Gov. Riley: Biscuits his favorite "without question"

Gov. Bob Riley is in the house tonight, three days before he could take sides in the Biscuits' annual Auburn/Alabama Night.

"I guarantee we'll be supportive of Auburn and Alabama," said Riley, who sat at suite level with his wife and a niece and nephew who are visiting from out of state.

"We don't get out here nearly as much as we should," Riley said. "When we get here, we wonder why we don't do this more often."

Riley said the Biscuits are his favorite minor-league baseball team "without question" before realizing there are three other minor-league teams in his state. "Oh, wait a minute," he said. "It's one of my favorite teams."

Riley, skewered on this blog (here and here) for not following Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's Opening Day first-pitch lead, finally offered a defense. He joked he's missed out in consideration of the players.

"I don't want those guys to feel bad when I blow one across the plate at 95 miles per hour," he cracked.

(At right, Advertiser photo of Riley at the Hyundai plant last August.)