Coach Hal: Thoughts before the Iron Bowl

Greetings from the Gulf, as Coach has an abbreviated post due to logistics, and apologizes in advance if there are formatting issues:

1. Can you believe we went to number two in the BCS and have this shot at redemption?  As stated here last week, Coach will take a back-in to the title game, and if we can win at Auburn then I think almost everyone can see that Alabama was one of the top two in the country this year.  LSU only led at one point in the game on November 5th, in overtime...that is pretty evenly matched teams.
2. Does Coach feel bad for LSU having to play another game?  Heck no...LSU is the team that had two losses and truly backed into the title game and won the 2007 BCS title.   Coach also heard a couple of other rival fans lamenting the fact that a team that is not the conference champion can go to the BCS title game. Coach will not listen to that talk from fans of a school that claimed Co-SEC West Titles even when they did not go to the SEC Championship Game due to the TIEBREAKER that they lost.  Check your Webster's Dictionary and come back with another argument...i.e., you just do not like Alabama, which is absolutely an acceptable answer.  This is a rivalry after all.
3. Iron Bowl - This game is truly insane to attend and always fun.  Coach has been to 17 Iron Bowls, including 16 of the last 17 and also the 1989 game in Auburn.  Having witnessed close to everything, my prediction will never be too over the top so here we go:  The team is still steamed over last year and can smell the BCS title game in January, so Coach calls it 23-10 in what could be a very boring game, as Auburn uses as much clock as possible.
4. SEC West - For the record, Coach does not believe Arkansas has a prayer against LSU, having seen both of those teams.  But anyway, think of all the pre-game-week planning that is going on right now and if Arkansas wins.  Arkansas, LSU, and Alabama are dealing with crazy rivalry games but have to look some at Georgia film, don't they?  And how about Georgia?  They are dealing with the option offense of Georgia Tech this week, but have to be gathering film on the top 3 teams in the BCS and won't know who they are playing until around 7:30 CST Sunday, if Arkansas wins at LSU.
5. Coach's talking point all season was for us to go to Cat's Meow (karaoke place) on Bourbon Street the night before the game New Orleans...let's take over that place...
6. We will have a handful of regulars in Auburn this week, including Coach, Bobby, Beebo, Rodney/Michelle, Smith, and Rob.  We will also see many others over at the Eiland tailgate, and always enjoy time with all of them.

However it ends up Saturday, Roll Tide and act with class every moment down there folks. 

Until next time, I remain...

Coach Hal

Follow Coach on twitter at twitter.com/CoachHal for updates.

Post LSU Commentary and Georgia Southern Tailgate Plan

Fellow Tailgaters,

What a time and whirlwind it has been since we met here last.  The day and game on November 5^th was one for the ages, then we had a successful trip to Starkville, sans Coach’s cowbell, and now we look ahead to Georgia Southern and the Auburn year ender.  Coach and family will be at the beach this Thursday through Thanksgiving, so let’s get on to some commentary and the abbreviated tailgate plan for this weekend.

LSU

1.       Easily the most unique and best environment Coach has ever been in as a fan  It helps that we were at home, but having attended three #1 vs. #2 matchups in the past 3 years, several SEC Championship Games, over 15 Iron Bowls including 1989, a Final Four, etc., Coach would rank that as the best and loudest.

2.       It was also the most work we have ever done for our tailgate, and Coach actually hopes that was the tailgate of the century or we might not be able to sustain our level…what with lives, work, and family to actually deal with on a daily basis.  Seriously, we had 75 to 100 at least, and it was a great time.

3.       Big Game Kris won the HDTV for the second consecutive year.  Quick math shows that is about a 1 in 500 chance. 

4.       Crazy LSU guys across the street were very funny, especially the pimp.  Also enjoyed the shorter LSU 40 year old who made a 60+ year old Alabama fan mad enough to CHASE him.  Everyone laughed.

5.       The actual game?  Shoulda, woulda, coulda…just like every loss since 2007 except for Utah, which no one wanted to play that day.  Those include UF 2008 (Tebow magic), and 2010 games SC (Garcia = Unitas), LSU (turnovers and reverse), and AU (easily should have been 42-0 instead of 24-0).

6.       Many thanks to the Scouts (Bruce and Keith) for working with us on parking.  Class bunch.

7.       As far as taking a back-in route to the BCS national title game, Coach would of course take it.  Coach actually claims 18 national titles already, not the measly 13 that the school claims.

