This would have been one of those creative, fingers-crossed traveling weekends for Gene Deckerhoff.

His options?

Return to Tallahassee from North Carolina on Florida State's team flight, arriving home around 4 a.m. Sunday and driving to Tampa with little or no sleep? Or remain in Raleigh and pray for a delay-free, originating commercial flight to Tampa Sunday in time for the Tampa Bay Bucs' home game at 1 p.m.?

What. To. Do?

"I don't know how I would have done it - but I don't have to think about that anymore," Deckerhoff said and laughed. "Things are going well. It's a new experience. But I really enjoy listening to the games, and I text the (radio) crew after every game.

"It's great being a fan."

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Deckerhoff, 77, retired last March as the voice of FSU football and men's basketball on radio after nearly 50 years covering the Seminoles. Deckerhoff, a longtime Tallahassee resident, has also been the play-by-play voice for the Tampa Bay Bucs since 1989 and continues that role this season.

Deckerhoff was looking forward to the Seminoles' ACC showdown at North Carolina State Saturday night. And a stress-free travel weekend. He left for Tampa late Saturday morning, making the five-hour drive on U.S. Route 19 for the Bucs' Sunday home game against Atlanta.

"That's the (travel) luxury I now have," Deckerhoff said Saturday. "The bags are packed. Ann (wife) and I sitting on the back porch, drinking and enjoying our morning coffee."

While The Seminole Nation certainly misses Deckerhoff's voice, he's a a big fan of his replacement. After an extensive search, Jeff Culhane was hired last March as Director of Broadcasting for LEARFIELD’s Seminole Sports Properties and is serving as the voice for Florida State football and men’s basketball.

"Jeff's very thorough, he really does his job well. And his delivery is great," Deckerhoff said. "And William (Floyd, color analyst) and I get together. You have to miss it, but this has given Ann (wife) and I time to do other things.

"And, of course, I am pulling for the Seminoles to win every game."

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Making history - a fan in the stands

Deckerhoff expects to mark another milestone later this month.

When FSU plays Georgia Tech at Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday, Oct. 29, the former voice of the Seminoles plans to cheer for his team from the stands. Deckerhoff last attended an FSU home game as a fan in 1974 against Houston in mid-November.

"Back then it was buy one ticket and get one free," Deckerhoff said. "I had just moved to Tallahassee and I remember it was bitterly cold for that game. Ann and I sat with three huge blankets wrapped around us near the goal line."

By his own count, Deckerhoff uttered his signature "Touchdown Florida State" 2,218 times from the radio booth over the years. And he exhibits that same contagious energy, devotion and strong voice to Bucs' broadcast for a final season.

Of course, Deckerhoff no longer has to worry about or loose sleep over travel conflicts between FSU and Bucs games. Deckerhoff would have missed FSU's game next month at Syracuse. Why? Tampa Bay plays Seattle in Munich the following day.

"We are having fun, it has been amazing," Deckerhoff said.

"I am walking the puppies every morning and losing some weight, so that's a good thing. I certainly do miss the fan contact. And, as I said, it's a new experience. But I listen to the entire broadcast, from pregame to post-game. And they're doing great.

"It's really great being a fan."

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Reach Jim Henry at jjhenry@tallahassee.com.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Former Voice of the Seminoles Gene Deckerhoff enjoying life as a fan