It must be nice to be in the SEC

[UGAnchora]

And here's one about the glorious fall saturdays in Athens...granted, its from an alum/non-student perspective, but you get the idea

Seven Notes on a Trumpet
by ibdawg
It is Saturday. All week long you've waited. What started out on Monday as a tight feeling in the pit of your stomach, is now a 10,000-pound gorilla tap dancing on your spleen.

You've done your best to concentrate and do your job this week. You made an honest effort to put "all this" on the back burner and focus on "the important things", but to no avail. The images just kept coming: bright fall sunshine and crisp autumn air painting the classic city in Hellenic splendor. The aroma of a thousand tailgate feasts wafting through the air, and everywhere, everything - - Red and Black.

You've gone from sports page to magazine, to news show, to internet site, and in every conversation in every office, diner, hallway and cubicle you entered this week, you have tried to reassure yourself of the outcome of this week's contest. But in your heart of hearts you know there's only one way to settle it: 'Dawgs gotta tee it up and play.

And now it's Saturday. As you contemplate the day ahead an image of The Hedges flashes in your mind; green grass, crisp white lines, sunshine ricocheting off the instruments of the Redcoats, and 80,000 - plus fans volleying "GEORGIA - BULLDAWGS" back and forth across the stadium, rattling you all the way to the soles of you feet. You swing out of bed, heart pounding. Grab a cuppa Joe and a quick shower as you prepare for the pilgrimage to A-town. You slam in a tape of the Redcoat Band and crank up the stereo. "Hail" bounces off the walls while you don your lucky shirt (socks, hat, pants, whatever) as you perform the pre-game ritual.

The phone rings - - Yes, you're up. Yes, you have the tickets. "No, my cooler's full, we'll have to take yours, too. I'll stop and get some ice on the way." Gather up the tailgate supplies and load the car. Why does it take so damn long for everyone else to get ready? You check and recheck the supplies - - table, chairs, food. No need to check the drinks, no way those'll get left behind! Cigars? Check. Binoculars? Check. Camera? Blanket? Check. 'Dawg flags secured to the car and ready to fly - - all packed up and ready.

Finally! Time to go. You reassure yourself for the millionth time that the tickets are in your pocket and you "saddle up." Headed to The Classic City. Dawg-patch, USA. Larry and Scott and Loran on the pre-game show, telling you how good these guys are gonna be (yeah, like you need something else to worry about!). Loran threads in a history lesson, and hey - - an interview with one of the Dawgs from way back when. Always wondered what happened to him. Corporate exec in N'awlins. Who'd of ever guessed? You smile as you remember a moment of glory for him in a past game. On the radio, James Brown is hammering out, "Dooley's Junkyard Dawgs" and as your friends get in the car, you all sing along.

En route, cars pass by you by: they're singing too, and barking as they pass. It's a rolling party and the gangs all there! You sense the excitement as it grows, mile by mile. Traffic slows to a crawl somewhere near the Clarke County line. It is a long, happy, red and black serpent winding its way toward Sanford Stadium. Dawg flags and bumper stickers. "Boiled P-nuts just ahead". White shoe polish on windshields proclaiming the magnificence of the Dawg nation, and snatches of Larry pleading from the speakers of passing cars and trucks: "He's at the 40, the 35, the 30, run Lindsey, run!" And your heart races, your gut tightens - - you just can't wait to be there.

Now on final approach - - you turn down Lumpkin (Milledge, Baxter . . . ) homing in on THE tailgate spot. Other friends are already there and as you get out of the car, it hits you! Carnival atmosphere. Red. Black. "How 'bout them Dawgs!" "They Hell ain't they?" The fragrance of charcoal heating up and barbecue on the grill. Opposing fans drifting by, good natured ribbing , and "hey, y'all eat some of this, we got plenty". Introductions all around, and then serious discussion and comparison of the teams. Who's hurt? How fast is that wide receiver? That O-line looked awesome last week. Y'all gonna keep that coach around next year?"

Drinks with old friends and new ones. Stories about games gone by. "Man, they've added a lot to the campus since the last time I was here!" and "I don't think they grew 'em like that when I was in school!" Have another drink. Have some more barbecue. And another drink. Or two. And finally, pack it all up, it's time to go! Man, you really didn't need that extra barbecue, that 10,000 pound gorilla is kicking to get out right now!

