It's not often that I cheer for the Florida Gators -- as a student at RTS-Orlando during Coach Superior's regime I marveled at the arrogance and classlessness of some (some) Gator fans I encountered in Orlando. Steve Spurrier and select Gator fans soon had me cheering for whomever Florida was playing. I thoroughly relished Nebraska's destruction of Coach Superior in 1995.

So again, it's not often, to understate, that I cheer for the Florida Gators. Why did I cheer for the Gators last night?

Their opponent helped. I'm a Texan. Boomer Sooners despise Texans, except for the high school players they recruit from our state. Sooner fans often publicly express their derision for Texans, and to me directly they have done so in caustic terms. Having repeatedly been on the receiving end, personally, of Sooner fans' unpleasant behavior, I found it easy to cheer for Florida. Seeing OU lose again in a BCS bowl game (USC, LSU, Boise State, West Virginia)...especially after they lost to the Texas Longhorns in October...well, no need to rub salt in their wounds.

Another reason I cheered for UF: I really like Dan Claire, and his sister, Catherine Claire Larson (who has a great book coming our February 1), and also David Wayne, the Jollyblogger. They are huge Florida fans and classy and knowing they would be happy made cheering for UF easier.

David Wayne recently reported that he has cancer- see here, here, here, here, and here.  David Wayne is a dear brother in Christ. We've had the pleasure of 3-4 times together in person, and countless emails and phone calls. He's the real deal-- a humble, faithful follower of Jesus and he loves God and neighbor.

I realize that Florida winning the national championship in football pales in comparison to David's fight for life against cancer.  Still, I know he took great satisfaction from the Gator triumph.

So to the Florida Gators, congratulations for beating the OU Sooners and winning a second national championship in three years.