Carlson bounces back after 47-year streak ends
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 | Football, Soccer, Scott Carter
UF historian Norm Carlson was back in the office on Wednesday morning.
He still sounded hoarse from a severe chest cold, but that didn't stop Mr. C. from stopping by a new-employee orientation session to provide some history of UF athletics to a group of around 15.
However, the chest cold did cause Carlson to miss his first UF home football game in 47 years on Saturday.
Since joining Florida's staff as sports-information director in 1963 – Steve Spurrier's freshman year of college – Carlson had not missed a game at Florida Field.
But on Saturday, with Carlson's good friend Spurrier back in town facing his alma mater in a showdown for the SEC East title, the Norm Carlson Press Deck at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was missing its namesake.
Carlson was home and asleep by halftime from the medications he is taking for the flu-like symptoms.
“I was out of it,'' Carlson said Wednesday. “I spent most of the day in bed.''
Carlson was feeling good enough Wednesday to return to work. He's still not back to full-speed, but he was in good enough spirits to stop by the orientation session and share some Spurrier stories and much more.
Everyone was glad he did.
