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Game of My Life Florida Gators: Memorable Stories of Gators Football
What’s it like to hear the roar of the crowd, to feel the sweat dripping down your back, and to know that you’re at the center of it all? In Game of My Life Florida Gators , readers will step onto the field and re-live the greatest football moments through the eyes of thirty of the most famous Gators players.
In this enthralling collection, Pat Dooley brings together Florida football players of the past and present to share their fondest single game experience and memories—some involve championship games, while others seem ordinary save for the extraordinary personal meaning. Heisman Trophy winners Steve Spurrier and Danny Wuerffel, along with many other legendary players like John Reaves, Larry Smith, Carlos Alvarez, Wilber Marshall, Kerwin Bell, Jack Youngblood, and Chris Doering all share their passion for the game within these pages. Game of My Life Florida Gators provides an in-depth look into the men and games that helped shape and build the Florida Gators football tradition and heritage. A must–read for any football fan and Florida alum!
In this enthralling collection, Pat Dooley brings together Florida football players of the past and present to share their fondest single game experience and memories—some involve championship games, while others seem ordinary save for the extraordinary personal meaning. Heisman Trophy winners Steve Spurrier and Danny Wuerffel, along with many other legendary players like John Reaves, Larry Smith, Carlos Alvarez, Wilber Marshall, Kerwin Bell, Jack Youngblood, and Chris Doering all share their passion for the game within these pages. Game of My Life Florida Gators provides an in-depth look into the men and games that helped shape and build the Florida Gators football tradition and heritage. A must–read for any football fan and Florida alum!
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 2011
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January 4, 2026
𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨 was a 34 chapter and 34 player trip down memory lane for Florida Gators football fans as well as a labor of love from the author of the book, 𝗣𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘆. Dooley is a lifelong football fan of the Gators, and I bet it was easy and fun for him to write this book.
𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨 was composed of interviews and background stories on former Gators stars, role players, and even a head coach who got two chapters dedicated to him (𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿).
I'm not a Gators fan by any means but this book was fun for me to read as a football analyst and historian. The way Dooley wrote this book, he wanted to educate you on Gators football history as well as help you understand how important certain Gator football players and a coach (Spurrier) are to college football history.
Because of this book I was able to think back to a time when the Gators had some of the best running backs in their history which included 𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗟. 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀, and 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵. Dooley interviewed and chronicled two of those backs in his book, but still, one can't read either of their chapters (Jones and Anderson) and not think of other good or great backs in Gator football history.
The key to this book was how Dooley set up the game of my life parts of the book, where he gave you some background on his subjects which included where they grew up, what high school's they played at, how they made their names in football and then what they did at Florida. Then after the game of my life part, he gave you an update on what these players did with their lives after they left Florida.
This book had some humor in it too with one of the books' best representations of that taking place on page 20, the linebacker 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 (1993-1996) chapter. On that page I found out that Bates' mother wanted him to originally go to Tennessee because she was a lifelong Vols fan, and she expressed to her son and Spurrier that she wasn't cool with him going to Florida. The top of that page (20) will make you laugh and understand how passionate college football fans are in the South.
One of the highlights of this book for me was the kicker 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀 (1991-1994) chapter, especially pages 74-75 and 77. It was a serious rags to riches college football player story that you'll just have to read to believe, and the story will help you appreciate Davis' three-year grind at Florida.
I learned a lot about the subjects in this book and here are the highlights:
🏈Wide Receiver 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 (1992-1995), the guy who caught the famous winning touchdown pass against Kentucky in 1993: I learned that he was former preferred walk-on (page 82).
🏈Running Back 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲 (1960-1962): That he had some serious hard luck as a Florida Gator and in the NFL. He was more well-known for his assistant and head coaching career. RIP.
🏈 Wide Receiver 𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗯𝘀 (1999-2002): His story was one of my favorites in this book. He was a high school All-American, but he was a nobody and background player at Florida from 1999 to 2001, then he broke out in 2002.
🏈Linebacker 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 (1980-1983): I learned that he 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 wanted to play tight end at Florida and when his head coach told him to switch to linebacker (which he did) he threatened to quit the 1981 Gators team. Wow. Just think, if he would have stayed at tight end there would be no Wilber Marshall All-Pro and Pro Bowl caliber linebacker for the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins.
🏈Defensive End 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 (1968-1970): The future college and NFL Hall of Famer had no college offers out of high school (page 240). 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 (yes, that one) who was sent to Youngblood's high school to evaluate him in 1966, told Florida State Head Coach 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 that Youngblood would never play college football.
Pros of 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨: The book accomplished its goal of educating its readers on wonderful moments and the college careers of star and role players in Gator football history. The book was a page turner for me (especially when players from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s were discussed). The book could educate anyone on Gator history (certain periods) even if you could care less about Gator football or football period.
The author knows his stuff when it comes to Gator football, and he made sure you knew that, but it wasn't in a I'm smarter than you when it comes to Gator football history, it was more of a I'm going to educate you on Gator football and I hope you're happy with that.
Cons of 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨: There wasn't many, but I find it funny that the author didn't interview Emmitt Smith or 𝐓𝐢𝐦 𝐓𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐰 (2006-2009) for this book. I read the updated 2011 version of this book and Tebow was HUGE, like a Gator football God in the 2007 to 2009 period and he doesn't get an interview from one of the main Gator sportswriters in the state of Florida since the late 1980s?!!!! And Emmitt left Gainesville after the 1989 season, where he was his Game of My Life interview?
