Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Florida Gators vs Penn State Nittany Lions

Florida Gators vs Penn State Nittany Lions
Saturday, Jan 1st 10:00 AM PST

West Side Viewing Only

Seattle Gators:

Well this has been a whirlwind of a season hasn’t it! From “Mullen’s Mystery”, “Miles’ Miracle” and “Spurrier’s Statement” in the Swamp to “Saban’s Standoff” in Tuscaloosa and “Jimbo’s Jolt” in Tallahassee, we haven’t had the success we desired. Unconvincing and questionable offensive play calling, coupled with a lack of identity on offense and defense, most likely attributed to the lack of success experienced this season. If anything, this has been a wakeup call and a humbling experience for Gator Nation. Results like those could easily test our spirit, but in no way should it shake the foundation that has established Gator Nation.

On December 8th, after 6 loyal years, Urban stepped down as HBC for the Gators. I personally did not see this one coming, however I thank Coach Meyer for the success and memories he brought to Gator Nation over the course of his tenure. Who can forget the 2006 season highlighted Jarvis Moss’ not one, but two blocked kicks to squeak by the ‘Cocks in the Swamp in arguably one the loudest games since the 1997 FSU game. We can all remember “shocking” the world in Glendale, even though it was no real shock to Gator Nation. Two years later remembering us sending the Sooners back to Oklahoma with no trophy, but some nice parting gifts (see: Tebow Gator Chomp penalty). Urban brought with him a new “Swagger” seemed lacking since Spurrier’s departure (sorry Zooker).

On December 22nd, Temple announced the hiring of our OC, Steve Addazio (This warrants no discussion). No, seriously it does warrant a discussion apart from the standard “At Gator Nation we wish him the best of luck with his future endeavors”.
Ok… one… two… three… Now that I got that out, it is time to look forward. On December 11th, we welcomed our new HBC, Will Muschamp. His hire has its doubters, but the consensus is that Gator Nation is excited about his energy and defensive acumen. I personally want to welcome Coach Muschamp to the university. My only contention is the fact that he does share a beach house with FSU HBC Jimbo Fisher. This should be addressed at some point, because this feels like a tie, and like Bama Coach Bryant once said, “a tie is like kissing your sister”.

Though we have lost a number of recruits from the fallout, including CB Nick Waisome to FSU, we did hold on to a key recruit, QB Jeff Driskel. If you are not familiar with this kid, I promise you will not be disappointed. Jeff should be in school early admission in January. Once he steps foot in between the palms and pine, I will take a deep breath.
There is talk around the coolers that Muschamp will be deciding on an OC by the end of the week. We will keep you posted when new developments come in.
Finally I think it is time to talk about the game. On January first we invite all to join us to watch our Gators take on the Nittany Lions of Penn State.

HEAD COACH: Penn State is coached by legendary coach Joe Paterno. In fact, Joe Paterno has been coaching as long (46 years) as Urban has been alive. I think it is fitting that Coach Meyer’s last game as HBC be across one of the legends of the game. Though Coach Paterno has been around the game for all this time, he has only two of the four national champions to his name. That means Paterno has 2 championships in 46 at Penn State compared to Urban’s 2-6 in Florida, coupled with the fact that Joe has to deal with the myriad of issues of with his age (in 2006 he actually left the field mid-game) I have to give the Edge to Coach Meyer.
EDGE: Gators

OFFENSE: Is Adazzio still coaching from the sidelines? Yes? Ok
EDGE: Nittany Lions

DEFENSE: Both teams have been suspect this year and lacked Identity. I feel however we have a depth of young talent that will be showcased in this game.
EDGE: Gators

SPECIAL TEAMS: Once a standard of excellence by Coach Meyer, injuries have led to inconsistencies in the kicking game. Luckily we can rely on arguably the best punter ever to wear Orange and Blue in Chas Henry and a number of skilled young players on special teams.
EDGE: Gators

INTANGIBLES: Coach Meyer’s last game. He will outcoach Joe Pa (and Addazio) by himself.
EDGE: GATORS

I invite all gators to recover from all the New Years’ debauchery to spend time with the Orange and Blue as we say farewell to Coach Meyer. A fitting tribute to a man who helped put us back on the map. I look forward to speaking with you guys to get input for next season and hear any ideas you may have. I want to thank everyone for coming this season, and know that we will be taking the Orange and Blue to new heights in 2011.

Also, anyone interested meeting up for Gator Basketball games, feel free to email Mike.

Go Gators!

Mike

Spitfire 2219 4th Ave
Seattle, WA 98121 (Belltown)
(206) 441-7966

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Florida Gators vs Florida State Seminoles

Happy Thanksgiving Seattle Gators!

You are hearing from me this week since Courtney has decided to retire. For the last 8 years, his weekly announcements have been a Seattle Gator Club classic. No other Gator Club has been so fortunate to receive such informative and humorous updates during the season. Courtney is truly a very special Gator and we will miss hearing from him.

This season has been my toughest season in the 39 years I have been a Gator fan. I forgot the old saying; a positive attitude brings positive results. Now that I have had time to think about this season, the future looks bright for this young and talented team. They will be a lot better next year. Remember, we were 9-4 during Tebow's first season as the starting quarterback.
We are very fortunate to be members of one of the premier Gator Clubs. Part of what makes us such a great club is the people who volunteer their time and effort. Kelly and Marianne have managed our Spitfire and Sidelines viewing locations, and have wondered where all the Seattle Gators have been during these last few weeks.

