I need 5 tickets to this weekend’s GA Tech vs VA Tech football game.  Will pay up to $75 each, plus all the keg beer you can drink at our tailgate.  The seats don’t all have to be together.

Please email me if you have any to sell.

On Saturday we won BeamerBall.com’s prestigious Most Valuable Tailgate award.  Which means we got free beer koozies and a signed Frank Beamer bobble head.  Yay!

This year’s tailgates have been about the same size as last year’s so far, however this year we certainly have more stuff.  Our canopy is twice as big, we finally have a generator, we’re running our iPods through a real a stereo rather than running my truck for 10 hours straight, and we’ve gone through 4 kegs in 3 games.  But if BeamerBall.com thought that Saturday’s tailgate was something, just wait until we break out the fire pit.  (looks like we’ll need it for the Georgia Tech game)

College football officially starts tomorrow with Virginia Tech taking on powerhouse Northeastern, lol.

While in the stadium tomorrow remember that fans alone control the outcome the game.  The players and coaches contribute to the game and have some impact, but it is our cheering that determines whether we win or lose.

Here are the keys to winning our 8 home games this season:

1. Stand. Don’t sit.

You are excluded from this rule if you are elderly (but you better be really really old, not in your 50s), in a wheelchair, or passed out. You may also sit down for short periods to mix another drink. If a person directly behind you has one of these legitimate reasons for sitting, you must show respect and give them a tiny area from which to view the game. However, if the guy behind you does not have a legitimate reason for sitting and yells "down in front", it is your responsibility to simply ignore his request.

2. Yell loud while on defense.

Volume is key. The more important the play, the louder you must yell. You may tone it down a bit on 1st downs in order to catch your breath, but 2nd downs and especially 3rd and 4th downs give it your all. Also start early. Do not let the other team talk freely in their huddle. Make sure they hear you, not the quarterback next to them.

3. Do not yell while on offense.

For the same reasons we yell while on defense, we DO NOT yell while on offense. Our team needs to communicate effectively with one another. Do not holler stupid cheers while on offense, and if others around you do, tell them to shut the hell up.

4. Bring enough to last 4 quarters.

I prefer Crown Royal, you may prefer Beam, but whatever your drink, you must bring enough to last through 4 quarters of football. If you do not, your fan performance will suffer, potentially costing us a win.

5. Do not become complacent.

When the team is not playing well, the crowd may forget that they are solely responsible for the outcome of the game. It is your job to remind the people around you of this fact and encourage them to keep their heads in the game. Similarly, when the team has a huge lead, do not let your guard down (remember Temple 1998). Continue to yell while on defense until the final seconds of the game. If you follow rule #4 this will be easy.

6. Yell "Block – That – Kick" whenever the other team is attempting a punt or a field goal.

This one is self explanatory.

7. If you want, shake your keys on 3rd down (but not required).

These are called "Key Plays". It is recommended that you do this while on offense and while on defense. But more importantly, don’t forget your yelling while shaking your keys while on defense.

8. Enjoy the band.

They are out there playing hard every game and deserve as much credit for a big win as you or I.

9. Respect the opponent.

Unlike TailgateFever.com’s similar article on cheering, I do not agree with booing the opponent. Show some class. Do not boo them or talk shit to them – not even to those arrogant FSU fans. Instead buy them a beer when you see them downtown after the game, tell them their team played well and that we’ll see them in their town next year.

Now go out there and get us a win!

Last year, many of us Webmailers and friends tailgated in Lot 10 for all of the Tech home football games.  We had a great time.  There were kegs, bonfires, loud music, cornhole, wine, cheese, bean dip, tamales, breakfast/lunch/dinner, the occasional co-worker’s bare ass, broken stuff, and a seemingly unlimited flow of burgers and hot dogs.

Needless to say after the fun of last year, David Catalano and David Lawson who own the parking passes, tried very hard to get Lot 10 again.  Even though they both explicitly requested Lot 10, the Hokie Club chose to give them Lot 8.  Lot 8 is a "better" lot according to the Hokie Club, but it is lacking two main things… a large grassy area to party in, and near by parking for 40+ people.  (Lot 8 is a hike, whereas Lot 10 is right next to downtown)

So, after the Lot 8 passes arrived last Monday, I spent the first half of Tuesday on the Tech Sideline message board, attempting to arrange a trade.  I ended up finding a guy in Danville who would trade his Lot 10 for a Lot 5 and I also found another guy in Richmond who would trade his Lot 10 also for a Lot 5.  So then I went hunting for a Lot 5 trade, and I located a guy in Roanoke who would trade his two Lot 5 passes for our two Lot 8 passes.  Without any Lot 5 passes in hand yet I then told the first two guys "I will trade my Lot 5 for your Lot 10"… and the trade was set into motion.  On Wednesday, David Lawson and I met the Lot 5 dude in Roanoke and swapped passes, then headed out to Danville… an hour later we had our first Lot 10 pass!  Later that afternoon back at the office, I dropped the first game’s Lot 5 pass into a FedEx envelope and addressed it to the fellow in Richmond.  And on Friday we got our second Lot 10 pass!

Long story short, we are in Lot 10 again – same location as last year, to the left of the tennis courts on Washington Street.

See you bright and early on the 2nd.

Finally, four and a half months after the end of a very successful 2005 tailgate season – VT football is back.  This Saturday (the 15th) Virginia Tech will take on themselves in the annual Maroon-White spring football game.  The game itself does not mean much, but it gives us fans an opportunity to get in valuable tailgating practice in preparation for the 8 home-game season ahead.

We will be doing it up in style, starting at 8:00 AM and going until they make us leave.  Come join us and bring a friend.

We will be located in Lot 4 for this game, in the first spaces on the right as you enter the lot.  Lot 4 is at the intersection of Southgate Drive and Spring Road.  Check out this parking map.  If you get there early, you may be able to park with us… if not, park in Lot 5 or Lot 6 and walk up.  Look for our flags.

We’ll have plenty of beer and wine… if you want something else, bring it.

We’ll be grilling breakfast and lunch (and dinner?)… let me know if you plan to come so we can purchase enough food.

Go Hokies!