Had some free time this morning in Jacksonville and decided to take a trip down Memory Lane. Just a couple minutes south of downtown, off University Blvd. & I-95 stood the old Ramada Inn. That's where we stayed when I played in the Georgia-Florida game. And I found it still standing and open for business.
    It's one of those old-school "Motels". Pull the car right up to the front door, unless you had to walk up the steps to the 2nd floor.  I remember us arriving with the police escort, exiting the bus and checking in our room. It was like clockwork. Things happened quick. The team dinner was next. A lot of us gathered out in the parking lot after that, waiting to leave for the movie. As soon as we got back, it was curfew.
    There wasn't one car in the parking lot today. Not one guest. The room we ate in is now a Vietnamese restuarant. It was empty too. 
This Ramada must have been built back in the '60s. Guess we stayed there for convienence. Plus, back then we won this game a lot and so the Ramada on University was our place.
    We would be up early on Saturday. Quick meeting. Pre-game meal. And then, we were off to the Gator Bowl.
    I decided to take the same route today.
    We left the old Ramada with the police escort and the sirens roaring. A right on University Blvd. There was no stopping. The police shut down Beach Blvd and we sped right through. Moments later, we hit the Isaiah D. Hart Bridge. It seemed so high in the air and gave you such an open view of the stadium, the river, downtown, and the packed area around the Gator Bowl. I always got a little jolt of adrenalin right there. 
    It happened so fast. Down off the bridge, left onto Duval Street and into the Gator Bowl parking lot. The sirens were still blaring as we pulled up to the stadium. Fans surrounded the buses. It was controlled chaos. There was a roar when we got off the bus. Adult men were barking. Women were cheering. Music was playing in the background loudly. It was just crazy. The stadium locker room seemed like a safe haven. 
    There were some quiet moments in that old, tiny locker room. Just us. And you could hear the craziness outside. There was a big game to be played. And it was almost time to tee it up. As I scanned around the room, looking at those guys around me, I don't remember ever thinking we were about to lose. We were all in back then. And ready to win. I loved every second of it.