It was scorching hot outside for about 6,000 Gator fans who were lined up in a huge circle surrounding the O’connell center on Sunday for fan day.

I attended the event in Gainesville yesterday and man it was hot waiting outside. I shouldn’t be complaining though because I arrived at around 11 am and there were people who arrived there 8am, 9am, and earlier. I mean… this was a big event for gator fans, having the chance to meet their favorite players and coach Urban Meyer and receiving all kinds of autographs. What really shocked me is that the majority of the fans who were there were not there for just the team. They were there to see quarterback Tim Tebow. I thought I was at Florida fan day, not Tim Tebow fan day.

I’v never seen anyone so prepared for something like this. I went by tailgaters, people sitting in chairs in line, families eating a big lunch while waiting to get in the doors. Nobody wanted to loose their spots in line or the chance of you getting in was not likely. A guy named Chris Dye was the first one in line to meet Tim Tebow. He and one of his roommates drove 12 hours from Louisville, Kentucky to get a picture and autographs of Tebow and the Gators. What made my eyebrows raise was when the Ocala Star Banner said that the two arrived at the O’connell center at 10pm on Saturday and sat in their car until they seen other fans pull up around 4am. Now those are dedicated fans.

As soon as the doors were let open, everybody rushed over to the quarterback table to see Tebow. Fans waited in line until the players walked in as they were introduced. Cheers and chanting arose as Tebow walked in, flashes went off left and right like he was some kind of movie star. For the people that don’t know, he is the movie star in college football.

After the first 500 fans that were in line to meet the quarterbacks the line was closed and the remainder of the fans were given different colored tickets so they could leave the line and walk and meet other players until their color of their card was called out.

I have never in my life seen so many angry fans waiting to get an autograph. People waited in line for hours. Outside you can hear people complaining that they were being cut in line. One lady beside me say ” We have been waiting here for five hours and you want to try and but in front of us? ” I was just insane. Doors were suppose to open at 11:30 but didn’t until shortly after, it was burning hot. As I stood in line, I felt sweat poring down me arms and legs.

As the fan day was winding down, they announced thanking everybody coming out etc and when Tebow was getting escorted out, everybody just crowded around him as he was walking outside to go down in the bottom area of the O’connell center. He was signing autographs while walking, taking photos. I didn’t make it up in line while the session was going on but luckily I stuck my poster out as he was walking out and he signed it, and I got my picture with him right before he vanished.

So all of the waiting and burning up in the heat was well worth it I think. You won’t really have another opportunity to meet one of the greatest players to ever play the game of college football in your lifetime. You may see some pictures below I took yesterday at the Gators fan day.

Chris Rainey- Property of Gatorsportsnation

Property of Gatorsportsnation

Property of Gatorsportsnation