"World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party"

"The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" is the name of what has become one of the last "neutral field" rivalries in college football. It takes place in Jacksonville, Florida, annually between the Universities of Florida and Georgia and almost always occurs on a fall weekend near Halloween. The orange and blue Florida Gators and the red and black Georgia Bulldawgs are each granted fifty percent of the tickets so that the stadium of eighty thousand seats is equally distributed between Gators and Dawgs.

The game has taken place in Jacksonville for almost seventy years barring a "home and home" series in the mid-nineties for a reconstruction of the "Gator Bowl" which is the name of the stadium. The tail-gating that occurs for the entire week before the game itself is what has earned it such an outrageous appellation.

As a rivalry match-up, the actual rankings of the football teams seldom has much to do with the outcome of the game as the emotions produced by both the fans and the players takes over and makes any momentum shift extremely obvious on the field of play, and often in the stands and the still populated parking lot outside the stadium.

In my mind, this annual event has become something greater than a college football game. On this occasion, my best friend Mike and I, both alumni of Florida, had parked our car in a neighborhood near the stadium. Old Jacksonville, near the stadium, has homes dating back to early in the last century after the great fire, and some have seen little maintenance since then. Parking in yards can be a major source of revenue for the residents and we dutifully paid our twenty dollars to have relatively close access.

After putting on our Gator hats, getting a can of beer for the walk and before we could head in the direction of the stadium, a gentleman in red and black asked us if we would sell our tickets for two hundred dollars apiece. Mike and I looked at each other, made some quick mental calculations as to how far the four hundred total dollars would get us at the nearby Jacksonville Landing, an entertainment area with several restaurants and bars, and before the gentleman could say another word, we silently and simultaneously handed him our tickets.

With an extra four hundred in our pockets and a sense of satisfaction for having had our weekend already paid for, I knew where some other friends of mine were going to be near the stadium, so we could be a part of the crowd and still head back to the Landing right before the game started if we couldn't find some cheap tickets.

As we made our way toward the Landing side of the stadium we came upon four smartly dressed Georgia coeds; one carrying a cooler, and two others carrying a friend between them who was obviously not feeling well. They stopped as we approached and maneuvered their friend to a seat on the cooler. We asked if they needed any help.

"Yes", said the blonde coed. "Would you guys take four tickets to the game?" Again, Mike and I look at each other then turned to the girl and simultaneously say "Yes!". I got my wallet out and was prepared to pay for the tickets...I assumed it would be dramatically less than the price for which we had just sold ours. She said that she wasn't selling them but if we wanted the four tickets we could have them. Once more, Mike and I look at each other. Our luck kept getting better and better...and we couldn't know how much better it would become.

"But, there are some conditions," said the brunette who had carried the cooler. "You have to take our cooler of beer." Mike immediately said that would be no problem at all. I chimed in that we would make do somehow, and how much do we owe you. She reiterated they weren't charging us anything, and appeared to be a little frustrated by our interruptions trying to pay for the benefits we were receiving. She continued that the tickets were in a Georgia sorority block of students and would that be a problem? As you can imagine, Mike and I looked at each other again and immediately replied in the negative.

We asked if they needed any help with their friend and they indicated that their car was right around the corner and our taking the tickets and cooler of beer was assistance enough. They left us again nearly carrying the one girl and discussing their drive home.

So, Mike and I had four hundred dollars, a cooler of beer (Michelob Light in cans), and four tickets to the game that were in a Georgia sorority block which, after Mike looked at the location on the tickets was on about the thirty yard line, thirty rows up. Mike and I looked at each other and just couldn't seem to keep the smiles from our faces. It was only then that we started to realize the extent of our good fortune.

We each pulled out a beer and picked up a handle of the cooler and started, once again, toward the stadium, except now my beer hand held up two tickets available for purchase.

After a short walk two guys who were Florida students and wearing Gator colors asked how much. Inspired by our good fortune and not a little beer, I asked how much they'd pay. We settled on fifty dollars each, but we applied our own conditions. We handed them each a beer and Mike and I sat on opposite corners of the cooler and began our list of requirements for purchase.

I began, "When sitting in a sorority block you are usually invited by someone you know...we know our Dawg benefactresses only by site, but they have been good to us so we are going to ensure there will be no "unpleasantness" in the block as a result of their friend's unfortunate illness." I further explained that not only was a level of decorum required, but these were rival girls, and as such, it was imperative that we maintain a polite competitive demeanor. Also, we made sure these young men understood they were representing Florida, and had to remain a credit to our school. A level of behavior was established and the honor of Florida appeared safe.

Mike then discussed his primary and final condition to not let any of the benefactresses' beer go to waste. Being Florida boys they had no problem with any of our conditions and became a credit to our cause. As the game kickoff approached we handed out the few remaining beers and pushed the cooler near a parked car and headed into the stadium.

Our seats were indeed in the middle of a block of very attractive young ladies all dressed in black skirts and red blouses, which contrasted dramatically with our being male in khaki shorts and blue shirts. I had no problem explaining our presence with the appropriate level of concern for their sick sorority sister, and they treated us as if we were new friends met at a party, which frankly, is what we were.

The sorority girls came remarkably well prepared for entertaining for the duration of the game. Not only were there finger foods ("canapes" I was informed by a short-haired brunette) but also rum and bourbon miniatures, which were essential as you could only buy cokes (mixers) in the stadium.

Mike and I looked at each other amidst our new Gator and Bulldawg friends and couldn't wipe the smiles off our faces. Not only was there a game on, which we were winning, but we had the attention of some beautiful women and the companionship of some great guys and everyone was simply enjoying the atmosphere on a clear, cool, autumn, north Florida afternoon.

All too soon the game ended, and Florida won. Not that the victory increased the level of satisfaction the day already provided us. We made some friends and had the opportunity to revisit our younger days from the perspective of a five year alumnus. We said our goodbyes and wished those we shared time with the best of luck with their futures, all of which seemed incredibly bright carried by the high level of optimism and enjoyment that permeated the atmosphere around the block. Mike and I went home and back to our lives with the glow of enjoyment and the certainty that this is what life is for.

Almost two months later I ran into one of the Florida guys we had taken into the sorority block with us. He was as happy to see me as if we had just left the stadium. After the initial hellos he couldn't wait to tell me that his friend was engaged to one of the girls we had met in the block. Apparently, they immediately found exactly what they were each looking for in each other. I asked him to wish his friend well and I later got an invitation to the wedding, but I was not able to attend.

I sent them a gift and wished them happiness with their future Florida/Georgia parties and left them with a list of the events which took place in order for them to have met in the sorority block, beginning with the man buying our tickets and changing our direction to the stadium; the girls we met who had to leave to take care of their sick friend; the tickets and beer the girls provided which enabled those two guys to join us in the block...to me this is proof that there is something guiding our steps, and that guide takes us in the direction we were meant to go.

Sometimes a game is not just a game, not an event to be won or lost. It can also be a spot in time, a turning-point on which one's life changes. I still hear from the happy couple periodically and have seen them briefly at the Cocktail Party and each time they thank me for my part in their meeting. I assure them that without their participation it wouldn't have occurred.

To this day I have a problem shouting "Go Gators!" without a corresponding "Go Dawgs!"