New Year's in Jacksonville: Part II of II

After sleeping in, we drove to the stadium and helped the local economy by paying twnety dollars for parking. At the stadium, we met up with Philip, his friend, Chris, Liz, Kathryn, and Kevin (pictures on the Photos page). We didn't get there in time to see Pre-Game, but apparently the Marching Virginians did their usual routine with the State of Virginia and the VT logo. The VT stands were fairly well packed, but the FSU side had plenty of bare patches which were never filled. FSU scalpers apparently had a rough day, with $40 tickets going as low as $5 a pair. At halftime, the MVs did a lackluster arrangement of Nature Boy and then the traditional Hokie Pokie which I got some good pictures of. They were followed by the FSU marching band, which I finally got to hear from far away for once. The only other time I'd heard them was on the field at the Sugar Bowl in 1999. The band was good if not spectacular. Unlike the MVs, they couldn't hide their playing deficiencies behind solid arrangements -- the MVs are lucky enough to have a single arranger do every arrangement for the band, and the arranger also spent many years as the director of the band. The FSU drum major had a laughable conducting style, but I bet he'd get a great boxing scholarship with his moves.

The game itself was exciting and close until the fourth quarter when FSU pulled ahead to win 30-17. There weren't any surprises -- the same quarterbacks getting sacked, and the same receivers dropping passes. Overall it was a fun game, although I hope Tech doesn't become the resident Gator Bowl team. Three Gator Bowls in five years is pushing it.

After the game, we all drove out to Jacksonville Beach in search of good seafood, but most of the restaurants were closed for the winter. We settled for a little restaurant near the infamous Sea Turtle Inn (where three generations of Marching Virginians have stayed for this trip, and the site of the January 2, 1998 2AM trumpet sectional on the Beach). Following dinner, we headed back to the Lodge to rest up for our respective trips home.

The next morning, I made it back home through sheeting rain by eleven in the morning. The others had left for Blacksburg soon after I did, but snow and ice conspired to keep them on the road until 4AM the next morning. I think there was a big-rig accident somewhere along the way. Snow also hit the Atlanta airport, and the friend I was supposed to pick up at Tallahassee Regional at three in the afternoon didn't stumble in until after seven. I spent the extra time there sampling the fine cuisine and doing an endless string of crossword puzzles. Since then, I've been resting, reading, editing scores, and watching old movies. Classes start tomorrow, and (for the sake of looking ahead) exams will be ending this term on April 26.