Hot September weather, poker and American football was on the menu for my week in the sunshine state and I got a lot of it in equal measures during my stay.
I also got to witness first career wins for two NFL quarterbacks and at 23 and 22 respectfully, I may have even witnessed the birth of a future star.
I started off in Jacksonville for a Thursday night football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans, two decent NFL teams both of which have strong playoff aspirations this season.
It was a fun atmosphere outside the stadium and the people of Jacksonville in general were very friendly. It’s amazing they even have a team really as the city itself is rather small, especially compared to some of the others I’ve been to.
Also, tickets for the game were going for as little as $30 in the week leading up to it. (For context, the cheapest ticket for the Patriots Steelers game on week one that I went to was nearly $700).
But in fairness to the Jacksonville Jaguars they are a pretty good football team and played well in what was a comfortable 20-7 win despite having to start their backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. But it was Minshew himself who was the star of the show and gained all the plaudits on a day he said “he’ll never forget”. His first win in the league.
The following day I played some poker in Jacksonville at the Bestbet poker room. Keeping up with the theme of the city this was a nice, friendly place and with over 20 tables running on a Friday afternoon, the action was very good too.
I would have liked to have gone back on Saturday but alas it was an Uber to Gainesville, Florida the birthplace of the greatest musician of all time Tom Petty and also the home of the University of Florida and with it their football team, the Florida Gators.
This was a very different college game than the one I saw in Boston. This had all the looks and feels of an NFL game and if anything an even more partisan crowd. At half time, one man who I spoke to was so impressed that I had come to see his Gators play he insisted on buying me two beers or as he put it “one for each hand.”
I know it’s not exactly a Maserati or the keys to a mansion but for some reason that simple gesture really meant a lot to me. It made me feel welcome.
The game itself was as memorable for the crowd’s rendition of Tom Petty’s “Won’t back down” as it was for anything that happened on the turf itself.
It would be another Floridian victory over a Tennessee team, a second in three days, as the Gators would go on to win 34-3 against the Volunteers. It would also be another home victory for the teams I’ve seen this year with Boston College, the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, the Jacksonville Jaguars and now the Florida Gators all winning while I was there maybe I was a becoming somewhat of a lucky Oman for the home crowds?
The game itself was as memorable for the crowd’s rendition of Tom Petty’s “Won’t back down” as it was for anything that happened on the turf itself.
It would be another Floridian victory over a Tennessee team, a second in three days, as the Gators would go on to win 34-3 against the Volunteers. It would also be another home victory for the teams I’ve seen this year with Boston College, the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, the Jacksonville Jaguars and now the Florida Gators all winning while I was there maybe I was a becoming somewhat of a lucky Oman for the home crowds?
After a night in Gainesville it was a bus to Tampa on Sunday as the Buccaneers played host to the Giants, my third football game in four days!
Unperturbed, I was looking forward in particular to seeing the first start of a much talked about new NFL quarterback, the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft and now a player who the Giants were benching their former two time winning Super Bowl quarterback Eli Manning for, Daniel Jones.
I had a feeling there would be a story in this game, and there certainly was.
I had a feeling there would be a story in this game, and there certainly was.
The first key action of the game was the injury to Saquon Barkley in the second quarter. The second overall pick in last year’s draft, Barkley has already established himself to be the most valuable player in the Giants locker room as well as perhaps, the best running back in the league. An incredible achievement in what is only his sophomore year in the pros.
This basically meant if the Giants were going to win this game it would have to be though the hands of their first-time starter, Daniel Jones.
Trailing 28-10 at half time it really looked as though there would be no fairytale for Daniel Jones with the Giants and if anything it was turning into a bit of a nightmare.
And then the second half happened.
First snap Jones to Evan Engram. Touchdown. 75 yards.
The Giants were back in it.
The strangest thing about this game was the crowd. At an estimate I’d say it was 65:35 but not in favour of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but in favour of the visiting New York Giants.
There were more Giants fans at this game then there was when I went to see the Giants play at home last December.
And then the second half happened.
First snap Jones to Evan Engram. Touchdown. 75 yards.
The Giants were back in it.
The strangest thing about this game was the crowd. At an estimate I’d say it was 65:35 but not in favour of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but in favour of the visiting New York Giants.
There were more Giants fans at this game then there was when I went to see the Giants play at home last December.
Clearly a lot of folk had moved/retired down to Florida but stayed loyal to their football team and it was in clear evidence last Sunday. It was strange.
Then Jones threw another touchdown. 25-28. Two minutes to go Jones runs it in for a touchdown himself. Giants now lead 32-31. One minute to go and the Buccaneers drive the ball into Giants territory to set up a 34 yard field goal to win it. The kick is no good and the crowd goes wild, Giants win 32-31. All the players hug Daniel Jones and with it embraced his first win in the NFL.
My record of home team wins was over but with the celebrations that ensued in the stadium it was hard to see how the home team had lost. It was bizarre.
For my final two days in Florida it was more poker this time at the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa. Again plenty of action and many tables going early in the afternoon but a far less friendlier room than the Bestbet in Jacksonville. It was a little too dark, it was a little too hostile, the staff were a little too snappy, I wouldn’t be rushing back.
My record of home team wins was over but with the celebrations that ensued in the stadium it was hard to see how the home team had lost. It was bizarre.
For my final two days in Florida it was more poker this time at the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa. Again plenty of action and many tables going early in the afternoon but a far less friendlier room than the Bestbet in Jacksonville. It was a little too dark, it was a little too hostile, the staff were a little too snappy, I wouldn’t be rushing back.
At one point I had a guy proposition me while we were playing.
“Hey you wanna bet a hundred dollars I can’t do 25 push ups before the next hand?”
Now call me suspicious, but I can’t help feel that if someone offers you a very specific proposition bet out of nowhere at a poker table that you may not be getting the best of it.
I refused to take it and with it came the jeers from the rest of the table. It was clear who was away from home this time.
On Wednesday I got to the airport six and a half hours early for my flight home.
I wasn’t going to miss this one.
On Wednesday I got to the airport six and a half hours early for my flight home.
I wasn’t going to miss this one.
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