Roll Tide/ War Eagle

8.       Very disappointing.  Examples: Way too much Updyke and nothing about Van Tiffin for Alabama fans or the move of the game to Auburn in 1989 for Tiger Fans. As Coach tweeted, it seemed to be ghost written by Paul Finebaum and related to exactly when his show went national.  Coach likes Finebaum, but you could tell by his defensive stance after the show that he knows we are right.  Deleted it from DVR after watching once.

MSU

9.       Rode to Starkville on the beautiful afternoon last Saturday and enjoyed a great day with Iron Man FINISHERS Jerry and Cheryl.  As Coach pointed out for years on our site, the SEC either needed to make MSU fans stop ringing the bells or grandfather them in as not being artificial noise makers, and they have done even better.  MSU has embraced the bell (“Ring Responsibly”) whole heartedly and also has a fun atmosphere with their ridiculously large jumbotron and sound system.  Coach especially enjoyed the “Need More Cowbell” SNL skit, the “Who let the Dogs Out” scene from “The Hangover”, the “Ring My Bell” music from the 70s, etc.  Very fun time.

Georgia Southern

10.   Tailgate plan is simple.  Bring what you always bring infrastructure wise and bring a finger food.  We expect only the core group for this pregame tailgate, and be sure to arrive by 10:30 or so, as you can show appreciation at the hotel for the seniors and juniors who will be leaving Alabama after this season.

Auburn

11.   Coach may be able to post in the next week, but will be at a pretty remote spot on the Gulf, so don’t count on it.  Please let Coach know your plans via email for the Iron Bowl so we can let our wonderful hosts know how many are coming.

Have a great Saturday and Thanksgiving, and until we meet again…

I remain,

Coach Hal

Tailgate Plan and Commentary for the Big One: LSU/Alabama

The Ole’ Tailgate Coach is looking forward to the biggest game in regular season SEC history, and the biggest tailgate of our seventeen (17) year existence at our current site.  On to some thoughts about the game and other things before we showcase our perfect Tailgate Plan:

1.      Coach dares anyone to wear a Forever Lazy for an hour at the tailgate. Have you seen these things? Check out one of Coach’s favorite commercials ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S2p7AiNX9g.  First one to wear a Forever Lazy for an hour between 1:00 and 6:00 Saturday at the tailgate gets $20 from Coach.  You get a look from Saban in it, Coach will kick in another $20.  Please note that you have to be over 21 years old to participate.

2.      If Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, and Lebron James are in Tuscaloosa, there has to be a chance for us to see them. If Coach has time, he plans to buy a headband and mouthpiece to wear in honor of Lebron while playing cornhole.

3.      Let’s just get to it, Coach thinks we are going to win this game by 14, probably after it being close and maybe on a late interception return.  Reasons are below and forget Xs and Os:

a.      As Coach and the First Lady sat and watched the Auburn players celebrate after their amazing (and unacceptable) comeback win last November in Bryant Denny, Coach had a vision.  It was of confetti in New Orleans and a BCS title, with that bad loss as the main driver.  Coach has not wavered from that position since that moment, and certainly is not changing now.

b.      All we hear from the media is about the adversity LSU has been through this year.  It was self inflicted by the way, with the preseason fight and the latest suspensions.  But how about Alabama?  April 27^th is always on all of our minds and is also a driver for this team.

c.       Coach Saban is pretty good at revenge games, almost scary good.

d.      LSU fakes injuries all the time to get mini-timeouts.  Really, this has nothing to do with why we will win, it just makes Coach and fans of many other schools mad.  Why do barely any media folks discuss this and what do you think the over/under is on obvious faked injuries by LSU this week?  Coach puts it at 4.5.

e.      A.J.’s interception total has been overblown.  2 of the 3 were in the first game, with one having hit the ground and the other a tip. But he probably is the key to this game, and he has my trust.

4.      Speaking of wearing something silly, what in the world is that short sleeve pullover thing that Gene Chizik wears?  It hilariously showed up in the second half last weekend after he had it on under his grown up pullover in the first half.  Somebody help that guy.  Coach will add that AU being 6-3 with Trotter at QB most of the season is actually amazing. 

5.      Ever notice how folks who read a lot of message boards argue or make their points the exact same way?  This goes for all fan bases, but is really obvious for Alabama and Auburn fans alike.  Coach will many times get the same comments from different people days apart, and they act like they came up with the thoughts on their own.  Nothing wrong with the boards, but think for yourselves folks.  With all that said, how are we doing on recruiting?

