Alligator Army Notebook: June 20

- Getting back to our series on the 1996 Florida Gators, after destroying Arkansas, No. 12 LSU and No. 16 Auburn by a combined score of 149-30, the No. 1 Gators (7-0) drove to Jacksonville to face the Georgia Bulldogs (3-4). The series returned to the Bold New River City of The South, after playing a home-and-home while the Gator Bowl was rebuilt. But a renovated yard was not enough as the Gators won 47-7. (Note: Games like this are the reason why current and recent students hate FSU and Tennessee far more than Georgia. In my lifetime, Florida has only lost to Georgia seven times. Since my family moved to Florida, and I became aware of the Gators, there have been only three losses. We didn't know we were supposed to hate someone we always destroyed. Now, that’s all changed since Mark Richt has gladly accepted the black hat/jersey in this rivalry. Although, I still think this should be a home-and-home, at least once a decade. At this point, the game is only staying in Jax because of money and to keep alive the tradition of awkward Florida-Georgia hookups Saturday night.)

- Off topic, but Tampa related so it’s ok; via the awesome Rays Index, comes St. Petersburg propaganda. The Tampa Bay Rays, in addition to sweeping the best teams in baseball at home (Red Sox in April, Cubs this week), want a waterfront stadium in St. Pete. Many people in St. Pete are into art, museums and slowly dying, so paying for a new ballpark on the site of an old Spring Training park is not their cup of tea. So what do they do to make their case? Photoshop. *sociallyconsciousbird points out that the images on the Preserve our Wallets and Waterfront website(anti-Rays group) are wrong. This is either a) deliberately intentional or b) these people are idiots. I expect a massive propaganda machine on both sides (the Rays’ stuff is awesome in that sense), but so far, the Rays haven’t been lying. (As a Tampa-based Rays fan, I have my fingers crossed St. Pete rejects the Rays and sends them here. Tampa has already built world class stadiums for the Bucs and Lightning. Why not one more?) 

- Finally, Blame Canada if Chris Leak comes back stateside. Number 12 was supposed to play last night for the Montreal Alouettes. But it was Adrian McPherson who played the entire second half of the Als 19-16 loss to Winnipeg. The former FSU man is now the leader for Montreal’s third quarterback spot. So when you head to happy hour today, pour one out for Chris Leak. He might be selling cars soon.