As the 2023 college football season approaches, fans are turning their attention to the opening Thursday night matchup between the Florida Gators and the Utah Utes on August 31. However, Utah's quarterback situation has raised concerns with less than a month remaining before kickoff. The uncertainty revolves around the availability of star quarterback Cam Rising, who is recovering from an ACL injury sustained during last season's Rose Bowl loss. Additionally, the backup quarterback, Brandon Rose, suffered a significant injury in a recent scrimmage, adding to the team's quarterback woes. Photo of Utah quarterback Cam Rising who is questionable for the upcoming game against the Florida Gators. Photo via Sports Illustrated. As the August 31 showdown approaches, Utah's hosting of Florida marks a rematch of the previous season's season-opening thriller. In that game, despite Utah falling just short with a 29-26 scoreline, a fully operational Cam Rising dominated, amassing 216 passing yards and a touchdown, accompanied by an impressive 91 rushing yards on just seven carries. Rising proved to be key for the Utes all season, leading them to the Rose Bowl and a 10-4 record. The road ahead for Utah is far from simple, with a demanding schedule that follows the Florida game. A visit to Baylor on September 9 and the onset of Pac-12 play against UCLA on September 23 make it even more stressful for Coach Kyle Whittingham to devise a quarterback strategy. Junior Bryson Barnes, emerges as the probable choice for QB1 if the Utes would of squared off against Florida this week. Barnes has been taking the majority of first-team reps. He etched his name into Utah football history after taking over Risisng's spot in the Rose Bowl and had a game-tying touchdown drive. Although the Utes, lost the game Barnes did everything he could to have won. Barnes' contributions aren't limited to that single game. He was the starter against Washington State last season, amassing 175 passing yards and a touchdown along with an additional 51 rushing yards. Barnes' journey at Utah has not been easy. Joining as a walk-on in 2020, he opted for the Utes over scholarship offers from various FCS programs. While he remains off scholarship as of now, his performance this season could change that trajectory. Freshman QB Nate Johnson would serve as a potential backup should Barnes ascend to the starting position. His appearances last season, although limited, showcased his efficiency. Completing a pass for a touchdown while also demonstrating a strong rushing ability. Running back Ja'Quinden Jackson, initially a quarterback, holds a wildcard status. While his role primarily revolves around running back duties, his history as a quarterback could be strategically harnessed by Coach Whittingham to perplex defenses. As the Utah Utes prepare to host the Florida Gators on August 31, the lingering uncertainty surrounding their quarterback lineup looms large. While the Gators have solidified their quarterback situation with Graham Mertz's selection, Utah finds itself navigating a complex web of challenges. With Rising's availability up in the air and the absence of Brandon Rose, the Utes are faced with critical decisions that will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of the opening game and, potentially, their season as a whole.

Billy Napier has been killing it on the recruiting path for Florida. That's evident. But it's often forgotten where the foundation is built that leads to these commitments. For a handful of Gator commits, the foundation was built in Gainesville during the weekend of June 16. The Florida staff hosted 13 prospects for their official visits to campus over the course of three days. Two months later, 11 of those 13 have committed to the Gators. The conversation rate from that weekend is unprecedented and the impact is massive. Half of the current 2024 Florida recruiting class was in Gainesville that weekend. This past week on the Buddy Martin Show, we talked about the 'now' versus the future and that while there is momentum with the 2024 class, we need to start to see some form of progress this year. That is true, but at the end of the day, this is all the 'now.' Each member of the 2024 group Napier and company have rounded up sees something special brewing in Gainesville and we are reminded weekly by commits including DJ Lagway who are vocal on social media about their excitement. That is stuff happening now. And it matters. Despite the fact that we don't get to see Lagway and the rest of the '24s on the field until the future, their commitments have come from everything they see right now. What happens if the Gators only win six or seven games this season? Does Florida lose a chunk of its 2024 class? They might lose one or two, but this group of the future views themselves as a program changing class. Lagway has been pressing for commits who have the potential to be stars on the field. That has been his largest pitch to Ohio State commit Jeremiah Smith: that the duo of Lagway and Smith can be program altering. To Buddy's point, there's been a lot of talk on the future, but it is time to see progress now. Regardless, a major culture shift has occurred since the end of the Mullen era and the June 16 weekend is a prime example of the direction Napier is moving this program.