Please bring your positive can-do Gator attitude and swagger and come view the FSU game with us at 12:30 this Saturday! We'll have a great halftime show, our new ladies club shirts for sale, and drawings for lots of Gator gear. In all kinds of weather, we'll all stick together!

As a tribute to Courtney, I have included below his email that he sent out for the FSU game last year. Thank you Courtney for keeping us entertained each week during the season. We will miss hearing from you, and are grateful for your 8 years of dedication to the Seattle Gator Club!.

Go Gators!
Neil Hang, President - Seattle Gator Club

#1 Florida Gators vs Florida State SeminolesSaturday 12:30 PST (see below for viewing locations)

Happy Thanksgiving Gators:

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays and spending some quality time with family and friends. I am going to make this mail short, as I still have lots of preparations to make before the big meal this afternoon (the Swanson’s Hungry Man Dinner still hasn't fully thawed yet!).
Normally I would wax on ad nauseam about the big Florida State game, detailing the bitter history between the two teams and all that's at stake in this annual contest. However, given the Seminoles decline of late, it's difficult to sell this game as anything more than a superior team (although often fallible) facing off against an overmatched opponent (i.e. the Garnet and Gold). Yes, I am excited to watch this weekend and am fully aware that anything can happen in a rivalry matchup, but the mystique of the game has diminished over the years (the Gators have won the last five meetings), as FSU is now a shell of their former greatness.

Shake yourself out of the tryptophan coma and watch the Gators close out the regular season against our intra-state foe from Tallahassee. This will be the last home game for Tim Tebow (and perhaps the final regular season game for Bobby Bowden), so expect a very energetic performance from our quarterback. Let's hope Florida can put this game away early so we can rest up for the monumental challenge next week in the SEC Championship.

Go Gators,

Courtney

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Salsa Night

The winter chill is upon us so get some of that Miami heat at Salsa Night with the Seattle Gator Club.

Put on those dancing shoes and join us for Salsa Dancing at Century Ballroom and Cafe in Capital Hill on Thursday, December 2. Lessons start at 9:00pm and the floor opens to everyone at 9:30pm. No partner required.

When: Thursday, December 2nd at 9:00pm
Where: Century Ballroom and Café
915 E Pine 2nd floor
Seattle WA 98122
Cost: $7 per person

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Florida Gators vs Appalachian State

Florida Gators vs Appalachian State
Saturday 9:30am PST (Spitfire Viewing Only)


Note that due to the early start time we'll only be viewing the game at Spitfire this week.

Go Gators.

Friday, November 12, 2010

#22 Florida Gators vs #23 South Carolina Gamecocks

#22 Florida Gators vs #23 South Carolina Gamecocks
Saturday 4:15 PST

Howdy Gators:

Surprising situation we find ourselves in here, eh? Who would have thought a few weeks ago that we would have the chance to play for the SEC East title after losing three straight conference games in such a miserable fashion? But it looks like the Orange and Blue has finally woken up from the Offensive lethargy that plagued them earlier in the season. The three-headed quarterback (not to be confused withe the three-headed hound Cerberus who guards the gates to Hades) seems to be working well and taking pressure off John Brantley, who had seemed ill-equipped at times (OK, often) to function well in the Addazio scheme. Certainly having Chris Rainey back hasn't hurt either. Let's hope his off-the-field woes are behind him, as he has been a massive contributor over the past couple weeks.

Come on out this weekend and watch Florida face off against the Ol' Ball Coach for all the marbles (at least the Eastern marbles). The Gators seem to have arisen from their slumber, but you can be sure Spurrier will pull out all the stops to bring South Carolina it's first SEC East title. Certainly we all love Steve, but this is one game where I wouldn't mind seeing the Spurrier visor flying early and often.

Go Gators,

Courtney

Friday, November 5, 2010

Vandy Game at Spitfire Only

Howdy Gators:

We have been advised that due to the early starting time for the Vanderbilt game, there will be no viewing of the game at Sidelines. We will be viewing the game tomorrow, 11/6/10 at Spitfire only.

Go Gators,

Neil

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Florida Gators vs Vanderbilt Commodores

Florida Gators vs Vanderbilt Commodores
Saturday 9:20 AM PST

Howdy Gators:

Yawner of a game last week, huh? I figured the Gators would emerge victorious over the Bulldogs when they were up ahead 21-7 at the half, so I flipped over to Masterpiece Theater on PBS. I hear there was an interesting ending, something involving a kick (a punt perhaps?) but I will just assume that Florida won 21-7, given that was the halftime score....

Very gratifying! I actually can't recall being so into a game or so giddy about a win, ugly as it was at times. For some reason, it was more satisfying than any of the Orange and Blue blowouts of the previous season. Being mediocre is quite liberating!

We all know we control our own destiny, but let's not flub up in Nashville. We have a date with the Ol Ball Coach down in Gainesville....

