The Gurus of Good Times

This.

2011-10-11T14:35:00.001-07:00

Carry on.

Believe

2011-10-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

First, I apologize for being a bit MIA lately. This first part of the season has been pretty go-go-go. But, I’m here now.

I’m feeling a bit down (still) after that deflating loss to Clemson last weekend so I got to thinking…how could I pick myself back up again? I immediately started thinking of a similar situation from many years ago, back when Tech was still in the Big East. We’d gone on the road and lost miserably to West-by God-Virginia. The upcoming game - also against Miami - held incredible meaning for the remainder of the season. There were a lot of questions and even more discontent swirling around the program and throughout the Hokie Nation. Would the season improve or simply spiral out of control? And that’s when Will Stewart, over at Techsideline.com, wrote the most energizing and motivating column I think I’ve ever read. He called it “Make It Real” and basically it was a plea to the fans to double-down and go all in (to use some gambling metaphors). To come support the team and show how much they still cared. To will those guys to the victory we all needed.

I was pumped and unbelievably psyched just halfway through the column; by the time I’d finished it, I was already attaching it to emails and sending it to other fans. I knew we were going to win an hour before kickoff, watching the fans line up to greet the players during The Walk. Hearing the roar of the crowd that was so loud it reverberated inside my chest. Bottom-line: that column mattered, it ignited the fan base, which in turn helped inspire the team - we throttled Miami in that game.

I know you can’t just recreate that sort of magic whenever you want to, but I’m committing here and now that I’m going to do my part.

I’m going to be there early.

I’m going to have an amazing tailgate and I’m going to get my crew ready to go.

I’m going to cheer even louder on 4th downs than I do on 3rd.

I’m going to lose my voice (again).

And I’m going to get everyone around me to do the same thing.

I may not have quite the audience that Will Stewart has…and that’s ok with me…but I have just as much devotion to my guys and my team. And I can be damn persuasive when I want to be.

I say, let’s go to work, stay focused, stay aggressive, stay hungry. I say let’s make it real, again. I say, let’s make it count.

Let’s go, Hokies – win #5.

It's Almost Here!!

2011-08-16T14:16:00.001-07:00

So. This week was - finally - time to start talking tailgate again!! This little Hokie fan could not be happier! We are just over 2 weeks away from the glory that is Hokie football (& tailgate!!) season. I believe we've squared away our awesome tailgate spot again. Now comes the good stuff - planning the 'gate! I'll be back when we've got some more deets...but until then, Kiddies, just rest assured in the fact that we do not open against a high profile team on the road. No! It's 'no place like home' time for us this season!! I, for one, couldn't be happier! The sooner I get my arse to Blacksburg, the happier I will be. So. With that, I will sign off for now. Be back in a few days with a more detailed off season wrap-up & preview of the upcoming Good Times! Go Hokies!!

--FP

Next Season

2011-05-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

And, in the least surprising news ever category, VT announces that it will kickoff the season at 12:30, September 3rd against Appalachian State. I am shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you!

This is me trying really hard to find the upside, any upside, to this scenario.

...

...

...

More post-game tailgate time???

Ooooohkay. (quit twisting my arm!) 12:30 will be alright then. ;-)

Go Hokies!

--FP

Treats!

2011-05-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

Spring Game was absolutely fan-freaking-tastic. Major shout-outs to all the regular tailgate folks who made it for the "event." (Rachael, myself, and April, of course; but also Wendy, Alex, Amanda, Dwayne, Ashley - minus her gambling fiancee', and the Roberts clan - Trey, Tommy, and Peggy!) It was beautiful weather and I know I can speak for y'all here - it was definitely a Good Time!

Just wanted to share a couple of tidbits for the upcoming season, to get the blood pumping and excitement brewing!! Check this out!!

The new audio for the tailgate. Mr. FunPusher really came through for my birthday! A portable PA system, with built-in Ipod dock, complete with a microphone. OH YEAH!!! Can this be more perfect for me???

And! For those post-game dance parties! A Disco Ball! We are all set now, ladies and gents!

Let's go, Hokies!!

--FP

I Need a Tailgate...STAT!

2011-04-19T12:50:00.001-07:00

Well…hello there Hokie fans and fellow tailgaters! Long time, no see! It’s been another long offseason (and it ain’t over yet, bleh), punctuated by yet another snub from the NCAA basketball tournament (always a bridesmaid, never the bride…sniffle). [Sidebar: I would not put it past Greenberg to sue the NCAA next season. Or launch some kind of crackpot conspiracy investigation. Come on, Greenie...I love you, but we all know why we didn't get in...you can't beat #1 and then mail in your last two games like we did! #JustWin]

But, you can take a step toward erasing that dreadful "here we go again" feeling that came from the crushing Orange Bowl loss to Stanford. (Can we please ban the orange helmets??) All it takes to set things back on the right track is a little (er, or a lot of) tailgating in Blacksburg this weekend! (Can I get an amen!!) VT is concluding its spring football practice with the annual Maroon and White game, at 2pm on Saturday. And you know the Gurus will be there, in full effect...Holla!

We've said good-bye to a lot of great Hokie players – Tyrod Taylor, Darren Evans, Ryan Williams, John Graves and others – but that just means we’ve got room for the new guys we’ll come to love watching in the Maroon and Orange.

Not to mention all of the coaching changes that took place this offseason. The Beam’s been busy!! But, I like it. It's a new chapter in VT football. New Coaches; new QB; new energy and new blood. Same Goal. Championships. Period.

SO. If you REALLY need an excuse to come hang out with friends and tailgate in Blacksburg (who ARE you people??), say you need to come check out the newbies and the old favorites. If that doesn’t get you, how’s about Good Times with good friends, food, and tunes?

Not to mention, is it completely inappropriate that I cannot wait to be where it is socially acceptable to drink beer at 9am??? I LOVE TAILGATES!

We’ll be there and you KNOW you want to join! You don’t want to be that person everyone talks about because they didn’t show up. (Because we totally do that shizz.) Peer pressure. Ain't it the greatest??

The Plan has been put into motion. Gonna get there early so we can tailgate in the Big Boy (read: Mondo Contributor) lot and be close to the awesome bathrooms. Come on by and join the party!

Go Hokies!! Thanks for giving us a reason to tailgate!! (And, something to tide me over until September!)

-FP

Pause, and Reflect

2011-04-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

This.

Dear Santa...

2010-12-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

Please bring the Hokies an Orange Bowl victory! I know we're wearing orange helmets (and this, admittedly, makes me nervous...our other attempts at wild uniform combinations haven't exactly fared well), but we've gotta send Tyrod and the other 15 seniors out with a win...

SO. Santa. You've gotta get those little elves fired up, get 'em working their magic (heck, get Rudolph involved if you have to) and let the good guys win against the Cardinal.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Gurus! May all your holiday wishes come true! (including that Hokie win!)

Go HOKIES!!

-FP

Mike London = the new Al Groh

2010-12-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

Man, it always feels good to spank UVA. Although, it sure would feel better if we were actually beating a college football team. I think they’re actually dressing up a bunch of pee-wee kids; this makes for a rather lopsided “rivalry.” I mean, jeez, the last few years we’ve been reduced to inventing rivalries with UNC or Georgia Tech because those are more competitive games. Come on, UVA…make this game something, other than another reason to snooze after Thanksgiving turkey.

And, on that note, another (tailgating) season has come to a close. Now it’s on to the ACC Championship Game and, hopefully, the Orange Bowl. Sadly, I will not be attending either event. (I sense your shock…) Instead, I will be living room tailgating which, although it sounds like a completely laid-back way to watch a game, always stresses me out. For some completely nutty reason, I have it in my head that I can “help” the team if I’m in the stands. (Don’t ask.) Anyway, it was a crazy season and we had a lot of fun, no doubt. I’m extremely proud of this year’s squad for rebounding after such a crummy start. Tyrod Taylor is definitely one of my all-time favorite VT players for the way he has handled himself on and off the field; truly representing what Virginia Tech is all about. We will miss you, TT!