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning:

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning:

Gators defensive end Princely Umanmielen was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List which was announced on Monday. Umanmielen has garnered a lot of hype ahead of the 2023 season, which many expect to be the junior's breakout year. The Gators front seven lost quite a bit of talent, but the 6-foot-5, 254 lbs should fill at least some of those voids nicely. The list includes 85 players, but just 12 defensive ends. Umanmielen joins Ole Miss' Cedric Johnson as the only other SEC defensive end on the list. The SEC had 12 players named to the watch list. In addition to the Bednarik Award watch list, Umanmielen was named to the All-SEC Preseason Third Team at SEC Media Days. Umanmielen led the team with sacks (4.5) and tackles for a loss (9.5) last year in 13 games. He started 11 of those games, collecting a total of 39 total tackles and two forced fumbles. The Manor (Tx.) native was in the headlines earlier this summer after it was announced that he would wear the (formerly) coveted No. 1 jersey. In the past, Florida coaches have made a big deal about No. 1, stating that it was something that needed to be earned. However, along with the announcement of number changes was a comment from Napier emphasizing that it is just like any other number. Regardless, Umanmielen joins Pearsall with the No. 1 jersey. Umanmielen is the fifth Florida football player named to an award watch list ahead of the 2023 season. Ricky Pearsall (Maxwell Award), Jeremy Crawshaw (Ray Guy Award), Derek Wingo (Wuerffel Trophy) and Trevor Etienne (Paul Hornung Award) were all named to award watch lists as well.

They've been saying the Gators aren't done yet! And man were they right. Florida adds another top-talent to their 2024 secondary group after four-star defensive back Wardell Mack announced his commitment on Monday. Mack is just the latest addition to an already stacked 2024 class that just seems to be getting better every single week. With his commitment, the Gators reclaim their spot at No. 3 in the 2024 class rankings according to On3. Florida had slipped to No. 4 last week after a pair of Alabama commits, but the Gators return to No. 3. Florida is also ranked No. 3 in 247Sports rankings. The four-star defensive back out of Marrero (La.) is among the top defensive backs in the country and can play both on the outside as a corner or over the top in a safety position. He becomes the 22nd member of the class of 2024. Mack took three visits to Gainesville during his recruitment, including an official visit on June 16. He was last on campus toward the end of July for the 'Grill in the Ville' event. Despite the Gators maintaining interest in Mack for much of his recruitment, Florida was not figured to have a large chance at landing the John Ehret High School product. Most analysts viewed LSU and Texas as the favorites to land Mack, but nonetheless the Gators land another massive addition to the 2024 defensive unit. A major factor in the addition of Mack was the presence of Corey Raymond, who had a huge impact at in-state LSU. "I know a lot about him and I grew up watching him at LSU and watching all those guys he had come out," Mack said. "He dropped a whole lot of knowledge on my head today for sure. I can tell he's a great coach from me being around him." Mack is ranked as the No. 7 cornerback according to the On3 industry rankings, although 247Sports has him listed as a safety.