Go Gators,

Courtney

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Florida Gators vs Georgia Bulldogs

Florida Gators vs Georgia Bulldogs
Saturday 12:30 PST

Howdy Gators:

Well, we have had a week off to lick our wounds and reflect on what has happened to our beloved Gators during this horribly lame 2010 season. Sure we all expected a dropoff this year after the departure of Tebow and company, but I don't think anyone anticipated such a dramatic decline. Losing back to back games at home and three in a row in the SEC is something most of us simply can't recall. I won't belabor the point, but we all know the abysmal Offense is largely to blame, and if things don't change soon in Gator Country we are going to have to resign ourselves to the fate of the Michigan Wolverines, a once perennial power that fell off the cliff and has yet to recover.

This weekend we face the surging Georgia Bulldogs, who have scored 40+ points in their last three contests. It's going to take a lot more than a bunch of uninspired dive plays and bubble-screens to beat these guys, so let's hope the Gator's Offensive (perhaps the lower-care "offensive' is more apropos) "braintrust" has been staying up late trying to conjure up some magic.

As dismal as it's seemed, however, Florida still controls its own future, so if we can somehow miraculously win our remaining conference games, we can still make an appearance in the SEC Championship game. If not, we could be playing in the highly coveted Beef O' Brady or Meineke Car Care Bowl. Alas, let's hope this is not our destiny!

Go Gators,

Courtney

Editor's Note: Opinions expressed herein by our intrepid football analyst are not necessarily the opinions of the Seattle Gator Club :-).

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Reminder: Karaoke Night

Karaoke Night
Thursday, Oct. 21 at 8:30pm
Bush Gardens, 614 Maynard Ave S Seattle, Wa 98104

Happy hour begins at 8:45pm and the singing begins at 9:30pm

This week, come join us at Bush Gardens in the International District for some free apps and a sing-a-long to raise our spirits. Happy hour begins at 8:45pm and the singing begins at 9:30pm. To RSVP or for more information, contact your official Karaoke hosts, Jenn and Kathryne for more information.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

#22 Florida Gators vs Mississippi State Bulldogs

#22 Florida Gators vs Mississippi State Bulldogs
Saturday 4:00 PST


Howdy Gators:

Is anyone else still feeling the sting from last Saturday’s loss to the incredibly lucky Les Miles? The defeat is sticking with me like a bad toothache! Novacaine, please! Florida played a horrible game, so I won’t bother recounting the excruciating details of the contest, except to say that our Offense seems to be regressing even further as the season marches on. Call it poor execution or atrocious coaching, but 54 first-half yards in front of a raucous home-field crowd is simply unacceptable. Something clearly has to change. However, given the seeming unwillingness to alter our game plan and take advantage of all our weapons, I am not optimistic for a revival of our historically high-scoring and entertaining Offense. If you can stomach it (not sure I can…), come on out and watch the Gators face the Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-1) this weekend. I really can’t muster up much enthusiasm for this team, so the best I can say is let’s ­­hope we win. Certainly we will need to score some points given that we will be facing a real Offensive Coordinator in Dan Mullen, who formerly walked the sidelines for the Orange and Blue during our recent years of glory (ah, those were the days….).

Go Gators,
Courtney

Editor's Note: Opinions expressed herein by our intrepid football analyst are not necessarily the opinions of the Seattle Gator Club :-).

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

#12 Florida Gators vs #9 LSU Tigers

#12 Florida Gators vs # 9 LSU Tigers
Saturday 4:30 PM PST

Howdy Gators:

Courtney is taking the week off. He's trying to get over our loss last week to Alabama. He took it pretty hard like most of us.

This week, the Gators are looking to their senior leadership to get them on the winning track. Since I'm a Senior Gator, I'm going to try and put the Alabama loss in perspective. This loss doesn't even rate in the Top 10 of all losses. How about when our quarterback threw the ball out of bounds on 4th and long to stop the clock in the waning moments of the Mississippi State game with the Gators behind less than a touchdown? What about the time they decided to switch the offensive and defensive coaches before the Georgia game? The result was a 35-0 first quarter score and one of the worst losses ever to the Dawgs. These losses don't even compare to the Alabama loss. We'll have another chance to beat Alabama again in a couple of months.

Last year at this time, we were wondering if Tim Tebow would be able to play in the LSU game after sustaining a concussion in the Kentucky game. Brantley is banged up but should play in this game on Saturday. He had a tough game last week and is looking to redeem himself to the Gator Nation. He'll have a lot of his teammates trying to do the same. I think the defense can contain LSU and make it a long day for their quarterbacks. I have a good feeling that the offense will shine in the Swamp this Saturday. Everything is going to come together offensively, center snaps, Oline, running backs, receivers and Brantley and Burton will be unstoppable. This game will be reminiscent of the days of the Old Ball Coach. Bring lots of Touchdown Dollars, I have a strong feeling that this game is going to be a blow out.

We were advised by Spitfire that we will not have the backroom this week. They booked a private party for 6:00 PM which will interfere with our viewing of the game. We'll be watching the game on the South side of the bar. Spitfire will be providing free appetizers since we won't be able to watch the game in the backroom. Kelly and company are looking forward to seeing you at Spitfire. We'll also be viewing the game at our Eastside location, Sidelines. There won't be a UFC fight on Saturday night, so come on over to Sidelines to view the game. Rose Marie and Cathy will be your hosts for the game. And don't forget to bring lots of Touchdown Dollars, you're going to need them. Go Gators!

