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Va Tech Tailgate Wrap-Up:

By Bob W.

My take on the tailgate: 

“This Family Does Not Two Flip!!!!”

Overall:

Unfortunately for yours truly this was my last tailgate at Byrd Stadium for the 2005 season.  Don’t worry; I will still have a tailgate recap for UNC, NC State, and hopefully a bowl game.  Jason will cover the FSU recap, and I’ll work on J to cover the ever so crucial BC game.  But for a last home ‘gate’ of the year, it could not have been any better.  The atmosphere was charged, the pumpkin contest was a huge success and the flip cup table was never more cut throat.  By the way when THE MAN says you can’t get into Lot 1 until 4 pm, you know what you do?  You stick it to the man.  How does 2:30 sound?  It would have been sooner if it wasn’t for the Car-B-Que at BWI.   

Tailgate Highlights:

I was going to go with something else as the highlight and then do the pumpkin carving as its own category but seriously I don’t think anything was a bigger highlight than the pumpkin carving.  We had good response from both Techies and Terps and it certainly caught the eye of a lot of people, my own private lofty goal of doing all this was to hopefully get us on ESPN, but since I have never seen a TV crew in our lot before, I knew there was a 99% chance that that wasn’t happening.  Regardless I was thrilled with the outcome and the pumpkin carving contest may be here to stay.  I must say I was shocked at the pumpkins we had.  First I was worried only me, J, and Witchart were going to do it, but that certainly wasn’t the case.  Then I was worried that they would all look like they were butchered by drunk 3^rd graders and that CERTAINLY wasn’t the case.  Then I worried that not too many outsiders could see them in the back of the truck, but that wasn’t the case.  Then I realized “Hey it is only a pumpkin contest, why are you worrying so much”.  So here are the pumpkin breakdowns for your reading pleasure:

Winner-Natch, do you know how many things I have tried to win in my life and failed at (insert your own sarcastic astronomical number joke here).  Well when you run the contest, pay for the prizes out of your own pocket, try to get as much participation as possible, the last thing you want to do is win it yourself.  When the judges voted the Puking Pumpkin #1, I was immediately like “Yes”, then “Oh crap” all in one breath.  However, I am somewhat glad I did win because lets face it, I can’t do a puking pumpkin every year.  My idea well is dry.   

Second Place-  My personal favorite.  I don’t think anyone will ever know what a nervous wreck I was transporting this one around all day.  Every stop I would run to the back of the truck to make sure it didn’t roll around in the cooler or that the turkey didn’t break off.  Kristin took awhile planning this and when she was done I was like “Wow that turned out pretty good” and then we lit it up and I was really taken back.  I didn’t know how the judges would react because if you don’t know what you’re looking at it is hard to see and it also needs to be dark. 

Third Place-  B Lee came in third with the classic Terps in cursive.  Well played and well received by the judges.  As an interesting side note, after the game while we were commenting on how we failed to convert turnovers we had the “TERPS” pumpkin (or SPRET if you are inside the pumpkin looking out) sitting up on one of the coolers.  A lady came by commenting on what a handsome looking pumpkin and after a brief conversation asked what we were going to do with it.  Since we had no plans B Lee’s pumpkin went home with a Maryland family and will most likely have a very comfortable post contest career on someone’s porch.  This could be the start of B-Lee’s pumpkin carving Empire. 

Third Place- If I remember correctly 3^rd was a tie.  Surin went for the timeless Testudo clenched fist pose.  Very well done, and certainly beyond anything I could ever carve.  This pumpkin was certainly one of the more artistic ones in the group. 

Pumpkin Hall of Honor:

(In no particular order)

Shannon like a couple others went with the anti Va Tech theme.  A good move.  Lets face it, there are only so many ways to carve a Maryland pumpkin before you start repeating stuff, but when it comes to anti any ACC school the possibilities are endless.  The grim reaper was well done and I was certainly impressed with it.  Witchart looks to be perennial contender in any future carving competition, in fact she may be one of the most feared carvers since Lorena Bobbitt! 

J also went with the anti-Tech theme.  The tombstone was nice but the grass was the icing on the cake.  J was the heavy favorite entering the pumpkin carving contest and with out everyone “Fearing the J” I don’t think anyone would have done as well as they did.  J has upped the ante in all future carve offs.

