Football Saturday Starkville

Nothing like waking up to the sound of pouring rain that had started hours before.  This is normally music to one's ears during a dry spell, but this is Football Saturday, and one has to prep, pack, and hit the road for a "gimme win" in Starkville against Troy State, TROY STATE!

Game plan on what to take got altered.  Nix on hauling one of my fancy ice chest cooler boxes.  Add rolling cooler, wet boots and rain gear, expecting the worst and hoping for the best.

Ride up highway 25 was a continuation of the rainy wake up call from hours earlier.  But, as we got closer to our destination,  the weather began to let up.   The "always wrong" weather guy said no rain by 2:00.  Fingers crossed.

With two car loads of gear, our game plan Starkville was to meet up with our "mini me" and his girly friend and hit the unloading zone, one-two.  Girly friend came up with her own "plan B" and nixed Football Saturday for a visit with her sista. (No Bill Weems cookies for you!)

We arrived at the scene of tent city disaster.   Mangled tents were everywhere, results of too much rain water, and a few wind gusts through the night.   Tailgaters were slowly arriving, only to be greeted by these scenes of "rut row"!
 

Never fear!  Super Dads to the rescue everywhere.  Out came the tent repair kits:  rope, string, steel strapping, tent stakes, and of course, duct tape!  Suddenly this disasters became tent city once again, to be replaced with something new before the next home game.

Once the tents were back up, the logistics engineers began setting up camp.  A sea of maroon and white tents everywhere, with our $49 clearance red tents in the middle.  (Hey, I love a bargain, and they would be easy to spot in this sea of maroon and white.)  Once the tables were decorated and the satellite TVs were hooked up, the late comers never suspected that a disaster was here hours earlier.

Two older guys were next to us, with a tailgating setup that would rival anything a southern belle could put together.  Flowers, banners, ceramic dawgs, table cloth layering, and even a glass drink dispenser. Generator was humming, satellite dish was synced up, and crockpots were simmering all of grandma's favorite tailgating dishes.

Setup complete, time for tailgating.   Kids were throwing and kicking footballs and having a ball.  Several balls came awful close, and after a few threats of sticking a knife into the ball and forcing them to kiss their sister, they decided to just pass the ball, me grinning from ear to ear,  idle threat from this crusty crudmudgeon was a success!

Since the whole setup was for the MSU ultimate Frisbee team, the premise was for those boys to bring some items for the party.  Son soon learned that all they would bring would be a couple of packs of buns and big appetites. Son begins to understand the 20/80 rule.

Now past 2:00 and what do ya know.  The clouds begin to break up and disappear,  just like how the "always wrong" weather guy had said the night before.  A hand full of boys show up and they set up the latest game for Frisbee geeks, game called can-kan. Two pieces of plastic with a slit in the middle.  You make a garbage can out of the plastic.   Object is to: hit the can, get it in the can, and extra points for going thru the slit.



 

This new game was quite the attraction.  Had 20 guys and two girls.  One girl was a "retired" MSU cheerleader from Brookhaven.  I commented to her that I could not believe she would let a Frisbee game out attract her.  She said she was "needing a break"!  My kinda girl!

Boys found the food:
 

 















Notice the bark.  Used Gurlen #32 rub on the pork shoulders, delish!

I looked down for a second, and saw a photo opt that I could not resist taking.  Yep, it was a flip flop kinda day!
 

For power, I tried using some lawn tractor batteries.  Looked good, but no cigar.  Moving up to a full grown one for the next outing.






The playmate cooler was perfect for carrying, but Ever-ready bunnies they were not.

Ah..... The smell of charcoal, the sound of generators, the short maroon skirts and cowboy boots, and the clanging of cowbells. This is Starkville.  Every campus and their traditions are unique.  For MSU, its the Junction and the "Dawg Walk".   Before too long the buses arrived, and the football players unloaded for them  to do begin their walk.  Its a strut through the "Junction" on their way to the stadium.  The walk began, the cowbells were a clanging, and the fans are yelling "go dawgs"! Glad there are no fire hydrants on the route, just saying....it ain't Oxford. #hail State!

Soon, our campsite was abandoned, since the students have to go get in line for their first come, first served seating in their section.  My ole high school friend Buck the "Grin" came by for his adult  beverage.  Earlier, we visited with Mayor Dave from Monticello.  We closed down shop and headed to the stadium.

Lots of good things happening on Football Saturday at MSU.  End zone is being closed in.  New bathrooms and no more peeing into the trough on the floor.  New concession areas, level walkways and overall, a great game day appearance.

 

Defense scored first, then once the offense got clicking in the second quarter, the Dogs would win in a run away.  These games make everybody in maroon look like geniuses.  We will see next game.  Stay tuned..... 

Time to pack up and head to the house. Traffic cleared out early and one kid stayed to help, and yes,  he was rewarded with a take home feast the rest would envy.  This bag of bones has gotten too old to "do it all".  Time for the next generation to step up their game.  

Overall, a great game day experience, even for my Rebel Bride. Already planning the next menu!