We flew up to Dallas last weekend in order to partake of the 1st Annual Southwest Classic, the yearly football game against Arkansas in the new JerryWorld (aka Cowboys Stadium). We had big plans for this particular weekend that included an awesome tailgate for the 4 hours leading up to the game, the game itself where we would show that the Aggies are back by beating a good but not great Razorback team, wrapped up by a wild night of celebration.
Reality 3- Plans ZERO
The tailgate started out well enough...good food, good drink, good friends and a good tailgating spot. Then the rain came. Tailgating is not near as much fun when you are huddled with 20 other people under a 10 x 10 canopy. We did manage to get a few games of washers in, and we still got our eat and drink on, but good weather would have made it a lot more fun. Derrick went all out on supplies, so it was disappointing that we didn't get to partake as much as we had planned (especially after the game). Oh well...this is likely to be an annual gathering, so it will get better.
We wrapped up the festivities at 5:45 and headed over to the stadium. We had managed to get a pretty good parking lot for our tailgate, so the walk wasn't bad. The stadium itself is awesome. You can definitely see where the 1.2 billion dollars went. It just doesn't have that feel for college football though. You can definitely tell it is a more sterile pro stadium.
The game itself started out great. Our Offense scored on two of the first three possessions, and our D played inspired, with 3 straight 3-and-outs. Out to a quick 10-0 lead, things were looking good, we had all already lost our voices, and the place was hoppin'. Then two plays changed the game entirely. Now, I know what most of you will say...how can I say that two plays were the difference in a game that ended 49-17. Well, up 10-7 in the first quarter, our most sure-handed receiver breaks wide open down the middle, JJ hits him right in the hands, and he drops it! That sure TD (no one was within 15 yards of him) makes it 17-7 and we are on our way to the shootout most expected. Instead, we end up punting. Then, later in the quarter down 14-10, Arkanses fumbled deep in their own territory and we recovered. On second down, JJ is sacked and fumbles, and the Arkansas linebacker picks it up and returns it 85 yards for the TD. Two devastating plays within 5 minutes of each other completely took all our momentum and all the wind out of our sails. It was now 21-10 and we would never recover as we abandoned our running game completely. I took the loss hard, only because I expected a better showing. Not necessarily a win, but a better showing. Our team never gave up though, which is a far cry from the "Coach" Fran days and last year. At least I can see some hope for the Ags and rebuilding our football program.
As we left the game and walked out of the stadium, we were greeted by 6 inches of water built up on the concrete and a torrential downpour. That same walk that was "not too bad" before the game, was absolutely miserable after the game, and seemed 10 times as far. By the time we got back to the tailgate, everyone was soaked head to toe, and no one was in the mood to party...so we headed back to the hotel for an early night.
This weekend we are going to do it all over again. Only this time in the friendly confines of College Station. We've got our tailgate rations ready to go bright and early for the 11:30 am game on Saturday against a Dez Bryant-less OSU team. I think we win this one 35-31. That would almost make up for the big pile of cow dung that was last weekend's game. Almost.
Here are a few pictures from happier times early in the tailgate:
Me, Nancy, Tiff, Derrick, and Geoff
Me and Nancy
Derrick and his "artistic" apron