6.      We did enjoy our last tailgate for the Tennessee game, and enjoyed many guests and the Calhoun’s sauce.  Please note that while Coach does like Tennessee, there is no truth to the rumor that Beebo started that Coach wears orange checkerboard underwear.

7.      We are raffling the HDTV at the LSU tailgate, and remember this has been ongoing all season with the buy in of $20 a family.  Folks in right now are the following: Kumar, Newt, Rob, Cindy B., Sonny/Bobbie, Dizan the Mizan, Hag, Bob/Pat, Larry/Nancy, Big Game, Mark/Carol, my mom and dad (Big Hue), Rodney, and Bobby.  The TV was $467 and we had a $140 credit from 2010, so we are down to only $47 with more folks planning to purchase. We will draw for the TV at a late afternoon time as determined by Coach, and someone will take the TV home.  FYI, Coach is not eligible to win the TV, and any additional funds for the TV will be used towards tailgate infrastructure next season.

8.      Again, please be aware that we are now compensating someone to rope off our site.  Please see Coach to see how you can contribute.

Tailgate Plan

We have confirmed well over 50-60 eating at our gathering, which in recent past history means we might hit the CENTURY mark with guests. Pretty awesome to think it started with two guys and a TV tray in 1995.  So, to say the least, we are stretching our limits and please help in any way you can especially with ongoing cleanup.  If you don’t know what you can do to help, ask Coach Hal or tweet me at @CoachHal.  It is my job (unpaid but fulfilling).

The weather Saturday should be great, as you see here with the latest from James Spann (@spann) on Twitter - Alabama/LSU game forecast update: Clear; 60 at kickoff, 50 by the final whistle. Light southeast wind 4-8 mph.

The site is roped off already, and we plan to be on site around 5:30 AM.  We will have a shrimp boil coming off around 1:00 or so, with all kind of grilling before and after that, and ending with pork tenderloin mini sandwiches right after the team comes out of the hotel. The team should depart the hotel around 4:40-4:50, the game is right at 7:08 CST on CBS, and we will leave the TV up during the game.  On to the assignments, other than your own beverages and chairs.  If you are not on the list and want to contribute, bring a dessert, cash, or your dish of choice:

Rob (4) – Grill, Tables, Tent, Rob Box, Newt box, Christmas lights, NFL heater possibly, 30 lbs. Shrimp, Boiler, Gas, Boil mix.

Joel (1) – Roping Site.

Coach and the First Lady (2) – Game plan, TV, White Tent, Imodium, Early Tailgating Trash Bags, Cords, Ice, Cash, Conecuh, Satellite Tripod. Trey’s flaps.

Newt (2) – Cash, extra supplies.

Dan (8) – Crown Marinated Tenderloins and Hawaiian Rolls, Ice, Zero.

Beebo (1) - Table, Receiver, Remote, Cornhole, Rob’s table, Dessert, cash.

Kumar (8) – Sausage, potatoes, onions, corn, cash from some.

Bobby (3) – Chicken Fingers and Honey Mustard. Satellite.  Extra Tent possibly.  Cash.

Zak (1) – Hot Wings.  Water.  Ice. Cash.

Hag (0) – Not Attending.

Rodney (2) – Cash and Drinks.

Brack (2) – Cash and Drinks.

Tony (1) –10 pounds Conecuh, Little Debbies for Coach Saban, and as always great stories.

Willet Clan (4) – Cash.

Big Game Kris (3) – Bama punch & bombs, Solo Cups, Ice, Extra Bags and Game of Cornhole.

Michael and Elizabeth (2) – Redneck Caviar and Chips, Mini Corn Dogs for LSU fans, Cash.

Florio Clan (2) – First Class Cheese (sliced and cubed) and Crackers.

Lowery Clan (0) – No word.

Cindy B (1) – No word, but always a good surprise.

Derrick family (2-4) – No word.

Blair Whitt (1-4) – A Bama tweep stopping by.

Neighbors - Larry and Nancy’s tailgate (25+) -

Strickland and family (4) –

Gurney (1-2) -

As always, I remain,

Coach Hal

Follow Coach on twitter at twitter.com/CoachHal for updates.

Tailgate Plan and Commentary for Tennessee/Alabama

1.       UT memories – There are so many memories of UA/UT games growing up and also games in person during this series.  One favorite memory (now) was postgame after a poorly coached loss in Knoxville in 2006. Coach randomly suggested that Alabama call Miami Coach Nick Saban and bring him back to college football.  Several tailgate witnesses heard this and questioned my sanity, but Coach likes to believe that Mal Moore was close by and heard the conversation.  Coach also appreciates the call from one of our tailgate party from that night right after Saban departed the plane in Tuscaloosa in January 2007. 