In conclusion, 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨 was a page turner for me as it took just over two weeks (November 2025) for me to finish the book. I liked how the author set up the Game of My Life with background info on the players interviewed which helped set the scene for how you perceived and analyzed these players before and after their Games of My Life were read. Essentially, the book was a trip down memory lane for Gators fans and football historians like me, as well as a book filled with good facts and history.
𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨 was composed of interviews and background stories on former Gators stars, role players, and even a head coach who got two chapters dedicated to him (𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿).
I'm not a Gators fan by any means but this book was fun for me to read as a football analyst and historian. The way Dooley wrote this book, he wanted to educate you on Gators football history as well as help you understand how important certain Gator football players and a coach (Spurrier) are to college football history.
Because of this book I was able to think back to a time when the Gators had some of the best running backs in their history which included 𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗟. 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀, and 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵. Dooley interviewed and chronicled two of those backs in his book, but still, one can't read either of their chapters (Jones and Anderson) and not think of other good or great backs in Gator football history.
The key to this book was how Dooley set up the game of my life parts of the book, where he gave you some background on his subjects which included where they grew up, what high school's they played at, how they made their names in football and then what they did at Florida. Then after the game of my life part, he gave you an update on what these players did with their lives after they left Florida.
This book had some humor in it too with one of the books' best representations of that taking place on page 20, the linebacker 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 (1993-1996) chapter. On that page I found out that Bates' mother wanted him to originally go to Tennessee because she was a lifelong Vols fan, and she expressed to her son and Spurrier that she wasn't cool with him going to Florida. The top of that page (20) will make you laugh and understand how passionate college football fans are in the South.
One of the highlights of this book for me was the kicker 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀 (1991-1994) chapter, especially pages 74-75 and 77. It was a serious rags to riches college football player story that you'll just have to read to believe, and the story will help you appreciate Davis' three-year grind at Florida.
I learned a lot about the subjects in this book and here are the highlights:
🏈Wide Receiver 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 (1992-1995), the guy who caught the famous winning touchdown pass against Kentucky in 1993: I learned that he was former preferred walk-on (page 82).
🏈Running Back 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲 (1960-1962): That he had some serious hard luck as a Florida Gator and in the NFL. He was more well-known for his assistant and head coaching career. RIP.
🏈 Wide Receiver 𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗯𝘀 (1999-2002): His story was one of my favorites in this book. He was a high school All-American, but he was a nobody and background player at Florida from 1999 to 2001, then he broke out in 2002.
🏈Linebacker 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 (1980-1983): I learned that he 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 wanted to play tight end at Florida and when his head coach told him to switch to linebacker (which he did) he threatened to quit the 1981 Gators team. Wow. Just think, if he would have stayed at tight end there would be no Wilber Marshall All-Pro and Pro Bowl caliber linebacker for the Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins.
🏈Defensive End 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 (1968-1970): The future college and NFL Hall of Famer had no college offers out of high school (page 240). 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 (yes, that one) who was sent to Youngblood's high school to evaluate him in 1966, told Florida State Head Coach 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 that Youngblood would never play college football.
Pros of 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨: The book accomplished its goal of educating its readers on wonderful moments and the college careers of star and role players in Gator football history. The book was a page turner for me (especially when players from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s were discussed). The book could educate anyone on Gator history (certain periods) even if you could care less about Gator football or football period.
The author knows his stuff when it comes to Gator football, and he made sure you knew that, but it wasn't in a I'm smarter than you when it comes to Gator football history, it was more of a I'm going to educate you on Gator football and I hope you're happy with that.
Cons of 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨: There wasn't many, but I find it funny that the author didn't interview Emmitt Smith or 𝐓𝐢𝐦 𝐓𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐰 (2006-2009) for this book. I read the updated 2011 version of this book and Tebow was HUGE, like a Gator football God in the 2007 to 2009 period and he doesn't get an interview from one of the main Gator sportswriters in the state of Florida since the late 1980s?!!!! And Emmitt left Gainesville after the 1989 season, where he was his Game of My Life interview?
In conclusion, 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚: 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖 𝙂𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨 was a page turner for me as it took just over two weeks (November 2025) for me to finish the book. I liked how the author set up the Game of My Life with background info on the players interviewed which helped set the scene for how you perceived and analyzed these players before and after their Games of My Life were read. Essentially, the book was a trip down memory lane for Gators fans and football historians like me, as well as a book filled with good facts and history.
January 16, 2024
Fun way to learn about the legends that have made their mark on the Florida program in such a positive way. Grammar police in me had to come out a lot though 🫣
August 22, 2025
Definitely for the most ardent Gator fans. "Game of My Life" is a formulaic franchise that never really gets in too deep into anything. The stories and players that were offered by the author were fine. If the reader is not a die hard Gator fan, then most of it will be of little interest. Unfortunately, a big error of this book is having Tim Tebow on the cover and not being one of the contributing players.
May 25, 2017
I won this book in a giveaway. In Game of My Life Florida Gators, readers will get to re-live moments of the most famous Gators players.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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