Tucker

Woke up to the news that Bob Tucker has died. Given his inability to travel any more and his frail health, it's hard to feel sorry for him that he's gone, but it's tough for those of us who are left.

I got to know Tucker when I lived in Atlanta in the late '70s and attended Southern and Midwestern conventions. He was already an iconic figure. Even after I left the area, I tried to get back for DeepSouthCons, where I frequently saw him holding court in various room parties and con suites. My favorite interaction with him was in 1998, when I was flying from California to DeepSouthCon in Birmingham, where Tucker was a special guest. ( Typical Tucker )

My sympathies to those who knew him better and are mourning his loss even more.

Tucker

Woke up to the news that Bob Tucker has died. Given his inability to travel any more and his frail health, it's hard to feel sorry for him that he's gone, but it's tough for those of us who are left.

I got to know Tucker when I lived in Atlanta in the late '70s and attended Southern and Midwestern conventions. He was already an iconic figure. Even after I left the area, I tried to get back for DeepSouthCons, where I frequently saw him holding court in various room parties and con suites. My favorite interaction with him was in 1998, when I was flying from California to DeepSouthCon in Birmingham, where Tucker was a special guest. ( Typical Tucker )

My sympathies to those who knew him better and are mourning his loss even more.

Florida Wins Another One

For the first time since its only national championship season a decade ago, my alma mater, the University of Florida, is 6-0, having defeated the #9 team in the country by a score of 23 - 10 in probably one of the toughest scheduled games ever for Homecoming.

For once, my live-in snore machine came in handy and I abandoned my nice, warm bed to listen to the live audio feed of the game, which started locally at 5:30 a.m. The UF defense was amazing and we benefited from several LSU turnovers, especially one just before the half when with second and goal at Florida’s one-yard line, UF recovered a fumble that ended the threat of a possible go-ahead Tiger score. We lucked out again at the start of the next half when LSU fumbled the kickoff and UF tackled the player in the end zone for a safety. Highly touted starting quarterback Chris Leak is now replaced occasionally by freshman star QB Tim Tebow, who is evidently a bruising runner and not a bad thrower either. (I am eagerly awaiting SportsCenter tonight, as there was evidently some amazing toss that looked more like a basketball jumpshot than a football play.) One depressing stat is that we had more yards in penalties (102 through 14 penalties) than we did rushing (97).

Nearly all the commentators agree that UF has one of the toughest starting schedules ever in Division 1 college football: we've already slid past Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and LSU and we still have Auburn and Georgia coming up. I doubt we'll emerge unscathed but then, I never thought we'd come through the first 6 undefeated so hope springs eternal. Go Gators!!!

Florida Wins Another One

For the first time since its only national championship season a decade ago, my alma mater, the University of Florida, is 6-0, having defeated the #9 team in the country by a score of 23 - 10 in probably one of the toughest scheduled games ever for Homecoming.

For once, my live-in snore machine came in handy and I abandoned my nice, warm bed to listen to the live audio feed of the game, which started locally at 5:30 a.m. The UF defense was amazing and we benefited from several LSU turnovers, especially one just before the half when with second and goal at Florida’s one-yard line, UF recovered a fumble that ended the threat of a possible go-ahead Tiger score. We lucked out again at the start of the next half when LSU fumbled the kickoff and UF tackled the player in the end zone for a safety. Highly touted starting quarterback Chris Leak is now replaced occasionally by freshman star QB Tim Tebow, who is evidently a bruising runner and not a bad thrower either. (I am eagerly awaiting SportsCenter tonight, as there was evidently some amazing toss that looked more like a basketball jumpshot than a football play.) One depressing stat is that we had more yards in penalties (102 through 14 penalties) than we did rushing (97).

Nearly all the commentators agree that UF has one of the toughest starting schedules ever in Division 1 college football: we've already slid past Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and LSU and we still have Auburn and Georgia coming up. I doubt we'll emerge unscathed but then, I never thought we'd come through the first 6 undefeated so hope springs eternal. Go Gators!!!