Neil

Karaoke Night at Bush Gardens

**Unleash your inner superstar with the Seattle Gator Club**

Karaoke Night
Thursday, Oct. 21 at 8:30pm
Bush Gardens, 614 Maynard Ave S Seattle, Wa 98104
Happy hour begins at 8:45pm and the singing begins at 9:30pm

Our boys in Orange and Blue may have the week off but let's keep the party going with a Karaoke meet up!! Come join us at Bush Gardens in the International District for some free apps and a sing-a-long. Happy hour begins at 8:45pm and the singing begins at 9:30pm. To RSVP or for more information, contact your official Karaoke hosts, Jenn and Kathryne for more information.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

#7 Florida Gators vs #1 Alabama Crimson Tide

#7 Florida Gators vs #1 Alabama Crimson Tide
Saturday 5:00 PST

Howdy Gators:


This is going to be a short mail, as I am quite busy at the moment with non-Gator-related activities (yes, I know, where are my priorities?!). Suffice to say the brevity of this mail doesn't match the magnitude of this weekend's contest in Tuscaloosa.

Revenge will be on the minds of the Orange and Blue this Saturday as they take the field against the Crimson Tide, the team that ousted Florida from the SEC and National throne last season. If we can somehow muster an offensive performance like last week's (can we count on Trey Burton for another six TDs?) and emerge victorious over the Tide, there may be no stopping the 2010 Gators; however, if we regress to the level of the first three games, it could be a long and dreary evening in Sweet Home Alabama.

But let's keep things in perspective - win or lose, both teams are still in control of their own destinies and very likely could end up facing each other in Atlanta again for the SEC crown.

Go Gators,
Courtney

Thursday, September 23, 2010

#9 Florida Gators vs Kentucky Wildcats

#9 Florida Gators vs Kentucky Wildcats
Saturday 4:00 PST (see below for viewing locations)

Howdy Gators:

Well another week and another nail-biting contest for our strangely sputtering Gators. Not to dismiss a win in Knoxville, which is never an easy task, but we obviously still don't seem to be clicking on Offense. To paraphrase an article I read recently, one week is an aberration, two weeks is a worrisome pattern, but after three weeks of mistake-filled, uninspiring football, quite possibly it is what it is. Perhaps it's youth, perhaps it's the excruciatingly conservative scheme of the not-so-creative Steve Adazzio, but I think we all realize that something is not quite right for a Florida offense that has historically dazzled and entertained.

OK, now that I have that off my chest, I think we can celebrate the fact that we beat the lowly Vols for the sixth straight time and still remain undefeated. But it wasn't easy! Were it not for an extremely gutsy fake-punt call (which I only actually saw on replay after temporarily turning away in disgust on what appeared to be a three-and-out by the Gators), we might have limped out of Neyland Stadium with a crushing "L." Hats off to Urban for realizing that the momentum had shifted and that the Orange and Blue needed to snatch it back or else fall prey to a clearly less talented UT team. And kudos to John Brantley for playing relatively mistake-free football (no thanks to the pitifully inept Mike Pouncey) and making some big third-down conversions. Hopefully Adazzio will realize he has a passing talent under his tutelage and open up the offense a bit more (Note to Steve: Tebow graduated. Move on!). And finally, large props again to our Defense. Despite a couple missteps by our secondary, the Gator D once again came up big, forcing some crucial turnovers and holding the Vols offensive attack largely in check.
Come on out this Saturday and watch Florida face off against the Kentucky Wildcats in Gainesville. While this contest has been lopsided for the past 25 years (UK hasn't won since 1986), Kentucky is looking strong thus far under offensively-minded first year coach Joker Philips, so the Gators will need to put some points on the board to emerge with a victory. I am looking at you Adazzio - open up the offense and use all your weapons, daggummit!

Go Gators,
Courtney

Eastside Viewing
Sideline Sports Bar
3720 Factoria Blvd SE Ste F
Bellevue, WA 98006
(425) 644-2781

Westside Viewing
Spitfire
2219 4th Ave
Seattle, WA 98121 (Belltown)
(206) 441-7966

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Florida Gators vs Tennessee Volunteers Tide; 12:30 PST (East and West-side Viewing Locations)

#10 Florida Gators vs Tennessee Volunteers
Saturday 12:30 PST (see below for viewing locations)

Howdy Gators,

After a sluggish start last week against South Florida, it appeared that the Gators lousy outing against Miami of Ohio might not be an aberration. However, something obviously clicked at the end of the second quarter, and the Gators turned on the jets for the remainder of the contest, scoring 31 second-half points largely on the heels of Jeff Demps (Percy Lite?) and our other diminutive speedsters. There was hardly a snap mishap this time around, and the offensive line appeared to gel late in the game, opening up huge holes for our swift backs and giving Brantley ample protection. The Defense also came up strong again with four interceptions and a fumble recovery, albeit they gave up quite a few rushing yards to the talented USF quarterback. Despite the big win the Gators fell another two spots to #10 this week, as the nation’s sportswriters seem unconvinced that the 2010 Florida team has overcome the early season jitters and is now firing on all cylinders.

This week Florida heads to Good Ol' Rocky Top to face their perennial foe, the Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols looked sharp against the Oregon Ducks in the first half last week, but were blown out before a raucous home-crowd in the second. From the looks of things, Tennessee has a tough time defending the run, so expect the Gators to go at them with a healthy dose of Demps, Gillislee (love this guy thus far!) and Moody. But the young Gators will need to be on guard, as it’s never easy to play in front of 110,000 rowdy fans in Knoxville (the one plus is that it's not a night game). Additionally, the Gators will not be fueled this time around by their desire to beat the oh-so-obnoxious Lane Kiffin, who abandoned the Vols after an infamous one-year stint at the helm of Tennessee.

