Looking Back, Part II

Of course I meant to have this up earlier, but things have been extremely busy 'round here at Road Games HQ. A couple weeks ago, I covered some of the highlights of the season's visits, accomplishments, and experiences, handing out awards for various categories. So let's keep it rolling. Remember, whenever possible, these are based completely on the thoughts of the fans I encountered and not my own opinions.

Most arrogant fans
I was nervous when I visited Ohio State. Nervous because they tend not to look kindly upon people who graduated from that school up north. My concern was enhanced by the fact that nearly every place I went, fans relayed their Buckeye horror stories. I decided that I would have an "ask and I'll tell" policy regarding the site of my education. The funny thing was, I had nothing to worry about. Not one person asked me about it the entire weekend. This was a major surprise. Every place I visited had its share of bragging and arrogance, but in Columbus, they took this to another level. They were #1 in the country at the time, but the fact that they weren't the least bit interested in any other programs speaks volumes. People treated me as nicely as they did anywhere else, but a certain air of superiority was present, particularly with the older fans. At the end of the weekend, I concluded that not only are the they most arrogant folks around, they'd be proud to hear me say so.

#33 looks hungry - and is apparently the TV Title Holder.

Hottest Girls
I should preface this award by stating that there is a clear correlation between the calendar and attractiveness of the women. Tennessee didn't fare all that well in this category, but because it was an 11:30 am kickoff late in the season the deck was stacked against them. (And people kept claiming it was cold. Clearly none of them have lived through a Chicago winter.) Furthermore, the excitement of a home opener seems to bring out the latest sundress technology. While I was extremely impressed by the talent on display at Georgia, USC, Texas, LSU and even Michigan (in freezing cold weather!), Clemson took the cake for me. Maybe it was just 'cause it was my first southern football game, or maybe I spent enough time with the right sororities, but there's a reason SIOC kept using this picture over and over again:

I have no idea what these girls' names are.

Loudest Fans
This is without question LSU. Clemson folks proudly claim that they have the loudest decibel rating on record. That may be the case, but I've never heard anything quite like that LSU crowd. They beat Virginia Tech 48-7, and screamed relentlessly right up to the last seconds ticking off the clock. Kids, old folks, boys and girls all got into the act. My favorite moment was when they showed the Alabama score and the nine year old kid sitting behind me hollered, "I HATE NICK SAYBAHN!" His four year old brother added, "I hate Nick Saybahn, too."Drunkest Fans
The oft-heard cheer goes, "When you say Wiiiiiisconsin, you've said it all." That the brief chant is taken from a Budweiser commercial is only fitting. Well, kinda. They brew Bud in St. Louis not Milwaukee. But anyway, when Wisconsin hosted Iowa in their Big Ten opener, I was blown away by the raw amount of drunkenness on display, particularly by the students. People party at games all across the country, but nobody drinks more aggressively than the students in Madison. It was named Playboy's #1 party school in the country for a reason. I mean, look at how this guy ended up:

That's right. They were playing Iowa.

Best Marching Band
With all due respect to the Wisconsin band and their festive fifth quarter, they didn't manage to win this award. As mentioned in my post the other day, I love fight songs more than ever, and have an even greater appreciation for the sweat these often unrecognized college kids put in every week of the fall. Almost all the bands sounded great and blasted their exhortations with verve. But one did manage to outdo the others. The kids at Ohio State don't just get the crowd whipped into a frenzy, they high-step their way with such technical precision that it appears they are all operating with the same brain. It's truly a thing of beauty. So congrats to the Buckeye band, even if you did get the Script Ohio idea from Michigan.

Best Beef
The most oft-heard phrase in Lincoln at stop #4 was "Tommie Frazier," but right behind that was "corn-fed beef." I had my fair share of red meat that day, but nothing compared to Vaughan Blum's steak sandwiches. He and his compatriots brought 300 pounds of steak and freshly baked french rolls. It was enough to feed the whole team! Tasty, delicious, and succulent all at once, it will always be one of the first things that comes to mind when I think of Lincoln.
Best Individual Item I Ate
Believe me, I have never had a time where I was consistently treated to more quality eats in my life. At nearly every stop, people who had labored hard over their best outdoor culinary efforts brought a smile to my lips and warmth to my belly. I am surprised by my choice for this award, but I have to admit, there is one particular item that stands out to this day. I can still recall every detail of its flavor and texture and how absolutely glorious it was. No surprise that it was likely the least healthy thing I consumed. However, the fact that it was served in a cardboard racecar I could never have predicted. That item was deep fried cookie dough procured at the State Fair of Texas. Hot, sweet, and rich with chocolaty goodness, it surpassed all expectations.