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning: Cam Carroll knew exactly what he was getting into when he transferred from Tulane to the University of Florida. He was well aware the Gators were returning one of the top 1-2 running back combos in America in Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne, plus a stud recruit in Treyaun Webb. He was completely unfazed. “For me entering the portal it was a well-thought-out decision,” Carroll said Sunday evening after the Gators had completed practice. “Once I entered, Coach (Jabar) Juluke reached out to me. I sent him my transcript. I talked to Coach (Billy) Napier and it felt like home. Being able to be in a room like Trevor and Montrell it obviously would scare a lot of people, but me, personally, I took it as an opportunity to not only learn from them but also grow.” Photo of Florida running back Cameron Carroll hurdling a defender in the 2023 Orange and Blue Game. Photo via Chris Spears GatorBaitMedia.com Carroll isn’t your everyday transfer upset that he’s buried on a depth chart. He spent five years at Tulane, redshirting in 2018 and then missing all but the first game of 2022 with an injury. In between he ran for 1,612 yards (5.3 per carry) and 19 touchdowns, plus caught 23 passes for 247 yards (10.7 per catch) and five more TDs. He ran for 741 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021. In 2022 he ran for 516 yards (6.1 per carry) and three touchdowns, plus caught 17 passes for 198 yards (11.7 per catch) and three more TDs. He's got skills. When he transferred to UF some thought because of his size (6-0, 232 pounds) he would be a between the tackles bruiser or because he’s so surehanded out of the backfield that he would be a third down back who could run routes. He can do those things, but he’s also capable of leaping over tacklers (see the spring game), taking on a blitzing linebacker or a rush end in protection and if he gets to the second level turn a routine carry into a sprint. “A lot of people would be surprised to hear I hit right at 22 miles per hour at 230,” Carroll said. “I might be big, but if I get out on the edge you’re still going to have a hard time.” No promises were made and none asked for when he transferred to Florida. He says he was more than willing to fit in wherever the coaching staff felt was best for the team, but he’s already proven that he can be a valuable commodity. He works on every phase of his game every day including catching passes with the wide receivers. He’s bonded with his mates in the running backs room and fits in so well with teammates that it’s as if he was here from day one instead of transferring in. For those who might question if there are enough carries to go around, consider the 1984 Gators were a 3-headed backfield rotation of Neal Anderson, John L. Williams and Lorenzo Hampton, all first round NFL picks. Napier’s 2019 Louisiana team had 1,147-yard rusher Elijah Mitchell (16 touchdowns) to go with Raymond Calais (886, 6 TDs), Trey Ragas (820, 11 TDs) and Chris Smith (334 yards, 4 TDs, 10.44 per carry). “I didn’t know that,” Carroll said. “Good news for this year.” Let’s get one thing straight about the ACC … First and foremost, you can forget Florida State and Clemson joining the SEC unless ESPN tells Greg Sankey do it and we’ll give you an even better contract than the one we’re going to rewrite when Texas and Oklahoma join the league. Sankey and the SEC presidents don’t feel the need to expand. At 16 teams, Sankey already has the best and most powerful league out there so unless ESPN steps in, forget about FSU and Clemson in the SEC. Second – and this also involves ESPN – why would ESPN weaken a league it has under contract until 2036? Clemson and FSU are already the football bell cows in the ACC and they will remain the bell cows, probably until 2036 when the media rights contract with ESPN and grant of rights deals all expire. They might be very good football programs in the Southeastern Conference, but they’ll be powerhouses in the ACC. ESPN is not going to budge. Third, it is true that Florida State, Clemson, North Carolina and North Carolina State voted against the ACC expanding to add Stanford and California. These four schools along with Virginia, Virginia Tech and Miami have been whining about the lack of money they get from their media contract with ESPN. While Stanford and California would give ESPN some late night ball games on the Left Coast, the TV needle will not move. So, if Cal and Stanford joined, it would just dilute the yearly per school payout for the current ACC schools. Remember this, in 2026 when the Southeastern Conference schools are most likely hauling in somewhere between $90-100 million a year from their contract with ESPN, the 14 ACC schools will be bringing in less than $50 million. All ACC schools would have to take a cut in yearly pay so that Stanford and Cal could join, plus you would have the added travel expense. Fourth, SMU, is a bridesmaid again. SMU thought it would be joining the Pac-12 but there will be no Pac-12 after 2023. SMU was mentioned to join the ACC once California and Stanford were accepted, but that isn’t happening either. The Big 12 would be a rather good place for SMU but former Southwest Conference buddies TCU, Baylor, Houston, and Texas Tech don’t want them. Finally, why would the ACC want SMU, which plays in a 32,000-seat stadium that it never fills and whose athletic program counts four national championships in all sports in history? So, what’s going to happen Tuesday when there is a drop dead date for schools that want to leave the ACC after the 2023-24 athletic year? