untcampbell

Brother, it was windy. But we put up our serving area inside a pop up shade thate we wrapped in a good and large tarp to block the wind. The trees gave shade for the big screen. We had 65 come by, 57 that ate. Board celebrities included @GrayEagle@SilverEagle@SUMG and @FirefightnRick along with a couple of others that I think are on the board. No judging anyone on this board, but only Mr. Fincher partook of the great Senor Smoke's BBQ. 51 of those that came to the tailgate also went to the game. Along with the 10 tickets we own, our tailgate brought along 37 ticket buyers that joined us in Section 110. Not a huge fan of the 11 am start (it required starting up the smoker at 1 am) but it stretched out the party. Some ate around game time. Some of those then came into the game and some of those ate again after. Some of us went to the game and ate after. The once a year tradition will celebrate year 12 next year. I will always prefer a 3 pm game but honestly there were lots of good things about this BBQ, the earliest of the 11. We had more time to talk before , to eat and then to celebrate. Instead of my traditional pregame diet Mountain Dew, three Miller lites and pre-game Scotch, I had four pre-game Scotch's (three Ardbeg and one Glenmorangie) and two post-game Scotch's (both Ardbeg). Most importantly, the Mean Green are 9-2 in the games that Senor Smoke provides the BBQ karma. I challenge you to pick any random 11 games (other than the Hayden Fry years) where NT went 9-2. And we don't pick the "sure win" games. We try to pick a mid-season game, preferably in October, not the first FCS game of the year. And we win most of the time. Should you wish to praise Senor Smoke for his BBQ karma, look for the guy in the picture attached. Picture is from last year's game GMG

Annual BBQ for 60. GMG

I will project him as DE. GMG

My seats are on the top row just below "the giant lawn chair " (4:57). I think that is the first time I have seen them when they were empty. I have been to every home game at DATCU/Apogee and there is someone other than my family sitting in my seats when I arrive EVERY game. Discussed my sad tale with at least 50 athletic department humans over the years. None have fixed the problem. Thanks for respecting the seats, Gfed. GMG

I learned how to tailgate late in life, and I am glad I lived long enough to do so. Tell me the game time and we will be out there 3.5 hours before. Six weekends a year, weather be damned, I stop everything I am doing and just enjoy being outside with friends. It is weird...some of my best friends, including immediate family, brothers and family and friends, are my tailgate crew. I see most of them more during football season than the other 8ish months combined. My blood pressure drops, we enjoy good food, talk about current and old times, reminisce on great tailgates and games of the past, speculate on crowd size and scores of the game of the day, have a pre-game peaty Scotch and then the pickle, and just enjoy being alive. Then the game happens. It is the reason we did the above. And six times a year in Denton, a few other times elsewhere, I watch my team. The players and coaches come and go, the team remains. My team. My only team. I treasure every minute of these six days a year. GMG

There was some talk about doing something at the Alumni Pavillion. Right decision to do Eastside. One of the Mean Green's biggest supporters, and a true Denton-raised entrepreneur. GMG

My identifying picture is an homage to that sentiment. And I have used that picture for a long time. Happens to be the weekend we set for our annual BBQ. Early start sucks but are planning a meal for 80, and we will figure out how to make it great again (11th year). That said, we have another excuse for poor game day atmosphere. But ehether we have 10 at our normal tailgate or 100 at the BBQ, our little cohort finds a way to squeeze a little great game day atmosphere into Section 110. Atmosphere is local. I am confident King will do the same at the Mean Green Nation's premier tailgate, and at the game. GMG

So the Scrappy squad members get on the field before the game now? My son (27) and daughter (24) were Jr. MGC members back at Fouts. The experience played a role in my son's decision to go to North Texas. He has never missed a home game in his life. Literally. GMG

What a great kick! GMG

Home schooler. Would love to see him do well here. GMG

Chili, in two flavors: pee-pee and kick ass. GMG

I am interested, and I would follow closely. I have a special place in my heart for the underdog, and promotion/relegation captures it beautifully. GMG

That really brings joy. This is a good man and I am happy to see him as a positive influence. GMG

Please clarify: drop all semi-pro teams from our schedule, or just this one. I like to play P5s every once in a while, especially at home. GMG

That should cover the AAC exit fees. GMG

Matt doing his part. All fans need to do what we can. For this game, I: Changed which flag I flew on game day. North Texas with SOW, green with white lettering Replace my lime green Road ID band with a Go Mean Green rubber wrist band that includes my Road ID plate Simulated high fiving Mean Joe Greene statue on my Saturday morning run Meditation mantra: just on the inhale, win on the exhale. Wore my only pair of green boxer shorts. They didn't work last year, but 1-0 this year. Wore a green NT shirt and a green NT baseball cap. No black, no gray, just green and white. Ate my traditional pre-game pickle on the way to East Side, listening to the pre-game show Drank my traditional pre-game Scotch before getting into the food truck park. Ardbeg An Oa. Green bottle. Went to East Side to watch the entire game. Connected with long time friends and fans. Admired green jerseys Ate some Tomato pizza during the game, but removed the green (bell) peppers GMG

Bit. Failed. GMG

Nice job. Chandler's pocket presence is strong. The pocket was collapsing around him and he escaped a number of times, often times for significant yardage. His peripheral vision is superior and/or he has a great feel for what is happening behind him. GMG

Gee, thanks Mean Joe. GMG

How crowded was it for game one when they let everyone in for free? GMG

I high-fived Mean Joe Greene this morning so I am going with NT wins. GMG

Correct. I spent most of my childhood in adoration of Team Burnt Orange. Made my decision to go there on Jan 1, 1970. I was 9. UT beat Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl and won the national championship. I went there from Fall 1978-Fall 1979, was dating a girl at home, and transferred to North Texas Spring 1980. I embraced the school's athletics program from day 1 as passionately, truly more so, as I ever felt about UT. In fact, the first NT game I saw was on January 17, 1980 in the Super Pit, against Texas. We won 79-77 on, as I remember it, a buzzer shot 30-foot bomb by an excellent point guard but poor shooter named Pat Hicks. That set me on the path to where I am now. Rabid. I am also grateful to God. He knew this cheap ass would never be able to enjoy the on and near the field experiences at UT that I have had here. What I give is first page here, but wouldn't even be listed in the program, if they still have those, at UT. Since selling similar programs at Amon Carter Stadium as a kid during one of TCU's lowest football periods, I embraced the underdog. At NT, we have learned how to do what we can with what we have and what we are given. We can do that better, giving and living with what we got. But I still embrace the underdog. I hope, someday, to test the theory when this program is not the underdog. I suspect I will be just fine with that. GMG

I actually thought he was going after the Goose (Top Gun) look. GMG

I found little evidence of player or fan or band heat danger, in defiance of pre-game predictions, at the game. GMG

Harry, always enjoy your missives. You are a fine writer. GMG