I could see in its eyes that this turkey would have loved a taste.

Least Friendly Fans
I don't want to be misinterpreted here, because everywhere I went, I was met with politeness. But outside of the gang at the Beershoes tailgate, the University of Washington tailgates were a series of nice, but somewhat reserved folks. It was easily the hardest I had to work over the course of this trip, and even after I nudged my way into parties, people were not all that forthcoming with information. Everyone was very nice, but they didn't even seem that interested in neighboring tailgates. The fans are every bit as passionate there. I am told by friends in the know that it's simply how things are in Seattle.

These guys were awesome, though.

Prettiest Campus
Let me be clear, I didn't go to a single ugly campus (well, OK, the Rutgers Piscataway campus is considerably dumpy, but New Brunswick has a rustic, urban-lite charm). Clemson, nestled in the Appalachian hills, Georgia, with its pretty downtown section, Notre Dame, particularly by the grotto, Tennessee, the Hill on the river, Bridgewater, with its quaint small-town charm, and Wisconsin, perched on two lakes all left lasting impressions. But USC really takes things to a whole new level. The surrounding area is a typical Los Angeles urban environment (read: GTA San Andreas). But the campus itself has clearly had truckloads of money poured into it. From the Romanesque facades to the perfectly manicured greens and flower beds, it was unlike any other campus I visited. No wonder they get all those recruits.

This is a school? Looks like the Hearst mansion.

Best Scotch
"Shag" Shaugnessy, Harvard alum and team captain from 1958, tailgates at every Crimson home game. After the team dispatched Princeton, he arrayed a series of bottles of the good stuff under his tent. I can't recall which brand I sampled, but it was excellent. The most memorable moment happened when he tried to get a senior student to give it a taste. The young man couldn't handle the intensity and returned to his Miller Lite.

Shag holds court at postgame.

Random thing that brought the biggest smile to my face
As it turned out, nearly all the games I hit ended up being evening kickoffs, and at the Iron Bowl, that meant extra time to party. At one point, I crossed paths with a family rounding a corner between tailgate lots. Straggling behind was grandma, looking a tad disoriented and holding in a small plastic cup the Auburn blue remnants of the jello shot she had clearly just consumed. I can't begin to describe how happy this made me.

Didn't get a photo of grandma. These cheerleaders made me smile, too.

My favorite "from the car" photo
I'm going to have an upcoming posting that's all photos and captions because I have so many good ones. But this is the only one I tried to make artistic. I thought it turned out pretty well, no?

My favorite game photo
My camera certainly showed its prowess at capturing the beauty of coeds around the nation. But action shots were where it faltered a bit. There were many decent ones, but I dig this shot from the Red River Shootout the most. Nobody's really moving yet, but you see some horns in the air and can imagine how much more difficult it was for Oklahoma's offense to deal with crowd noise at this end of the stadium.
Best game I saw in person
Before the trip began I of course envisioned seeing upsets or dramatic finishes every week. But that's just not how college football works. Your expectations are often dashed (just ask all the fine folks I met in Lincoln before USC's offensive line put the hurt on 'em). Still, I was able to catch my fair share of quality contests: FSU/Clemson, Iowa/Wisconsin, USC/Washington, Rutgers/South Florida, and Florida/Georgia were all competitive and exciting in their own regard. But nothing compared to the drama and thrills of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. When Justin Beaver scampered for 70 yards to seal the upset and National Championship with just minutes to play, I have to admit, I lost my mind a bit (and joyously hollered the word "Beaver!" over and over again). It was a tremendous way for me to finish the season. Check out these highlights if you don't believe me.

Most Satisfying Experience
Gosh, here's where I get humble and proud at the same time. I can't remember if I've written this before, but on my way home from the west coast - after the USC game, I had a somewhat bizarre epiphany somewhere between Salt Lake City and Cheyenne. It was before the nasty weather pummeled me across the plains. I thought about all the fun I'd had, and all the sights I'd seen, and all the people I'd met - old friends and new. I became a bit overwhelmed. Maybe it was the first time I had a moment to step back and think about the big picture. I can think about all the games and all those people - every hilarious comment, generously donated beverage, and comfortable home. But I guess what this trip has truly given me above anything else is a renewed appreciation for my country. The stunning sites we have to visit are only surpassed by all the wonderful people that call this place home. I have always known this, but now I really get it. Now it's a part of me. I can't pinpoint any one moment that sums this up (though if you could put the Grand Canyon, screaming LSU fans, Shag's Scotch collection, a pile of barbecue, and Tiger Rag in the living room of my college house, you'd be a third of the way there). I guess what I'm saying is, thank you to everyone I met along the way. It was the most exciting time of my entire life and I owe you all a lot more than the feeble praise I write in this space.