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The ACC will stay just the way it is. The Big Ten won’t expand to add Clemson and FSU. Clemson and FSU, while seriously upset that their SEC and Big Ten cousins can afford to drive a Maybach, will continue to drive their Chevys. Stanford and California will continue to be orphans who can either go independent, join the Mountain West or continue to pray that the Big Ten will further expand. Oregon State and Washington State will join the Mountain West and SMU will continue to play in the American Athletic Conference. Flipping the College Football Playoff script The dilemma of the week and foreseeable future for college football will not be further expansion. Something will happen with the four orphans from the Pac-12, we just don’t know what quite yet. The dilemma is what to do about the College Football Playoff which is something that calls for solutions in a hurry. This will be the final year of the 4-team playoff with expansion to 12 teams set for 2024. Prior to the messy divorce that torpedoed the Pac-12, the plan was for the Power 5 conferences to send their champs along with the highest ranked conference champ from the Group of 5. Now, however, there are only four power conferences so do we have five guaranteed spots and seven at-large? Do we add two conference champs from the Group of 5 and remain with six guaranteed spots and six at-large? Or do we scrap all the guarantees and go with the top 12 teams regardless of conference? Then there is the money. In 2026 there will be a new contract that is expected to fetch in the neighborhood of $2 billion. How will that money be split up, particularly if there are no automatic bids for conference champs? One suggestion is to have the power conferences have their playoff and the Group of 5 conferences to have theirs. Can the bowls continue to exist if the playoff is split in two? Finally, can all the conferences act like adults and come to a conclusion that works? The NCAA vs. Jim Harbaugh: The plea deal is off The plea deal that had been negotiated between the NCAA and Jim Harbaugh has been rejected, which means it will go before the Committee on Infractions sometime months away, well after the 2023 season. That means the 4-game suspension that Harbaugh was willing to serve is off the table. He will coach the entire 2023 season and there is a rather good chance he will win an NCAA championship. SEC people can go ahead and clutch their hearts, but Michigan is actually good enough to win it all to become the first Big Ten team to win a national championship since Ohio State did it in 2014. There are no guarantees that Harbaugh will still be around in 2024, which will be the earliest this case is heard. Harbaugh could win the national championship then tell the NCAA to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine and go coach in the NFL. He’s come close to taking an NFL job after each of the last two seasons. What a way to ride off into the sunset while giving the NCAA the finger. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Hunter Yuracheck, the well-regarded athletic director at Arkansas, wrote a guest column for Whole Hog Sports in which he closes by saying, “If there is any chance of maintaining the collegiate athletic ecosystem that has become synonymous with the college experience not only for the athletes, but for students, fans, staff, and communities nationwide, a national framework provided through congressional action is our best hope.” What BS. When Congress can figure out how to balance a budget without adding another trillion dollars to the national debt and do it without giving itself a pay raise, then maybe I’ll be willing to believe its intervention can do something good for college sports. Until then, BS! It’s okay to pay coaches millions of dollars and have a coaching staff payroll of several million. It’s okay to have these elaborate staffs for recruiting and to spend lavishly to lure a recruit to your campus for a weekend. It’s okay for a head coach to helicopter to a high school campus when a car would do. And on and on and on. Athletic directors and school presidents chase network dollars at the expense of longstanding rivalries and the overall health of their athletes – see Rutgers or Maryland sending their athletes thousands of miles to the Left Coast on the weekend, then whisking them back for classes on Monday – but let someone pay the athletes and it’s time for Congress to step in and act. Oh yes, the same Congress that has spent so much borrowed money that the international credit rating agencies have downgraded the United States which means everyone will be paying more for everything. We’re supposed to believe these guys can solve the problem of NIL? Oh please. I think solving the problems that plague college athletics begins with seceding football from the NCAA and getting it out from the jurisdiction of academics who know how to spend everybody else’s money but are clueless when it comes to actually making and keeping it. Football pays the bills. Put it in the hands of business people who understand that if you spend more than you make, you go belly up. Let these same people set up rules and regulations that actually make sense. Give athletes extended healthcare benefits for injuries suffered during their playing days. Give athletes at least two years to finish school free of charge when their playing days are over. Above all, get college athletics out of the hands of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and forget this silly notion that answers can be found in Washington. If this means privatizing all of college sports, so be it, but start with football by putting it in the hands of people who know what a bottom line is.

