JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In Jacksonville, one special fan was cheering on the Florida Gators during their championship win over the University of Houston.
Robert “Bob” Nichols, a former player for the Florida basketball team in the 1950s, may be one of the oldest living Gators letter winners and basketball alumni, and there are some signs that he’s a die-hard fan.
One of those signs is the 2006 championship hat he wore while speaking to News4JAX.
“This is ‘06, and that was way in Indianapolis. We won it in ‘06,” he said, showcasing his enduring passion for the team.
He’s also not one of those Gators fans who only cares about one sport.
“I love not only Florida football, but I love Florida basketball too. For over 40 years, I sat on row 21 at Florida football,” he explained.
Turning 90 in September, Nichols reflected on his past with pride, sharing that he was a starter on the freshman team in 1953, and remained with the team for the next three years.
“We had a couple of pretty good years,” he said. “My sophomore year, we played in the Gator Bowl basketball tournament in Jacksonville at Christmas, and it was the first time we ever played FSU.”
Reflecting on the Gators’ recent championship win, Nichols said he never lost faith in his team despite a lackluster first half.
“Oh, great game. Good gosh, a mighty one. That first half, I was so dull, and I kept saying, ‘Come on, Gators, turn it around. You gotta turn it around,‘” he said.
As the game progressed, Nichols felt the energy shift.
“Those Gators just kept fussing and fighting, and they came back, and all of a sudden, boom, it’s over, and we won. I was so excited,” he said.
“I probably just said, ‘My gosh, darn it, we’ve won again. I can’t believe it, we beat them. How did we win this game?‘” he added.
For Nichols, he said he doesn’t reach that level of excitement too often.
“It was exciting. I don’t get too many exciting things in my life anymore, but that was exciting last night, no question about it,” he said.
