For Florida fans, a title celebration worth the wait

GAINESVILLE, Fla.– It was fitting that Florida got here nearly two hours late to its on-campus celebration Tuesday. After all, it was precisely how the Gators played while winning the NCAA tournament.Coaches and players returned to Gainesville approximately 16 hours after rallying to beat Houston 65-63 in San Antonio to secure the program’s 3rd nationwide title. They stepped off the airplane and onto a bus wearing champion hats and T-shirts– a few of them slept in them– while still holding hardware from the night before.They got here on campus to discover thousands of shrieking fans clamoring for photos, autographs and hugs.Editor’s Picks 2 Related”This is remarkable, definitely amazing, “coach Todd Golden told the

crowd.”I know you guys have been out

here for a while. You guys have been incredible all year. Your support has carried us to the highest level. I understand myself, my staff and our players value you more than you understand. “Fans began showing up around 10 a.m. for the celebrations, which were held at Flavet Field– a short walk from the group’s practice

center. A helicopter circled the location, and almost two lots cam teams showed up. Cheerleaders, dancers, the school band and ultimately mascots captivated those in attendance.Even a nearby building crew stopped moving dirt and attached a Florida Gators flag to their raised excavator pail before grabbing seats for the show.After Golden spoke

, it was Walter Clayton Jr.’s turn on the mic. Fans began shouting his name as he handed the championship prize to teammate Will Richard for safekeeping. Clayton, using dark sunglasses and his hat a little crooked, repeated a slogan that began with Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Maker and Taurean Green throughout Florida’s back-to-back titles in 2006-07. “Gator young boys stay hot, “stated Clayton, who was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player.”Guy, Florida is back on top and it’s going to continue.

” Head coach Todd Golden and the Gators celebrated the program’s 3rd national championship Tuesday at Flavet Field on the Florida campus. AP Photo/Alan Youngblood That part remains to be seen after Florida(36-4 )delivered 4 come-from-behind victories in six March Insanity wins. The Gators led the ending for an overall of 64 seconds, consisting of the last 46 ticks of a contest that was in limbo until the last sequence.Golden has work to do in changing his beginning backcourt– Clayton, Richard and Alijah Martin– as well as two of his top three assistants; Kevin Hovde is leaving for Columbia while John Andrzejek is headed to Campbell.The Gators wish to build

around numerous returning players, a group that included guards Denzel Aberdeen and Urban Klavzar in addition to big males Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh. Florida will include four-star shooting guard CJ Ingram and could be in the mix for former North Carolina guard Ian Jackson, who entered the transfer website after just one season with the Tar Heels.The 39-year-old Golden, who became the youngest because NC State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all, already turned his attention towards a modest rebuild. He called several recruits throughout a drifting parade late Monday night at San Antonio’s renowned River Walk.Golden and the Gators partied long into the night, got a couple of hours

of sleep at most and were set up to get here back in Gainesville around 1 p.m. But somebody forgot a champion prize at the hotel, so they needed to double back, and then the charter flight got postponed since of a congested tarmac.Back in Gainesville, the Florida faithful waited patiently.

And no one could blame them given that they had not won anything considerable in football or basketball considering that Tim Tebow played quarterback for the Gators in 2008. Now, Florida sits alone as the only school in the nation with a minimum of three nationwide titles in the 2 most significant sports.Locals loaded the O’Connell Center to savor the most recent celebration and after that rushed to the streets to continue the celebration. It continued again Tuesday, and the Gators will honor the basketball team once again before the football team’s annual spring game Saturday.This time, for a change, the basketball group is anticipated to be on time.