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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Part I - FSU v UF Game: VICTORY for the Good Guys


Where oh where should I begin? Unless you live under a rock, or merely watch ESPN and their lack of FSU footage (due to being run by uf communication's interns), you may have heard a little something about the FSU v UF game...

This post will be about our gameday experience like my previous posts. Mark has agreed to write the second part of this and give his reaction to the win...so stay tuned.

This past weekend began on Friday afternoon when we rolled into Tallahassee with Matthew and, little sister, Kendall Davenport. We headed to the Ale House for some game watching and beers followed by Ken's Tavern on the Tennessee St. strip. We stayed there as our friends arrived to kick off the amazing weekend that was about to ensue.

Mark and I stayed in a hotel across the street from the bar scene so that "stumbling distance" was possible for this weekend- which was a nice for a typical night at Ken's.

Early Saturday morning I woke up to Mark telling me, as always, that it is gameday (like I don't already know this?) and already heading out to grab us breakfast. My instructions: to be ready when he gets back.
When he does, it is time to kick off the tailgating. I'd say it was roughly 40 degrees that morning but was going to turn into WONDERFUL football weather. We started off as usual, the ladies drinking their mimosas and listening to the fight songs which circulatied through the campus speakers. Glorious.



Our tailgate was like the many of this season except for our new addition of the Roche's deep fryer. Mark had purchased some gator meat for this game, so our lovely friends; Jared and Jacki Roche kindly brought their deep fryer to cook it up just right. Alligator, chicken and hush puppies were the main food attraction.

yum



The men who make it happen every gameday.


Jared Roche frying up some goodness.

This tailgate was one that was looked forward to all season, yet easily awaited for being as it would be our last home game tailgate. Playing corn hole, listening to oldies but goodies, visiting with friends coming by our tailgate to say hello, and of course the usual - busting out the Dougie.


Erika Roche teaching her "hubby" - Matthew Davenport her dougie moves.
 And then came time for gator scalping.....

We headed to our booster seats, fearing that since it was a sold out game, we couldn't move to our "go to" seats and stand/yell the whole game; rather sit and politely clap with the other boosters. Luckily, no one was in the sitting mood. I cannot even begin to explain the energy that radiated through Doak Campbell Stadium. I do not remember the cheering dying down...ever, nor any one in that stadium sitting down. FSU supplied the fans with garnet and gold pom poms and "GO FSU" posters. If I can say one thing, it is that the pom poms were an amazing addition to the chop. The chop is exciting enough to see all in unison but adding on all the streamers throughout the entire stadium was a great view.

And if I can reiterate anything it would be that I was very impressed with the intensity on behalf of the Seminole fans. We were so loud that the gator players were literally waving their arms as if saying "WHAT DO I DO?!?!" They couldn't hear each other at all. Calling and having to use their time outs while we just did what our players instructed us to do: GET LOUD. I love when our players jump up and down and tell us to get louder and louder because well, we listen. So as cheering got louder and only intensifying the whole game, the score got sexier, and I started to realize we were not only winning - we were dominating.

Now for the best part, as the gators headed for hills, the NOLES stayed and celebrated our New Era. "Gator-3rd world country- nation" met Jimbo-Nation in those hours. It felt great to watch our players run out and take in the Seminole fans' gratitude for their hard work and commitment to the program.
As the coaches and players ran out onto the field, the fireworks started and I was one happy girl.


final score

After the game, we stuck around and took it all in. Some pictures were taken, hugs and high fives, and buying up final score posters that were made minutes beforehand.
Then it was time to head back to our booster tailgate spot to eat and drink some more...for celebratory tailgate time.

Mark will be making a guest posting appearance later on this week when his crazy work schedule wraps up for the those who enjoy facts, numbers, and his perspective on the whole thing. Plus, he's a much better writer than I am, so I look forward to reading too!

Go Noles
31-7

Monday, November 15, 2010

Catered, Cornhole, Clemson = 11.13.10 FSU GAMEDAY

These blogs are becoming centered around football, but let's face it...that's what Mark and I do every weekend this season. Almost over :-/


Well, this past weekend we drove up to Tallahassee on Friday evening. On Saturday morning we do did what we normally do and turn on College GameDay on ESPN, pour the mimosas and bloody mary's, and eat some breakfast. After getting ready we headed to Kappa Sigma in Heritage Grove for some pre- tailgate time. We listened to some music, they played some games in the yard, and I gave them my burger recipe...

                                            Getting their the liquor luge delivered
                               

After hanging out with KSig, we headed to our tailgate spot on campus. This gameday we decided to have the food brought in. MUCH EASIER and MUCH BETTER. Pulled pork, smoked Gouda mac and cheese,  the other bbq foods and desserts were DELISH. I couldn't stay away from the Gouda mac and cheese shells...