Let me tell you though, not only am I proud of the team, I’m proud of us tailgaters. We weathered those losses right there with the team, but man, did we look cute doing it!

Rachael and I tailgating before the Boise State game at FedEx Field to kick off the season.

The Gurus trying to make the most of a miserably wet day.

That day just got worse when we lost to JM-freaking-U.

And then WE rebounded and rocked the tailgate – new tunes, new gear (who doesn’t love the pop-up VT trash can??), and lots of new Good Times.

The Ladies of the Tailgate, doing one of MANY pictures.

MWAH

Madonna and Hermoine for Halloween and the Duke game (we tailgate everywhere).

Gurus and brother before the Georgia Tech game.

We never did get that RV setup together for the tailgate…although I think we have a plan of attack for next season; I’m already percolating on how to make next season’s experience even better. (I think it involves…amplification…)

We take on FSU this weekend; a team that’s been a bit of a monkey on our backs over the last decade or so. I am certainly no Xs and Os person, so if you want that sort of thing, try here. What I will say is that I am impressed with the character of this VT team. When things aren’t going their way in a game, they don’t give up…they continue to fight and often fight harder. This would be a big game to win. It puts us in the BCS Orange Bowl; it gives us the ACC Championship – and completes a perfect season in ACC play; but most importantly, it’s a step toward winning the “big” games. This team has shown me they’re plenty full of the heart to do it.

Let’s GO!!

Change in Plans

2010-11-13T05:32:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-11-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-11-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

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

Symmetry, to a Hokie

2010-10-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

Note: GameDay pics from the Central Michigan game should be up soon. If you really must know, we had a slight technical glitch (which revolved largely around the fact that I, um, misplaced my camera...)

So, here we are…another GameDay is (almost) upon us!! I hate to say it, but we might be a little Gurus Gone Wild this weekend, as we are more or less “unsupervised” this go ‘round…Can you say, “trouble?” (bwa ha ha ha!) Ok, we will do our best to behave…but, I think you know that you don’t get to be Gurus of Good Times by behaving…so there!

First on the agenda is me, getting my Hokie-fied self down I-81 and into Roanoke this evening. I am teleworking at the moment, which largely consists of me reading things for work…and then taking regular breaks to put together my list of things I need to take to the tailgate. What can I say…life is good! ;-) Anyway, so I am planning to shove off around 3:30, putting me into ‘Oke-town around 7:30(ish), and I think it goes without saying…the fun will commence immediately. (Although not too much fun, April – we’ll be good enough to function Saturday!) [Sidebar: SO - you might notice the little coincidence that I'm leaving today at 3:30 and the GAME is at 3:30 tomorrow...well, kiddies, if you think it's a coincidence, you must not know me very well. That is called the Circle of (Hokie) Life. Symmetry, dude. Symmetry.]

Second on the agenda, is getting the truck packed up and making sure we’ve got all of our tailgate gear in order. Sorta goes without saying, but I’m sure you can imagine how many times we actually get this done the night before…I will give you two guesses, but I am thinking you will only need one. (hint: see above re: fun commencing immediately.) ;-)

Third…is, of course, getting up bright and early in order to head down to glorious Blacksburg!! (happy dance)

We’ve got some surprises in store this week…looking forward to upping the ante yet again!!

Oh, just a few words about the game…We play Wake. Wake is bad. Hopefully this will be another Skipper-filled afternoon…and we’ll finally get to see Lane under the lights…been a long time coming this season! Still no Ryan Williams (boo) but, it’s better that he be fully rested and recovered by the GT game anyway. Get all your little tailgate ducks in a row…and start bouncing…it’s almost time!!!

Gobble, gobble, b*tches!

VT – 35

Weak Florist – 10

--FP

Love to Love to Love Ya, Love Ya, Love Ya --- HOKIES!

2010-10-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Well, the Hokies have been playing a bit better, which is nice to see :) I truly hope it continues through this weekend's Homecoming Game. Things have been just WILD at the tailgates lately...We've have some absences, and some new additions...overall...I'm very pleased with our tailgating season thus far. Ready for a new tailgate this weekend...hoping to see Doomsday around again soon...Pinecone already made his appearance this year. Andy even changed his shirt....only for me to take on his normal behavior...I love my new Hokie shirt. So, I wear it to every game...after a brief washing of course. Shout out to the other tailgaters making this season so memorable...Jessie, April, Trey, Steve, Meggan, Mike, Andy, Ashley, Brian, Leslie (new baby in the oven) and Tommy!!! We've had special appearances by Scott, Rob, Adam, Alex, Nick, Kevin, Kirsten, Pinecone (Dwayne), and Amanda. Notice how Rob got moved to the special appearances section...and must attend more games to get back into the "regular" crew. LOL....I'll post pics later...It's been massive FUN! Can't wait to rock out to a 3:30 game this weekend! Shout out to Nick from Section 3 in Lane Stadium for hooking me up with such awesome tickets to the last game...I got to see them looking for a pinky finger. Love it!

OhthankyouJesus!

2010-10-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

OhthankyouJesus! Another tailgate is almost upon us!! (I have to say, I’ve been oddly…at a loss as to what to do with myself these past two weekends…) And, more than that, the Hokies are on a 3-game win streak! We’ve beaten those crazy purple pirates (arrrrgh!) from ECU at home…and won two straight from previously unbeaten ACC foes on the road (BC and NC State). Even notching the greatest comeback under Beamer last week against State. Dare I say these Hokies have given me back a little bit of the excitement that I had going into this season?? (Not all of it, that would be crazy and, wacky as I might be, I refuse to set myself up for that kind of heartbreak again when my poor little heart is just now starting to heal from the pain of Week 1.)

Our offense is coming to life (which, after being nearly mistaken for dead in the not-so-distant past, is quite impressive).

Darren Evans has demonstrated he’s fully recovered from his knee injury.

Tyrod still might not be the best quarterback in the nation, but when he needs to put the team on his back and make plays, there’s nobody I want doing it more; when he lets himself go and just plays, it can be magical.

Heck, Stinespring even engineered a decent game – his OL/TE formation which freed up Andre Smith for a TD was actually, I have to say it, quite brilliant.

I can’t help it, guys! Hope is starting to bubble back to the surface. As much as I try to squash it and ignore it and pretend it doesn’t exist (la la la la la la la, I can’t hear you!)…I love my Hokies and will always hope that they can pull it off…that they can rebound from the adversity and put it together.

And, well, they always seem to improve as the season goes on…so, maybe there is hope, after all? (I guess the lesson is to just stop scheduling these HARD games as season openers, huh?) We’ve got four – count ‘em, 4! – home games over the next five weeks, all against teams that we can beat. (Although, none are gimmes; JMU taught us that stomach-churning lesson.) This is a chance for us to really put it all together and get a nice swell of momentum behind us as we roll into November and tough away games at Miami and UNC. Hopefully, it’s just what the doctor ordered.

But, enough football talk…because, well, even though this IS a football blog, I know ya’ll really want to hear about the tailgate and the Good Times. Can’t say as I blame ya much there. ;-)

However, we are facing every tailgater’s worst nightmare this weekend: The Nooner. (dundun duuuunnnn) 1:30 games are hard enough (especially after you have spent the previous night being forced, FORCED I say, to have beer after beer with Rachael under the guise of “pre-game warm-ups”), but at least you can get a solid 3 hours of tailgating in beforehand. 12:00 games are just hideous and should really be reserved for…hell, I can’t think of any good reason for ANYone to be forced to kickoff that freaking early (I mean, most football watchers haven’t even finished the morning paper and the Saturday morning Target run by then…what is the freaking deal???). Except maybe for UVA. The Fighting Chris Longs should face nooners as punishment for failing to put forth a decent football team in years…at least until they demonstrate that they actually have a football team again. But, I digress…

So, given how early we need to arrive, we’re talking about a good ‘ol southern breakfast tailgate – eggs, hash browns, biscuits, bloody mary’s, bourbon, and beer. ;-) Oh, and Red Bull, LOTS and lots of Red Bull. You know, the basics.

