In 1980, my mother was killed but a drunk driver.

I never saw him shed a tear.

In 1985 he watched one of his children go to prison.

He never shed a tear.

In 1989 he watched his best friend get run over by a boat in the Keys while diving (I was there) and die in his arms.

He never shed a tear.

In March 2012 he was diagnosed with incurable cancer. I was there when he was told. I have been there through the chemo and all the crap the comes from having Cancer. I have watched my Dad age 20 years in less than 18 months.

We didn't expect him to live to see another season of his beloved Gators play.

He has never shed a tear.

That's just the way he is.

We haven't missed a game home or away since, though its very hard on him he knows his days are numbered,so we go. He loves his Gators.

We sat today in the same seats he has had since 1959. Just before kick off,  He looked around at all the empty seats, I could tell it really bothered him. He said to me "that damn dawg has lost the Gator Nation,look at all those empty seats".

I just said "Dad, lets just you and I watch the game, we don't lose to Vandy in the Swamp and you know that !"

We sat there for almost 45 minutes after the final tick of the clock......just staring at the field, not uttering a word.

Finally he spoke, "Son, I can't do this again. These are not our Gators out there, what has that damn dawg done to our Gators? ". I could on listen.

But I noticed something in his voice I hadn't heard before.

I looked and for the first time in my life I watched tears roll down my Dads face. I watch his lips quiver as he tried to speak without letting me know he was crying. 

This was most likely or last Gator game we will attend together.

I am beyond disgusted with the current staff.  They have lost the Gator Nation, and even worse, they have lost the team.

Time to put the dawg down.

Go Gators