I get back to Gainesville once a year. Sometimes twice if I’m really lucky, but mostly I get to come back for only one football weekend each season. I can honestly say that not a day goes by when at least one thought of that weekend doesn’t crosses my mind. I love Gainesville and with the exception of special moments with my family, my trip back “home” is the hi-light of my year. Like most towns, things change and when you’re gone for a year that change can be very obvious. Allow a Gator a few minutes to talk about some of the changes witnessed this past weekend as well as some other observations of Gainesville, FL, U.S.A. -The University Ave Burger King is gone. Which goes to prove that not all change is bad . Having a fast food joint be replaced by a sports bar is a good thing. The new bar (which I didn’t go into) is called something like “MVP’s”. I looked in the window and saw people drinking and watching sports. That’s better than a Whopper and onion rings any day. -I was happy to see that Bageland is still is around, but I miss their arches that were painted like two giant half bagels. -The student ghetto now appears to be a place called University Park. Around the area where the post office is they’ve spruced the place up with brick walkways and banners that hang from lamp poles. Many of the old houses are now gone. Replaced by apartments and condos. Some of the funkiness still exists, but for how long is anyone’s guess. -There are now two head shops in Gainesville. Modern Age has received a little competion from a new shop around the corner from the Holiday Inn. Modern Age still has a satellite dish on their roof that’s painted to look like a giant Grateful Dead “Steal Your Face” complete with neon trim. -I don’t know how long Joe’s Deli will be around. Unless they’re doing a terrific takeout business it doesn’t look good for the old warhorse. Regardless, I had a baby Gator Tail for dinner Thursday night. Joe’s only other clients were three long in the tooth locals who would go outside every 10 minutes to smoke (Joe’s is now smoke-free). -The past few years I’ve read police reports about the increase in street walkers on SW 13th street down by Biven’s Arm. I couldn’t believe that area would be a den of prostitution, but sure enough I saw a prostitute Friday night as I walked back to my hotel (I also saw two cops hiding out just down the block). -On Friday, I had my traditional lunch at Louis Lunch restaurant. Louis Lunch is kind of a hidden Gainesville treasure. It’s a few blocks south of downtown about 2-3 blocks from the Hippodrome. It’s been around since just before the stock market crash of ’29 and it looks it. The place is full of old Gainesville and UF memorabilia and I always enjoy walking around and looking at the stuff on the walls. For $5.50 I had two hamburgers, fries, a huge cup of iced tea and a chocolate shake. -While visiting St. Augustine’s church I noticed on the church bulletin that Father Gillespie was now the Pastor. Father Gillespie was a Priest there while I was a UF student 16 years ago. Good for him. Anyone know whatever became of Father John Oliver? -I saw Pat Dooley’s radio show broadcast Friday afternoon from Hooters. At one point I looked out the window and saw a guy at a table with at least ten Hooter’s girls sitting around him. Wondering how he’d hit the jackpot I walked outside and pretended to make a call on my cell phone. It turned out he was a manager and was giving the girls instructions for the evening. His words of wisdom? Smile a lot and push the calendars. -The new basketball practice facility was nice, but I was disappointed in the awards case they had displayed. Anyone who knows me, knows that my biggest beef with my alma mater is the lack of a museum to honor all the Gators’ athletic achievements over the years. The company line is they like having each sports memorabilia in their own areas to impress recruits (like a big museum wouldn’t impress them!). So all the football stuff is over in Florida Field, while the basketball team’s items were displayed in the hoop’s office. They did have a big display case, but the only things in there were the two final four trophies, autographed basketballs from those respective teams, and a 2001 SEC trophy. To paraphrase Ronald Reagan: “Mr. Foley, build an athletic museum!” -The cover charge at Trader’s is $10 with a two drink minimum. -They were all out of 2003 Gator football posters at the ticket office. They were also out of football schedules so I went upstairs to the Sports Information Office to see if they had any left. They had schedules, but no posters. I did see the JP crew of Dave Neal and Dave Rowe while I was there. -Since 9/11 Florida Field has been off-limits to the general public on the Fridays before a game. I still managed to sneak in. The only resistance I encountered while inside was from a window washer who told me I need a special green security bracelet to be inside the stadium. I told him I was with the Washington Post and he left me alone. -They got rid of the parking lot by Lake Alice so if you want to view the alligators you’ll need to park over by the Baughman Meditation Center. It’s not that far of a walk and will give you a perfect reason to visit the beautiful Baughman Center. They call it a meditation center, but it’s really a non-denominational chapel. I was opposed to anything being built on the shores of the lake, but the university did well when they put this structure up. -I did find a 2003 football poster at J.P. Gators Pool Hall (the former Sin City for you old-timers) on Saturday night. -The Hub is no more. The actual building is still there, though it’s mostly vacant (and I have no idea what it’s going to become), but the bookstore has moved over by the student union. -The Salty Dog lives! It was packed on both Thursday and Friday nights and I had to wait awhile until a seat opened up at the bar. It’s still loaded with crap on its walls and I’m happy to say that I’ve contributed to some of the stickers the management has deemed worthy of hanging on them. The men’s room still is home to the finest bathroom graffiti known to man. -I got to the game early and got misty when the Pride of the Sunshine took the field and played Orange and Blue. I love that song and could listen to it 200 times a day, but it never sounds better than when it’s played by the band as they march across Florida Field. -For the first time in its 12 year existence, I sat in the Touchdown Terrace. I was unaware (and pleastly surprised) to find a free pre-game buffet. I had a salad and a great pork sandwich. I sat in the NE corner and was impressed with my sight line of the field. -The new addition was impressive. I was leery of reports of how it would change the skyline of Gainesville. But I must admit I was startled it looked so large as I viewed it from my downtown 2nd Ave vantage point. I won’t go in to the actual game. It was painful and eerily reminiscent of last year’s Ole Miss debacle. I’m as spoiled with our recent gridiron success as any us out there. But I also realize that football is just a small part of being a Florida Gator and I wasn’t going to let the game’s outcome ruin my weekend. People look at me like I have three heads when they hear that I drove eleven hours plus to go to the game. I don’t see the big deal. For 65 hours I got to laugh with old friends, eat some of my favorite foods and drink in some of my most treasured haunts. I sang my alma mater and cheered for my team. Who wouldn’t drive 11 hours for that? Most folks could drive for a week and not experience a tenth of the fun as I did last weekend. See you next year Gainesville. I’ve already started planning my trip. Jeff Brown UF ‘88