2.       Calhoun’s – In honor of the great home of the Vol Navy in Knoxville, we will have our tailgate barbeque centered around Calhoun’s excellent sauce.

3.       Vandy – It was a great homecoming weekend as we celebrated and saw the pep rally, the bonfire, Big Al, the parade, Eli Gold, Antonio Langham, and then saw little Claire (and Emily) receive the nicest wave from Saban from the bus.  Oh yea, the game was pretty good too.

4.       Ole Miss – Many of us stayed at home, but the stadium was taken over by Alabama fans and the run by Trent Richardson will be a signature run for the season…unless he does something better.  Please note that Coach is always unapologetically wearing crimson glasses, so he expects this next run to happen.

5.       AU – As Coach said two weeks ago on this site, he is much more impressed with what Coach Gene Chizik has done this year than what he did last year, when he had the best SEC player since Herschel Walker.   Glad to see Kirk Herbstreit is now saying the same thing, and Coach guesses Kirk reads the site or uses rabbit ears to learn about Coach’s pontifications, a la Mal Moore in 2006.  One other thing concerning the recent drama down there, Coach has to assume that when Chizik says he moved on a long time ago, that was because he reworded his contract to cover him either way in case of any sanctions. 

6.       UGA – Mark Richt publically lost discipline in his program the moment his players ran on the field and danced against Florida a few years ago, and we have said that for years.  But Coach has to admit it is funny they got in a post game skirmish with VANDERBILT.

7.       Coach Saban wants us to not look ahead to November  5^th – What the LSU (WTL) ever folks. Coach Hal looks ahead and foresees a great shrimp boil, the HD TV giveaway, a postgame tailgate, tons of faked LSU injuries to stop the clock, and a 14 point win for Alabama. 

8.       Speaking of the faked injuries, there were a couple of obvious ones against Tennessee last Saturday.  One was late in the half when UT was driving for a score and LSU’s Reed went down and was writhing around on the ground.  He was back sprinting on the field two plays later.  The SEC should stop going on the radio and spinning how good their refs are, but instead stop this practice by one of its premier teams.  And just wait, especially after all these suspensions, LSU will fake injuries all day against Auburn and their offense this weekend.  Scarbinsky is probably reading this and getting his Sunday column together already.

9.       Remember the raffle is ongoing all season with the buy in of $20 a family.  Folks in right now are the following: Kumar, Newt, Rob, Cindy B., Sonny/Bobbie, Dizan the Mizan, Hag, Bob/Pat, Larry/Nancy, Big Game, Mark/Carol, my mom and dad (Big Hue), and Rodney.  The TV was $467 and we had a $140 credit from 2010, so we are down to only $67 with more folks planning to purchase. We will have a drawing at the huge LSU tailgate in November, and someone can take the TV home.  FYI, Coach is not eligible to win the TV, and any additional funds for the TV will be used towards tailgate infrastructure next season.

10.   Again, please be aware that we are now compensating someone to rope off our site.  Please see Coach to see how you can contribute.

The Tailgate Plan

With guests we plan to have around 40 people on this long day. We plan to be on site between 6:00 and 6:30 with BBQ on the menu, along with mini burgers after the team’s probable 3:50 departure from the hotel.  Note that the game is at 6:15 on ESPN2. On to the assignments, other than your own beverages and chairs.  If you are not on the list and want to contribute, bring a dessert, cash, or your dish of choice:

Rob (4) – NFL sideline heater, Grill, Tables, Tent, Rob Box, Boston Butt and sides.

Joel (1) – Roping Site.

Coach (1) – TV, White Tent, Imodium, Early Tailgating Trash Bags, Cords, Ice, Cash, Calhoun’s sauce.

Newt (1) – Newt Box (with strong trash bags), Ice, Krispy Kreme, Ice, Cookies (combo or chocolate chip from a deli).

Dan (4) – Have not talked, Crown, Ice, Zero, possible other grilling surprise.

Beebo (1) - Table, Receiver, Remote, Chips, Dip, Buns and Cornhole. 

Kumar (3) – Satellite Tripod, Satellite, Mini Burgers with Condiments.

Bobby (1) – Chicken Fingers and Honey Mustard.

Zak (1) – No word.

Hag (2) – Cash.

Rodney (6) – Cash.  Drinks.

Tony (1) – No word.

Willet Clan (0) – No word. 

