Gator Baseball: Joni Magic & Wisdom From The Greatest Gator Mom Ever

It comes as no big surprise to me that the Gator baseball team pummeled LSU in a resounding 24-4 victory that has forced a College World Series Winner-Take-All Game 3. It was a bit of Joni magic.

If you read my post yesterday, you'll know that I asked all of you out there to dedicate the game to one of the truest followers of the Orange and Blue, my late mother Joni Martin. Her passing a week ago saddened us all, but her spirit lives on in the hearts of those she touched.

Please indulge me one last time.

Joni was all about family, not just the ties of blood, but those formed through love and camaraderie. When we embarked on the journey to create Gator Bait Media, my mother was a staunch supporter. She believed deeply in the concept of our Gator family, as do all of us here.

Being a former baseball player myself, I am reminded of the years my mother tirelessly transported me to and from baseball practices. Whether it was a cold spring morning or a hot dry summer day in Colorado, my mother was always resolute, ensuring that I was there on time with my uniform perfectly clean, ready for battle. She was a resilient woman, my mom, and she believed in the family that is formed amongst teammates. 

My mother also believed in superstitions, as most ball players do. Not stepping on the foul line when jogging to your position, not mentioning a no-hitter in progress; you know the rituals. And now, I feel moved to extend her legacy in this short message. Just as I dedicated yesterday's game to her, I want to dedicate one more Gator victory to her memory.

If you watched the game Sunday, you'll know that the stadium in Omaha will be awash in purple and gold tonight. Even if we can't be there, put on your Gator colors and yell. Today is not the day become overconfident and rest on our laurels. As exciting as it was to watch our boys break records and dominate the Tigers, we all know the history with LSU. The Tiger never seem to go quietly.

So once more, I dedicate this game to the greatest Gator fan I've ever known. While my father taught me the nuances of being a Gator, my mother taught me to never lose faith, to never become overconfident, and to always stay focused on the task at hand. These are invaluable lessons in both life and as a loyalist to the orange and blue.

I ask all of you Gators -- even those of you who only follow football -- to keep our boys in your thoughts and prayers. My mother would want us to remain humble, not to "get above our raisin'." Let's learn from Joni's wisdom: don your orange and blue today, put on your game face as you watch the game and believe in Joni Magic.

Let's honor Joni by remembering her advice, which still resonates in my heart this morning. It's time to unite as a soverign Gator Nation and remain classy. And in all kinds of weather, we all stick together, as she often reminded us.

So let's win this one for Joni, but let's win it the way she always taught me. Put on your rally caps, be mindful of your superstitions, light a candle, say a prayer, and let your Gator Spirit soar today. I know my mom will be smiling down on our boys in Omaha.

I love you, Mom. You taught me how to

love the Gators. So today, I lay down my journalist hat, and I simply say, "Go Gators!"