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Florida AD Scott Stricklin confirms Gators’ newest home tradition
By Adam Spencer
Published:
When legendary rocker and Gainesville native Tom Petty unexpectedly passed away at the age of 66 earlier this week, the Florida Gators decided to honor him.
Between the third and fourth quarters, “I Won’t Back Down” was played over the P.A. system at The Swamp in a touching tribute.
As you can see, it was an incredible moment for everyone in the stands, as fans sang along to the iconic song:
This one’s for you, @TomPetty. pic.twitter.com/OMUwJOnAgS
— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) October 7, 2017
That led to one fan asking if the Gators could make the song into a permanent tradition:
@ScottStricklin can we make this a permanent thing? https://t.co/B8zcpkdkES
— Trey Clarke (@TClarke22) October 8, 2017
Florida AD Scott Stricklin clearly felt the tribute was special, too, and quickly confirmed that the song would continue to be played at Florida home games:
Absolutely! ???? https://t.co/TlT1HVCRki
— Scott Stricklin (@ScottStricklin) October 8, 2017
It’s a shame Petty isn’t around to see this incredible gesture from his hometown football team, but at least his legacy will live on in Gainesville.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
