The spirit of sports resides in the concept that the outcome of the game will be determined by the performance of the players. Consistent with that concept, the proper role of officials is to ensure that the game is played in conformity with the rules and that no participant gains a unfair competitive advantage. Just as our faith in the integrity of the judicial system is jeopardized whenever a judge abuses his or her power by exhibiting bias or prejudice toward a litigant, our belief in the spirit of sports is undermined by officials who abuse their authority by favoring one player or team over another. If the officials fail to enforce and apply the rules evenhandedly, then the outcome of the game is not a true reflection of the relative performances of the competitors; and if the outcome of the game is not a true reflection of the relative performances of the competitors, then it's not really sport--it's a predetermined conclusion. Whenever fans have reason to believe that biased officials rather than the players are determining the outcome, the spirit of sports--and eventually our interest in the game--simply dissipates. Because officials are human, and thus susceptible of honest mistakes, there are occasions when "bad calls" affect the outcome of a game. We certainly don't like it when that happens; but we understand it and accept it as an inevitable part of the game. Honest mistakes by officials upset us, but they don't diminish the spirit of sports because they don't erode confidence in the fundamental commitment of all the participants, including the officials, to maintain the integrity of the game. In my opinion, the most enduring damage done by the officiating crew that worked the UF-FSU game is that they blemished the spirit of the sport. And evidently, that conclusion was not confined to Gator fans. The record book will reflect only that FSU won. As we've observed over the years, for Bobby Bowden and the Seminole faithful who have become disciples of his philosophy that elevates winning over any consciousness of honor or concern about the integrity of the game or sense of duty to comply with the rules, the outcome as reflected in the record book is all that matters. FSU fans come to this forum and attempt to rationalize the result; it appears to me that, in general, they are simply incapable of comprehending that the result is rendered less meaningful or impressive when the means by which it was procured are so clearly tainted. I'm satisfied to let them celebrate their misbegotten gain. Our players did not get the win I believe they deserved if the game had been fairly officiated. But that happens sometimes; and when it does, we just have to learn the lesson and move on. Gators can be proud that our kids continued to play hard in the face of disheartening adversity, and that our coaches exhibited great character in their postgame comments. I, for one, am going to try to emulate their example and resist the temptation to respond to the taunting of FSU fans. It's a waste of time and effort anyway. I'd prefer to let the bitter taste be motivation for our team to get better--so much better that even an unfair advantage won't be enough to defeat us. Let's not allow them to spoil our love for the spirit of the game.