infuryum

This is slightly football related. Chili cook-offs are, after all, an integral part of tailgating the further we get into the season. My new student group, the Coalition of Older College Kids, has started a traveling chili cook-off team. We're participating in the Possum Fest 2007 & 13th Annual Great Outdoors BBQ and Chili Cook-Off at Possum Kingdom Lake. We don't really know how these things work or what we need to cook chili in a parking lot. I'm sure some of you have experience, or even have supplies you may want to offload. If so, please let me know. We'll help bring glory to the green and white through the magic of chili.

Student leaders can only do so much to fill the stands on the east side. The football team needs to pull its own. We're still trying, though. I've referred a few people to the board in the last week, students and alums, alike.

I thought the urinals were pretty neat. I know they're trying pretty hard to make Fouts a respectable venue while being economical with the foreknowledge that we're moving soon. Someone on the Athletic Council likened it to "putting lipstick on a pig."

Thanks, man!

Sounds great!

Those shirts came from Student Government. I only had cash on hand to make 600 of them. We were handing them out at the SGA tailgating tent, too. I'm making another one for the Louisiana-Monroe game. It was hard to figure out how to make fun of a Warhawk, but I think we pulled it off. I'll only have about 600 shirts again unless someone wants to donate some dough to the t-shirt fund. The shirt for Navy will be good, too. I'm trying to make more than 600 of those. I promise they won't say "Sink Navy."

Thanks, Steve! I do know the history of the athletic fee. I'm friends with a member of The Fall which tried to dissolve the SGA the following year. A flat-out fee increase is something I can research and bring to Rick V. I'll really need to have my ducks in a row if I schedule a meeting with him over this, so any research or help from you will be appreciated.

Give them time. They're under new leadership, and there's still an adjustment period going on. We're all working together, and things will be better in the end. I read the Daily. I read it every day.

I couldn't have summed it up any better than Trey. As a student, it's a little disheartening to hear alumni talking like that. The pep rally was a huge success as far as numbers and attendance was concerned. You can't solve all the problems over night. For now, we have several hundred people attending the rally. As our game improves, so will the school spirit. This is NOT highschool. These students here have friends at different colleges, and they have different perspectives. The students here are not "all UNT, all of the time." We'd like them to be, but we're working hard to get people to stop wearing Texas t-shirts and hats. Tell me how to fix that, and I'll fix your mediocre pep rallies. Finding a good original band (read: not a "random rock band") to play at the pep rally was an epiphany. SO many students came out to see the band, and then stayed for the pep rally portion. Many of them didn't seem to know how to react to the "pep" portion of the event. That will change. Don't call us quitters before we've begun.

I've left a message with the Sports Editor. He's supposed to call me back today. Ridiculous...

This just in: The Orange lot has been expanded. It now includes the perimeter parking on the north side of the Mean Green Village. This opens up an extra ~200 spots. The Orange lot is now about 500-600 spaces strong. It'll hopefully last a good while.

They won't last, I promise you. They'll get kicked out faster than a drunk sorority girl dancing on a rickety table in a dive bar. Yes. That's a rule for any weekend. 3PM Friday to 7AM Monday is a free-for-all.

Okay, finally some SOLID information. The lot will be barricaded at 7PM on Friday night. There will be an attendant at the entrance ALL NIGHT. The attendant will instruct the blue and green zoners where to park. Paying customers (those parking in the Orange lot) CANNOT enter the parking lot before 7:30AM. The attendants there throughout the night will not have Orange passes or the ability to take any cash. Paying customers MUST wait until the morning. All-night tailgating is only an option for members of the Mean Green Club with a blue or green pass. Anyone can park in the Orange lot, including students if they choose to do so. If you're a blue pass holder, you can simply not tell the attendant, pay the $10, and park in Orange. Again, I recommend against it, but it's possible. Student tailgating will be across NTB. We have our own stage, our own band, etc. Also, I've heard a rumor that Miller and Bud will NOT have tents to hand out free beers this year. I haven't confirmed it, but I think it's true. Standard parking spaces are approximately 8.5' x 20'. Parking and Transportation says that turf cut to those specs should fit in the Fouts parking spaces. Any other questions, let me know!

From "Tailgating Tips For Mean Green Fans" found here.

I'm tempted to say no since spaces in the Orange lot will be so limited. I'll find out for sure, though, and I'll look into the space dimensions.

This is actually turning into a mess. I'm on the phone with athletics and the police department. Give me a few minutes. I'll get it sorted out.

"Tailgating" is permitted all over campus on game day. The police don't ticket for open containers, etc. The orange lot will be full by noon or one o'clock. If you're the first vehicle in your party to get the tailgating spot, it is HIGHLY recommended you get there in the morning. If you plan to have other vehicles join you in the parking lot, you MUST enter together or risk not being able to park next to each other. If you arrive and the lot is full, you can park your car in ANY space on campus (minus the student tailgating section and handicap spots... duh) and walk over to the orange lot to join your party. You will be allowed by the attendants to pull up next to your party to drop off your stuff, but then you will be directed to the exit so that you may park on campus. If you're walking to the parking lot from campus, stop by the SGA tent and the Athletics tent on the corner for a hot dog!

Goodness, I hope not. I'll be running patrols in the parking lot during game time with a blackjack ready to bust some kneecaps if I see people tailgating during the match. Fear the blackjack. Fear it.

Don't forget your comfy chair and a TV that doesn't plug into anything!

Students don't come out that early in my experience. I'd bet that the Orange lot is full by the time we wake up from Friday night and think about tailgating at Fouts. I imagine you'll have the lot all to yourselves. If I'm wrong, blame Trey.

I didn't know people sleep over and tailgate all night! I'm gonna come over and say hello after the pep rally!

Expect a significantly large turnout. I would arrive early if I were you. All that means is more time grillin' dogs and drinking choice beverages instead of sleeping in or mowing the lawn!

Hey thanks!

For anyone who wants a t-shirt, come to the pep rally! If you're out of town and can't make it, we're looking into making the shirts available soon on MeanGreenGear.com. If you CAN come to the pep rally, it's going to be a rockin' good time!

With donors and season ticket holders at an all-time high, more spaces in the Fouts Field parking lot need to be allocated to accommodate said attendees. Also, there is a charge to get a vehicle into the Fouts lot. The student tailgating section is free of charge for students, and there is an option for organizations (SGA, Greek, Rugby, etc.) to purchase large tents along with tables and chairs for pre-game entertainment. Also, a stage will be set up in that field next to the old tennis courts with a band playing solely for the students. The idea is to have a specific area for students to do their tailgating and then have a march over to the stadium at the appropriate time. We'll see how well it works out!