You merge into the red and black sea that is moving inexorably toward Sanford, the Temple of the Dawg. The sun is as bright as you imagined it would be. Not too hot, not too cold. 'A crisp, fall day' as Larry might describe it. Red and Black everywhere. Sequined coats and polyester pants. Hats. Shorts. Boots. Faces painted with renderings of Uga and "Dawgs". "Buy a program?" "You bet." And, "Oh man, I gotta have that tee-shirt." Barking Dawgs everywhere as you're more or less towed towards the stadium by the throng of the Dawg nation.

But underneath the bridge, near the student center, the crowd stops. And there stands the band in all its splendor, Redcoats blazing like fire. Sequins from the Flag Corps' costumes glittering like diamonds. Notes and rifts fill the air as they mill around, warming up, waiting impatiently for the spectacle to begin. They pose for photos with family and friends. Kisses and hugs all around. "There's Uga!" and everyone tries to get a look and a photo. "Hey Mr. Seiler." "Hey Coach!" Kids run around at your knees; stadium urchins already beginning their collection of souvenirs from a day in Dawgpatch.

The moment freezes in your mind as you notice that somewhere close to the middle of the band, beneath the crowd assembled on the bridge, one lone trumpet swings skyward. . .

The atmosphere is instantly charged with about a gazillion volts, and the crowd waits expectantly.

You KNOW what's coming and still, you can't control your reaction. Goosebumps rise on your arms. The hair on your neck stands straight up and a lump forms in your throat. Your eyes well up. All those memories of all those years and all those Dawgs suddenly converge in your mind and your chest feels like it's gonna explode. And then come the seven notes. . .

Seven plaintive notes, rendered slowly, proudly, reverently into the heavens. "Mine eyes have seen the glory. . ."

And Dawgs all around you, and above you begin to answer back. Just one or two at first, but it continues to grow like a pack of hungry wolves, becoming louder and wilder, until the bridge itself threatens to collapse from the clamor! And then the rest of the band joins in, and suddenly the whole damn world is ablaze with the fire that burns in the breast of the Dawg Nation.

GLORY. Not "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". Not the fight song of some backwoods pretender in Alabama. GLORY, the battle hymn of the Dawg Nation!. Glory, Glory to Ol' Georgia.

The uproar grows and the crowd melds and begins to move in unison, the fans, the band, all one. . . Suddenly it's not a crowd anymore. It has become something else entirely. You can't describe it, but you know its composition. It is Theron Sapp and Mike Castronis; Buck Belue and Lewis Grizzard; Craig Hertwig and Cowboy Parish and Preston Riddlehuber. Larry, and "Loran, whatta ya got?" Ray the quarterback and Ray the coach. Squab the equipment manager and Jake Scott. Hell, it's Hershel Walker the Endzone Stalker, and Vince Dooley and Joel Eaves, with a little bit of Wally Butts and Erk Russell thrown in. It's "He's got a man open - - he's gonna throw a long bomb! and "Look at the sugar falling from the sky!" It's Robert Edwards tight-ropin' down in the corner, and he got in there! And Verron Haynes stepping down in Knoxville with the winning catch. It's every friend you ever sat with through a game on a Saturday in Athens, Georgia.

And suddenly, what moments ago was merely a crowd has transformed into an indomitable entity ; a juggernaut of energy and pride that streams into the stadium like smoke from a battery of double-barreled canon.

It's game time, and so we press - - into the Temple of the Dawg, we enter; a huge machine in Red and Black.

[AGDLynn]

OH MY GAWD!! That was beautiful and I didn't even go there. I'm sending this to my niece who will be a Dawg in the Fall.

[SMSUBear]

Uh I've been in north Mississippi, and it was super shabby. All the roads were rough as gravel, and everything was run down all to hell. Ole Miss probably does have a nice campus, but if it does, it's a diamond in the rough from what I've seen. I've only been to Huntsville in AL, it seemed fine. That's part of the reason I was kinda leaning toward Alabama. That and there's probably more to do in Tuscaloosa than in Oxford (I may be wrong, but I have a feeling I'm right).

Just out of Curiosity, do you guys even consider Florida part of the SEC? All this SEC talk, and no one is representing from the Swamp. What gives?

Also is there any stadiums down there owned by the school, or are they all state funded?

SMSUBear

[Speechpath]

Glory, Glory to Old Georgia! Love to see the Dawgs represented!!!

UGA Alum

[CarolinaDG]

Originally posted by kstar
I have a question: Why on earth would you want to be drunk and shouting at the football field in a dress and heels, especially in the hot, humid 90 degree September sunshine? I mean, here at OU, you don't sit during football.

Why not be cute and comfortable? Wear khakis and a cute top in school colors?