As much as we teased Chris about his pumpkin it really wasn’t that bad.  I have to admit when I saw when I was walking back to the tailgate after a bathroom break the cooked turkey did look a lot more like a cooked turkey than it did a “whale”, but where is the fun in that?  Lee also gets credit as part owner of the “Fudgey the Whale” entry. 

So there is the breakdown for the first ever Denton 7 Tailgating Pumpkin Carving Contest.  I apologize for the pictures, our camera when the flash is off goes to complete hell.  I have asked Chris to replace them if he had better luck with his camera.  I really wanted the pictures to come out perfect, but alas. 

Tailgate Lowlights:

OK, I am going to get a little self righteous here.  Where the hell was everybody early on at the tailgate?  I know we have jobs and all but lets face it, the world isn’t going to end if any of us play a little hooky for a weekday game that happens once every two years!  I know there are some legitimate excuses out there and I apologize to anyone who had one.  But TWICE, not once, TWICE other tailgate groups dropped by and asked “Where the hell is everyone, you all are usually all going crazy by now, what’s going on?”.  Do you know what it is like to have an over riding urge to play flip cup and have no one to play against? 

Flip Cup Results:

I have played flip cup many times in my young life, and I have seen pressure before, but nothing like this.  When Cory announces that the winning team gets the bag of “Rap Snacks” you get that tightening sensation in your chest.  When you see that “Little Romeo” is on the bag, well you just about crap yourself.   Every flip is like a free throw in overtime at the final four.  Our biggest match up of the night of course went to game 7 (no one rolls over for Lil Romeo).  And am I afraid to admit we choked.  We do have an excuse though, the war machine that was team “Dakota Side of Table” had one piston that just didn’t seem to fire in game 7 and of course they were wearing maroon and orange.  Now we love our teammate, but in Maryland we have a little tradition known as “throwing people under the bus to make ourselves look better”, sure it has a long name, but it is deep rooted here in College Park.  

So as part of my agreement, here are the winners of the Lil Romeo Rap Snacks forever etched into eternity on the D-7 website:  Timmy “Slow Hand” Detmer, Kool Kalm Kristin, Kelly Prime Time, Chris “this isn’t a typo” Bix, Jeff “Thank God there is no background checks for people buying microphones” La-Vee, Matt “Boom Boom” Boomer, Jeff “Flipper” C. and the Dude in the Va Tech shirt.   If I missed anyone don’t blame me, blame the alcohol. 

Tailgate MVP:

I am starting to hate this part of the recap.  Some weeks it is cake (Thank you Gilmore’s) and sometimes it is excruciatingly difficult.  This week’s “Because someone has to win it” Tailgate MVP goes to me.  I hate doing that, but in a drunken rage I disqualified anyone who wasn’t at the tailgate by 5:00 PM (again I was drunk and wanted to play flip cup, if you have a legit excuse I apologize).  I also bought beer for 5 different people, picked up Bix at the airport, and used the tailgating time to get my self really drunk and obnoxious for the game, and after all isn’t that what tailgating is all about?  Chris, Lee, and Kristin also get newly made up Super Honorable Mentions. Without them, I would just be some 29 year old guy drinking and walking around the parking lot by himself, and who wants that on their permanent record. 

Honorable Mention: 

Anyone who did a pumpkin gets honorable mention.  They are Witchart, J, Kristin, Sarin, Brian L (not S), Bix and Co-Owner Lee Y.  You all should have gotten your “Terps” cup, and if you haven’t let me know, they are certainly well deserved.  Look for more prizes next year and a possible upgrading in the participation trophies. 

The Ralph Wiggum “I’m not allowed to play with sharp objects without adult supervision” Award goes to Forrest.  He was in until E wasn’t, then he panicked.  E best of luck child proofing the new apartment in DC, just remember it’s for his own good. 

The “Return of the Mack” Award:  This award goes to Mr. Leavitt (by the way who sings that song, I’m looking in Cory’s general direction).  Anyway the ROTM goes to Mr. Leavitt for making his return tailgate.  You have been with us in SPRET all season but it was great to see you looking so well in person!   By the way your return has saved D-7 tailgating about 10$.  We no longer have to pour out a beer every tailgate for our “Homie”.