I have no clue who is coming to this game (other than the fine folks that will be riding along with me, that is). I’m sure it’ll be a lighter crowd than we’ve had thus far, but that’s ok. Mr. FP is planning on going (although, if history is any indicator, you would be wise to “believe it when you see it”). Mr. Rachael is also planning to give this whole tailgating/football thing another shot. And, hey, that right there is reason enough for me to get excited – I am *thisclose* to converting yet ANOTHER person to the Hokie Nation.

Another tailgate is almost upon us…the weather is supposed to be gorgeous…the Hokies are winning again…in essence, all is right with the world! Let’s go, Hokies! Beat Central Michigan!! (And then we can get down to planning the sweetest thing in the world…the 3:30 kickoff tailgate next week for Wake Forest. The perfect mix of pre-game tailgate time and gametime under the lights...and you still get home in time for dinner and a full recap on GameDay Final. Ahhhh, bliss!)

Hokies - 33
Chippewas - 17

-FP

Will the Real VT Please Stand Up, Please Stand Up?!?

2010-10-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

OK, peeps. That was a nice coma…But, now that I’m back, what does one say at this point in the season, when we’ve witnessed just about every possible way this VT team can play – good, bad, average, spectacularly bad?? Well, let me tell ya, “We may not win them all…But We've Never Lost a Party.” Take THAT, JMU!

Bleh.

Why did I even bring that up?

OK. Shaking that off. And getting back to the task at hand…

We were on the road last weekend at BC. Did a fabulous job on defense, blanking the (B)Eagles. I can’t be the only Hokie who was truly impressed by how quickly and thoroughly Bud has whipped these young guys into shape. Yeah, they’ll still make some mistakes, but they are looking like yet another Foster (“Australian for Defense”)-quality group of guys. Some minor tweaks to the scheme and his boys are off and rolling.

Sadly, the same cannot seem to be said for our offense…despite loads of hype to the contrary. Who else heard (and believed) all the pre-season chatter about how unstoppable this group would be? I seriously had visions of 30+ a game…Believe me, I just can’t accept how I was fooled AGAIN! This is certainly a topic that has been hashed out in MANY other forums, so I don’t want to belabor the point too much, but it is just a darn shame when we have so much talent and experience on that side of the ball and have to settle for 4 field goals at BC. Come on, O! Come on, Tyrod! I know you guys can defy that albatross of an OC and get this thing going.

Anyways…so this weekend we’re on the road again at NC State. State is 4-0 going into this game, ranked #23, and sporting a pretty impressive QB. The injuries they’ve had in the past are not a factor and this should shape up to be a very exciting game (as long as the GOOD Tech shows up, which, as we know, is something of a toss-up)…

I will be living room tailgating for this one…and looking forward to getting back in the saddle again next weekend for the nooner against Central Michigan (the Chippewas??). After that game, I THINK, we will have played, in recent memory, every possible directional school from the state of Michigan. Should be a good time, as nooners usually are, but we’ll check back in next week with a bit more of a preview for that one.

Wow. This was such a completely unfunny post. Sorry for that. It’s a weird time to be a VT football fan…but it’s always good to be a Hokie.

LET’S GO!

VT 24, NCSU 20

-FP

Waaaaah. That is all.

2010-09-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

(Note: Apologies in advance for a downer of a post; just, well, just...sorry.)

Well, the Boise game did NOT go how I’d hoped. Yet another big game slipped through our fingers. I cannot imagine a crowd that has worked harder to will their team on to victory. I am not exaggerating when I say I am just now coming out of the funk. Nor am I exaggerating when I say I gave serious consideration (ME!) to not going to the game this weekend. The bloom is so far off this rose for me right now, I can hardly fathom the idea of getting excited for a tailgate again. But, I’m going to quote two of my favorites – Scarlett O’Hara and Annie – it’s all about tomorrow. It is, after all, “another day” and “only a day away.”

In a rare spot of good news – Steve has managed to secure us parking passes again this year, so it doesn’t look like the tailgate crew will be split up as I originally feared. But, they cost more and there’s no discount for the season like they’ve had in years past. Grrr.

I can barely muster enough energy for this blog and, for that, I’m truly sorry. Oh well. life goes on, somebody else has it worse, at least we’re still ranked #13, blah, blah, blah. Go hokies. Or something. Just don’t friggin’ lose to JMU or I might slip into a coma. On purpose.

Blah.

I'm #@$^%#$ Pumped!!!

2010-09-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

Sooooo, it’s about that time again and all I can say is THANK GOD. I have been mentally packing my truck with Gameday gear for weeks now. We are mere days away from the beautimous thing that is College Football Season (I guess less if you’re a Gamecock fan). I, for one, cannot wait. It has been a LONG offseason. But, thankfully, it’s given me the time I needed…to accumulate more and MORE fantastic tailgating gear! As I talked about back in April, we are moving on up (to the East Side!) and are now the proud owners of the thing that sets real tailgaters apart from pretenders: The Tent. We are now prepared for (just about) whatever Mother Nature throws at us. Take that! Moreover, I upgraded vehicles in the offseason…and can I just say, I love my truck. (Author’s note: If this is the first and last time you hear this, consider yourself lucky.) Third row seating (to squeeze in those extra tailgaters) and lots of trunk space otherwise, to make sure all the coolers and gear get there! We’ve got a bunch of other goodies, but we’ll just have to unveil them one at a time – I can’t ruin ALL my surprises! But, suffice it to say, that Rachael and I have been busy little Hokie bees this offseason!

But, this brings us to now…as in…5 days from kickoff! If you aren’t pumped for this game, you (or a friend) should check your pulse, because you might be dead. Seriously. So many unanswered questions. So many things we’re SURE of (but which could be wildly untrue anyways.) Is Boise for real…or does their cream puff conference create a false impression of how good they are? Is this the best Offense we’ve ever fielded? (and the corollary, can we actually get all those amazing pieces to work together?) Will Bud just reload on Defense, as per normal? Is this, dare I say it, The Year? Maybe, most importantly, what is up with the black uniforms??? All of these questions (and more!) will be answered soon enough.

We’re doing the Buffett concert/Hokie kickoff weekend spectacular again! This time, we’re gonna get it RIGHT. Hurricane Earl had better twist and turn in another direction, because nobody named Earl is raining on my parade. (Hokie tent or not!) We’re gonna waste away in Margaritaville on Saturday, recover on Sunday, and then go absolutely effing bananas on Monday. Just like, by the way, the entire freaking VT team is going to do. (Smack talking commences in 3…2…1…) Boise, meet Tyrod Taylor. He will shred you guys. No way can you effectively gameplan all the ways he will do this. Also, allow me to introduce you to the 3-Headed Monster of Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, and phenom David Wilson. Prepare to have tracks up your back as they run over you. Kellen Moore, you throw up some serious Nintendo numbers, but you’d better watch out for our Defense – talent, skill, speed, and, more than anything, sheer WANT TO. If our Offense lets you on the field, you’d better act fast.

So, load up the cooler, make that run to the liquor store, bring out the lucky Gameday Shirt…Do whatever you have to do…

Because my gut tells me this year will be special.

YouTube practically confirms it.

All I will say for sure is, “I believe.”

-FP

What do you mean it's still Baseball season?

2010-07-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

Where are you, Football Season? I have been having an excellent summer – going on great vacations and doing everything I can to get my mind off of you…But my mind keeps turning back to Labor Day weekend…Boise State…FedEx Field…and then on to the rest of the season and tailgating in our fabulous spot at the German Club…spending great times with terrific people…showing off some excellent tailgate upgrades…and cheering on my favorite boys in orange and maroon in that little slice of Heaven known as Lane Stadium…

I can hear the crack of a can opening…the soft fizz of my bourbon mixing with coke…

I can smell the burgers sizzling…and taste the apple pie (giggle)…

I can see the Wave…as much as I hate it…circling Lane Stadium…

I can feel the warm September sun on my face…and the chill of the ice in the stocked cooler…

But...it’s too early for Tailgate Fever to set in.

Isn't it?

Beach Bound (Hallelujah!)