Big Game Kris (2) – Cornhole and Bama Bombs. Cash.

Michael and Elizabeth  (2) – Baumhower’s Redneck Caviar and Chips.

Florio Clan (0) – Not attending.

Lowery Clan (0) – No word.

Cindy B (1) – No word, but always a good surprise.

Derrick family (2-4)– No word.

  

As always, I remain,

Coach Hal

Follow Coach on twitter at twitter.com/CoachHal for updates.

Commentary and Tailgate Plan for Vanderbilt/Alabama

The Ole’ Tailgate Coach is so fired up for homecoming and the wonderful weather we are going to enjoy.  Let’s look at some commentary from the last two weeks before we move on to the tailgate plan.

1.      Team – How good is our team?  Coach cannot say for sure, but he does believe that his spin from after the Iron Bowl is coming true.  These guys are mad and driven by the collapse that day.  Also, Alabama arguably has 7 players that could be mentioned as first round draft picks this year.  Jones, Richardson, Hightower, Barron, Kirkpatrick, Lester, and Upshaw (Coach’s dark horse top 5 pick from preseason) can all play football at a very high level.

2.      Florida game day – Coach did not make the trip after the long last day coming back from Penn State, but did love the game on the HD at home.  Tony and others did go to the game and said the environment was unreal, and also that the night before many Alabama cheers were being led at The Swamp bar next to the Swamp.

3.      Arkansas game day – Claire’s first big game went off without a hitch, as the team looked great and won big against the Hogs.  The pregame themed pork BBQ meal by Rob and Kumar was a big hit, and then the tenderloins post game were great.  The biggest surprise of the day was the cheese tray’s popularity.   One interesting note was Claire seeing her first arrested person, or as Coach told her, “Those are just big bracelets he has on, but I don’t know why they are behind his back or why the guy in the uniform won’t let him up…let’s just go this way.”

4.      Twitter Update from @CoachHal:

a.      TO tweets – You missed some doozies this last Saturday with the tweets from Terrell Owens about Coach.  When tailgater Nolen joked that Coach had dunked on TO back in high school, the future hall of famer definitely set the record straight. Very funny stuff.  In case you don’t know, Coach and Terrell were high school basketball teammates and played the same position…and do not be confused, Terrell dominated Coach every day. 

b.      Cornhole tweets – So far, Coach has invited Tracy Wolfson, Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, Stewart Mandel, Tony Barnhart, Tim Brando, and Guy Fieri to play cornhole with us.  Wolfson and Brando did respond though they did not commit.

5.      Trip to Vandy off the table for next year? – One rumor is that our game at Vandy may be axed in favor of a road game to College Station and Texas A&M.  This is not preferable for Coach as Nashville is a great city to visit.

6.      Auburn – The Gamecock player was obviously down with a second to go, as the SEC said when explaining the reason for the call.   And while no one would want their own team to be on the South Carolina side of that ending, there was nothing egregious.  To Coach, that entire situation was Steve Spurrier’s fault.  The mismanagement of time was awful and that is truly to blame.  Can you imagine if Les Miles had done that and the ensuing media reaction about the situation?  By the way, Coach Hal completely gives Coach Gene Chizik more credit for 4-1 this year than the entire year last year, as they had a generational player then.

7.      Future home games– UT and LSU and Georgia Southern.

a.      UT  – Calhoun’s (famous place on the Tennessee River in Knoxville) sauce will be on many of our tailgaters' various types of BBQ, led by Rob’s pork Boston Butt.  We hope for a 2:30 CBS game and pre and post game tailgates.

b.      LSU – In what is 99% sure to be a 2:30 CBS game, we will have a Shrimp Boil pregame, a surprise, the TV drawing, and a post game tailgate. What a day and wonderful environment.

c.       Georgia Southern – Coach will be at the beach but there will be a tailgate of course.  Game time is set for 1:00 on PPV, and that is a great time of year for a tailgate.

d.      A-Day 2012 – We will be back in full swing next spring.

8.      Speaking of the TV giveaway at the LSU game, the raffle is ongoing all season with the buy in of $20 a family.  Folks in right now are the following: Kumar, Newt, Rob, Cindy B., Sonny/Bobbie, Dizan the Mizan, Hag, Bob/Pat, Larry/Nancy, Big Game, Mark/Carol, and my mom and dad (Big Hue).  The TV was $467 and we had a $140 credit from 2010, so we are down to only $87 with more folks planning to purchase. We will have a drawing at the huge LSU tailgate in November, and someone can take the TV home.  FYI, Coach is not eligible to win the TV, and any additional funds for the TV will be used towards tailgate infrastructure next season.

