Florida Gators


Mercedes-Benz Inter. Champ.
Embedded With the Gators: Monday afternoon
Monday, March 19, 2012 | Men's Basketball, Women's Golf, Chris Harry
OMAHA, Neb. -- So I was throwing my clothes into my suitcase, trying to rally to get on the team bus, and while rifling through the pockets of the pants I wore last night I remembered "The Ticket."
Some background.
Twelve years ago, when I covered the Gators for The Orlando Sentinel, I did a lengthy story about Christine Donovan, the head coach's wife, as UF made a surprising run to the Sweet 16.
[Note: Found the story archived here, if you're so inclined.]
Anyway, the “Divine Ms. D” told me about how nervous she gets during games and how she -- without fail -- holds onto to her ticket and rolls it continuously in her hand throughout the entire game until in ends up looking like it went through the wash.
Christine and I relived that anecdote during an athletic assoication dinner at an awesome downtown steakhouse (Plug: Omaha Prime) Thursday night and I asked if she still attacked tickets during her husband's games a dozen years and two national championships later. 
Yes, she did. I got the proof Sunday night.
In the locker room after the game, she handed me her ticket.
“I saved it for you,” she said.
And it was still wet.



![Images from the Florida Gators August 2024 Graduation event on Friday, August 9, 2024 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL. [Photo: Matt Pendleton Photography for Florida Gators Athletics]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Fgatorzone.com%2Fimages%2F2025%2F4%2F30%2FCap_commencement_detail_240809_1400_Matt_Pendleton_Photography_for_Florida_Gators_Athletics__1_.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
