Pat Dooley Comes to Tallahassee

The Capital Area Gator Club is pleased to welcome veteran sportswriter and author Pat Dooley to Tallahassee on Tuesday, December 1, just days before the Gator's showdown with Alabama for the SEC Championship.

Pat Dooley has been a sportswriter for 33 years and has covered a myriad of events, such as every major college football bowl game, six Super Bowls, the World Series, the College World Series, the 1996 Summer Olympics, and The Masters. He has also done extensive work in radio and television, currently appearing in both the Gainesville and Jacksonville markets on a regular basis and has his own web TV show. He has been at The Gainesville Sun since 1987 and was recently columnist of the year in Florida for the second straight year. Dooley resides in Gainesville, FL.

Mr. Dooley is the author of two books. The first, "Game of My Life: Memorable Stories of Gator Football". The book gives an in-depth look into the men and games that helped shape and build the Florida Gator football tradition and heritage." The second came out in September "Florida Football - Yesterday and Today.'" It's a history of Gator football. Please join us at the Momo's Pizza Market Square location (1410 Market St. #C1) for an evening with Pat Dooley as he shares stories about his career and Gator football over the years.

Mr. Dooley will arrive at 6:00pm and begin speaking around 6:30pm. Admission is free to all Gator fans and food will be provided.

A Special thanks goes out to Melissa Robel Photography who took care of this events photography.

Gators invade Tallahassee

By Aimee Sachs - DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER - July 15, 2009 - Tallahassee Democrat

Dorothy, we're not in Gainesville anymore.

With all the orange and blue decked out in the Ramada Conference Center on Tuesday night, it looked like a University of Florida Alumni Association reunion was taking place in Gainesville.

Except it was right here in Seminole territory.

It wasn't exactly the 4,000 registered UF alumni in the Tallahassee area, but a few hundred loyal UF graduates assembled for the annual Capital Area Gator Club Gator Gathering. The 2008 BCS Championship Game played on a big screen as people took their seats, mingled and enjoyed food and drinks.

Fifteen local high-school graduates who are attending UF in the fall received Stephen C. O'Connell scholarship awards. Those students included Julia Slayden from Rickards, James Thompson and Jordan Soloman from Maclay, Kate Schofield and Devin Frentz from Lincoln and Parker Robinson, Mallory Alonso and Bridget Swingle from Leon.

Swingle recently attended her preview orientation at UF, and she said she's already taking heat about her hometown.

"'Really, why are you here?'" Swingle said her fellow freshmen teased her.

Swingle was taken aback by the turnout of the gathering.

"More than you would definitely expect," she said. "It's cool that Tallahassee can have a gathering of Gators because we're kind of rare in Tallahassee."

Also surprised by the turnout was UF defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, who was the special guest speaker and received a standing ovation from the fans.

"We have a great support here," Strong said shortly after his arrival. "I know that there's a great following here."

Strong mainly recruits in Central Florida, but expressed excitement about signing Gary Brown, the five-star defensive tackle from West Gadsden.

"When we recruited him, we felt like he could be someone that could help us," Strong said of Brown, who is currently attending summer classes in Gainesville.

Soon Strong will get a better look at his fresh crop of defensive lineman, but it doesn't hurt that linebacker Brandon Spikes decided to return for his senior season.

"I think he made the right decision," Strong said of Spikes. "There's nothing like college football, and the leadership that Spikes provides our football team is awesome."