2010-06-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Kiddies –
Granted it’s not quite football season yet, so of course you’re wondering, why are we hearing from the FP? Well, it’s quite simple. The Gurus have put together one freaking fantastic good times event – and it begins this Friday! So. I had to get on here and give you the lowdown! Want specifics? Ooooh, goody! Let me tell you!! We have rented a house in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and we’re spending a week at the beach. Oooooh yeah! Believe me when I tell you that we’re completely out of our heads with excitement right now – we have total Vacation Brain going on. Work is suffering. We can think of nothing else but sitting in the sand, having some cold ones, and celebrating Good Times. PLEASE let it be Friday soon!! ;-)

Right now, Rachael and Scott get to be the lucky first ones there, since April and Mr. FP have to work on Friday…but, we’re still going to get out of town as soon as we can and head down. I mean, we even bought a new vehicle with this trip in mind! (just kidding, we actually got it for tailgating purposes. LOL. Yes. We are DEDICATED!) But, believe me, we’ll make up for being late to the party soon enough! And, while we're there, we get to celebrate April's birthday, too! Throw those party hats in the bag!

In the meantime, y’all behave while we’re gone. If you’re good – you might get to hear about some of our exploits when we get back! On the immediate horizon, we’ve got tents, towels, coolers and koozies. Sunscreen and siestas. Brew Thrus and beach bars. Water in the ocean, pool and hot tub. Ahhh, bring on the beach!

-FP

PS. One extra shout-out to Rachael and Scott - Happy Anniversary, guys!

Growing Older but Not Up

2010-05-11T05:10:00.000-07:00

So, another year has passed…and this little Guru is hitting number 32! Personally, I think this is an excellent sign for the coming football season. I mean, hello! Darren Evans is #32, my last name is Evans and I’m 32 this year…coincidence??? I think not! You’ll see, soon enough! Boo-yah!

But, beyond football season predictions…another birthday also means another opportunity to get my party on! SO, accordingly, I am headed down to Jacksonville, Florida this weekend, to visit one of my oldest and dearest friends (who’s birthday also happens to fall in a few days). Together we will unite our Party Prowess and have some serious fun. Sand, sun, and beach bars. I am EXCITED! I hope Jax is aware of and prepared for the coming invasion!! ;-)

If no one’s heard from me by next Tuesday...please send out a search party!!

*mwah!*
--FP

You Never Know Who You'll Run Into...

2010-04-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

Man, oh man…I gotta tell you, if you didn’t make it to the tailgate, and you can't figure it out just by these pictures, you missed some seriously Good Times! Trey, Tommy, Peggy (and her buffet of fabulous food!), along with several of their friends all made the trip to tailgate with us Gurus...Uncle John and two of his boys (Matt and Tim) made it, as well...But, most importantly...
We are now in possession of a fabulous new Virginia Tech pinwheel tent (alternating glorious maroon and orange), complete with side panels for bad weather days - boo-yah!

Why do I tell you this, you ask? Well, the tent provided lots of entertainment.

I know, this sounds like a crazy statement, but just let me elaborate. See, I’ve never really watched someone else put up one of these things before…and of course, neither had Rachael or April…so, we were kind of at a loss once we got the tent mostly up. We couldn’t quite figure out how to pop the canopy bars into place…first we thought it was just going to lock in when we spread the tent out all the way.

Well. That didn’t happen. Then we thought we could stand on tip toe and push them into place (but none of us are very tall), so that was a FAIL.

Then, we thought, hey, let’s lower the tent and push the bars in place while it’s lowered…(I know, the level of genius in action here is absolutely astounding, but bear with us, lol)...but that still didn’t work. Of course, all during this process, we were consuming adult beverages and goofing off…including some running jumps (pure Olympic-medal stuff, I tell ya!), attempting to reach the canopy bars and push them into place.

At which point we soon realized we were probably the laughing stock of the parking lot and figured we should quit before ending up on YouTube somewhere… At this point we had pretty much resigned ourselves to a tent with a floppy canopy until a random tall person walked by that we could convince to help us. Sad, I know, right?

But all was not lost, friends! My keen eyes noted a group of tailgaters two rows over that had just arrived and were in the middle of tent assembly! So, yeah, we totally watched them do it so we could figure out what to do and voila! We got it! (had to push some braces into place that we, um, sorta just didn’t realize were braces that would slide the canopy bars into locked position…) SO. Success! We were even so proud of ourselves that we offered to help the folks next to us put up THEIR tent. Oh yeah!

Played lots of music (my Ipod's stuck on replay, replay, replay), broke in a new VT pop-up trash can (it's amazing what little things like this add to the tailgate experience, lol) and showed off lots of new VT accessories - sunglasses fit for a Tailgate President, new shirts all around, jewelry, and, well, you get the point!...Needless to say, we drank plenty of beverages and did a little tailgate Dance Party USA action...(I think we need a disco ball to hang inside the tent.)

But, check this dude out! We ran into THIS guy while tailgating at the Spring Game last weekend...(What is UP with that the rear view!?! I've heard of someone being a hard*ss before, but never a hard-hat-*ss!)

Beer Man Trey, FP, and Rachael :-)

Inside the Merryman Center with all the cool VT memorabilia and whatnot. Nice bathrooms, too!

These are the faces of Victory!! Happy Dance!

And, the tailgate continued in Roanoke...or at least the party....with a fabulous Mexican meal, complete with MASSIVE brews.

CHEERS!

April and the Hokie Bird/Transformer on Stilts...random! Just before he posed with three other girls and Rachael made him do pelvic thrusts over their heads. NICE.

I'm Baaaaack!

2010-04-21T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hey y’all! Hope you’ve had plenty of Good Times during our “hiatus” but the FP is back in full effect and ready for action! And it just so happens that this weekend’s little fiesta in Blacksburg kicks off one MONDO summer of Good Times! This little Fun Pusher is patting herself on the back for the fabulous planning that went into this one…we’re talking at least one significant Good Times Event a month starting this weekend with the Spring Game. We’re talking two months of getaways to warmer climes, flip flops, sand and surf. We’re talking the annual adventure of the Girls’ Cabin Weekend. And we’re talking yet MORE warmer climes, flip flops, sand and surf come August!!

And that’s when the fun most relevant to this particular blog really gets popping. For the second year in a row, we will segue from a fabulous Jimmy Buffett concert weekend (complete with regular tailgate crew!) into the kickoff of Football Season Good Times with the VT vs. Boise State game at FedEx Field on Labor Day. (Bonus: Just up the road from me! YAY! No 4-hour drive to see a Tech game. Cue choir of angels!) AND, y’all think 60,000 Hokie fans in Lane Stadium are loud?? Just you wait until there are 75K+ in one spot (I would say 90K but I assume that BSU will sell SOME tickets to the game, lol). Oh yeah. Loud and proud! ;-) Win that game and we’re poised to make a special run this season…

But wait. Focus. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First things first. We’ve got a Spring Game Tailgate to plan up for this weekend…I know I worked hard on my “conditioning” last weekend (and the weekend before), so I should be ready to rock come Saturday. Hope you are, too! The Crew is still being assembled, but should include Rachael, April, and myself, at a minimum. Oh. And at least one cooler chock full of beer & adult beverages. ;-) **UPDATE: The BrewMaster and his fabulous folks are going to be in attendance, and possibly a few other tailgate regulars. YAY!!**

We’re going to shoot for tailgating in one of the stadium lots (hopefully south end zone), but that means we need to get there early (and we haven’t been what you would call “successful” in previous Spring Game attempts…so, we’ll see)! So. It’s time to show some dedication and motivation and get the 2010 VT football campaign off on the right foot! That means getting there early!

More than that, it also means rocking all the cool new VT gear – both personal and tailgate – that I got in the off-season! Oh yeah! I mean, combining my two favorite things – VT and accessories, ladies! Totally what it’s all about. ;-)

So. Let’s recap. VT’s Annual Maroon/White Spring Game is this Saturday at 2pm. Get there early, with beverage and food to your liking. Join us at our tailgate and kick off the 2010 Good Times Season right!