9.      Again, please be aware that we are now compensating someone to rope off our site.  Please see Coach to see how you can contribute.

10.  This weekend – Coach and the family will be in town late afternoon Friday, and plan to take in the pep rally and bonfire Friday night.  Let Coach know if you would like to meet.  We have the parade and wonderful weather Saturday, and then of course the game.  Coach is so happy to be able to pass on (brainwash?) love of Alabama to our little one.

The Tailgate Plan

With guests we plan to have over 50 people throughout this long day. We plan to be on site between 6:00 and 6:30, and will have all kinds of food in between.  Note that the parade is at 12 noon.  The game is at 6:00 on ESPNU, and the team should depart the hotel around 3:30-3:50.  On to the assignments, other than your own beverages and chairs.  If you are not on the list and want to contribute, bring a dessert, cash, or your dish of choice:

Rob (4) – Fan, Grill, Tables, Tent, Rob Box, Teriyaki Wings.

Joel (1) – Roping Site.

Coach (3) – TV, White Tent, Imodium, Early Tailgating Trash Bags, Cords, Diet Sprite Zero, Ice, Baumhower’s Redneck Caviar and Chips.

Newt (1) – Newt Box (with strong trash bags), Ice, Krispy Kreme, Milo’s Sweet Tea, Ice, Cookies (combo or chocolate chip from a deli).

Dan (4) – Crown Original, Marinated Tenderloins and Hawaiian Rolls, Ice, Zero.

Beebo (2) - Table, Receiver, Remote, Chips, Buffalo Chicken Dip , and Cornhole. 

Kumar (1) – Satellite Tripod, Satellite, Mini Burgers with Condiments (mayo, ketchup and mustard).

Bobby (3) – Chicken Fingers and Honey Mustard.

Zak (1) – Hot Wings.  Water.  Ice.

Hag (0) – Not attending.

Rodney (2) – Cash.  Possible surprise.

Tony (1) – 3 packs of Conecuh, Little Debbies for Coach Saban, and as always great stories.

Willet Clan (0) – No word.  Claire really hopes to see Ellen this week.

Big Game Kris (0) – Not attending.  Guess we will see him at UT or LSU.

Michael and Elizabeth  (2) – Late if they make it.

Florio Clan (2) – Cheese and crackers, Coach thanks you sir. Ice.

Lowery Clan (0) – No word.

Cindy B (1) – No word, but always a good surprise.

Derrick family (2-4)– No word.

Angie and family (3)– They are Coach’s Vandy guests.

Lindsay and family (3) – They are Coach’s Vandy guests.

As always, I remain,

Coach Hal

Follow Coach on twitter at twitter.com/CoachHal for updates.

Commentary and Tailgate Plan for Arkansas/Alabama

The Ole’ Tailgate Coach is ready for pork and pre and post game tailgates.  After some short thoughts, we reveal this week’s tailgate plan below.  The plan and this website will always be powered by vitaminwater, in memory of Lee Eiland Kravitz.

1.      Coach loves how the media and the country are so up in arms about the New York Giants faking injuries in the NFL game last weekend.  First, let’s not put our heads in the sand, as there is acting in a lot of sports.  For instance, NBA charging flops are many times funny, while fake injuries in soccer are the most annoying for some reason.  But leave no doubt that the master of faking injuries to stop the clock is LSU.  It is been a constant for years and we have seen it with our own eyes, like when the freakishly athletic (and one of Coach’s favorite opposing players ever) Patrick Peterson had multiple cramps, caused TV timeouts, and always came back in a play or two later…or when the two LSU lineman went down simultaneously a couple of years ago and the referee chewed them out and basically picked them up off the field.  The SEC sits back and lets this happen every week, but by golly Coach is glad they went after the Saban bump rule.

2.      Coach foresees a disaster if the taunting penalty causes a touchdown to be called back in another game this year.  After reading the possibilities and the debacle out west, hopefully the SEC referees understand to just not call this terrible rule.  15 yards is one thing, but taking points off the board is ludicrous, in this Coach’s opinion.

3.      The tailgate was very laid back last week and a complete success.  Some games were obviously more enjoyable for us to watch on the HDTV than others.  Speaking of the TV, the raffle is ongoing all season, with the buy in of $20 a family.  We will have a drawing at the huge LSU tailgate in November, and someone can take the TV home.  FYI, Coach is not eligible to win the TV, and we are about halfway to fully repaying the cost.  Any additional funds for the TV will be used towards tailgate infrastructure next season.

