Nope, but I’m with you on hoping he has a great season!
Tailgating
- Thread starter Henry Kendall
- Start date
The best tailgating I have been to is at East Carolina. They do it up huge and it looks like it’s out of a movie. They are pretty cool with opposing fans unless you are with UCF. We all understand why to that one. That said I haven’t been to a “power conference” stadium either. Just a bunch of G5’s lol
What the heck, nobody asked for it, but here’s my list. I’ve probably been to 50 different stadiums on game day. These are my favorite, based mostly on atmosphere and how welcoming people were. Did they call me over to their tailgate as I walked through, did they respond nicely if I approached a tent and asked a random question like nearest porta potty, did they offer me beer/food, did they refuse my offer to put some cash in their kitty jar, but also size of crowds relative to stadium, how people seem to be interacting with one another, weather, uniqueness of atmosphere and absence of tribal, criminal and racist behavior. There’s a lot of unremarkable game day in the middle part of America: OU, OSU, Nebraska, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Kansas State, New Mexico, SMU, Illinois, Northwestern. Troy and Southern Miss should not have a better game day than OSU or SMU, but they do. Trying to get 30,000 people to come tailgate in Tulsa, Oklahoma is really ambitious. It will be a multi-generational challenge that will require the divine providence of perfect weather, as well teaching young people that there is actual value in social interaction outdoors without your phone or 40 craft beers you will never try but seem to need to be available before you gather, as well teaching the olds that drinking in public is no longer taboo and won’t result in 100 fist fights and a little girl paralyzed.
While traveling with TU:
1. Tulane
2. BYU
3. Marshall
4. Ohio State
5. Navy
Bottom 5:
5. Arkansas
4. Army
3. Fresno
2. Hawaii
1. UCF
Not for a TU game, just as a random fan:
1. LSU
2. Florida State
3. Auburn
4. Washington
5. Georgia
6. Wisconsin
While traveling with TU:
1. Tulane
2. BYU
3. Marshall
4. Ohio State
5. Navy
Bottom 5:
5. Arkansas
4. Army
3. Fresno
2. Hawaii
1. UCF
Not for a TU game, just as a random fan:
1. LSU
2. Florida State
3. Auburn
4. Washington
5. Georgia
6. Wisconsin
Notre Dame was pretty intense. We had to park about a mile from the stadium but I can't tell you how sweet the walk back to our car was after that game!!!
So anything happening around Camp Randall whatever the event is pretty freaking awesome
I would encourage every TU fan to make the trip to Oxford. Some of the best fans on the planet and a really cool campus to visit. Not to mention there's a good chance both teams will be undefeated putting the game on National TV.
Army put us on their schedule when we were dank and they were danker had trouble booking home games. They hired Bobby Ross and were certain they were going to win 11 games that year. We came in as relative unknowns in the first year of TG/Gus and were ready to roll. Smith threw for at least 400 and we traded scores with them til the end. I think it was like 48-35 or something at the end but it wasn't that close. Two more quarters and we would have won 94-49. But there were problems even before that. There was enough unsolicited obnoxious behavior to catch my attention, but there was a vibe of quiet arrogance and you aren't welcome vibe with their fans. I witnessed one of their athletic department higher ups conducting himself very unprofessionally to TU staff and a few senior boosters over a very small request made in a polite way. It was a stark contrast to how well we had been received by Navy under SK two years before. And a stark contrast to a lovely fall day spent amongst the color of the Hudson Valley. Beautiful setting. Great game. The pageantry of the cadets. Ruined by horrible people.
No tax on alcohol. How do you not like a place where you order a Maker's rocks, when that was a top shelf selection, and the barkeep says "That will be $6."
I left them off the list. The whole band fiasco thing jaded my perception of their school, its pros, and their fans. That was a special experience. Going one time. Even if we lost. I can definitely see going to games there multiple times would not be a big deal after awhile especially in rainy 40 degree weather. Everybody in the SEC looks forward to going back to LSU again, even after they've been 20 times. I would go back to Tulane, BYU, and even those hillbillies with their free gut rot OMG green apple moonshine chased by a hot dog with Cincy chili and cole slaw on it at Marshall a dozen or more times. In fact, I would get old before going to those games would get "old."
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There was a bar about a block from the stadium...I want to say the name of it was the Rathskeller or something like that. That place was the coolest college bar I've ever been in. JRs looked like a quaint old fogey place in comparison.
