This story ran on the front page of December 7, 2008\'s edition. I was the lead correspondent.

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Gator fans take celebration to streets
By Karen Voyles
Correspondents
Published: Sunday, December 7, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Steve Johnson/Special to the Sun
Students celebrate on University Avenue after an SEC Championship in Gainesville, FL on Saturday
December 6, 2008.
Gator celebrations on W. University Avenue have become almost
commonplace - with Florida claiming three national championships in two
years between 2006 and 2007.
Add one more traffic-stopping celebration to the list, as police shut down W.
University Saturday night when hundreds of students and turned the road into
a virtual mosh pit in the aftermath of Florida's SEC Championship Game
victory. The victory likely vaulted UF into yet another national championship
game next month in Miami.
At 7:40 p.m., Gainesville Police closed down University Avenue between 13th
Street and 22nd Street and did not reopen it to traffic until 8:15.
The mass of fans took over a stretch of W. University near 17th Street, jumping
up and down and cheering, climbing light posts and chanting.

2. "I wasn't here last year, and I've never seen anything like it," said Stephanie
Leventhal, a journalism sophomore. "It was pretty close there for a little bit
but then we kicked butt!"
Former UF football player Eddie Haupt, a senior who works as a security
guard at The Swamp restaurant, was working to keep the crowd safe.
Haupt said he saw one fan trying to climb a tree outside the restaurant.
"I've been standing out here making sure no one climbs trees ever since,"
Haupt said. He also said the police response was very quick.
Police shift commander Lt. Scott Meffen said GPD had 25 officers patrolling
the celebration. "We were prepared for this," he said.
At one point, students began streaming west from 17th Street down
University, chanting and exchanging high-fives with passersby, and
congregating outside the UF football complex at the southwest corner of Ben
Hill Griffin Stadium.
Fans then made their way down onto the turf of Florida Field. For 20-25
minutes the fans led Gator cheers and threw rolls of toilet paper, only to be
forced off the field and out of the stadium by university police. The fans then
made their way back to W. University. By this point, the traffic was flowing
again and fans exchanged more high-fives with those in passing vehicles.
Holly Koly, 18, said it was her first time attending a post-game celebration on
W. University and she was hooked.
"No matter what it takes, I'm going (to the BCS title game)," Koly said. "I'll see
you in Miami."
The celebration on W. University also drew UF alum Mike Barton and his
friend Leslie Florence, who had watched the game on television at a friend's
house.
Florence said she was particularly moved by the spirituality Tebow showed
following the victory.

3. "I think it is wonderful that Tim (Tebow) is acknowledging his faith," Florence
said.
UF freshman Riane Goodwin was among those already making plans to get to
the game next month at Dolphin Stadium.
"When all the 'Bama fans cancel their rooms, we are going to get them,"
Goodwin said. "We are ready to Gator chomp all over the place."
Meantime, during the game, the mood inside local establishments rose and
fell based on the score.
The emotional rollercoaster of a couple of diehard Gator fans was too much for
their wives to put up with by the middle of the second quarter and they said
they willingly gave up their seats at Gators Dockside on Newberry Road.
The women walked back behind the retail center to Tuesday Morning to do
some shopping and avoid their husbands until the game was over. "They took
this way too seriously," said one woman, who asked only to be identified as
Ashley. "I just don't think I could take much more of the craziness - the
shouting and the yelling."
A lonely Alabama fan was parked outside Home Depot during the third
quarter, listening to the game on his truck radio. Don Hatcher said he sent his
wife inside to pick up the parts to complete an emergency plumbing project in
their travel trailer and allow him some time to listen to the game alone.
"There aren't a lot of us around who know how to say 'Roll Tide' the way it
should be," said Hatcher. "Besides, the way this game is going, I don't think I
could take it if I hear one more person doing that 'Go Gators, Gators let's go'
thing."
The aisles of the Publix store on Archer and Tower roads were mostly empty
during the game, giving one employee time to check his cell phone frequently
for updates on the score.
"I know we're not supposed to do this, but this is a really big deal," said the
employee.

4. When the game ended, the mostly female crowd shopping at Michael's Arts
and Crafts on Archer Road paused briefly while a clerk announced over the
store's speakers that the Gators had won.
"Oooh," said one woman to her shopping companion. "You know what this
means? We're going shopping for a weekend in Miami."
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