No offense to anyone, but we have one of the best tailgates!

by **Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:48 am

SMU BLVD TAILGATE:
(perfect setting)

TULANE TAILGATE:
(parking garage parking lot)

ANY QUESTIONS?

by **ThadFilms** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:43 pm

well now we just have to fill it up!

by **LawSchoolPony** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:50 pm

i'm not even going to bother posting my thoughts...

by **tmustangp** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:14 pm

that looks like comparing our football program to SHst... as far tailgating goes we should strive to be like SEC schools.. numbers will never be there but we have the setting in place.. there is no BCS bs when it comes to tailgating..

by **Sewanee Stang** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:14 pm

I attended the Georgia - Ole Miss game in Oxford over the weekend and was impressed by the number of people at the grove. It was packed. I even got a little claustrophobic. The atmosphere was indeed festive and we (11 Sewanee graduates) all had a good time, but I definitely felt like an outsider. I missed the hospitality of the folks on the boulevard. SMU has a little more laid-back scene as the people seem to be friendlier. At Ole Miss Some twenty-something guy in red pants called me an "a hole" for walking through his tent. I apologized to him as I did it unintentionally but was surprised by his hostility. Go ponies.

by **LawSchoolPony** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:26 pm

going back to oxford for Ole Miss homecoming against Vandy this weekend...can't wait for some real tailgating southern style.

Ole Miss really knows what they are doing when it comes to tailgating in the Grove, both the fans and the administration.

There is a reason it was ranked the #1 tailgating spot in the nation...SMU should take notes.

by **WorldStang** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:27 pm

Friend of mine from Michigan came to the game against Arkansas State. He said he couldn't believe we didn't have a better football team with all the "trim" running around the boulevard. He was so so impressed with the campus, setting, stadium and beautiful women. He kept saying.. it has to be just a matter of time and that IF we can start winning.. things could steamroll for the football team's success. Was pleasant to hear.

by **jtstang** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 2:35 pm

WorldStang wrote:He kept saying.. it has to be just a matter of time and that IF we can start winning.. things could steamroll for the football team's success.

Did you have the heart to tell him the trim and the football success have been consistent for the last 20 years?

by **ThadFilms** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 3:26 pm

Look... no arguing SEC has great tailgates. But I have been to plenty of "other" tailgates and I totally prefer ours to most (of the non-SEC variety)... that being said, we need more people.

Whatver my thoughts are on Texas, I have come to really enjoy their tailgates, it's just a mass of people - so that makes it pretty awesome. I prefer ours for many reasons, but - it would be so much better if there was just a sea of people.

Winning this weekend is a step in that direction. I'm not saying we win against UTEP and it will be packed at Marshall, but we win against UTEP and even more people will show up. Beat Marshall... and we will have nice turn outs the rest of the year. Winning season. bowl game. Good vibes about the Boulevard. I'm sure we can pack it to the rafters next year.

by **LawSchoolPony** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:20 pm

ThadFilms wrote:Look... no arguing SEC has great tailgates. But I have been to plenty of "other" tailgates and I totally prefer ours to most (of the non-SEC variety)... that being said, we need more people.

I agree....BUT, the problem is with the administration's policies concerning the BLVD. The policy of renting out spaces essentially puts a cap on the number of tents and people. Plus, the difficult policies regarding tailgating in the "general" tailgating area make the Blvd. difficult to use - discouraging attendance. SMU could increase excitement and activity on the Blvd. if they changed the strict policies regarding tailgating.

by **Special_Delivery_Smu_Fans** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:45 pm

re: Plus, the difficult policies regarding tailgating in the "general" tailgating area make the Blvd. difficult to use - discouraging attendance.

Besides the parking/unloading issue which is not really a very easy issue to solve and maintain order what are the "difficult policies" you are referring to in the general tailgating area?

We find there is plenty of extra spaces for more tents, great lush grass and landscaping, helpful support from the grounds crew and people emptying the trash containers, friendly police officers, ect....

Can you elaborate on what are the "difficult policies"?

Don't you agree The SMU BLVD appears to be a big success and will only grow as the wins grow.

Blvd attendance seems more tied to win/loss records than any BLVD policy.

by **ALEX LIFESON** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:30 pm

With the 'Vard, SMU has a top 20 tailgate scene!

by **LawSchoolPony** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:07 pm

Sure, the loading/unloading issue is the main problem...it makes it hard for people to tailgate when they have to schlep tents, chairs, and coolers across campus. Just ask the young woman who was in tears after the Ark St. game on the emply Blvd. at 11:15pm when she was evidently barred from picking up her tent's stuff by the police officer on the scene. I don't understand why you think the loading/unloading issue is difficult - I think there are numerous solutions.

Sure, the grounds people are nice enough, but the hired security guards (not the SMU police) are far from welcoming and polite as the first face you see on campus. The yellow shirts need to work on their people skills.

The policy of renting spaces on the Blvd. means there is a finite number of people who will end up tailgating. You mentioned all the space we have to expand...thats just it...there is plenty of space! There should be tents everywhere to fill up that space.

No, frankly, I don't think the Blvd. is as successful as it could be. I have been disappointed with the crowds this year, and this is coming off our "big finish" last year. Given, we had big name games last year, but still. Essentially, its only a group of hardcore fans out there every week, the same ones who are the few who buy season tickets. I haven't seen growth in numbers.

SMU has too few fans to treat its few followers w/ disrespect and poor planning for the Blvd. - we deserve better. We have brought no fewer than 10 people w/ us to every game, but we are jumping through hoops on the Blvd. to do it...it won't happen again next year.

by PK » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:20 pm

I very well could be wrong, but I thought the rental space fee was for a parking space... not a tent location. Granted, it is hard to get tents, etc. in there without the parking space, but isn't there supposed to be a time period in which you can drive in and drop your stuff off before parking elsewhere :?:

by **LawSchoolPony** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:26 pm

i believe the area on the Blvd. median next to the curb of the rented parking space is reserved for that person's tent...at least the southern half of the Blvd.

As for there being a time to unload before game time, that is definitely NON-EXISTENT. The Blvd. is closed off early a.m., even for night games such as Ark. State and SHSU.

No offense to anyone, but we have one of the best tailgates!

No offense to anyone, but we have one of the best tailgates!

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