Come on out this weekend and watch the Orange and Blue take the field against the Vols. As mentioned last week, we will now be showing the games on both the West and Eastside. Hopefully we will see the Gators celebrating early and often in the checkerboard endzones of Neyland Stadium!

Go Gators,

Courtney

Eastside Viewing
Sideline Sports Bar
3720 Factoria Blvd SE Ste F Bellevue, WA 98006
(425) 644-2781

Westside Viewing
Spitfire 2219 4th Ave
Seattle, WA 98121 (Belltown)
(206) 441-7966

Reminder - Sidelines Opens Saturday 9/18 - Vols Game

Gators vs The Vols
Spitfire & Sidelines Sports Bar
Saturday, September 18, 2010 - 12:30 PM


Eastside Gators,

Just a reminder that we will be opening our Eastside viewing location this Saturday, September 18 at 12:30 PM. Sidelines has updated their televisions to HD and made other changes to improve your viewing experience. Marianne, Rose Marie, Cathy and Paul have volunteered to be your hosts. We are still in need of a few more volunteers to help run the Eastside Swamp. If you are interested in helping out, please feel free to contact us.

In case you forgot, Sidelines is located at Loehman's Plaza in Factoria. The address for Sidelines is:

3720 Factoria SE
Bellevue, WA

I look forward to seeing everyone again at Sidelines*,

Go Gators!
Neil Hang
President, Seattle Gator Club

* - our Westside location at Spitfire will also be open as usual

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Gators v Vols Sep 18 12:30PM

Quick Update

Our first week at Sidelines and Spitfire.
We'll be doing our first drawing of the year at Spitfire and if you want to keep Sidelines as a viewing venue, volunteer to help out and show up in numbers!

GO GATORS!

Sidelines
3720F Factoria Blvd. (Loehmann's Plaza)
Bellevue, WA
425 644 2781

Spitfire
2219 4th Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
206 441-7966

Thursday, September 9, 2010

#8 Gators vs South Florida Bulls

#8 Gators vs South Florida Bulls
Saturday 9:00 am PST
Spitfire 2219 4th Ave (Belltown)
(206) 441-7966

Howdy Gators:

Well that was an uninspiring outing by the Gators last week, huh? I watched the game on the flight back from New York (amazing that you can watch live college football 30,000 feet in the air!), and had to contain my cursing and pacing so as not to upset the other passengers and the FAA. Eight fumbles and 25 offensive yards through three quarters! Yikes, that’s atrocious! Had it not been for a few key interceptions by our Defense and some late-game scoring, Florida quite possibly could have opened the season with an epic thud. As it stands, they eked out a win over a supposedly inferior team in the Swamp and as a result have justifiably dropped to #8 in the polls.

Come on out this weekend and watch the Gators face the USF Bulls in game two of the 2010 season. Led by first year coach, Skip Holtz (son of Lou), the Bulls slaughtered their opening week opponent and are likely an athletically superior team to the Miami Redhawks. Certainly, if we play USF the way we played last week, the Gators will be looking a 1-1 record going into week three against Tennessee. Let’s hope that Mike Pouncey learned how to snap the ball during the off-week (word has it he and Brantley have ironed out the kinks) and that our offensive line starts to firm up with the return of a couple starters. Presumably, we can only improve from here…

Go Gators,

Courtney

Thursday, September 2, 2010

#4 Gators vs Miami of Ohio Redhawks

#4 Gators vs Miami of Ohio Redhawks

Saturday 9:00 am PST
Spitfire 2219 4th Ave (Belltown)
(206) 441-7966

Howdy Gators:I am writing this mail on the road from the excruciatingly humid home of the US Open, New York City. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to watch the first contest of the season, as I will be flying back to the Emerald City during the game (assuming Hurricane Earl doesn’t ground our flight…), but I will most definitely make a mad dash to the airport lounge once our flight lands to see the results of what I anticipate will be a lopsided affair. After a season of off-the-field drama in which Urban Meyer stepped down only to once again return to the helm a few days later, ala Billy Donovan, Florida kicks off the 2010 campaign with a squad that will be virtually unrecognizable to the Gator Faithful. Following the departure of our beloved quarterback and minor deity, Tim Tebow (aka Friar Tuck), the Florida Offense is sure to look very different from the teams of recent memory. Given the reported passing prowess of junior QB John Brantley, Meyer will most certainly make some major tweaks to the offensive scheme to take advantage of Brantley’s skill-set. Something tells me that this year’s team may resemble the pass-happy Spurrrier teams of old rather than the run-first offense of the past couple seasons. Dare we dub this team “the Fun 'n' Gun II?"

Florida also lost a great deal of talent on the defensive side of the ball to the NFL draft (the New England Patriots have been labelled the "Gators of the North"), but with the top recruiting class this past year, expect Florida to reload rather than rebuild. These baby Gators will have to grow up fast however, as Florida faces tough games on the road against Tennessee and Alabama over the next several weeks.

