Saturday Afternoon with Starbucks and Football

I'm sitting outside for a few minutes on this late Saturday afternoon at the brand-new Starbucks off NW 43rd Street in far northern Gainesville, the closest one to my house.  As a matter of fact, I am looking out across the street at one of the running routes I would regularly take a few years ago when I was training for the marathon and put in several 15-plus-mile runs.  I'm not in shape now for any runs that long, but would like to get back up to that level.  I do know that if I were in good enough condition for it, this weather would be perfect: overcast skies, a nice little breeze, and moderate temperatures.  Finally it looks as if we are going to start getting autumn weather conditions: temperatures will be dipping into the 40s next week and peaking in the 60s...now that's the way u-huh u-huh I like it...

Speaking of late Saturday autumn afternoons, it's the middle of football season and my Florida Gators have a bye week before they head off to Jacksonville to try and upset Georgia.  I wish them well without my hopes getting too high.  UF isn't the only Florida school with football issues this season: Florida State, initially ranked number three in the country, fell today to 2-4 after losing a heartbreaker to Louisville 31-28, after it looked as if the Seminoles were in position to close out the game with an easy field goal...but their talented freshman quarterback James Blackman fumbled the ball away and the Cardinals went downfield to win it.  The University of Miami is still holding on to a 13-6 lead over Syracuse...I root for all my in-state teams as long as they aren't playing against Florida.  With the Hurricanes, though, it feels a little awkward after all the years of pulling against current UM coach Mark Richt when he was in charge of Georgia.  In the pros, the Miami Dolphins seem to have finally woken up and are playing some pretty good football of late...especially on the defensive side.  Their next game will be a rematch with the New York Jets, which they lost to miserably the first time around 20-6...

Well, I think I'll get up, go down to Publix and pick up some groceries, and then head on home...