Posted on 09/01/2007 9:03:53 PM PDT by Libloather
Tailgating: It's all in the preparation
Serious fans set up shop early in Athens as season begins
By JENNIFER BRETT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/01/07
Athens — Long before game time, the fields were full of action.
Grassy quads throughout the University of Georgia campus started filling up Saturday morning as tailgating season, a cherished Bulldog tradition, began.
"Most of this group was here this morning at 9," said Kim Folsom of Sugar Hill, breaking bread with a group of about 50 friends, relatives and co-workers.
With relatively mild weather following the recent bout of withering heat, fans turned Athens into a tent city Saturday. Hours before kickoff, the scent of barbecue and hot dogs rode the breeze through town.
But the casual sights of alumni milling around pot-luck buffets or kids tossing footballs belied the strategy essential to the perfect tailgate party. As Toby Nichols will attest, you can never start too early. With some $4,700 invested in a flat-screen television, stereo system and other necessities — plus a generator to power it all — he completed a dry run in his Douglasville driveway two weeks ago.
"He was up until 1:30 a.m. last night," said his wife, Holly, a University of Alabama alum. She felt welcome on a crowded patch of grass outside a cluster of dormitories, where her husband's high-tech spread was shaded by an Alabama tent.
"Georgia fans are nice to us," she said.
Um, right.
"We need to buy them a new tent," said Carla Branch of Cartersville, tailgating nearby with Dona Wood of Atlanta, their husbands and friends. Branch and Wood were roommates in Brumby Hall, and the scene under their tent was game-day gourmet: curried chicken, broccoli slaw, homemade brownies and Bloody Marys. Just as impressive, though, was the ingenious table holding the feast. Randy Branch, who's something of an inventor, cobbled together a contraption involving wheels that fold up, handles that become table legs, and seat belts to strap in the vittles.
"And it will fold and fit into any SUV," Carla Branch boasted.
Two of the prettiest tailgaters in Athens had to be Phoebe Reid, a South Gwinnett High School senior, and UGA junior Blair Fell, a friend from Snellville. Reid wore a black and white sundress with a halter top, and Fell wore a red dress that bared her right shoulder. If you missed them, too bad.
"Everybody who tailgates buys a new dress," Fell said. "You can't wear the same thing every time."
Not even more than once a season?
"Well, I wouldn't," she admonished.
Speaking of fashion, the campus was full of guys in red-striped seersucker trousers, no doubt because it's the last weekend of the year when seersucker is proper attire.
"That's why we pulled them out," said Jason Duke of Athens, tailgating with sartorially correct friends Zach McElveen of Atlanta and Mike Pilcher of Athens. The guys grew up together in Gainesville.
Amid the din from generators and stereo speakers, Damian Pryor of Atlanta enjoyed a low-key afternoon with buddy Matthew Scott, visiting from South Carolina.
"Some people are here as soon as the sun comes up," Pryor said. "We always want to catch that first game. It kind of sets the tone for the season."
Guns - banned.
I was walking through the leftist sea of blue in Chapel Hill today wearing my Walmart t-shirt while preparing a fine, yet unlit cigar. (A Consuegra #25 - for those of you who may ax.) Fans in North Carolina blue looked at me as if I was from some other planet. After further review, I noticed an awful lot of SUV's parked all over town for the football season opener.
There are 'No Gun' signs posted on campus grounds. There is a 'no smoking' policy inside the Carolina Brewery. There were even signs posted for 'environmental' jobs.
Aren't all those SUV's supposed to be killing me and the planet? Uh, oh. This maybe something wealthy leftists aren't going to enjoy...
In Boston 20 years ago you needed a permit in order to use a barbecue grill outdoors.
There are some who want to end that “pollution” altogether. This too will not be happy news for the liberal tailgaters.
Since this is a story about college games, I propose a math question for the greens: Eight Bulldog fans want to caravan to the football game. Which is more fuel efficient: two Toyota Priuses or one Honda Pilot SUV which seats 8?
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