Billy Napier announced Friday that Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz will be the Gators starting quarterback. Florida is set to open the season Aug. 31 in Salt Lake City against Utah, and as expected, Mertz will be taking snaps.

A few thoughts to jump start your Saturday morning:

It is no secret that the Gators have an excellent, young receiving core led by freshmen Andy Jean and Aidan Mizell. However, the latest arrival may be the greatest of the trio. Eugene "Tre" Wilson III didn't arrive in Gainesville and join the Florida football team until late May, but has already turned heads on the field.

"When Buddy Met Joni" “To me there are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think -- spend some time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think and cry, that's a heck of a day.” -Jim Valvano She was gift from God, with an assist from Florida Gator football. It was early January in 1960 and I was about to eat a hamburger that would change my life forever. An attractive blonde was strolling by right in front of us. My college roommate, P.K. Beck of Chiefland, always had an eye for beauty. He was the first to see her, walking north on 13th Street next to a swarthy, stout, and handsome guy, who looked like a football player. Turned out he was — and a very good one. P. K. and I, members of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, were about to consume an early evening snack at the Humpty Dumpty drive-through restaurant when he looked up and said, “Hey! There’s Vic Miranda! Let’s go say hello to him.“ Also a Phi Delt, Vic was just returning from semester off. He was walking with an attractive 19-year-old former North Miami high school cheerleader whom he had volunteered to introduce around campus on her first week at the University of Florida. I’d be lying if I said P.K. and I weren’t impressed with the striking beauty of the girl who later introduced herself as “Joan Sharp – no E.” But not knowing her relationship with Miranda just yet, we treaded cautiously. Vic could be intimidating. He not only looked like a tough guy, but was a sparring partner with a Miami Beach light heavyweight champion boxer named Willie Pastrano. Not to mention that he was an All-SEC guard on the Gator football team. But he was otherwise a real gentleman. Fate dealt me a winning hand that night. It turned out to be more than just a fortuitous meeting, because God had already picked my mate for a lifetime. They were headed down to a place called Gatorland and invited us to join them when we were done eating, which we would do. And that’s where we could clarify their connection. Turns out Vic and Joan Sharp “No E” were just high school acquaintances, not romantically connected. Frankly, she was not all that impressed with me. And I – just coming off sort of a “torrid romance” myself – offered my services as hero to the damsel in distress, which of course she was not. “I’ll be glad to take you over to our fraternity house and introduce you to some people,“ I said magnanimously. It wasn’t love at first sight for either of us that night, but as a male student at a school where women were outnumbered 5-1 by guys, we always knew to dig in on the early freshman scouting report. I certainly made a mental note of it, even if I was slow to react. A few days later, P.K.’s roving eye for beautiful ladies scored another bullseye. He spotted Joni again, walking across campus on the Plaza of Americas. He stopped to chat, remembering her name was Joan Sharp “No E,” and asked her, “What are you doing this weekend?“ Turns out she didn’t have a date on Saturday night, so he returned dutifully to inform me, his roommate. And since we were planning a bit of a party at our new apartment, maybe I should call her. “I’ve got her number here,” he said. (Many have asked me why P.K. didn’t swoop down and ask her out. For one thing he already had a date. For another, he was all of about 5-8 1/2 and she was nearly 5-10. Too much woman for P.K.!) We had a quiet, respectful evening at the apartment with our other roommate, Harry Lee Allen of Fort Myers and his date, and afterward I took her back to her dorm by midnight curfew. The next morning, Joni and I decided to go to church. It was a pleasant experience and I would ask her out again, but I was already dating another sorority girl in a much less promising relationship and would need to juggle some things. That was the connection I made with a beautiful Joan Martin. From there, we dated often off and on for several weeks. And when she decided to go home to Miami for a weekend, she asked me, “Are you going to have a date this weekend?” I confessed that I was. To which she said’, “Do you have any money?” I said, “no,” and she cheerfully whipped out a five-dollar bill and gave it to me, saying “Have a good time on me!” She had me at, “Are you going to have a date this weekend?” How could I not love her after that? We were engaged at Christmas, married