One last thing I want to mention today. I came across a blog of another guy who's doing a cross-country trip. His name is Daniel, an Army veteran who lost his right arm in Afghanistan. Check out his blog here. A bit more inspiring than my journey, perhaps, but I know at the end of his road, he'll surely have many of the same feelings I do.

I'll have at least one very big announcement here very soon, but I'm not tipping my hand on it just yet. Until then, I keep sparring with my own prose, doing my best to put together something people will want to read. Shoot me a note if it's been a while or ya just want to say hello.

Fight Songs Are Cool

Still working on that next "Looking Back" posting, but I had to share this video. It's nothing necessarily profound or dramatic. Just one fan's top ten fight songs with some game photos. But since I visited all of theses schools and heard the songs played again and again and again, it stirs something visceral in me when I hear them. Before I set out, most of them didn't really mean anything to me - or maybe I even condemned them as inferior, dumb, or just plain uninteresting. But now I get a bit of that same joyful feeling that each school's fans get. These are fantastic pieces of American history. Thank goodness they're here forever. Yes, even you "Across the Field."


(HT EDSBS)

And because they didn't include it and I had the pleasure of hearing four different school marching bands play it, here's the oldest version of Tiger Rag I could find:


The new posting will be up soon. I promise!

Looking Back, Part I

On a recent late Saturday night (or early on Sunday morning, depending on your definition), I found myself driving fast on an open road for the first time since returning from the Stagg Bowl in mid-December. With my music blasting and the Corolla bounding along at cruising speed, it reminded me of all the miles I traveled last fall.

Writing my book has been cause for reviewing all of the notes I collected throughout the season. As you might imagine, there are a whole lot of 'em. I already declared my Tailgate Awards back in January, but I thought it worthwhile to cover some other aspects of football fandom and give everyone further insight on what this observer saw along the way. When possible, I'll focus on what everyone else believes, not just my thoughts. All the fans I spoke with have a wealth of opinions and they were not shy in sharing them. Next week, we'll continue the roundup with another slew of judgments.

Most hated fans
This topic came up way more than I expected, and I expected it to come up often. Y'all love to hate one another. While the Florida Gators are widely considered rude, abrasive, and generally obnoxious by fans throughout the south, no fan base engendered quite so much out and out disdain as the one that supports the Ohio State Buckeyes. People from all across the nation regretted encountering nuts dressed in scarlet and gray. Sure in Ann Arbor, there was enough mutual hatred to go around, but from South Bend, to Seattle, to Austin, to Lincoln, to pretty much every southern school, the Buckeyes were deemed the most notable of a-holes. Everyone had their own story about their obnoxiousness. I was treated very well in Columbus, but had they asked about my college football pedigree, things may have gone differently.

How can you hate a sweet face like this one?

Most resented team
Having your own network will piss off a lot of people. I don't believe I heard a single bad word about Notre Dame fans or South Bend or really even the football team (though that may have been because of their pitiable performance this season). But all across the country, everyone seemed particularly sensitive to the special treatment afforded the Irish. Whether it's the whole NBC thing or claims of being overrated in the polls or an easier time getting into the BCS, many folks wish that Notre Dame would just go away. They even quickly dismissed the team's glorious past while in the same breath lauding their own program's history. A lot of this is envy, but it's not going anywhere, no matter how well Notre Dame plays in upcoming seasons. Honorable mention here goes to Rutgers for the special attention they get from the New York media at the first signs of success.

Resented or not, this tat is an All-American

Most hated team
Why is there a team that's most hated and one that's most resented? Because to say that people resent USC would be a gross understatement. They hate those guys. This is likely all ESPN's fault. When their "pundits" gave the Trojans a two-month tongue-bathing in the leadup up to the 2005 Rose Bowl, they simultaneously turned everyone against the team. I vividly recall Mark May claiming that Michigan's 1997 defense wouldn't hold USC under 50 points. If I had a nickel for every time someone said, "If USC was in the SEC, they'd lose four games every season," my gas would have been free.

OK, maybe they deserve it?

