OK, gang, we are back. As reported to you here, we had a brief respite. But, expect the Bonuses to return on a regular, irregular basis several days weekly as part of your expanding Tampa Bay Online offerings.

Hello, everyone, again. Back at it. We began by accepting lunch with Frank Campisi, who made his dough in tomatoes but is a retiree from that needed important part of our economy that gives him more time to talk Florida Gators, where he was somewhat educated before a stint in the Air Force and flying fighters.

‘’Meet us noonish tomorrow at Donatello’s,’’ was all the message read. It meant meet him and others invited who could make it - all Gators, of course. Nice timing.  Most there loved their Gators but not their football and basketball records until lately. That old-time cheer, ‘’It’s great to be a Florida Gator,’’ has seldom had the full-blown acceptance it now does.

I was the last to arrive at the wonderful Donatello Restaurant on Dale Mabry near the Kennedy intersection, west across the big north-south throughway across from the late Dow Sherwood’s Pancake House.

Fine group. The subject: the national college football championship just won with the bowling over of Ohio State.

We toasted that on Campisi’s orders and with the fine Italian wine owner Guido had chilled and sent over. He joined. The Gator successes then and later would help his business. We also said a prayer for the goodnesses done for the Gators and thanked The Lord also for the life of Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio’s late dad, a brilliant man who often had joined us at these lunches, with our friend, Dr. Jack Guggino, one-time ring doc around here, for the heck of it. He was good at it.

Then, it began: ‘’Won’t have any trouble, we don’t think, raising money now,’’ said Florida money-raiser Scotty Peek, referring to the recent Gator football and basketball successes, then to the general growth of Florida and the mounting difficulty to qualify academically to get into the university. I had to say, when I went to Florida all those many years ago, a graduation diploma from a Florida high school and about $35 a semester got you through the gate. My high school was Wauchula High, now named Hardee High, for the county, not the town alone.

‘’We will set money records again,’’ said Peek. ‘’It is indeed a good time to be a Florida Gator. By the way, yes, football ticket prices will go up next year.’’ He was booed on that one, the only boo of the lunch.

On my right, Scotty on the left, was Bob Wilson, owner of Bob Wilson Dodge. He and Campisi share a north end luxury box together. None there that day, none anywhere, is a bigger Gator booster than Bob Wilson. Whatever they need he’ll help find - money, cars (a long personal romance begun when he was there as a student from Jacksonville). Had just returned from the football title game at Ohio State. Want a bargain in a Dodge, now’s the time to see Bob Wilson. His office on North Florida is aflood with Gator goodies and awards, plus so many with the Steve Spurrier personal touch. They are genuine pals.

Next to Wilson was former Florida quarterback, coffin corner punter, Coach Jimmy Dunn. Dunn was a smallish but versatile quarterback from Tampa Hillsborough High. His stoic old coach Bob Woodruff gave Dunn a full scholarship to Florida after the 147-pounder starred in an all-star game. Dunn started three years, ‘’scored in each of three games against Georgia,’’ remembered Wilson, one in a 7-6 Gator win. He did and his mother (Molly) was in the Gator Bowl women’s room, when he did it. It was one of the great TD runs, an option left, in Florida history, of some 70 yards. His coach called Dunn ‘’pound for pound (147 with pads), his best ever.’’ Dunn is now forming a new indoor football league, which he said, ‘’is going well.’’

To Dunn’s right was another former Gator QB, Jimmy Fisher (’74, ‘75, ‘76), a three-bowl player with a big arm. He was popular and now is a successful businessman in Tampa, Fisher, big then for a quarterback, is probably, sadly, best known for a mistake. He threw the ball out of bounds on a fourth Florida down to stop the clock. 

‘’Yep,’’ that’s the one they remember, ‘’just remind us all, interrupted Dunn, to say remember you ran and passed for over 300 yards beating Miami. I remember that.’’ Fisher loved that reminder.

Nice man, Jimmy Fisher.  Nice men, all assembled.

Men of good memories reminded in these best of times to be a Florida Gator, college champs of basketball and football. Not sure there was one among us so optimistic as to have ever thought there could be such a celebration. I did not.