A Guru Looks at 30...

2009-12-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

Well, see? I told you it wouldn't be long before we had another Good Times event...and sure enough, here we are...mere hours away from the milestone known as the 30th Birthday. In this case, it's Rachael's (us other Gurus are slightly more, um, senior)....and we plan on doing it up right! I am planning on leaving DC bright and early tomorrow morning so that I can get into Roanoke with plenty of time to purchase all the necessary goodies for a Par-Tay of this magnitude...(ie, beer, liquor, ice, mixers...and maybe, if you're lucky, some food and a cake. lol.) By all accounts, we will have quite a crowd at this little shindig, many of whom are actually tailgate regulars...so, in some ways, the season continues!!

I would write more...about how OLD Rachael is now and all of that...but, duty calls...I must put together the most ass-kickin' playlist for this party and I'm at square one on that little task...SO. I am sayonara for now...but, as always, I'll be back. ;-) With plenty more Good Times to throw your way...ciao!

-FP

I Am Thankful for Another Fabulous Season

2009-11-28T04:57:00.000-08:00

So, here we are...the end of this year's regular season...I can't believe it's already here...everything went way too quickly this year. This was such a roller coaster of a season - starting with the away game in Atlanta against Alabama...through the monsoon of Miami, and the beatdown of BC...all the way through last week's obedience training of the Pound Puppies. (Sit, Stay, Rollover, Lose.) It's been a hard one to take at times (I'm looking at you, Tarholes. UGH!), but it's still been sooo much unbelieveable fun. Dancing at the tailgate. Amazing friends and family. (sidebar: Congrats to Rachael, she came to every home game this year - excellent!!!) Y'all know I'm a crier but I'm going to try and make it thru this without sniffles...lol. ;-)

Which brings us to the annual game against UVA...and this time, rather than watching the away-game on tv, we're going! I just couldn't say no to one more tailgate...and the fact that it's only 2 hours away also helps. ;-) Plus we couldn't resist the opportunity to watch our beloved Hokies beat the Hoos in their own house. (Fingers crossed!) So, Mr. FP and I are off to Charlottesville and we're going to meet up with some of the tailgate regulars and close out the season with a bang...

But have no fear...this isn't the end of the blog season...we aren't going on hiatus until freaking March 2010 like "V" (WTF? who does that??) We have plenty more good times up our sleeves and you know we can't help but share...

But, until the next time...go forth and have some Good Times!

GO HOKIES!!

-FP

Is This Thing On??

2009-11-14T07:29:00.000-08:00

Are you serious? We’re not on TV? I’ve been looking forward to the fact that this weekend the Hokies were actually going to be on tv…and, well, they’re not! They are, instead, on the INTERNET. Wha??? Oh well, guess I’d better figure this daggone ESPN 360 shenanigans out…and I’d better start now if I have any prayer of being able to watch it by gametime. LOL. I need a beer. Or three. The Fun Pusher is seriously puzzled here. How the heck am I supposed to push the fun, if we are not even on tv???

Oh well, another weekend of living room tailgating…well, not even, this time it’s home office tailgating. This is so wrong. Oh well, at least the fridge is nearby (as is the bathroom).

I’m stocked and ready.

I’ve checked out the new unis (yeah!) and I’m well aware that Good Guys Wear White.
I’m hungry for some turtle soup, y’all!!! If we don’t win by 3 scores (hopefully TDs), then I may go into a self-induced coma. Or hurl something out my window. This Maryland team is NOT good; we should blow them away if we can get any kind of O-line production/protection. Come on, guys!

Just a few regular season games left… A 10-win season is still within sights, and we’d better get them while we can, if Foster is serious about the Memphis job…(wah!!!)

Let’s Go, Hokies!!

Is That a Thursday Night Game in Our Future?!

2009-10-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

Oh yes. You read that right. This week we have a Thursday night home game, and I couldn't be more excited!

However, just one week ago, this was not the case. Well, okay, I was excited, but also a little bit worried. Early weather forecasts for Thursday did not look good. They did not look good at all. That nasty little "R" word was threatening to show up. Again.

Now don't get me wrong...IF it were to be not so great weather (we don't say THAT word), we would have put our big girl pants on and headed to the game anyway. We've done it before, we'll do it again. But we've already been soaked to the bone once this season. I mean, I truly believe that at one time or ten it was raining up from the ground that day. For real. So, all we want for this game is decent fall weather. SO...

Jessie (a.k.a. Fun Pusher) and I did what any good Hokie fans would do. We used reverse psychology on Mother Nature. We wished for rain. We talked all day long about how we couldn't WAIT to tailgate in the rain again because it was so much fun to be soaked from head to toe and to be numb for days and chilled all day. Yep. That's exactly what we did.

And it worked. The forecast now says it's going to be in the high 60s to lower 70s, and I believe that's a picture of the sun on the TV.

So, tomorrow, Jess, Rach, Meghan (welcome home Meghan!), and I are headed to Blacksburg. We're having lunch downtown. (Where are we going again?) We may hit the bookstore (because we all could use more Hokie gear), and then we're headed to the German Club to the Guys' Tailgate. (Thursday games are the guys' game and the guys' tailgate. We're invited because we're awesome!) We're going to gear up to kick some UNC arse.

Ladies and Gentleman, if you're curious as to what it's like, see below. Welcome to the Thursday night game:

Are you bouncing?

*Note: sorry the video is off. Um, yeah. I have no idea how to fix that!*

Sniffle

2009-10-18T03:40:00.001-07:00

Well, that sucks.

Good Tech, Bad Tech

2009-10-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

Another week, another key game for the Hokies. A lot of key games actually this weekend, all of which could affect the outcome of Tech's season. Oklahoma/Texas, Notre Dame/USC, even Clemson/Wake Forest (although that one looks to be put away by the Tigers).

But, first things first, let's get 'er done and beat the Jackets...They've got an impressive engineering school, so do we. They're a Polytech, so are we. But, I'll tell you what they don't have...ME, cheering for them!! Bustas! And that's why GT will lose this game.

6pm. On the couch for another living room tailgate. Oh yeah.

Let's go, Hokies!!! Let's give new meaning to the words Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech (emphasis on wreck). Tyrod lights up the secondary and has another killer game. Ryan and the rest of our RBs have a tough go of it in the first half, but stick around for an outstanding second. The defense all comes together and plays assignment football. Let's do this thing.

VT - 31, GT - 21

.....UM, OK, can I amend this post??? We are not looking anywhere NEAR capable of 31 points....dang. :-(

Oh Yeah...I lost count of Skipper's Cannon Shots...BC, what?

2009-10-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

What a game, what a game...and I didn't even get to go in. I just enjoyed openly drinking some adult beverages by the car and listening to Skipper sound off in the wonderful fall air. Ah...f**k, who am I kidding...I cried inside each time wishing I was in the stadium...but...everything happens for a reason. I was worried, it definitely started out with the potential of requiring tent cover and ponchos...but, fortunately the weather cleared up and all was well in B-burg :) Many of the crew was in attendance (Mr. Fun Pusher did not make it though). We had Steve, Meggen, Trey, Tommy, Bob (new), Leslie, Brian, Monica (new - Brian's sister...Poor child), Tyler (Monica's Man), My Uncle Mike, Matty, Uncle John, Andy, Mike (new and improved over the other Mike...no velcro sandals - Nike in fact, lovely), Susan, & Good Ol' Apple Pie (courtesy of Tommy). Others joined in and out of the tailgate...but those were the most prominent. : ) Smiles!

I have not been used to consolidating the tailgate into such a short timeframe...so, it was a challenge. Games included...coin tossing handmade by Andy himself (shed wood warped thus turned into instant tailgate game...lovely), I saw the beer pong table - but never went there since the rules got too complicated for me...I like the K.I.S.S. method, keep it simple stupid, and of course - there was the football. Right before departure, we tossed the football and it was super fun...I plan on doing that much more next time, it was GREAT!!! Memories...

