Florida Gators vs Alabama Crimson Tide

Florida Gators vs Alabama Crimson Tide
Saturday 5:00 PT

Calling All Gators: One of the biggest games of the season is being played 3,000 miles away, but never fear, we’ve got you covered with tons of Gator spirit at our Puget Sound Swamps

Eastside Viewing-Kid Friendly
Ixtapa 22350 NE Marketplace Drive Redmond WA, 98053 (425) 868-8283

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

Howdy Gators,

It’s a big one this week, and one can safely assume the atmosphere at Ben Hill will be raucous, and that the libation-fueled fans will have a massive influence on this game. Whether on the field, in the stadium or at the Gator Clubs (both East and Westside locationsJ), the Orange Blue Nation needs to show up for this one! Let’s show Alabama that not only will our team show up for this games, but so do our fans!

Last week we saw another game against Kentucky and, dare I say, another predictable win. Thankfully, this one was never really a contest, as the Gators held a hefty lead over the lowly Cats by the end of the first quarter. Once again, the running attack was unstoppable, rallying up 262 yards and demonstrating that it’s almost undoubtedly the speediest backfield in the NCAA. Quite honestly, I don’t know how you defend against Rainey, Demps, et al, and I am sure the rest of the SEC defensive coordinators don’t have a clear idea either.

Certainly the Gators have looked very impressive in the early stages of the Muschamp regime, but we all know the games leading up to this weekend have been mere primers. Quite nice to be 2-0 in the SEC East, but now we have to face perhaps the best team from the seemingly stronger West division. I must admit I was skeptical about Alabama in the early stages of their game against Arkansas last weekend (their QB seems a bit, oh well, Brantley-like), but my doubts were quickly diffused when I saw the speed of their defense and the power of Trent Richardson. Surely they must be fallible in some respect, but no other team has yet to reveal any shortcomings.

And that’s where the Gators come in! We will have to play a nearly flawless game to beat The Tide, but our backs may be just too fast, even for the swift defense of Alabama, to stop from turning the corner and breaking a big one. And of course our Defense is nothing to sneeze at either. They continue to dominate in all phases (dumb penalties being the exception) and should be extremely amped for the night game in Gainesville.

Go Gators,

Courtney

Florida Gators vs Kentucky Wildcats

Florida Gators vs Kentucky Wildcats
Saturday 4:00 PDT

Locations:

Eastside Viewing
· Ixtapa 22350 NE Marketplace Drive Redmond WA, 98053 (425) 868-8283
· Due to construction, the bottom of Novelty Hill is closed...alternate directions below

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

Happy Autumn Gators:

Well it certainly wasn’t the prettiest of victories against the Vols last weekend, but a win over Tennessee is always satisfying! Had it not been for the innumerable pass interference penalties (were there really five?!!) and dropped INTs, this one very well could have been an epic blowout. But you can’t always have perfection, and this was certainly a great early season win for the Orange and Blue.

Not that we should ding the Gators too much for what seemed like a nail-biter contest (at least to me). While the Defense did make several mistakes, their play against the UT running “attack” was absolutely outstanding. Holding Tennessee to a mere -9 yards on the ground, The Florida D turned in its third stellar performance of the season, and now stands atop the NCAA in run defense.

On the offensive side of the ball, what more can you say about Chris Rainey’s play thus far? He is quite simply electric and a threat to take it all the way whenever he touches the ball. With a total of 233 all-purpose yards against the Vols, including a scintillating 83 yard scamper (yes, the three yard toss from Brantley counted as an 83 yard TD pass), Rainey is undoubtedly putting himself in the Heisman discussion (I can only hope I didn’t just jinx him with this proclamation….) For his brilliant effort last Saturday, Rainey was awarded the SEC Co-Player of the Week, and one can only assume there are more accolades to come.

This weekend the #15 Gators face off against the 2-1 Wildcats for a night game in Lexington. True, Florida has beaten the UK Felines 24 straight times, and likely will win again the way our Defense is playing; however, lest we forget about the time we needed a miracle throw from Wuerffel to Doering, we should never take an SEC opponent lightly when playing on the road. Let’s hope the Offense shows some improvement in the red-zone this Saturday, and that we clean up the penalties on Defense. While a win against Kentucky would indeed be sweet, we also need to iron out some kinks, because we have much bigger fish to fry when we face Bama the following week under the lights in Hogtown.

