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Countdown Notebook

Mission complete -- Ticket, Florida victory secured

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Posted: Monday September 20, 1999 10:33 AM

Inside The Swamp on Saturday, Doug Johnson and the Gators will face SEC rival Tennessee. Damien Strohmeyer/Allsport

CNN/SI.com's Ryan Hunt went to Gainesville with no press pass, no ticket and little money. But a 24-hour period he found his way into The Swamp for the best blood feud in the SEC and brought it all to you. Our intrepid reporter played his cards right, and he was in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the Gators' big win.

Lights out

OUTSIDE FLORIDA FIELD, 12:45 a.m., Sunday -- Florida's 23-21 win over Tennessee definitely lived up to its advance billing, especially in the fourth quarter. The Swamp as loud as any game in recent memory, and the suspense created by Tennessee's comeback only made the eventual victory that much sweeter for Gators faithful.

Now as I head back to Atlanta, there is a good chance Florida will be making its way there as well -- for the Southeastern Conference Championship game in early December.

Too loud for anything but a game

ONE SECTION AWAY FROM THE VOLUNTEER BAND, 7:50 p.m., Saturday -- I've got nothing left to say, but it's not like you'd hear me anyway. The Swamp is rocking with noise.

I'll check back in after the game. Hopefully, at that time I'll be able to hear myself speak

Let the trash talking begin

ONE SECTION AWAY FROM THE VOLUNTEER BAND, 7:25 p.m., Saturday -- I've seen my first bit of trash talking from the teams. When Tennessee came back onto the field, Vol wide receiver Cedric Wilson ran about 60 yards or so doing a mock alligator chomp to the Florida fans.

But he was the only one taunting the stands. Interestingly, watching the kickers finish their warmup kicks --- remember how important kickers were last season -- Tennessee's placekicker missed his last three kicks from 45 yards. Just something to file away and remember.

No whites for Tennessee

ONE SECTION AWAY FROM THE VOLUNTEER BAND, 7:00 p.m., Saturday -- I've made my way into the stadium now, and guess what? My love for Rocky Top has been rewarded with a prime seat near the Tennessee band.

Having watched the teams come out for warmups, it is apparent that Tennessee will be wearing all white, which as many of you may recall was a point of contention this week when the Vols said they were going to wear their orange game pants. The Swamp is still pretty empty even though we're just an hour away from the game.

The police presence here is amazing. On University Avenue, the cops were on horses lining the street to the stadium. It's even more impressive inside the stadium.

I just watched the fellow four rows in front of me sneak in here with a couple of bottles of liquor, only to have them confiscated within five minutes of taking them out from under his clothes.

Where's the love, guys?

SMATHERS LIBRARY , 5:30 p.m., Saturday -- Imagine the person you like the least and multiply that by 10 or so. Then you might have the hatred that the fans for these two teams have for each other.

I've already seen more signs than I can count with such vulgarity on it that I could get fired if I told you what they said. I'm not immune to things either. After hearing the song what seems like 150 times, I have decided I no longer like Rocky Top. Do Tennessee fans listen to anything else?

While walking to the library, I saw numerous Smokey mascots hung in effigy. But the best sign of the lack of love between the two schools was found at a fraternity house, where the brothers were taking turns destroying an old car with a sledgehammer. The car's offense -- it had been painted orange and white in a checkerboard style similar to the way it is done in the end zones at Tennessee home games.

The library is not exacactly the quiet place you might expect. An obviously intoxicated individual with two beers in his hands and orange and blue dred-locked hair just walked in here to disrupt the peace with a few screams. Not like I could stay here long. The library closes at 6 p.m., nearly two hours before the game.

A novel way to watch the game

OUTSIDE THE SWAMP , 4:30 p.m., Saturday -- For the folks in Gainesville who can't get a ticket, they have their own fight to see the game -- getting a prime seat to watch the contest on TV.

At the Porpoise, the premier bar on campus located across the street from the stadium, people are scalping the prime tables near the big-screen TVs.

For those people still looking for tickets, good luck. On a quick walk around the stadium, I noticed plenty of people with fingers in the air looking for tickets, but very few people seem to have seats for sale.

Jackpot!