In addition, the tailgate will never be the same without the pyramid, wireless speakers that I've brought all season. I think I've successfully locked in official tailgate position with those...I guess my glowing personality was just never enough. Dang dude. So, what's my official name going to be? --- I think Supreme Sound Goddess is good. I'll take it. I'm still waiting for someone to have a generator...then, I can bring the big system...microphone and all. Karaoke is a good thing, no matter where you are.

Overall, I learned many new things at this game & there were several Great Moments: 1) Brian has a sister, and she's cooler than he is (LOL, jk) , 2) Apple Pie is way too good...and I need to get an order in, 3) You can learn a lot about someone by their last name, 4) Mike is 1/4th Ukrainian, 1/4th Italian, 1/4th something, & 1/4th tall, 5) Steve & Meggen are going to find out where they bought that P.S. so I can get some, 6) Peggy is an awesome cook, I love her mexican dip, 7) Steve hid that dip and went to the game - stinker!, 8) Captain is really good!, 9) More people dip than I realized - and not the dance, the chewing kind, & 10) People never fail to amaze me...Kudos to you....for the heck of it, I'll add #11 this time, and this time only...If you don't laugh at my jokes...then, well...we will never get along. That is always why when I first meet someone, I try to make them smile / laugh, and if you don't...then, we part ways. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it is uncomfortable.

Until next game...which is way too far away...so long my Hokie pals. Or, look me up at www.myspace.com/rashayelle. Peach out b**ches! :)

Tents? AGAIN?

2009-10-09T04:29:00.000-07:00

Are you serious? Another dang rain game?? Say it ain’t so! Hopefully this is more like a friendly, intermittent drizzle, than the all-out rain we dealt with during Miami…because I hate the rain and I ESPECIALLY hate playing BC in the rain. Flashbacks of a 2007 BC game gone horribly wrong (in a lot of ways, not least of which was the gut wrenching last minute loss).

And, on top of this, it’s a NOON game? This is truly bizarre and will really be messing up the flow of my tailgate experience, but, maybe it just means that it’s time to erase the bad mojo. Conquer our BC demons and beat them (which we haven’t done in the regular season for three years). Coach Spaz will not be doing the ridiculous victory dance his predecessor did on Worsham Field this weekend.

We are (sadly) without April and Rachael this week, but Mr. Fun Pusher will be in the house. Let’s show the Eagles who has the superior bird mascot!! Gobble Gobble!!!

21-10, VT

See you in the 'Burg!

How did I not get the memo until today?

2009-10-03T05:47:00.000-07:00

Seriously? All I have is radio for the game today?? This is the only option (short of subscribing to ESPN 360 on the internet and, um, yeah, that ain't happening). You're looking at a sad Guru here.

I don't get to SEE the Good Times of Ryan Williams carving up defenders or Tyrod sprinting into the endzone and striking a Superman pose or Jason Worilds bringing the pain on Duke's QB? Oh the humanity. Someone please wish me luck finding the game on the radio...(and can I just say, it's dang hard to Couch Tailgate for a Radio-Only game! this should be interesting...)

GO HOKIES!!!

Oops - Miami Pictures!

2009-10-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

So, these totally were supposed to be posted before my "preview" post for this weekend's game. Um. Dang, I am SO good at this whole Blogger gig. Anyways, without further ado...here are some tailgate shots... (mea culpa!)

First up: Recreation of one of their Wedding Photos – Don’t you wish you were at their wedding?? I was! And I can tell you, you should be jealous you weren’t!

Some group shots...Dang, that's a darn fine group of Hokies right there!!!

Jeff, Steven, Mary, & Christy (L to R, clockwise)

Jeff and Christy.

Jeff and Christy doing their best, "Awww, come ON! not ANOTHER beer, Fun Pusher!"

Fun Pusher and Beer Man...CHEESE! (or, BEER!!!)

COME here! April, Jess and Christy (just one this time...) Wow, my fleece sure looks PLUSH, doesn't it? No touchy!

Jess and Christy - so glad she got to get by the tailgate for this one...only bad thing is she outfoxed me before I could somehow manage to steal her car. Ooooh, I'm in love with that thing!

(Almost) All the Ladies: Mary, Mrs. Fun Pusher (Jess), April, Christy, and Christy (yes, two Christys. One is never enough...lol.) But, apparently, Rachael was not feeling photogenic...I have no pictures of her! Boo, Guru #3!!

What's It Like to Watch a Game on TV?? I've forgotten...

2009-10-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

So. No home game this weekend. Well, technically it's not a home game, although over the years, we've packed so many Hokies into Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium, it will probably feel like one for the team.

I've gotta admit it feels sort of funky not to be planning and coordinating a tailgate for this weekend. Instead, I’m planning up all the errands and chores that I’ve let slide over the last month that need to get caught up on this weekend - including, but not limited to: mountains of laundry, vacuuming (my dust bunnies have dust bunnies), grocery shopping (you try making a meal from canned tuna fish and ketchup, gak!) and, last but most certainly not least, sleep!

Guess this just means I get to hit it even harder for next weekend’s Boston College game. (In even MORE schedule-shenanigans, we’re NOT playing BC on a Thursday night. It’s like biazarro world down there in Blacksburg. What is going ON???)

I think we handle Duke like the little kid on the playground, and hopefully it's not even as close as I'm projecting:
VT 35, Duke 10

Soggy but Happy (Miami Recap)

2009-09-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

Holy cow. What a weekend. I think I’m still drying out. (Mental Note: Quit balking. This is the year I break down and get a rain suit.) Seriously. The really fun part was the soaking feet. My socks were just like glorified sponges by halftime. Felt like I was walking in wet sand or something all evening. Joy. I hope I’ve done no permanent damage to the interior of my vehicle with all the wet rain and tailgating gear that got unceremoniously tossed into the truck before the game. Rain games. Man. Always a treat.

We got set up nice and early - 9am! (Red Bull = honorary Non-Alcoholic Tailgate Drink!) Promptly put the hair up and the fleece on because it was COLD and WET. Thankfully Steve was not far behind us with his tents, because boy, did we need them...it rained ALL DAY.

All things considered though, we had an amazing tailgate and, seriously, who doesn’t LOVE throttling Miami? We brought the wood. Ryan Williams is the STUD I knew him to be back in the Spring Game...and Tyrod has finally been turned loose to work the magic that he is capable of. I love it!! (AND, we blocked a kick! BeamerBall, Baby!!!)

I am having some computer issues, but will try to get pictures up soon…I’ve got a couple of us huddled in our little Tailgating Tent City. But in the meantime, I’m just going go revel in the fact that I get to take a break from traveling this weekend, since it’s an away game. Whew!! Excellent! And, it should hopefully be a nice one to watch on tv, with an early start so I can actually get caught up on all the things I’ve put off over this last month’s weekends. (Man, y’all don’t want to know my laundry situation, seriously!)

I’ll be back…

Schedule Madness: Are we seriously playing Miami in September??

2009-09-24T05:52:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for this weekend!! Thankfully I have Friday off, so I can drive down during the day and not have to work all day before driving. Whew! This will also make it easier to make sure my tailgate supplies are in order (I was sorely lacking the stronger adult beverages, of the miniature variety, for the game last weekend because I just didn’t have the time and, really, this is unacceptable.)

The Miami game brings to a close one heckuva month of football and Tailgating Good Times. The Fun Pusher has been on the road every weekend this month to watch her beloved Hokies play. Goodness. Even a Die Hard Fan like myself hits a wall at some point…I think I’m there. I need to recover physically, emotionally, and financially (dude, tailgating is not an inexpensive hobby!).

But, I can’t start recovery until we’ve closed out September. Let’s show those Hurricanes that they can have all the swagger and general “The U”-tude they want, but they’ve got to get thru Blacksburg first! (Of course, for this little “threat” to be effective or have any sort of meaning, VT also has to find some semblance of an offense…which…well, frankly hasn’t really shown up much so far this season. or last season…or the one before…and so on… Ugh.)

Oh well, we will have fun. We always do.

