OK, so the Florida State Seminoles have had a less than spectacular run this season. But that didn't stop them from charging the field and stampeding the U. of Virginia last Saturday. At 33-0 it was a total shut out and do you know why? It was because we were there to root them on! My first college football game ever -- which I probably shouldn't boast of too loudly lest some stray UConn Husky happen to be within hearing range. Because no, not once in my four year stint at the University of Connecticut (OK, it was longer than that, but only because I got married and went part time for a couple of years, thus taking the slow boat to graduation), did I deign to admit that football even existed in my world. I still tend to ignore it completely for the most part, but now that my daughter is a bonifide USF student and Seminole fan, well, it's my parental duty to support her, isn't it? And who could have resisted the lures of collegiate spirit this past weekend (which happened to be parent weekend), up in Tallahassee where sparkling clear, cool weather gave us all the perfect excuse to get outside in our Noles sweatshirts (and in my case, Noles scarf as well) and cheer our valiant young sons onward.
Showing team spirit in Garnet & Gold.
(Don't we just look like a couple of college kids? Yeah, well who asked you?!)
The stadium was virtually a sea of garnet (speckled garnet, anyway), except for that sad little corner bearing the orange hues of downtrodden Virginia -- poor dears. It got to the point where I started wishing they'd get at least one touchdown just so they could hold their heads up at home...alas though, it was not to be.
(A perfect day for football)
But football wasn't the only feat of skill to thrill and delight us. FSU has its own circus, completely run and performed by students. For some reason, when FSU went coed years ago, it was decided by the powers that be that they needed some activity that would be appropriate for men and women to take part in together. Well, what else would spring instantly to mind but a circus, right? Never mind golf or tennis or hey, ballroom dancing. Oh, no, twirling scantily clad coeds in mid air and balancing them on your head while riding a bicycle is way more appropriate, of course. Anyway, my heart was lodged in my throat for the entire show, during which I feared one of those daring young men or women would a) land on their head or b) land on mine, because we were sittin' awfully close. Fortunately everyone survived and a rousing time was had by all.
Best of all was spending time with our daughter, who we hadn't seen since August, since Tallahassee isn't at all close enough for her to be able to "pop" home for weekends. I really like being around her and her college friends. They're all so cute -- no longer children but not quite adults either, really independent until they need you, and ready to take on the world, as long as they don't have to get up too early. 
When I lived in Coral Gables, I would see a few UM Fans sporting colors on their cars or persons on game days, but nothing prepared me for Gainesville, Florida on a Gator Game Day. Holy, s**t, these people are insane. And half the businesses in town (or out of town - there's a Gator Grotto in tiny Melrose) are named after the team, and sport the hideous blue and orange motif. At least the 'Noles have tasteful colors....
The Noles play the Gators Thanksgiving weekend. Should be a wild one. But you're right about the colors -- I so prefer garnet and gold to -- eek! -- orange and blue. 
I'm amazed that my daughter is a football fan, and that she still goes to college games even after she's graduated. She didn't get those genes from me! 
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