Go Gators,
Courtney

Alternate Directions to Ixtapa

From Bellevue:
Take 520 to the end and the first right (traffic Light) onto Union Hill Road. Follow Union Hill to 208th (traffic light at top of hill) and take a left, take a right onto Novelty Hill and then a right at Marketplace (no light but first right after the first traffic light you drive through on Novelty Hill).

From Kirkland:
Take 124th (Totem Lake) all the way to Avondale, take a left on Avondale and then an immediate right onto 132nd, take a right on 133rd (just past fire station), take 133rd through Trilogy (it turns into Trilogy Parkway), take a right on Novelty Hill (at entrance to Trilogy), take a left into Marketplace (just after light at Redmond Ridge Road).

From Woodinville:
Take Woodinville-Duvall Road to Avondale, take a right on Avondale and a left onto 132nd, take a right on 133rd (just past fire station), take 133rd through Trilogy (it turns into Trilogy Parkway), take a right on Novelty Hill (at entrance to Trilogy), take a left into Marketplace (just after light at Redmond Ridge Road).

From Samammish:
Take Remond Fall City Road to 236th (Albertsons on the corner) and head north on 236th which turns into 238th (stay straight at the stop sign at top of hill) turns into Redmond Ridge Road. Take a left on Novelty Hill and an immediate left into Marketplace

Florida Gators vs Tennessee Volunteers

Florida Gators vs Tennessee Volunteers
Saturday 12:30 PDT

Locations:

Eastside Viewing
Ixtapa 22350 NE Marketplace Drive Redmond WA, 98053 (425) 868-8283

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

Drawing for Will Muschamp Gator Signed Football (winner will be announced at Florida-Georgia Game)
Only 100 Tickets to be sold. $5 each

For the first time ever we will be doing a joint viewing party with both locations via Skype, plus potentially other Gator Clubs across the country. Come enjoy the experience.

Howdy Gators:
For the second week in a row the Orange and Blue trounced a clearly unworthy opponent in their tune-up for the conference season. Yes, it was a lopsided affair, but still a very entertaining game to watch, and a conspicuous indicator that we have improved upon the early goings of last year. While the Offense was not as wide open as expected (one can only assume we are hiding all our cards to keep our SEC foes in the dark…), the Gators still managed to put on an impressive display, registering over 500 yards. Chris Rainey and his backfield crew are playing like men possessed, and it looks as if the running game will be a focal point of the Florida attack this season. But of course, there's always room for improvement - failing to convert on some early scoring opportunities, the Gators must become more efficient in the red-zone. Field goals may work against the minor league teams, but they will become a real issue against the likes of LSU and The Tide.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Gators continue to look dominant, particularly at the DL position. Holding UAB to a whopping zero points, the Defense once again played with great spirit and athleticism. And to think that Sharrif Floyd, who is presumably quite irate and amped after his unwarranted suspension, will return to the lineup, we should expect another heavy dose of Booyah! at Ben Hill Griffin this weekend.

Come join us this Saturday and watch the #16 Gators square off against Tennessee. Despite the Vols recent downward trend, the annual game against UT has always been a special one. From the days of Heath Shuler, to Peyton Manning, to Tee Martin, the third game of the season has typically been an exciting matchup. Notching over 40 points in their first two games, Tennessee looks to be stronger this season than in years past and seems to have another talented quarterback in their ranks. Charlie Weis (who is apparently moonlighting in Quantico for the FBI?), will need to dial up an equally potent attack to keep pace with the boys from Good Ol’ Rocky Top and ensure an opening win in the SEC East. As, always it should be an interesting
contest.

Go Gators,
Courtney

Florida Gators vs UAB Blazers

Florida Gators vs UAB Blazers
Saturday 4:00 PT

Eastside Viewing
Ixtapa 22350 NE Marketplace Drive Redmond WA, 98053 (425) 868-8283
The game will be streamed via computer from ESPN3.com.
Come share in the excitement with fellow Gators and meet the new Club President.

Downtown Viewing
Spitfire 2219 4th Ave Seattle, WA 98121 (Belltown) (206) 441-7966
We'll be on the North Deck up front, but will return to our usual back room for Tennessee
Ezell's chicken, as well as southern side dishes and desserts, will be served!