Come join us this Saturday as the Gators take on Miami of Ohio (hey, who said the Gators are afraid to put Miami on their schedule?) of the MAC conference at the Swamp. The Redhawks were a lowly 1-11 last year, so chalk this contest up as a much needed preseason game for our fresh-faced Florida squad. In the spirit of NYC, my home for the next few days, start spreading the news, the Gators are back!

Go Gators,
Courtney

CLUB NOTES:

We have a very cool, new Seattle Gator Club shirt this year. Bring your current UF Alumni Association membership card to receive a club discount. If you are not yet a member of UFAA or your membership has expired, please try and register this year. For every membership, the club receives $10, and if we have the most members for all the Gator Clubs in the country, we receive $500.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Reminder - Game Day Practice

Seattle Gator Club Game Day Practice - Spitfire (2219 4th Ave. Seattle) - Thursday, August 26, 2010 - 6:00 -10:00 PM

Reminder Gators,

The Seattle Gator Club Game Day practice is tomorrow, Thursday, August 26, 2010 at Spitfire from 6:00 - 10:00 PM. We'll be previewing a couple awesome things to come this season at Spitfire, namely $1 kamikaze shots (nostalgic for those of us who remember the Purple Porpoise) and our NEW Seattle Gator Club shirts, which turned out incredible! We have 10 people for sure so far; it would be great to see more of you. These sorts of events are a good way to get to know your fellow local Gators. Plus, the rain is supposed to be coming back tomorrow...perfect time to come out, watch a championship game and hang with good folks, right?I hope to see you on Thursday! Go Gators!

Kelly Gordon
Spitfire Swamp Master

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

SEC Gathering – Jillian’s Lake Union - Saturday – August 28, 2010 – 5:00 – 8:00 PM

Hello Seattle Gators!

You're invited to the 3rd annual SEC Gathering on Saturday, August 28th from 5:00 – 8:00 PM at Jillian’s on Lake Union. Their address is 731 Westlake Avenue North, Seattle. This is a fun event. Come on out and get to know your SEC and southern school counterparts. Let’s have a good showing of the Gator Nation at this event (we want to scare the heck out of them). I don't want to attend this event and be out numbered by Georgia fans so your attendance is mandatory. Be ready to give a good old Gator Cheer. There will also be a "Best Southern Accent" contest so practice your best Southern Drawl.

Go Gators!

Neil Hang
President, Seattle Gator Club

Monday, August 23, 2010

Game Day Practice - Thur. - 8/26/10 - Spitfire - 6-10 PM

Hey Seattle Gator Fans!

We're at that exciting time of the year again...football season is only a couple weeks away! Are you ready? Are you sure? I think a practice run is in order...

Come join us for a preseason warm-up this Thursday, August 26th from 6-10 PM at Spitfire. We'll be watching a National Championship (or two) in the back room. If we're lucky, we'll even get Jenny as our bartender. The club will be providing appetizers.

This is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with your fellow Gators, find out what's in store for this upcoming season and revel in some of our finer football moments. Suit up and come join us for practice on Thursday!

Go Gators!

Neil Hang for Kelly Gordon, Spitfire Swamp Master

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Seattle Gator Club Picnic - August 21, 2010 - Light House Park - Mukilteo

Seattle Gator Club 3rd Annual Picnic
Saturday, August 21, 2010 at Light House Park - Mukilteo
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM


You and your family are invited to attend the 3rd annual Seattle Gator Club Picnic on Saturday, August 21, 2010 at Light House Park in Mukilteo. This Gator Gathering is scheduled from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Light House Park is located on the water next to the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal. We have reserved the two covered pavilions for the picnic so weather should not be a problem. The park is very kid friendly with a great play area and beach access. Bring a kite to fly. The park has a boat ramp, volleyball net, grills and restrooms. Ivars restaurant and the Diamond Knot brewery are located just outside the park. For more information on Light House Park, you can refer to the City of Mukilteo web site, http://www.ci.mukilteo.wa.us/. The address for Light House Park is 609 Front Street Mukilteo, WA.

Directions to Light House Park

From Seattle South - Take I-5 North to exit 182, Mukilteo/525, follow 525 to the ferry and turn left at the last stop sign before getting on the ferry

From Bellevue - Follow I-405 North and continue on to Mukilteo when 405 turns into 525, follow 525 to the ferry and turn left at the last stop sign before getting on the ferry

From Everett North - Take I-5 South to the Boeing Freeway/526 (Mukilteo Ferry Exit), follow 526 until you come to 525, turn right on 525, follow 525 to the ferry and turn left at the last stop sign before getting on the ferry

From Whidbey Island - Take the Mukilteo ferry, when exiting the ferry, take the first right into the park

We will be providing hot dogs and hamburgers, cups, plates, utensils, etc. Please bring a dish to share and any beverages you and your family will need during the day. We will have drawings throughout the day for lots of Gator Gear. You can also be one of the first club members to purchase one of our *NEW DESIGN* Seattle Gator Club T-shirts (Hint: we have two fantastic designs). These shirts are still only $20.

If you plan to attend the picnic, please email me at neilhang@comcast.net with the number of adults and children in your party. This is an excellent opportunity for you to get to know your fellow Gators. I look forward to seeing you in Mukilteo on August 21, 2010.

Neil Hang
President, Seattle Gator Club

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Seattle Gator Club 2010 Viewing Locations

Hello Seattle Gators:

Football season is rapidly approaching. I’d like to update you on our viewing locations.

