It’s a good thing, too, as crazy daddy seems intent on keeping me in those colors. And on that note…

…daddy says the whole point of this blog thingy is to share with family, friends and the Gator Nation my “Gator experiences.” He seems like a nice (if somewhat unhinged) guy, so I’ll humor him by posting pictures of me (like I said, I’m a looker) as well as stories of my indoctrination to the Gator lifestyle. On that note, I’ve already watched two football games with Daddy, and will tell you all about them in the next few posts.

Ok, it’s nap time, and I’m crankier than Bobby Bowden after this week’s humiliating loss to North Carolina State. Catch you Gator!