4.      Little Claire will be attending her first “big” game Saturday.  Coach Hal is very excited.

5.      Please be aware that we are now compensating someone to rope off our site.  Please see Coach to see how you can contribute.

The Tailgate Plan

With guests we plan to have at least 50-60 folks this weekend. We plan to be on site between 6:00 and 6:30, and will have a pork Boston Butt meal pregame and pork tenderloins post game (see a theme here as we welcome the Razorbacks?).  There will be all kinds of food in between, just see below for details.  The game is at 2:38 on CBS, and the team should depart the hotel around 12:10-12:15.  On to the assignments, other than your own beverages and chairs.  If you are not on the list and want to contribute, bring a dessert, cash, or your dish of choice:

Rob (2-6) – Fan, Grill, Tables, Tent, Rob Box, Pork Boston Butt.

Joel (1) – Roping Site.

Coach (3) – TV, White Tent, Imodium, Early Tailgating Trash Bags, Cheese and Crackers, Cords, Diet Sprite Zero, Ice.

Newt (1) – Newt Box (with strong trash bags), Ice, Krispy Kreme, Milo’s Sweet Tea.

Dan (8) – Crown, Post Game Marinated Tenderloins and Hawaiian Rolls, Ice, Zero.

Beebo (1) - Table, Receiver, Remote, Chips, Jalapeno Ranch dip , and Cornhole. 

Kumar (1) – Satellite Tripod, Satellite, Baked Beans and Cole Slaw.

Bobby (4) – Chicken Fingers and Honey Mustard.

Zak (1) – Cash or Wings.

Hag (2) – Cash.

Rodney (0) – Not attending.

Brack and Patti (2)- Water, Cokes, Blonde Brownies, and Cash.

Tony (1) – 3 packs of Conecuh, Little Debbies for Coach Saban, Cash.

Willet Clan (0) – Not attending.

Big Game (living up to his name) and Hadley (6) - Beverage Cabinet Assortment & Bama Bombs.

Michael and Elizabeth  (2) – Redneck Caviar and Chips.

Florio Clan(0) – Not attending.

Lowery Clan (0) – Not attending.

Cindy B (1) – Always a good surprise.

As always, I remain,

Coach Hal

Early Season Review and North Texas/Alabama Tailgate Plan

The Ole’ Tailgate Coach returns after an understandable absence last week.  Let’s look back at the first two weeks of the season before we look ahead to the North Texas marathon tailgate:

Kent State Weekend:

1.       Coach rolled into Tuscaloosa Saturday the 3^rd, about 6:30 AM.  Trying to avoid the destruction already seen on McFarland, Coach drove along a different route into town.  The path of the tornado seemed to be along much of that route near Tuscaloosa, and is another reminder of the overall destruction of the area and this state.  The pregame tribute to the first responders, and then the somber tribute to Aaron Douglas, made the first game an emotional time for everyone. 

2.       The tailgate went off without a hitch, and Tony Smith even got a Roll Tide from Coach Saban at the bus.  That is the first time he has really responded to us verbally in the 4 ½ years he has been here, so maybe he is getting comfortable.

3.       Speaking of Coach Saban, he either needs to commit to a quality version of his coach’s show or just stop its production.  His lack of desire to be there has always hurt the show, and he has not helped either of his two quality hosts deliver an A+ product.

4.       The game?  Hot, pretty boring, and the biggest story was the apparent move by McCarron as the starter.  By the way, did you notice at the game that AJ’s first pick off hit the ground and Coach Saban should have challenged?  Your esteemed tailgate coach did and said it at the game, and this was confirmed on the game film later.  One other thing of interest is the clock at Bryant Denny malfunctioning so early. Seems like that should not happen, as Coach has a digital alarm clock that is 24 years old and it has not missed a beat since 1987.

The Penn State trip

5.       Coach boarded his plane at 6 AM sharp Friday, thinking he would take a two hour nap on the way to a connecting flight in Chicago…but guess who appeared out of thin air?  The Waldo of our tailgating family and the last member of that Southwest flight’s Group C passengers, Tony Smith.  He took a seat next to Coach and we had quite a good time on our flight. Tony departed as quickly as he appeared, and headed on to Philadelphia while Coach and others went to Pittsburgh.

6.       A couple of us saw Jerome Bettis leave our hotel Friday and then we headed over to his restaurant, Jerome Bettis Grille 36 (http://www.jeromebettisgrille36.com/ ).  By the way, that is the real Bus for you Pat Forde.