Spitfire (Downtown Seattle)

Kelly Gordon has agreed to run the Spitfire location in 2010. We both met with Spitfire management to discuss the upcoming football season. We asked them for drink specials, and they have agreed to provide us with a rotating “Gator Drink” each week, as well as $1 kamikazes to enjoy at halftime! They will reserve the backroom for our games and will provide us with overflow viewing immediately outside that room. It is because of YOU that Spitfire enjoys hosting our club. Thank you for being such great Gators and coming out to view the games during these last few years!

We will be viewing our first game at Spitfire only. They will open at 8:30 AM for the
9 AM game against Miami (OH). Arrive before kickoff to get a chance to win a prize by guessing the halftime score. We will also have our *NEW DESIGN* Seattle Gator Club T-shirts on sale for $20.

If anyone is interested in helping Kelly and other officers run this venue, please contact us.

Sidelines (Eastside)

Our first viewing location was Sidelines, and they have been good to us over the years. However, the demographics of our club are rapidly changing, and the majority of our members now live in the downtown Seattle area. There has been a decline in attendance on the eastside over the past few years. Toward the end of last season, we only had about 15 people show up for each game, whereas the attendance at Spitfire ranges from 30 to 150 people. We have discovered that it takes 4 people to properly run a viewing location, and we presently have only enough volunteers to adequately staff one location. The board has therefore voted to concentrate on our Spitfire location. If we cannot find at least 4 volunteers for Sidelines, including one who will host, we regret to inform you that there will be no eastside viewing location this fall.

If you are interested in volunteering to host or help out at Sidelines, please contact us. If we cannot find adequate volunteers by August 21, we will close our Eastside viewing location, and Spitfire will be our only viewing location in 2010.

We look forward to seeing everyone on September 4th at Spitfire for our first game.

Go Gators!

Neil Hang

President, Seattle Gator Club

Monday, July 26, 2010

Seattle Gator Club July 2010 Newsletter

Hello Seattle Gators,

I wanted to update you on what the Seattle Gator Club has been doing since our last game. I apologize if this newsletter is a little long this time but we have been very busy getting ready for the upcoming season and planning events.

Since our last SEC game, we have hosted the Sugar Bowl Game, 2nd Annual Skate and Bowl Night, Ski and Snowboard Day, International Gator Day and Lady Gator Night Out. Rich Rayos and I attended the January leadership weekend in Gainesville. We received a bronze (3rd place) metal for most improved Gator club. In June, Rich and I attended the Region 8 Leadership meeting in Austin, Texas hosted by the Lone Star Gator Club. We enjoyed meeting all of the Gators who attended and were able learn a lot from these meetings.

President-Elect, Treasurer Elect, New Board Members and Volunteers Needed

Rich Rayos and I have been your Treasurer and President for the last 5 years. The new UF Alumni Association rules governing club officers now have term limits of two years for officers. While Rich and I have very much enjoyed representing the Seattle Gator Club, it’s time to bring new blood into the club. If you are interested in being the President or Treasurer, please feel free to contact me, Rich Rayos or one of our board members. These positions are great learning experiences, give you a chance to give back to the Gator Nation and would look good on anyone’s resume.

We are looking for new Gators to join our team for the coming year. We have lots of events and projects during the year that can use the skills you acquired in Gainesville and in the work place. You’ll find we offer a great atmosphere to bring up new ideas and events. We have a need for people to manage our Eastside viewing location, plan and host events, write announcements to the club, develop a club video and help improve our club. If you are interested in helping out or being a board member, please feel free to contact me or one of our board members.

Our board meetings are held every 3rd Thursday of the month from 7:30 to 8:30 PM at Buckley’s in Belltown. Their address is 2331 2nd Ave., Seattle. Our next board meeting is August 19, 2010. Please let me know if you plan to attend a board meeting.

3rd Annual Picnic – August 21, 2010 – Light House Park – Mukilteo – 11:00 to 4:00

The picnic this year is scheduled for Saturday, August 21, 2010 at Light House Park in Mukilteo. Light House Park is located on the water next to the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal. We have reserved the two covered pavilions for the picnic so weather should not be a problem. The park is very kid friendly with a great play area and beach access. Bring a kite to fly. The park has a boat ramp, volleyball net, grills and restrooms. Ivar’s restaurant and the Diamond Knot brewery are located just outside the park. For more information on Light House Park, you can refer to the City of Mukilteo web site, http://www.ci.mukilteo.wa.us/. The address of the park is 609 Front Street, Mukilteo. If you can find your way to the Mukilteo ferry, you can find your way to the park. Turn left into the park at the last stop sign before getting on the ferry.

We will be providing hot dogs and hamburgers. Please bring a dish to share and any beverages you and your family will need during the day. We’ll also be drawing for lots of Gator Gear. We’ll be previewing our *NEW DESIGN* Seattle Gator Club T-shirts at the picnic. Be one of the first club members to purchase one of these new shirts. Shirts are still just $20 each.

Pre-Season Warm Up – Spitfire – Thursday - August 26, 2010 – 6:00 – 10:00 PM

We’ll be holding a Pre-Season viewing of the National Championship Games at Spitfire on Thursday, August 26, 2010 from 6:00 – 10:00 PM. We are officially kicking off the football season with this meeting. Come see our new Seattle Gator Club T-shirts. You’ll want to have one of these. They are awesome and come in two *NEW DESIGNS*. Are you ready for some Gator Football?

