The Northwood Gator Club had block seating just above the tunnel the Bulls used, so when the teams went into the locker room @ half time there were 10 ~ 15 Gators there with signs, Gator Shirts, etc. wishing Jo well. Our efforts were well received with Jo acknowledging with a Gator Chomp on his way into the locker room. Corey’s (and what would have been ‘Cliff’s’) post game appearance was set up through the Timberwolves. Chris was sent to the DL to play 6 games in 10 days because of a lack of PT with the Wolves.  He is scheduled to be back after the All Star break, but unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to meet with him.

Corey came out after the game, got a great round of applause, was introduced, and then said “I called Jo, but he’s not answering his phone.”   We then had a short Q&A w/ Corey…

“I really miss campus

“The NBA is not near as mush fun as last year

“No, I’m not used to the cold (it was about 15 below when they got off the plane the previous night)

(Corey & Jo Hugged @ the start of the 2^nd Half)… (Question was about playing against  him) “He’ll always be my team mate

“No (I haven’t found a good source of ‘Comfort Food” (in the Twin cities area))

“Yes, I have a Girlfriend”

(probably some that I missed/forgot)

He then started signing autographs – starting with the kids there, and about that time Jo came out, again to a round of applause.  Nothing “formal” with Joakim, but he was talking with everyone getting autographs and those seated (about 4 rows in one section - we had 60 or so there).  As I was waiting next to him, someone brought up the Philly (Gator Club) incident, & I said to him, “Yea, really class act there Gator” (Joakim was suspended for that game, so he bought 75 tickets for them for the next Bull’s / Sixer’s game so they could witch him play.)  He replied with “It’s the least that I could do.”

I told Corey that “I would be honored to have the have the FF MOP sign my piece of the Gators Back-to-Back Championship Court.” And he gave me that Huge Brewer Grin, and said that he would be pleased to do so. When I got the Joakim (asking him if he would please sign it) he looked at it and said only one thing… “Sweet”.  I then thanked him for giving this “Grandpa Gator” something that never thought he’s have… “Back To Back To Back National Championships” - and I got a Huge Smile and a "your're welcome" out of him.  Corey’s comment on NATIVE’s “Back-to-Back” poster was “I’ve never seen that one before (so NATIVE, I think we both have some fairly unique autographs there.)

All-in-all, Corey was there for 30~35 min, Joakim maybe 20~25.  You could tell every second that they were there, they were please to be doing something for/with Gators. We thanked them all again, yelled GoGators, and then the two of them then walked off the court together (‘not sure that Jo didn’t stay @ Corey’s that night – as he may have missed the team flight back to ChiTown) to the chant of “It’s Great to be a Florida Gator.”

ImVho, you could not ask for two finer “ambassadors” for the Gator Nation.  Here’s two Multi-millionaire, Final Four MOP, “KIDS” that will go out of their way to acknowledge the Gator Nation.