Howdy Gators:

Well certainly the first contest of the 2011 campaign was a far more satisfying experience than last year's opener against Miami of Ohio! I vividly recall watching that game live on a flight back from NYC, and yearning for an ejector seat to shield me from the near debacle. But that was then, and this is now (to quote coming-of-age author S.E. Hinton), and I think we all have reason to be optimistic about the new-look Gator squad! While I didn't get to actually see the game against FAU, just reading the recap was more entertaining than watching the often unimaginative offensive system under Steve Addazio. From what I can gather, Florida definitely seems to have regained some of their offensive swagger, sans the incessant dive play up the middle. The ultra-speedy tandem of Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey appear unstoppable, and John Brantley seems to have found a greater comfort zone in the revamped, pro-style scheme. Of course, one game does not make a season, but it seems that we will have a more dynamic offense with Charlie Weis managing the helm and using the entire Gators arsenal. On the defensive side of the ball, it looks like there's a pronounced spike in overall energy and enthusiasm, which is not surprising given Will Muschamp's credentials as a defensive guru. Once again, a single impressive performance doth not make a season, but some writers speculate that this year's defensive front may be the most dominant we have had in years. This weekend the #18 Gators return to Florida Field to face off against the University of Alabama Blazers - so named because of their penchant for stylish, double-breasted jackets (OK, that might not be entirely accurate....) For UAB, this will be the opening game of the season, and presumably they won't fair very well in the raucous environs of TheSwamp, particularly given the nighttime kickoff. Let's hope Florida continues to exhibit the exuberance of last week, and uses this game as an opportunity to accentuate the positives and improve upon some of the facets of their game where they fell a tad short (the two interceptions and the seemingly inevitable muffed snap come to mind). Come on out this Saturday and watch the Gators deliver another spirited performance and gear up for their upcoming battle against the dreaded (or perhaps dreadful?) Tennessee Volunteers. Yes, once again, it's very early in the season, but based on the somewhat lackluster performances by some of our SEC brethren last weekend (I'm looking at you Georgia, Auburn and South Carolina), perhaps it's not too bold to conclude that Florida could be something of a force in the conference this year.

Go Gators, Courtney

September Events

EVENTS THIS MONTH:

September 11: Annual Alumni Picnic

Join us for some fun in the sun at the beautiful Golden Gardens Beach and Park in Ballard for the Seattle Gator Club Annual Picnic

• Games for the whole family-water balloon toss, horse shoes, three-legged race and more!
• Hot dogs, hamburgers and veggie burgers grilled up by our very own grill master
• Access to the beach and lush forest trails
• Gator temporary tattoos for the kids and adults

We’ll be providing some side dishes and non-alcoholic beverages, but please feel free to bring your favorite picnic dish to share and any other beverages you would like.

Golden Gardens Park
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=243
8498 Seaview Pl NW
Seattle

September 15: September Happy Hour and Networking Event

Join us for the first Happy Hour and Networking event of the football season at The Lookout in Capital Hill. We’ll be gathering at 6:00pm and happy hour runs from 4-7pm. The Lookout is a great place to enjoy the September weather with an outdoor patio with a view of South Lake Union, Queen Anne, and Puget Sound.

The Lookout
Capitol Hill
757 Bellevue Ave E
Seattle, WA 98102

Football
We kicked off the season with a win against FAU. Join us the rest of the season at our two locations:

Eastside:
Ixtapa
22350 NE Marketplace Dr. #106 Redmond, WA 98053
Kid-friendly venue!

Seattle
Spitfire
2219 4th Ave, Seattle, WA
Under new management!

September Football Games:
• Sept. 10 – Game v. UAB, 4:00pm PDT, Showing at Spitfire location only
• Sept. 17 – Game v. Tennessee, 12:30 p.m., Showing at Spitfire and Ixtapa on the Eastside
• Sept. 24 — Game v. Kentucky, TBA

What we’ve been up to lately
The Gators represented well at the SEC Alumni Event. It was a great time to chat with our fellow SEC football fanatics and brag on the Gators. See pictures here.

Seattle Gator Club was featured in the Gainesville Sun for our get-well t-shirt and gifts to Danny Wuerffel.

Interested in getting involved with the Seattle Gator Club? We are always looking for interested Gator Alumni who love to be involved behind the scenes here at the Seattle Gator Club. Feel free to contact us anytime.