OK, I may be a little ignorant about the whole northern thing, but I don't think all schools do this, so I'll explain part of the reason we dress up...

Every fraternity sets up a tailgate tent, with PJ, Kegs, and sometimes good ole Jack and Coke. You dress up to impress the boys.

ALSO, it's just a southern tradition. At Wofford, even when I was in high school, I dressed up to go to the games. And they are not SEC. It was probably even more of a big deal there because it's so small.

Now, with that said, many people do not dress up. Here, it's kind of just an understood thing that as long as you aren't going to the tents, you don't have to dress up. BUT, if you're going to show up at, say, Sigma Chi... you'd better have a cute little dress and sunglasses with croakies. Also, it's not quite as important with the northern fraternities. DU girls dress in jeans and little midriff bearing shirts sometimes. But you won't see that at Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu, Kappa Sigma, ATO, KA, or SAE. A big understood.

Sorry if this sounds really snobby, but it's just the way it works. If you wanna see southern tent-culture at it's finest, go to Carolina Cup on Saturday... trust me, you'll see it out in it's full glory there... hats and all!

[TSteven]

Originally posted by SMSUBear
Just out of Curiosity, do you guys even consider Florida part of the SEC? All this SEC talk, and no one is representing from the Swamp. What gives?

Also is there any stadiums down there owned by the school, or are they all state funded?

SMSUBear

Yes, Florida is a part of the SEC.

The Southeastern Conference:

The University of Alabama Crimson Tide
The University of Arkansas Razorbacks
The Auburn University Tigers
The University of Florida Gators
The University of Georgia Bulldogs
The University of Kentucky Wildcats
The Louisiana State University Tigers
The University of Mississippi Rebels
The Mississippi State University Bulldogs
The University of South Carolina Gamecocks
The Vanderbilt University Commodores
The University of Tennessee Volunteers

http://www.secsports.com/index.php?w..._channel_id=18

My guess is that all the stadiums on campus are owned by the schools. Since eleven of the twelve member institutions are state schools, then they may have received funding from or funded by the state. Or Commonwealth (Kentucky) as the case may be.

[TSteven]

Originally posted by CarolinaDG
Here, it's kind of just an understood thing that as long as you aren't going to the tents, you don't have to dress up. BUT, if you're going to show up at, say, Sigma Chi... you'd better have a cute little dress and sunglasses with croakies. Also, it's not quite as important with the northern fraternities. DU girls dress in jeans and little midriff bearing shirts sometimes. But you won't see that at Sigma Chi, Sigma Nu, Kappa Sigma, ATO, KA, or SAE. A big understood.

Ditto.

Except the guys didn't wear the "cute little dress and sunglasses with croakies". Just did not look right nor was it very comfortable.

We usually wore khakis with a white button down oxford shirt with a blue blazer. (UK's colors are blue and white) Sometimes a blue tie if you were with a date. If it was hot, you might roll up your sleeves. If it got cool, you had your blazer to put over the shoulders of those girls in their cute little dresses.

[hottytoddy]

Originally posted by SMSUBear
Uh I've been in north Mississippi, and it was super shabby. All the roads were rough as gravel, and everything was run down all to hell. Ole Miss probably does have a nice campus, but if it does, it's a diamond in the rough from what I've seen. I've only been to Huntsville in AL, it seemed fine. That's part of the reason I was kinda leaning toward Alabama. That and there's probably more to do in Tuscaloosa than in Oxford (I may be wrong, but I have a feeling I'm right).

Don't talk shit about Ole Miss til you've been to The Grove on a Saturday of a football game.

Mississippi to outsiders may not seem like anything special...but there's just a certain feeling about it that makes people who spend time there think it's the greatest place on Earth. Alos, some of those gravel roads lead to some of the most interesting places. John Grisham still lives in Oxford And I've sen Morgan Freeman on the square a few times(he lives nearby)

Also, don't think that there's more to do just because Tuscaloosa is a bigger town. I'm sure Tuscaloosa has more bars and restaurants and all but I PROMISE you'd fine no problem finding something to do in OXford...Oxford is one hell of a music scene (as is Athens) Remember we are only an hour from Beale Street.


UGA people:
I've always thought that I would like Athens...I have a cousin there but I have never been there. I hear Oxford and Athens have some of the best college music scenes around. I'm going to have to visit Athens sometime soon. Do you have any links of pics of the TOWN...I graduated so I just want to see pics of the town.

