It is that time and now I must bring up the ultimate embarrassing admissions: I was a gator fan when I was a kid. From age 11 to about 16 I was a diehard gator fan. Partly to be different then the rest of my friends who all pulled for Alabama. I never pulled for Auburn or Tennessee and have always hated them.  

I remember being such a big gator fan that my dad took me down to the cowpatch to watch to watch Florida play at Auburn. I will never forget me being upset knowing that the gators had lost the game (1989 AU won 10-7) and this old lady sitting next to me seeing I was not happy offered me her Auburn shaker thinking it would cheer me up. I gave her a death stare then she saw my orange hat said gators on it and I replied no thanks. I will never forget the next year when the gators crushed AU 40-7 in the Swamp.

  The other factor that made me a gator fan was my favorite granddad died in 1989 and he taught at the University of Florida Medical school among all his other accomplishments including being in the CIA and speaking 8 different languages. I always admired him and never really got to know him with him living so far away. After his death I decided in my mind to honor him by pulling for the gators.  

I always pulled for the Tide also but the gators were my team. Once I turned 16 and could drive to games in Tuscaloosa and at the old grey lady, I left the gators in my past and have been just a Tider since. I never have wavered in my hate for Auburn or Tennessee. There is no love left for the gators and I loathe Teboner.  

So lets go Tide and beat those dang gators Saturday!!!   Please continue the embarrassing admissions we need these for this win.