\u201cThe tailgate\u201d is not a place. It is an experience.<\/p>\n
Growing up 10 minutes from the campus of Louisiana State University, tailgating has always been a part of my culture. There is nothing comparable to the smell of burgers, brats and boudin mixing together in the humid autumn air.<\/p>\n
Some of my fondest memories come underneath the live oak trees that fill the campus.<\/p>\n
While tailgating, I watched as Appalachian State University beat the University of Michigan in what is largely considered the greatest upset of all time. I was face-first in a shrimp po’ boy (yes, we do things different in south Louisiana) when I met a guy who would become one of my best friends in high school. And it was while tailgating that I hit the most insane, spinning, no-look, long-distance, between-the-legs cornhole shot, forever cementing myself among the legends of the sport.<\/p>\n
Tailgating is a family experience, even if the people you are with share no relation to you at all.<\/p>\n
I fondly remember walking through “The Grove” at Ole Miss. My friend and I were stuck in the wild droves of people as the skies opened up above us and we were forced to take shelter under a rival\u2019s tent.<\/p>\n
What ensued was a glorious mixture of laughter, storytelling and finger sandwiches. Tailgating helped me to feel at home in an environment where I did not belong.<\/p>\n
Tailgating is more than just the chance to show off club letters; it is an opportunity to develop friendships, eat beyond one\u2019s heart\u2019s content and support the team you are there to see.<\/p>\n
Without a mutual rooting interest, tailgating is just dinner. It is just a barbecue in front of the GAC.<\/p>\n
Too often I hear Harding students, teachers and administrators refer to tailgating as \u201cthe tailgate,\u201d but I believe that terminology misses the point of what tailgating is all about.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tailgate\u201d is not a place you can go to. It is an experience that can unify an entire community.<\/p>\n
Harding comes into Saturday\u2019s home opener ranked No. 7 by the American Football Coaches Association, one week after beating Henderson State on the road 41-17. As ESPN camera crews set up their equipment, students will set up their tents and grills.<\/p>\n
But if the students do not move from the tailgate to the football field, the spirit of the tailgating experience will be lost. Students from different states with different Division I allegiances must unify behind the black and gold.<\/p>\n
If they do, the burgers will be juicier, the drinks will be colder and the cornhole will be so much more intense. Tailgating is a family experience, one that brings people together and forms life-long memories.<\/p>\n
If Harding hopes to bring that experience to the next level, students will have to be willing to dedicate themselves to more than just club pride.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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