7.       Friday night included a couple of more stops, with the most memorable being the Pirates game at beautiful and scenic PNC park, which was followed by a hilarious ride on the back of a 3 seater tour bike through downtown.  After all the rants, the irony of Coach riding through downtown being driven by a biker is wonderful, isn’t it?

8.       On Saturday after our long and foggy drive into State College, we met up with two different tailgates on campus: Eddie Slep and his crew of Greg, Matt, Jamie, and others, and also John and Patti Lengel and their crew. Both were great groups of folks and treated us terrifically. We enjoyed excellent brats with Eddie’s crew and also the infamous snake bites at John’s tailgate.

9.       Fans: Many asked about the tornado and 99% of the fans were great with only a few folks not cordial, and even those were actually very tame.   Just simply a great fan base.

10.   The stadium is very nice and big, and they have plenty of restroom space which allows for quick trips.  Coach will say that the seats are really jam packed (like Neyland).  The White Out was great and the place was rocking, especially the students.  The delayed wave with the white shakers was Coach’s favorite.

11.   The game?  It was over after the first drive when Penn State had to call 3 timeouts.  Never a worry from this tailgate Coach, though the many knocked down passes are a bit disturbing from AJ.  Coach did enjoy the unreal pressure from our defensive backs on that sequence in the 2^nd half.

12.   We ended up grilling and talking with Eddie and his crew for a couple of hours post game, and then headed back on a long and sometimes rainy drive to Pittsburgh.

13.   Sunday brought 9/11 and the memories that come with it.  One thing Coach noticed is that while 9/11 is a big deal here in Alabama, it is much more there in Pennsylvania.  We did get to see Air Force One at the airport on Sunday before departing, as the President was there to commemorate 9/11.  Also, it was surreal to hear the airport go silent during the pregame musical tribute on the Steelers game.  Made me tear up and so proud to be an American.

14.   Coach met Tommy Deas from the Tuscaloosa News on the flight back to Alabama, and introduced himself as Coach Hal.  We traded tweets the following day.

15.   We not only had delays in Pittsburgh but also Tampa Sunday, so Coach arrived home late.  The beat down of the length of the day led to Coach canceling plans to attend the Florida game (should be a night game on CBS according to Coach’s tweep Tracy Wolfson).  Beebo and others are still attending that game on October 1^st.

Other thoughts

16.   Every game Georgia loses is one more step to Kirby taking the Saban system to Bulldog Country.  One thing to note is that Georgia could still win the East, which would really help Boise Bus talk.

17.   Coach will be at the Mississippi State and LSU game this Thursday night, and looking forward to a good time with a great friend (Jerry).

The Tailgate Plan

With guests we plan to have probably 40-50 folks this weekend, with our core 10 or so folks building the foundation. We plan to be on site between 6:30 and 7:00, and will have the AU/Clemson game on at 11:00 and then Florida/Tennessee at 2:30. Our game kicks off right around 6:30 on FSS.  Menu: Wings/Conecuh early, Tenderloins around 1-2, and Mini-Burgers when the team departs.  Should be a great day.  On to the assignments for our core crew, other than your own beverages and chairs.  If you are not on the list and want to contribute, bring a dessert, cash, or your dish of choice:

Rob (2) – Fan, Grill, Tables, Tent, Rob Box, Roping Site, teriyaki wings.

Joel (1) – Roping Site.

Coach (1) – TV, White Tent, Imodium, Early Tailgating Trash Bags, 1 pack Conecuh, Cords, Diet Sprite Zero, Ice.

Newt (1) – Newt Box (with strong trash bags), Ice, Krispy Kreme, something chocolate as well if you can.

Dan (4) – Crown, Marinated Tenderloins, Ice, Zero.

Beebo (1) - Table, Receiver, Remote Chips, Sausage Dip, and Cornhole. 

Kumar (1) – Satellite Tripod, Satellite, Pre-Game Mini-Burgers with Condiments.

Bobby (1) – Chicken Fingers and Honey Mustard.

Zak (1) – Iced Down Bottled Water for the Group and Buffalo Hot Wings.

Hag (0) – Not coming.

Rodney (0) – Not Coming.

Tony (1) – 2-3 packs of Conecuh.

Willet Clan (4) – Late Arrival at the Game.

Big Game (0)

Michael Mann (0)

Florios (0)

Lowerys (0)

As always, I remain,

Coach Hal