[SMSUBear]

UGAnchora, I'm at a loss. I've never gotten teary eyed over a football game, but maybe the style is different for the Chiefs

In professional KC world, people show up the night before, camp out and then start putting the ribs on the grill, and drink some cheap in-state Budweisers. There's 80,000 at Arrowhead, and the crowd seems a lot more "out for blood" than your dawgs. During a Chiefs-Raiders game, you'll usually see a few people dressed up in a Gannon jersey riddled with red and yellow arrows, and stuff like that. And it gets so loud, you can hardly stand it when the Chiefs make a field goal, letalone when Dante Hall returns one. It just flat out hurts your ears...period.

I love Your stadium in Athens, I'd like to see how many could fill in if they finished the top tier and wrapped it alll the way around.

Alabama is the Alma Mater of my favorite football player of all time: Derrick Thomas (R.I.P.). But I'm still open to anyone who can convince me how Ole Miss is better than Alabama.

And I'm not talking shit about Miss either. I have no place to talk shit, I'm just stating an observation. Every house I saw had boarded up windows, and all of the vehicles were at least 30 years old, I kid you not. There's nothing wrong with that. That's how a lot homes around where I live are (poorest county in Missouri), but if I'm gonna move away from my house in order to go to another school, I would like for it to be in a place where there's plenty to do. Truth be known, fewer bars are better cause it makes everyone go to the same place. So I don't know. Like I said, if you can convince me otherwise, please do. And be happy, I don't burn any school except for KU...Stupid Kansas

SMSUBear

[Speechpath]

For pictures of Athens, check out visitathensga.com. They have some good photos of the downtown area. Of course the campus is beautiful too!

[The1calledTKE]

Athens and UGA links..

http://www.uga.edu/gm/901/FeatTown.html

http://georgiadogs.ocsn.com/traditions/mascot.shtml

[TSteven]

Originally posted by SMSUBear
UGAnchora, I'm at a loss. I've never gotten teary eyed over a football game, but maybe the style is different for the Chiefs

In professional KC world, people show up the night before, camp out and then start putting the ribs on the grill, and drink some cheap in-state Budweisers. There's 80,000 at Arrowhead, and the crowd seems a lot more "out for blood" than your dawgs. During a Chiefs-Raiders game, you'll usually see a few people dressed up in a Gannon jersey riddled with red and yellow arrows, and stuff like that. And it gets so loud, you can hardly stand it when the Chiefs make a field goal, letalone when Dante Hall returns one. It just flat out hurts your ears...period.

Son, you ain't never been nowhere until you have attended an SEC football game in an SEC stadium.

Heck. At UK - where the Cats are, how do I say this delicately, not *as* competitive as our SEC brethren - the Cats sell out Commonwealth Stadium and get quite loud and rowdy.

[SMSUBear]

Arrowhead always gets props for the loudest stadium in the NFL, all the time. It even gets louder than any of the domes. One LSU fan said the only place which can get as loud as Tiger stadium is Arrowhead, so my pride and opinion isn't totally off.

I find myself having to defend what I say, when I'm not arguing. I love you SEC guys and girls, I envy you, but don't think just because the Chiefs are not college football that they don't know how to get loud. They can rock the house, especially with the second largest professional stadium in america, and one of the few without Club seats. They have premium seats, but they're all outside, and only about 5,000 of the 80,000 people, and it's just for the rich people to cheer their butts off, which they still do. I got preseason tickets to club seats and basically it's the same except you get your own bar, and you can get something to eat other than a hotdog. There's only one other stadium I can think of that doesn't have luxury club seating, and that's Candlestick or whatever it's called nowadays (3com?).

SMSUBear

[hottytoddy]

ok most people are going to think I am crazy when I say this. Oxford has grrreat shopping too!

The WWD top ten America's Most Fashionable Colleges include:

1. New York University
2. Howard University
3. Southern Methodist University
4. University of Pennsylvania
5. Wesleyan University
6. University of Arkansas
7. Purchase College - The State University of New York
8. University of Mississippi
9. Yale University
10. University of California at Berkeley

[Rudey]

Originally posted by hottytoddy
ok most people are going to think I am crazy when I say this. Oxford has grrreat shopping too!

The WWD top ten America's Most Fashionable Colleges include:

1. New York University
2. Howard University
3. Southern Methodist University
4. University of Pennsylvania
5. Wesleyan University
6. University of Arkansas
7. Purchase College - The State University of New York
8. University of Mississippi
9. Yale University
10. University of California at Berkeley

OK Fashionable as in what they wear? I'm confused. It can't be. And what is WWD?

-Rudey