Fair enough. That whole week with the kid from ND that died from falling off the scaffolding while filming practice in 40 mph winds also put a dark pall on the week as well.
People would have gone to prison in Florida for decades over that. That live tweet from him begging for help and saying he was going to die up there was heart breaking.
I don't think I was on Twitter then so I never did see it...and I don't think I want to see it. How Chip survived that is beyond me.
And to top it off, they cancelled the return game and left us scrambling to find an FCS replacement at the last minute.
I don’t mind that we’re playing them again in a few years, but I do wish we could have got the home games first this time.
Most likely. Depends on the contract. Some of the 2-1s these days are simply 1-1 with an option.
Since I've been driving to Madison regularly for thirty years (wife's friends & family), I know the Whiskey Badger campus & Camp Randall pretty well. Bla might be thinking of the Nitty Gritty, a block from campus where the idiot students plotted to blow up the Physics Bldg (and did-one dead). Or Jingles which is now a high-rise apt. bldg.
But the Rathskeller is on campus in the Student Union. It used to be very cool until they made it semi-private....members of the Student Union only.
Open at your own risk.
https://www.sportscasting.com/a-tweet-predicted-a-tragic-death-on-the-notre-dame-football-field/
As the article notes, the family refused to find fault with the school, forgave them publicly quickly after the incident and then the school threw money around in various acts of contrition. All very Catholic. That’s how he survived. The world was a very different place even just 12 years ago. That helped.
I've got my tickets for that....really excited to make that trip. We should try to have a TU meetup place.
They should have sued them for all they were worth. When he's up there saying he needs to come down,(before they refused him) should have been when they acted immediately. Crass actions caused his death. That should be punished. It won't bring him back, but it helps institutions be warned against actions ignoring obvious dangers for minimal gains.
FWIW, a friend of mine noticed that TU is advertising a position for a director of game day experience. They are serious about improving the game day.
It’s a unique job. I’m just glad they are making a conscious effort to improve game day.
I saw that too. I feel like TU wants unicorns for all the jobs listed. Even the busting balls job of academics, you shouldn’t need a master’s. What you need is a cool hombre, kinda like LEC, to make sure your dumbass is eligible and graduates. Just my two cents.
We totally need a Frankie Hejduk style University Ambassador. Not a former player. A super fan everyone knows. Not Mad Dog. Somebody shotgunning beer with the students at pre-game, leads the band in the 2nd Qtr. Does a skit at halftime. Sits down next to you in the 3rd and pranks the visitors in the 4th.
They are actually bringing in more than one person to be responsible for this. Enough that this position actually has day to day on field and off game day and regular day supervisory responsibilities. They hear you folks. They are trying.
Dickson is working hard to bring back a fun game day experience!
You just described Brady and Ham from the late 70’s. They were band guys and they use to pull a few others to lay down at mid field after the band finished the halftime show and spelled out T U.
The most thing about the game day experience is.....the game. That means the head coach should report to this position. I think I will apply.
This.
You want fans to have a great gameday experience, then win. Play well coached, well executed, exciting football.
Even MLB has figured out that runners on base and base hits are more fun that strikeouts and homers.
If winning was the only thing that mattered, we would have sold out after beating notre dame. Instead we had like 16k (lowest attendance of the year that season).
You are absolutely right. Winning isn't the only thing to draw a crowd, but I believe it is a prerequisite. There aren't enough bounce houses, concerts, beer gardens, or giveaways in the world to get people to come watch bad football. I think we have a great opportunity this year for a winning team and some fun atmosphere to bring the fans back.
I completely agree - winning is absolutely important (very), but there are many other factors that play into the atmosphere. We’ve had the winning part previously, but we haven’t really ever had the atmosphere match up to the winning. I hope we can marry the two and set us off in the right direction!
I think one of the best things we could do is show the national game of the week on the scoreboard. Maybe do a split screen an give the fans the sports bar effect... or put a sports bar in the NW corner so that people can come to the game and watch a different game...
We will never have the circus game day atmosphere of a big state school.. but, 85000 fans dont crowd into those stadiums for the circus.. they go to see their team win and win big... or they go to see a quality opponent in an interesting matchup...
But, most importantly, you cant duff games after building a little momentum. Nothing kills enthusiasm faster than losing a game at home you were favored to win after winning on the road.
How about increasing the size of the band !!!!