Bright and early, Gurus… Good Times in Blacksburg await…

I Gotta Hand it to the Hokies

2009-09-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

Go Hokies!!! It was great...started out the morning with a fantastic drive to Blacksburg...catching up with Naomi, Bri, and April...then, a brisk walk (ahem..."brisk" is referring to "we tried to walk as fast as we could") across Tech campus. Okay...I have to stop here for just a moment. What the heck was up with this...we parked in the commuter lot, and it took 1.35 hours...yes...H-O-U-R-S to get to the German Club. Sumfin' ain't right cha? Right. I love Hokies...but dang, really? Do THAT MANY Hokies not know where the dang stadium is?

We went EVERYWHERE...I now know all the dorms, side streets..and now - even the trails through the woods. Did you know that there were WOODS on campus? WATCH OUT there are!!! Along with a big dork dressed in a tight shirt acting like some kind of friggin' bouncer for this random dag-on path...who didn't know where the stadium was. Weirdo...he must have had a corn cob stuck somewhere else.

Anywho...by the time we saw the stadium it was like seeing heaven...unfortunately...the tailgate was still quite a bit farther...but, I will tell you that April and I drank about 6 beers each in 23 minutes once we arrived. It was GREAT!!! So, the partying began! Shout out to Shelley for bringing the AWESOME tent!

I learned many new things at this tailgate...1) Mike still wore the exact same outfit. Some folks just don't listen. 2) His buddy can't have mug shots on the tailgate blog...he is in the CIA... 3) P.S. smells realllllly good! 4) Tequilla Chicken doesn't get you drunk...CA Car Bombs do! 5) Tequilla Chicken tastes really good after CA Car Bombs... 6) I suck at beer pong...but, that works out the best - for me :) 7) Matty is now too old to smile in pictures 8) You get more sun than you realize at every Hokie game 9) I don't sit at the tailgate...I lean...on the tailgate...chairs are just for looks 10) It is possible to have a child and not know you were pregnant...Not me...but, wow!!! Dude - that was the craziest story EVER - shout out to Lil Hunter!!! Way to freak your mom out lil dude!!!

Regardless...I have to hand it to the Hokies...the four of us get back to Roanoke while the game is wrapping up the 4th Quarter. We're chilling on the deck, tired as can be and the next thing I hear is one of my neighbors 5 houses down scream out, "THE HOKIES SCORED A TOUCHDOWN!!!" All I could say is "Woo Woo!!! GO HOKIES!!!" What a way to give that corn cob back to 'em...

Dude, do they really wear a corn cob on their head?

2009-09-17T12:14:00.001-07:00

Alright, y’all! Here it is. Nebraska weekend! I know that when you saw this on the schedule over the last few years, you were like, yeah right…it won’t happen. But it IS! Despite our Athletic Department’s obvious disdain for all things fun and, well, competitive (see: last year’s schedule with Furman & Western Kentucky, and next year’s schedule, blech), we do, in fact, have The University of Nebraska Cornhuskers coming to Lane Stadium this weekend! And, honestly, what a September this is…open against Alabama. Throttle Marshall. On deck – Big Red. And closing down the ninth month of the year with Miami. Dear Lord. All my years of suffering under crap schedules seems to have finally paid off. Yesssssss. (fist pump) I’ve only spent countless thousands on football in the interim. How’s that for return on investment! Boo-yah!

Plans are fully underway, as we speak, to pull off another fabulous tailgate. Folks, we are talking Grade-A, Prime Time tailgating. We’ve got some guests this week providing Tequila Lime Chicken. Dude. Can you say, yum? We’re going to have a few corn dishes in honor of the thrashing we’re going to give to those Huskers. And of course, the usual goodies.

And, let me just say, the newest additions to the Tailgate are fitting right in. Brought games and goodies last week and they are down for the Good Times. Solid.

Now, on to our cast of characters this week….

Mr. Fun Pusher is making an appearance. Good News: his battle with The Ick seems to have mostly ended (in a draw, it would seem) and he’s ready to get back to Lane. Bad News: I seem to have picked up The Ick and am semi-over it at this point. But, as I said before, unless I’m delirious or incapacitated, I’m going to this game. H1N1 doesn’t count. Ya’ll will just have to Purell the heck out of yourselves around me. Lol. Christy and Tim (of Alabama game fame) are also coming. Went thru quite the Quest (the Incredible Journey?) to find tickets for them, but we were finally successful. Rachael is coming, perhaps bringing fellow Girls’ Cabin Weekend party-goer, Naomi and her daughter – the 80’s Fashion Icon herself - Brionna. Trey made the GOOD CALL and opted out of WORKING this weekend and is, instead, coming to the game like a good little Beer Man. (Smart move, buddy.) April is still up in the air but I’m betting she comes through. And the rest of the crew (Steve and Meg, Tommy, Brian and Leslie, Mike and Andy, Shelley and her crew…man, am I forgetting someone, I must be…) will all be there, ready to rock!

Here we go, folks. Big Time Football is going to be played in Blacksburg this weekend. Big Time Tailgating is going to be happening with the Hokie Margaritaville crew. Hokies win in a slugfest, by a touchdown, and beat the spread. Bring on the Good Times and GO HOKIES!!!

The Important Stuff...LOL

2009-09-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Mmmmwwwwhhhaaa haaa haaa!!!! What a WONDERFUL time that was had! From beginning to end...it was a BLAST!!! We met some new folks and partied hardy!!! My favorites were:

1) Ken as a look alike for Doomsday...meant in a good way...see below.

2) Mike's fancy velcro sandals. Watchout Ladies!!! Mike said he is kickin' it up a notch for the Nebraska game...I believe him. And his Canadian wife...

3) Dancing around to "Friends in Low Places"...I love that song and that means a lot coming from me...I hate country music.

Let the Good Times Roll!

Marshall Tailgate Photos!!!

2009-09-15T19:07:00.000-07:00

We were among the first ones in our lot.

Beautiful Blacksburg day!

Apparently something cool was going on, outside the frame of this picture...

Games (but no fabulous prizes)

I don't think he's supposed to be aiming for shins like that, but maybe??

Fun Pusher (Jess) and Tommy (who doesn't have an Official Tailgate Role yet, but deserves one!)

The Gurus

Aforementioned Omelet in a Bag. Methinks someone put too many

omelets in this particular bag??

Fun Pusher and Rachael

Time to EAT. :-)

You caught me!

Say it, say it again. ;-)

GO HOKIES!!!

Tailgate Recap - Marshall

2009-09-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

Marshall weekend started off in the best way! The day dawned glorious and sunny. No one overslept and, other than a brief interlude spent searching for an M.I.A. visor, we were on-time for tailgate arrival! The Gurus got a primo parking space and joined the members of the Hokie Margaritaville tailgate already enjoying the morning…

A couple of key things about this tailgate are worth mentioning. First, we upgraded the musical stylings of the tailgate, thanks to Rachael’s fabulous Ipod stereo with wireless speakers and Fun Pusher’s “Chill Playlist”…which went over very well with the tailgate crew. Oh yes.

Second, Fun Pusher made the difficult, although wallet-friendly, decision to go back to her normal tailgate beer. It had been a summer of higher-priced, higher-quality offerings…but, you know the cliche, and it had to come to an end at some point. So, for the Marshall tailgate, I bit the bullet (bottle?) and went back to Miller Lite. Although at least it was in bottles. (I have SOME standards, lol. For now.)

And, finally, we tried out a new recipe (sadly, to somewhat mixed results). If you haven’t done an omelet in a Ziploc before…well, a few Words of Wisdom: the most important thing is to use good quality bags (or double bag…b/c the cheese will melt thru that cheapo bag that you thought was a good deal) AND make sure you cook for at least 15 minutes…mine was especially stuffed, so it took a solid 20 minutes. I think we had some folks that were a bit anxious for their omelets and, well, I think they maybe weren’t as pleased with the outcome. For myself, I filled my bag, tossed it into the boiling water, and set about getting back down to some Good Times for at least 20 minutes. (Aside: I mean, seriously...who wants to watch water boil an omelet in a baggie for that long…? Let it hang out and do its thang. Go back to your adult beverage of choice. Finish that funny story you were telling (or hearing). The food will be there. We always bring enough to feed an army anyways. And, I don’t want to brag or anything, but I know I had the prettiest omelet there!)

