:- (

If international disputes could be played out and settled on the gridiron, the baseball diamond, the soccer pitch, the basketball court, what a happier world this could be. 

Even in the American autumn there are more important things in the world than football; but nothing is more important than love and friendship. A teacher at our school of whom I am very fond happens also to be the daughter of my all time favorite Florida football coach who raised Florida to national prominence and has helped burnish the SEC into the nation’s top football conference. While at Florida, Amy was even the Kappa Alpha Rose, our equivalent of the Sweetheart of Sigma Chi! 

Amy is so much a favorite that when the Gators play the Gamecocks I am truly torn. Yesterday as promised, I wore my Gamecocks cap all afternoon through the game, and the score, which I had hoped and anticipated would be touch and go, greatly saddened me rather than how I otherwise feel about a Gator victory. I will say, SC scored the first defensive two-point conversion I have ever seen.

Florida our alma mater, thy glorious name we praise. Florida and South Carolina and Michigan and PennState, and whoever is playing the Seminoles.

My guess this morning:

Alabama

Oregon

Florida

Kansas State

Notre Dame

LSU ...

... which if things continue, does not bode well for my hopes for a season in which the Gators do not face the Crimson Tide. One Florida loss should put the Tigers back in there against the Tide again though.

This morning I’m preaching at Grace Episcopal Church, Panama City Beach while Father Joe takes time off.

TW