The game was scheduled for 8:00pm this time which was great. It gave us plenty of time to eat, play cornhole/ tossing around the football, and time to enjoy Mark's gameday play list that he strategically set up, ha.
                                 
                
    Playing the Thunderstruck drinking game....drink until they say "thunderstruck" again!




 FSU v Clemson game time snuck up in no time and we were off to watch the game. After standing a huge shoulder to shoulder line to get into the stadium...we made it to our seats.

                                                                In line...

Actually, I should say our "go to" seats is where we always end up. Our purchased seats are a little harder to get obnoxious in because we are in the middle of other people and not all of our friends have their seats in our block. We walk up to the top of our section along the brick wall, have everyone meet there, and do not have to worry about blocking any one's view when we stand the whole time and scream who knows what... (Mark gets loud...)

                                                           A couple of us at our spot.


When the game started, it was off to a bad start. It was about 9 bad penalty calls against us and Mark was FUMING. From that point, I did not think this game was going to be a good one. We are used to refs making unfair calls against us. I mean Mark is now planning on dressing like Ron Cherry (ref's uniform and all) and throwing flags into the crowd all night for a game. Not that he refereed this game, but that is just his all time favorite AWFUL/BIASED referee.

                                               

                                       Jared Roche comforting Mark as they wait and watch
                                                  
ANYWAYS, this game continued being a stressful one. EJ Manuel did a great stepping in when Christian Ponder was out hurt with an elbow injury. We had to just stand and wait, hope the refs would referee fairly, tell the crowd to shut up when the "wave" started (it is bad luck and done at all the wrong times). We had a hurt player on the ground and the wave starts?!?! REALLY? I think slowly but surely the wave nonsense will come to an end. Back to cheering... we made noise until those final moments, 3 seconds to be exact, and quietly stood there (I was crouched nearly into a ball looking up) when Dustin Hopkins made his 55 yard field goal.

                                              
HOOOLLLLYYYY Celebrating! WE WENT NUTS. I cannot even begin to describe the energy in Doak Campbell Stadium when Hopkins made that. I can only speak for myself when I say that I am used to disappointment at final minutes, seconds in our games. I still and always will LOVE my NOLES, but always mentally prepare myself for heartache. When the field goal was good, I jumped up from my couched position and gave Mrs. Jacki Roche the hug of a lifetime. It was an amazing end to a game. Good for Dustin Hopkins, a kicker that was making 65 yard field goals in practice. He was ready and did a great job in those final ( NERVE WRACKING) moments.


                                        Brother & little sister, Matt and Kendall Davenport
                                    
                                     

                                          The Roches & The McGuires celebrating the win


                                     16-13 was the final score and that's a W for the NOLES!!!



After the celebrating ended, we headed back to the tailgate spot. We normally head back and spend about another hour (or more) eating, dancing, playing drinking games, and killing time before the traffic dies down. After doing the cupid shuffle, soldier boy, and every other dance on our play list, we headed out for some celebrating at the bars.

GREAT weekend, GREAT friends, GREAT game. GO NOLES.



Now onto Maryland and Florida...

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Becoming Boosters

Well, as many of you are already aware...Mark and I became FSU Boosters the day after we moved back to Florida. The season tickets were the best investment we could have made. Wins or losses, we have been been having the most incredible time seeing our good friends every/everyother weekend in Tallahassee. We look forward to our tailgates (getting better every game) and sharing days and nights with our pals.


                          *This is our friend, Nancy, preparing an amazing breakfast at the tailgate*


From eggs Benedict to lobster tails, each of our friends bring their own additions to the tailgates...


We call this football season our "guinea pig season" because it is our first as season ticket holders. We are testing out what works and what will make the next tailgate even better. Mark and our friend, Matthew Davenport, are planning BIG things for next season's tailgates. From the grilling and cooking plans to the media equipment that will be purchased for game watching and music.
Can't wait to see what these two come up with...

Tallahassee visits have also been filled with dancing day and night :)
Mark likes to twirl me around when he's had a few...hah


Erika teaching Mike how to "dougie"


Late nights out after the games (Emily, Me, Erika, and Nancy)


I often agree with what Jackie Roche has said before and that is, "We will be homeless before we do not purchase FSU Season Tickets ever again..."
We have loved planning, attending the games, and having the ability to spend time with our friends who live all over the state of FL...and even our out of state pals who fly in.

We thank Jared Roche....


for sitting Mark down in front of his computer to show us which Booster level and which tickets to purchase on our first day back in FL. We look forward to every FSU Football Season with our pals.

xo

The McGuires