August 12 of the next year at Church By the Sea in Bal Harbor, had a daughter, Lori, 11 months later and set out on the challenging road that is marriage, without a game plan or road map for the next 60 years. We would blessed us with three more children: Christy (deceased), Rebecca and Brenden and countless adventures along the way. It was on -the-job training, but when we finally got it right, through all the heartaches and hiccups, there was unmitigated joy and a rich life experience. We learned so much from our mistakes and from each other over the 22,587 days we were married and even the 575 days before that. It was no Harry Met Sally, but you could write a movie about When Buddy Met Joni. We often marveled at our adventure, the people we met, the places we lived, the lonely roads we walked together and her incredible courage to meet yet another challenge as she found a way make a house into a home everytime in a new place for a new job. “Twenty-two times I moved!” she would say as a badge of courage, counting the in-town apartment changes. And all of them she converted to a home full of faith, love and hope, which became our mantra. Finally we landed back in Ocala for the last 16 years where we flourished in each other’s company, even if it did sometimes test our patience during three years of Covid. We rode the wave of emotion as Gator fans and sometimes when I was away covering a crummy game she would change the channel in disgust. Joni was always our magnet for joy, celebration and family blessings. Ironically, she labored under the misconception that nobody valued her opinion. Yet she was always the secret rock star at our house. I would argue that she was one of the most influential people I ever knew. Not just in our family, where everyone sought her advice on everything from recipes to parenting to handling relationships, but many people from all walks of life – from the famous to the anonymous. As a matter of fact, she was far more impactful than I was. As a commentator, broadcaster and author of eight books, I doubt hardly anybody could remember a single sentence of mine in well over a million words I’ve written or said. Just about everybody recalls EVERY WORD of her advice, which was usually spot on. Some of the things she said: To Tom 1, who called her his “second mom”: “That’s not the right girl for you.” She wasn’t and Tom 1 found the one who was. To Tom 2, who often got befuddled and angry and would show up at the front door in bad need of a hug. “Sit down over here, Tom and listen. No. 1, you’re drinking too much. No. 2 you need to get your anger under control. And No. 3, that girl is no good for you.” Today, Tom says she was right about all three. To her younger co-worker Venice Ann, from nearby Morrison, when they were 22 and working at an Ocala hair salon: “Bring your lipstick over here and let me show you something… Now, when you leave home every morning, always put on your face on.” (From Venice Ann: “For 60 years every morning I left the house, I remembered what she told me.”) To Terry B, the big star: “Whenever I had the moments of uncertainty, you’re always the lady I could call. You’d encourage me and lift me up. And if I was wrong, you’d tell me, ’you’re wrong!’” If you didn’t want the truth, don’t ask her. She took no prisoners. Believe me, I felt sting of her frankness many days as I walked out the door when she would say, “Those pants look terrible on you. Change them!” I would grumble and complain about her criticism. Then I’d change them. She was a truth-teller, as I found out early. Like the night we jumped in the the back seat of the getaway limo at Church by the Sea in North Miami after our wedding, traversing through the line of well-wishers. And as I pursed my lips to say something romantic – like, “congratulations Mrs. Martin” – she blurted out: “DAMN, that RICE HURT!” Reality over romance -- Joni Martin, keeping it real. Courageous enough to say what must be said and do what must be done to the point of personal sacrifice and pain. Not many people know the story of our second-born, Christy, who had an anomaly of her heart and esophagus and spent the first six months of her life struggling to stay alive at Shands hospital in Gainesville. So many critical surgeries. During one of them, I took a walk to relieve my stress and wound up in the office of my good friend Ed Kensler, then the offensive coordinator for Ray Graves. I remember him being there when I so badly needed to talk. I told him the story about Christy and his eyes began to well up. “It sort of makes first downs and touchdowns seem irrelevant,” he said. That began to change my perspective on football and life. That was only the beginning of the story about Joni’s courage. She was trained at Shands on how to do a medical procedure on Christy that no doctor in all of Brevard County could do. So many days I watched her thread the catheter through Christy’s throat and out her side, and