Weekly Wrapup!

For the past couple of weeks I have been really sporadic in coming up with new entries. Thats partly because all the associated hassles with the start of a new semester (as any fellow suffering graduate student would understand) and partly because I cant decide what I want to talk about.
Last weekend I was there when "Urban legend" begun. The team looked sharp but not as sharp to make them a national title contender as yet. Time will tell how the season shapes up - but being at the Swamp (thats the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the uninitiated ) among 91,707 screaming fans is surely an experience.
Then the Sunday trip to the Clearwater was fun too. It boasts of really pristine white sand - and water is not too deep for a while into the sea.that allows people like me with zero swimming skills to enjoy the water with getting swept off my feet!
Although she lost, I must admit Sania Mirza was awesome. I was watching her earlier round matches live - and she has no fear. She dictates every point - they are either decided by a winner from her or by an unforced error from her again. If she works on her serves a bit, she can be right up there. It really feels proud to see an Indian matching stroke for stroke with all those superstars - Leander Paes did that in Davis Cup matches - but doing that consistently week after week requires much more than just skill.
Anyway thats all for today. I really want to write a political blog next !

Football on my mind!

Its just a month to go before the start of yet another football season. For those uninitiated - I'm talking of football. No, that's neither soccer nor rugby. I am sick and tired of hearing - "Oh that is rugby" - when I say its not soccer. If you don't want me to scream hysterically and yell obscenities at you - dont ask me that again. Its as different from rugby as archery is from shooting.

Anyway football is a big thing at these parts of the world. And anything less than a national championship run is looked at as an unsuccessful season. And that's what I experienced in last 2 years - loses,loses and more loses. A significant percentage of those came at last few minutes. Teams making huge comebacks at our expense while our man Ron Zook looked on. And then it happened - he was sacked.That made national headlines. Yes - football is that important here.

I was looking at old gator games. 95 win against Auburn, 96 win against FSU. Those teams had a certain bounce in them. The class of 92 entered as #1 in the nation and exited as #1. They all hated that man - but Steve Spurrier knew a few things about offence. Those teams played like - score as much as you can - we will outscore you. Not like the teams I saw in last year - whatever we score - we will let you outscore us!

Urban Meyer brings a lot of hope to the gator nation. His offence might finally do justice to the talent of Chris Leak. But we open against a Wyoming - a dangerous, potential top 25 team - who beat UCLA at a bowl game last year and returning a host of starters. If we clear that hurdle - we host Tennessee in 2 weeks at the Swamp. Probably two of the toughest games in first three weeks - considering how depleted Georgia and FSU are. Let us hope for the best and fear the worst!

Go Gators! And please go all the way. If not this year - next year at least. I want to see a national championship during my stay here.

P.S - Birthday wishes for Debarati (31st July) , Rupsi (1st August) , Sayan (1st August).