Change in Plans

So, my darling husband has done something for which I'm trying very hard to be forgiving. Many weeks ago, we made plans for this weekend to have dinner with some work friends of his. This was, at the time, without knowing exactly when the Hokies would be playing today. I told him, that was fine, but it is a(n away) gameday, so I would still want to be able to watch the game before dinner. Last night he tells me that he has changed plans so that we're heading over to dinner around halftime (it's a 3:30 game) and we'll watch the rest of the game there. (Admittedly, this is a nice concession on their part. I'd've hated to have to cancel completely...)

But, wha??? Hold the phone! If you know nothing else about me, I am quite certain that you have picked up on the oh-so-subtle fact that I am a Pretty Intense Hokie Fan. I go to all the Home games (driving four hours, each way), I plan my weekends around watching them on tv, I don't "do other things" while the game is on. I am a fanatic. (I know this. And I would apologize...but, I sorta like this about me, lol. What can I say?)

Anyway, so now I'm put in the untenable position of A) shuffling my weekend game-watching plans around and B) having to be "social" - already a challenging enough task for me - WHILE watching the game. Basically all of the things I never do.

I know what you're thinking - this is good for me, I'll stretch my boundaries, grow as a person, all that jazz...But can't I do that when the Hokies aren't playing???

Oh well, at least these folks are sort of sports people (ie, they watch baseball)...and, we're still watching the game, while aslo having tacos and CORONAS! Wait. Did I just talk myself into liking this?

I think I did.

We're at UNC and down a couple of key players this week - Dyrell Roberts is out for the season, David Wilson has mono, and Chris Drager is still suffering from some aftereffects of the Georiga Tech game...But we still have Tyrod "Superman" Taylor and some of the best running backs in the nation.

So, this afternoon, I will be watching the game - first from the friendly confines of my living room and, then, from the (hopefully equally friendly) confines of some new friends' living room. I'm just hoping that "Touchdown.....HOKIES!" counts as dinnertime conversation???

Take THAT, Bumblebees!

So, we totally won that junk! What a crazy night in Blacksburg...

Coach Johnson (Georgia Tech), what do you have to say about playing in Lane Stadium on Thursday night?

“...I can tell you one thing. Blacksburg is pretty loud. I have had the opportunity through the years to play in front of probably 95,000 people in different arenas and I have never played anywhere that was louder than Blacksburg was on Thursday night. Especially when the game got tight in the second half. Our guys had a hard time hearing.”

Considering I am STILL recovering my voice, I say thank you, Coach Johnson. It was a pleasure. ;-)

GO HOKIES!!

Can We Skip Wednesday?

It is Tuesday.

It is not, unfortunately, Thursday.

Even though I desperately want it to be Thursday...

It. Is. Not. Thursday.

YET.

As of right now, we are less than 48 hours away from the pure bliss of the Thursday Night Game Experience. The Thursday night game is the perfect combination of all things football: Plenty of tailgate time. Being under the lights at Lane. Fireworks!! AND, while every Joe Schmoe out there is grumbling away at their computer desk on a typical workday…YOU, good VT fan that you are, are midway through your second pitcher of beer during a late lunch in downtown Blacksburg…only to be followed by typical tailgate shenanigans. Yup. You can just have another beer and thumb your nose at those folks that haven’t figured out the college football is a perfectly acceptable reason to miss work. Cheers! (buuuurp…)

So, as I mentioned, it’s Tuesday (aka Not Thursday) and here I sit in my office…thinking about the tailgate and contemplating the finer points of S’mores construction and ingredients (true story!)…This is what you do when you’re a diehard like myself. You schedule your life around The Game. You put off vacations until after The Season. My friends and family know that if they want to see me from September to December…odds are they’re going to have to go to the tailgate. (Rachael has gotten with The Program; what’s up with you, Dad?) Game weeks are a breathless flurry of planning emails and phone calls – tickets, food, travel, ETAs and carpools, cocktails, & supplies. Checking the forecast multiple times (and planning tailgate gear and clothing contingencies). It’s an interesting way to go through life, I can tell you that. When my husband heard on ESPN the other day about a Michigan State fan that, much to the chagrin of his family and friends, put off his pacemaker surgery because he wanted to attend an important game, why was I not surprised when my husband turned immediately to face me and said, “no” – as in, you are not allowed to do that, or anything like it, at any point! (How did he even KNOW what I was thinking??)

But, back to my point. Here I sit, thinking of S’mores. Because this week will be chilly…so, of course we’re thinking FIRE PIT! And (like those word association games the psychiatrist who saw me about my football obsession played), who can think fire (pit) without thinking S’MORES!?! (um. No one.) So. I’m all about it. And, now in typical FP Planner Mode, I thought I’d run a few options by a friend (who also happens to write on this blog) and get some advice. This was something akin to a moment of enlightenment. Apparently there are true S’mores aficionados out there, and these folks have a particular method to their S’mores creation. (I can honestly say that is not on my, admittedly impressive, list of skills.) After multiple s’mores planning emails (go figure – not exactly a phrase you ever think you’ll type!), I think I’ve come up with an appropriate method: Ergo - I will have a variety of chocolates & marshmallows & graham crackers to appeal to different taste palettes. I have found that, when in doubt on things like this, it is best to just go with the Buffet Approach. Give ‘em a little bit of everything and they’re going to find something they like. Just make sure it’s assembled prettily to distract them. Otherwise, they’ll end up finding the ONE thing you didn’t bring. (Worse comes to worst, you can then go to Contingency Plan A: Lie – i.e., “Oh! We just ran out of THAT!”)

So, as if the inclusion of S’MORES wasn’t enough to get your heart pounding for this week’s game…we’re also talking pepperoni rolls, beef and chicken chili, and various other goodies.

Plus, ya know, the fact that there’s going to be a GREAT game in Lane Stadium, complete with fireworks!! Ryan Williams is feeling nearly 100%, so we will have three starting RBs to work with. Tyrod is on fire right now and is going to juke the GT Defense out of its shoes. Hosely isn’t done snacking on opposing QBs yet – I see another interception for him. And this is the week our D really figures it out. We’ve been saying they were young and inexperienced all season…well, here we are, 8 games in…they’re experienced now. They can play with the big boys. John Graves is going to gobble up Josh Nesbitt. Get some, baby!

Plus, as much as it pains me to say it, this is the next to last home game. (it’s a good thing you can’t see my lower lip quivering…sniffle!)

The weather might not look fabulous, but everything else will be awesome!!

Shout out to Trey and April, who won’t be joining us for this year’s Thursday night game…we’ll miss you, but you know we’re going to party it up in your honor!

GO HOKIES!!

Good Tech: 35
Bad Tech: 17

-FP