then go to the kitchen sink to wash the blood of her child from her hands. Christy died 18 months later. The pain was so great I could barely watch — let alone help. She hated admitting to a sense of relief, because she knew we’d see her again one day in heaven. We rarely talked about it over the next 50 years. Joni knew she had to move on, as she is no doubt telling her family today. And you thought it took guts to play football? She never backed down from anything. Including the night after we went the see Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway. Taking an elevator to the sixth floor for a dinner reservation, we had a last-minute passenger jump on board. He noticed a Playbill in Joni’s hand, commenting: “Oh, how did you like the play?” To which she retorted: “It was OK, but I was a bit offended the way Jesus was depicted.” "I’m sorry to hear that — I’m the producer of the show,” he said sheepishly, perhaps hoping she might amend her comment. She didn’t flinch. Then there was a time we contemplated moving back to Ocala from Denver to partner up with our friend who owned a radio station. We were getting really excited about it and the next night when we ran into said friend, he suddenly reneged on the deal and took it off the table. Uncharacteristically of Joni, who rarely got into business negotiations unless asked, she stuck her finger in his face (she was also friends with him) and said, “You’re going to live to regret this someday!” Two years later, when I moved back to Ocala and Gordon Smith and I started Florida Sports Talk, WMOP in Ocala/Gainesville, I ran into that friend on the boulevard and honked for him to pull over and mend our friendship. He looked me in the eye, shamefully admitting, “Joni was right.“ She was almost always right. Doesn’t sound to me like a person who’s opinions didn’t matter. As poet Maya Angelou once said, ""People will forget everything you said or did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." One more thing to add about Joni — the word “Joy.” She danced with such joy! We clicked the first time on the floor. Our moves were pre-choreographed by fate. I remember the first real date we had at a fraternity party, once we got on the floor — she from Miami and me from Ocala — easily meshed our styles and cultures so beautifully through the language of the jitterbug. Sometimes there would be a house full of people at the Phi Delta Theta house — maybe a couple of hundred people — along with our friends Lynn and Ed Seay. We would almost clear the floor. She had me at the first twirl and the magic of those nimble, high-stepping feet. Honestly, I felt like we were Marge and Gower Champion with the spotlight on us. People just backed off to watch these two couples dancing on the floor. Everything she did in that regard brought such great joy to her and those in our circle of life. So that’s the word I don’t want forget about her — Joy. She loved Everything Jesus — especially Christmas and Easter. And reading her Bible and devouring books – she read over a thousand books. It was a perfect day when she could read scripture, read her books on Kindle, watch her birds flitting out her sliding glass back door, say her prayers and talk to one or more of her family members. Then she would tell me what a wonderful life we had lived for over a half century. She was a celebrating kind of girl — birthdays and anniversaries, holidays. At Christmas, her house was magically transformed into a wonderland with boxes and boxes of ornaments hanging on the prettiest tree in three counties … nutcrackers and figurines and the manger scene … wreaths and bows of her making and a pot of her famous chili for the traditional Christmas Eve gathering. If it was the day of your birthday in our family, you’d most likely have “Happy Birthday” sung by her first thing that morning. She loved movies and was addicted to Broadway plays – probably saw 30 of them, including The King as I (Yul Brenner), Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago and Wicked. But one of her favorite moments was during the play Peter Pan, when Sandy Duncan came flying down from the roof as our son Brenden, then five, looked up in wonderment and said “Mom, I think that’s a real person!!!” Her favorite movies were Out of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, Dances With Wolves with Kevin Costner and probably Funny Girl with her beloved Barbra Streisand, whose singing voice she so coveted that she prayed God might grant it to her in heaven once she transcended that stairway. She kept talking about her vision of a long stairway into the sky. “I see myself climbing that stairway and as I get to the top, somebody pokes their head through the pearly gates and says, ‘Go back! We’re not ready for you yet.’ I know that one day I’ll get there and Jesus will extend his hand to me and say, ‘Come on in!’’’ On Thursday June 15, she took his hand. Play video at 103:15 for Joni Tribute