UNDISCLOSED OFF-CAMPUS LOCATION , 3:30 p.m., Saturday -- There will be a CNN/SI.com staffer in attendance at tonight's clash. That's right, I'm in there.

The friend of a friend was willing to part with the ticket in exchange for a bit of change to buy some groceries and school books. It seemed like the perfect swap.

I get to go to the game, and the CNN/SI Empire contributes to the education and health of a college student.

One interesting note about the ticket. On the back, it has a coupon for a free Super Size soft drink at a local fast food joint provided Florida scores more than 42 points and wins. No word on what happens if the Gators give up that many points.

Hope springs eternal on quiet campus

SEARCHING CAMPUS , 2:00 p.m., Saturday -- Well, things may have been rowdy earlier in the day, but the Florida campus is quiet now.

People are tailgating and gearing up throughout Gainesville, but with kickoff still six hours away, the atmosphere is calm throughout campus.

But enough about atmosphere, it's time to find a ticket to this game.

I've heard that a friend of a friend has an extra ticket to the game that he might be willing to part with, so it's into the car in search of my entrance into the game.

Two tickets and an expensive pencil

OUTSIDE THE SWAMP, 10:30 a.m., Saturday -- It's more than nine hours until game time and the fans already have their game faces on.

Think Tee Martin and the Tennessee Vols will have trouble hearing? How about the guys from College Gameday.

More than 100 fans or so already have their vocal cords warmed up, jubilantly screaming behind the on-location set located just outside the entrance to the North End Zone in Florida Field. Call it a dress rehearsal.

Hope the Gameday guys don't have to audible.

Ticket update: Still, no tickets yet. After being outbid on eBay, it's time to check the streets of Gainesville. And there are tickets to be had.

In fact, I found a guy that offered me a pair for the $6 face value placed on student tickets.

Only problem was he was asking a little much for the No. 3 pencil he was packaging it with.

To avoid Florida's anti-scalping laws, savvy sellers package the tickets with other no-value items to get around the law.

But I ain't buying it, at least for now.

I mean, c'mon on. You can't even use that pencil on any of those fancy Scantron tests -- not that I need to worry about those anymore.

Patience indeed will be a virtue this afternoon.

My mission should I choose to accept it

HEADING TO GAINESVILLE, 3:30 p.m. Friday -- Let me first say that I covered the Florida Gators for more than two seasons before heading to the vast resources of the CNN/Sports Illustrated Sports Empire.

Having said that, there will be a UF-record 574 media members covering Saturday's Florida-Tennessee showdown. Just not me. From the press box, anyway.

So much for resources and experience.

Now I'm heading to Gainesville the old-fashioned college way. Without a ticket. Without a credential. Without hope?

Indeed, this week's Countdown to Kickoff will be a little different than those in week's past.

Instead of examining how Florida can get into the end zone against Tennessee's tough defense, I have to find a way to get myself into the freakin' stadium.

It's a tossup determining which task will be more challenging.

The first place I am looking for tickets is on the always popular eBay. Right now I have a bid down on a pair of tickets, but you never know when someone will beat you out at the last minute.

Either way, the best I can expect, er, afford, will be tickets that will land me high in The Swamp.

Then again, the view from the stands offers an entirely too-often ignored perspective. The Swamp is a unique place to watch a game, to say the least.

Where else can you find 85,000 of the most critical armchair quarterbacks? Where else can you find the most brutal (both positively and negatively) fans? Where else do the words "Purple Porpoise" have so much meaning?

Don't worry, I'll explain.

But first, a quick Statitudes (insert shameless plug here) for you: I have attended five Florida-Tennessee games (three in Gainesville, two in Knoxville). The Gators are 5-0 in those games. What that means, I have no idea.

Incidentally, I also am a University of Florida alumnus. Returning to the ol' alma mater is kind of strange.

I spent four of the best years -- ahem, five and a half -- of my life at UF. I met my wife there. Frankly, I also really enjoy hearing "Rocky Top," especially the corn-from-the-jar part. And I spent thousands of dollars on textbooks at UF, of which I received about $73.50 when I sold them back.

And actually, I think I have some textbooks that I need to resell. Good, because I'll need the cash.

 

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