Greatest "respect for the game"
This is really a tough call. I'm tempted to give Notre Dame the nod simply because nobody gave me even the smallest sideways glance when they learned I was wolverine. But by a hair, I'm going with Nebraska. Sure, one guy nearly started a fight with me after inadvertently poking me in the eye, but all day, the fans seemed to put the game above their own program. Really, at every stop, I found tons of fans who eagerly claimed that this is the best sport on the planet (not that I needed any convincing).
Least "respect for the game"
You think I'm going to say Rutgers here, but you'd be wrong. Even though they're relative newborns, they couldn't be more excited about joining the masses and doing things the right way (though the pathetic shuttle bus system there is an affront to all that's right in the world). Honestly, this is a really tough one, and I am having trouble labeling any fan base the "least respectful." In a pinch, I'd go with Wisconsin simply because of the harsh attitude toward any Hawkeyes in town, but there were enough good fans that I feel a bit bad saying so.

Stay classy, Madison

Funniest Fans
The splendor of the in-game Wisconsin Badger student section is pretty amazing. It's incredibly well choreographed and joyfully irreverent. But at Tennessee, everyone made a point of being hilarious. They were either drunkenly making a sweet fool of themselves or cracking one-liners about all measure of topics.

Can't recall what they're laughin' about, but it was pretty funny whatever it was

Best razzing
There was a ton of banter in all shapes and sizes at the Cocktail Party, but as the day wore on it degenerated into arguments about fashion (yeah, the jorts thing). All in all, pretty good. There were mocking t-shirts galore at the Red River Shootout as well. Surpassing those efforts, however, was a gang set up on Donohue Drive for the Iron Bowl brought a toy megaphone and hurled the most creatively vociferous invective available at every Bama backer that passed. They told me that they were "collecting birds" and the over/under for the day would be 20. I think they surpassed their goal by mid-afternoon.

This guy didn't get razzed in the least, though

Meanest thing I saw
On the whole, people were pretty respectful out there. Some people told me tales of knocking over porta-potties or violent fisticuffs. But I didn't witness much true hostility. The worst incident took place in Ann Arbor, where some Buckeye fans were doused with beers. Shame on you Michigan kids. We're s'posed to be better than them.

Best Surprise
When I set up my itinerary, I knew I wanted to hit a non D-IA program. Thanks to a compelling recent history and the fact that their homecoming game lined up perfectly with my schedule, I had the good fortune of selecting Bridgewater College. Not only was I welcomed with open arms, I was lucky enough to have stumbled on to one of the great tailgating crews in the country, Stone Station. I ate high on the hog and made some great new friends who I got to see again at the Stagg Bowl.

A post-communion handshake

Best in-game tradition
I have to go with a split decision on this one. One for the players, and one for the fans. At Clemson, the ceremonial rock-cannon-hill combo is incredibly exhilarating. That I was there for the season opener and a nationally televised Monday night Bowden Bowl certainly didn't harm the energy. Equally exuberant is the jump-around between the third and fourth quarters at Wisconsin. I don't know if I've ever grinned harder than watching that entire stadium bounce around to House of Pain. TV doesn't do it justice. You simply must go jump for yourself some time. Seriously, check this out and try to tell me you don't want to be there:


My favorite fan photos
This is nearly impossible to choose. Many of the above would certainly be in the running. Here are my top three:

Why I love this one: Shows just how much fun everyone has at the tailgate leading up to the game

WILTO: The kids at Nebraska had been lined up the night before. Still a few hours away from kickoff, they couldn't contain their excitement, hosting the #1 team in the country and hoping they had a chance to win

WILTO: That moment in the seconds following a huge TD against the #1 team in the country. There's nothing in the world like it. Look how happy these people are!

Least rational fans
Every program had a ton of these. Many in SEC country conveniently forgot that USC had beaten Arkansas 50-14 in '06, and then when I brought it up they often denied the game's existence. Notre Dame probably deserves a mention as everyone thought they were in for a strong season, but that's pretty much your standard pre-season delusion, right? I'm just gonna go ahead and call this one a 25-way tie. It's part of the college football fan experience that we believe what we want to believe. No team has cornered the market on that one.

Biggest Disappointment
There was honestly very little I that I could claim disappointed me. Washington's crowd was pretty difficult to get talking about anything (with a few pretty cool exceptions). I was foolish enough to accept my dinner from a very sick waitress, nearly ruining my Grand Canyon trip, so shame on me there. But the greatest true disappointment was that Michigan didn't manage to find the endzone against Ohio State. I didn't even care that much about winning the game. I knew it would be tough with Henne and Hart injured. But I wanted that moment where everyone goes crazy and falls all over each other in jubilation. I saw it everywhere I went - got addicted to it, really. But in Ann Arbor, it just wasn't meant to be...

That's it for round one. If I seemed unduly harsh on your school, rest easy. I'll have more to say next week where perhaps I can change to lauding your finer qualities.