SEC Gathering – Jillian’s - Saturday – August 28, 2010 – 5:00 – 8:00 PM

The 3rd annual SEC Gathering is scheduled for August 28 from 5:00 – 8:00 PM at Jillian’s on Lake Union. Their address is 731 Westlake Avenue North, Seattle. This is a fun event. Come and get to know your SEC and southern school counterparts. Let’s have a good showing of the Gator Nation at this event (we want to scare the heck out of them). Please let me know if you plan on attending by emailing me at neilhang@comcast.net.

First Game – Miami (OH) - Spitfire Viewing Only – Sept. 4 – 9:00 AM

Come view our first game with us at Spitfire on September 4, 2010. The game starts at 9:00 AM. Spitfire will be opening at 8:30 AM for this game. Arrive early and get a chance to win a prize by guessing the halftime score. Spitfire will be having specials for us this year and has agreed to reserve the backroom for each of our games. It’s because of YOU that Spitfire enjoys hosting our club.

It won’t be long before you will be receiving Courtney’ game day announcements and they’ll be saying “Here Come the Gators!” at the Swamp.

We look forward to seeing you at one of our events this year.

Go Gators!

Neil Hang
President, Seattle Gator Club

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Gator Club Board Meetings

If you would like to get involved in the Seattle Gator Club, we're always looking for people interested in participating on our board. If you think you might be interested or would like to learn more, feel free to join us at any of the following meeting times:

Place: Buckley's Belltown
Time: 7:30-8:30
Dates:
  • May 20, 2010
  • June 17, 2010
  • July 15, 2010
  • August 19, 2010
  • September 16, 2010

Friday, April 9, 2010

MS Walk Seattle April 11, 2010

From Ryan......

It's Game Time! This email has all the logistics that you will need to know (hopefully). If you know someone who isn't registered on the team, please feel free to forward.

I hopefully covered all the important info here. To make sure you are there for team awards I would park around 8:30AM so you are in the stadium by 9. Above and beyond all, Sunday is about having fun! The hard work is over and this is a celebration. A celebration of what we, together as a team, have done to help everyone that lives a life fighting Multiple Sclerosis. It's been an incredible and humbling journey and I am glad I have been able to take it with all of you. So without further ado, here are the things you need to know:

WHERE: Husky Stadium (not Qwest Field :)) - We have two tents -- http://www.blitztacklesms.com/TeamTentsSeattle.pdf, we are tent #24 and #25

WHEN: 8:30am -12:30pm
Some very important times:

8:30 - Hanging out at Team Blitz, gettting your t-shirt, general shenanigans - if you want to come earlier, feel free, I will of course be there super early

9:00 - Event kicks off and Team Awards - I'm guessing we might win a few so will be good to be there

9:25 - Blitz magically appears

9:30 - I will be on stage doing the countdown and kicking off the walk

9:31 - DON'T start walking. Meet at the Team Blitz tent. We will take our big group picture as soon

9:45 - Team Blitz begins walking together

Walk will take varying amount of time

11:30 (or whenever you return to Husky stadium) - Hang out at Team Blitz tent and enjoy some food as a team

12:15 - I give a big group speech at Team Blitz tent (this may happen multiple times throughout the day)

12:30 - Silent Auction ends and second Team Photo taken for those that stick around


WHAT TO WEAR: Your party attire no matter what it is, as long as the t-shirt component is a Team Blitz t-shirt. If you one from the pub crawl, wear it. If not, t-shirts will be available at the Team Blitz tent. I would like to make sure everyone on the team gets a shirt, to cover the costs of the t-shirts, a suggested donation of $10 is appreciated for each shirt. All profits will be donated.

Remember, the Team Blitz t-shirt is how you will be identified as part of the team!

WHAT TO BRING: Anything you want, except for pets. Also your favorite Blitz/Seahawks themed chicken wing sauce for dipping suace competition (see directly below)

WHY ARE WE SPECIAL: As if you really needed to ask. Fine, I'll tell you what makes us special and different!

Chicken Wing Sauce Competition: A few awesome team members have decided to donate and cook chicken wings for us! (thank your chefs) So how does the competition work? The chicken wings will be cooked for us and anyone who feels inclined can bring a chicken wing sauce for people to try. The only rule is, it has to be Blitz/Seahawks themed. We'll be trying them all at the end of the Walk!

2 Masseuses and a Chiropractor - Enjoy them, they are there for us, free of charge

Silent Auction with autographed NFL memorabilia - some really great stuff to win

Team Blitz t-shirts, the coolest looking t-shirts in the land, will be available

We have already raised over $40,000 and have over 200 Team Members for a First Year Team!!!

Parking: http://www.blitztacklesms.com/SEA_Walk_parking.pdf

Loading and Unloading: For anyone bringing something big to the event, like tailgating equipment, you can drive trucks onto the statium track starting at 6:30. All trucks must be off the track by 7:15. Trucks can re-enter around 12:30 or possibly closer to 1.

Volunteers: I'm sure we could use a few people to come early and stay late to help us get organized and clean up. Please feel free :)

Thank yo all, I can't wait to see you on Sunday!

Ryan