Dandy weekend for Gators, Bucs ahead

Posted Sep 18, 2009 by Tom McEwen

Updated Sep 18, 2009 at 11:54 PM

Good times, eh?

I mean with the proud and complimentary Tennessee of Monte and Lane Kiffin gushing with praise of the Florida Gators amidst a little lull, pre-game refrain and accepting a silly “they are the best ever” night music you’d figger Florida was so bad so long it might get its head too high.

Not a chance. All those years of Gator groveling near the SEC’s mid-bottom with those other dark water feeders like Mississippi State and Vanderbilt might have spoiled the Swamp residents, but it did not. They despised it. Hated it. Wanted so to be top-water feeding with the Alabamas, and, hey, the Tennessees, Bryant and Neyland, all the while and now that they made it through the bottom feeders, these Gators of recent championship years may never, ever see that old bottom again.  It’s good to be king.

About the hardest fact this moment is that Florida is such a favorite over Rocky Top. But, they are. I didn’t originate it. The people who originated odds-making out in Las Vegas did. George Clooney and folks like that aren’t fools. The word from the West is the Gators are multi-touchdown favorites over the Kiffin men who come from families and very handsome ones at that. Know too, that that those same famous Vegas trend-setters in the same breath choose to pick the Buffalo Bills to beat up on our put-down Tampa Bay Bucs.

That is hardly surprising, though the Buckado history is not bad against Buffalo. I look for a win there. The weather will be fine, the Bucs better win one now and then when they have a shot. Who knows, the Bucs accept miracles and upstate New York has been decent to the Bucs. It is where owner Malcolm Glazer sold his first watch off his coat lining and was on his way to being a millionaire.

In time Malcolm and sons went to football, then to soccer, and on into the stratosphere where his buddies are millionaires. But then I am not sure any of his buddies aren’t in the big bucks.

So, we in Tampa are at again, have another shot at the NFL top drawers. We do. And, these Gators are for real. They are the deal. Bet here is the Gators thump the Kiffins and the Volunteers. These Gators are better than good. There are thick, deep. Speed is for sale. Variety on offense is free-wheeling, seem now not to be missing anything, except for depth at tight end. Except they cannot return a punt or a kickoff without a penalty.

Think these Gators aren’t for real? Lets say surgeon Tony Pizzo is driving to Gainesville to watch the Gators slam the Kiffin folk today at the Swamp. They will. They will, and then the Bucs will handle Buffalo up there Sunday. The Gator bet is safer than the one at the end of the Shuffle.