In general, this was just a laid-back kind of Good Time and a great way to open the season at home. Coming off the tough loss (and especially crazy weekend for the Fun Pusher) against Alabama, it was such a treat to have a really pretty day and get to watch VT actually put up some real offense. I think we’re talking like 5th most yards gained ever! Two running backs over 150 yards. Passing touchdowns, rushing touchdowns…got a little bit of everything. Except the blocked kick I was looking for. But, in this game, it’s not like VT needed it so, as they say, it’s all good. Capped off a great morning of tailgating with a terrific performance on the field…and then a bit more tailgating until the crowds thinned out…and then it was off to Rachael’s aforementioned fabulous house, complete with Fun Pusher’s guest suite, and onto a night of Good Times and karaoke. Don’t hate. Because it’s too late to Apologize, unless you’ve got a Halo. (Sorry, inside joke to the Karaoke Queen.) ;-)

Until I post again....

Game Day - Marshall

2009-09-12T05:13:00.001-07:00

Let's GO!!!!

It's Game Day, folks!!! The Gurus are headed to the 'burg and going to get our tailgate on...pics to come. Maybe. ;-)

GO HOKIES!!!

How I Became a Hokie

2009-09-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

Not to long ago, in the galaxy known as Roanoke, there lived a girl right in the heart of Hokie-land. She wasn't very fond of that school known as Virginia Tech.

Yeah, I admit it. I haven't always been a Hokie fan. In fact, I really didn't like the Hokies that much. It wasn't the school itself that I had a problem with. I didn't even mind the athletes. (Well, there were two I really couldn't stand. They will remain nameless though.)

It was the fans that annoyed me so.

I was surrounded by people that would throw those darn Hokies in your face with every single win, but if they were losing they didn't want anything to do with them.

You see, I consider myself a True Fan of sports. When I pick a team, I stick with them win or lose. I'm a long time fan of another ACC school in basketball (I won't name it either because I don't want to see Fun Pusher's eye twitch at the tailgate tomorrow.) and there have been some very painful seasons with that team, but I stuck by them.

I realize that every team has THOSE fans that are only around during the winning seasons, but when you live right in Hokie-land, man, they're every where.

Then one day a couple of seasons ago, Fun Pusher said to me, "What if I took you to a game? What if I showed you MY Virginia Tech?"

So, I went, keeping an open mind. And I fell in love with that school.

What I found was that there were True Hokie Fans. They show the best of sportmanship, they stick with them win or lose, rain or hurricane. (I'm not kidding on the hurricane, folks. Get Fun Pusher to tell you.) They will tell their own unruly fans to please be respectful to the other team's fans. For the most part, they ignore other teams' unruly fans. They get at the tailgate bright and early and display their Hokie colors proudly.

While they love the teams, cheer proudly for them, it isn't the sports that cause them to love their school. They love Virginia Tech simply because it exists.

That day at that tailgate, I stood for long periods of time and just watched. I just took it all in. I loved every single second. That day, her Virginia Tech became MY Virginia Tech, and I became a Hokie. (Honorary, anyway. I did go to that other school.)

So, I head to Blacksburg bright and early tomorrow morning, to watch my Hokies take on Marshall. Who's coming?

2009 Tailgate Kick-Off

2009-09-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

So, I got the email on Monday that I needed to start coming up with some ideas for this week’s tailgate…but I have to be honest, y’all. After the non-stop-ness of last weekend, I was seriously not really giving this weekend’s tailgate much consideration….AT FIRST! Now, I’m all about it. Let’s get this party started and all that jazz! But, just a quick (LOL) recap of last weekend…since, even with the loss, I do think it was the BEST way to kick off the season.

For this Hokie Margaritaville Tailgate President, there was no better way to start than with a Jimmy Buffett concert on Thursday night. Several hours tailgating…and it was such a beautiful day (not like the previous years, where we practically melted before the first strains of Cheeseburger in Paradise poured out of the speakers). Multiple coronas were imbibed. We even ran into what I’m calling an honorary Hokie in the concessions line who handed us an airplane bottle out of sheer goodwill (well, that and he had so many they were starting to slide out of his pants leg). That’s Good Times. So, other than getting lost once apiece on our ways back to the blanket, Mr. Fun Pusher and I had a fabulous time, wasting away again in Margaritaville.

Then, Friday was the big travel day! Packing up every article of Hokie clothing (and accessories, I am a chick afterall) and hitting the airport for the flight to ATL (where VT opened the season against #5 Alabama). So many good signs – tons of Hokies in the airport and on our flight; our pilot was even a Hokie! Our shuttle to the hotel had another Hokie on it as well. Atlanta was invaded, for sure! Mr. Fun Pusher and I met up with several friends from my grad school program at VT, and headed on over to see the Braves play the Reds. Again the weather was gorgeous…we all had a great time, doing a little tailgating before the game and then “rolling with it” on over to Turner Field. The Braves lost, but our seats were GREAT, there were fireworks after the game, AND the crowd broke out into “Let’s Go, Hokies” chants multiple times!!! I’m telling you, the ‘Bama and UGA fans that were there…they were a bit annoyed by the Hokie presence. Loved it.

So, then, bring it on to Saturday. Game Day. Everyone was pumped. We piled into the truck (which, thank goodness was large enough for 6 adults!), headed on over to the Jawja Dome and set up one fine little tailgate, if I do say so myself. Of course, we had some issues with the (up-til-this-point-well-loved) Chic-Fil-A people moving us from our initial spot…but they made up for that in free chicken biscuits, sandwiches, and CFA merchandise. So. It all worked out, I suppose. But, seriously, y’all. We got to the lot before 8am. And the game didn’t start until 8pm. With a brief intermission for a trek to ESPN’s GameDay setup (which now I’m completely over and will never feel compelled to do again), we’re talking almost 12 hours of tailgating, people!! Oh yes. I think that has to grant you some sort of Special Status, no? I mean, really? Who does that??? Well. I do, that’s who. ;-) And I would do it again. We had a blast…and other than the outcome of the game…that was one of the best days ever!

So, all of that brings us up to now, and, given that much partying and Good Time-ing it…well, you can SEE why I was a bit, I think numb is the only word for it, when I got the planning request on Monday.

But. Today is a new day.

And Tailgate Fever is starting to pulse through my veins once again.

So the plans are starting to come together…We’ve got The Regulars (whom you will learn more about soon enough!) joining us for another season. We’ve got some new faces, which we’re super excited about. We’ve got some forgotten faces that we’re happy are coming. And we’ve even got some folks that are just going to stay at the tailgate because, really, that’s what it’s all about, right?? (Although if there’s no beer left when I get back to the ‘gate…that’s one serious party foul…and totally against the Rules, too, I might add!)

SO. Grab your party hats. Put on some version of a Hokie Shirt (SCA wants white. I say maroon and orange are perfectly acceptable…and I’ll spare you my RANT on the “Effect” games and the Stepford-ization of Lane Stadium, so consider yourselves lucky.) Put the brew on ice. Pack the purse and/or cargo shorts with maximum airplane bottle storage. It’s time to get this show on the road…and rain touchdowns on the Thundering Herd. Ryan Williams is going to amaze and astound you. We’re blocking a kick in this one, I can feel it! (Oh, and seriously, we’ve got a B-1 flyover at the stadium before the game!!!)

Bring a donation for the D-Day Memorial (sponsored by the Corps of Cadets). (I am nothing if not civic-minded; don’t snicker.) I will not miss kickoff this season! I will not miss kickoff this season! I will not miss kickoff this season! (It’s sort of my new mantra; if you knew me, you’d understand.) Neither should you. Be in your seats! Game-time’s 1:30pm. No excuses.

And…

Here…

We…

GO!

Let the Good Times Roll

2009-09-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Fall was made for football and football was made for tailgating. And, by our way of thinking, there is no better tailgating than Hokie tailgating, particularly if it takes place in that little slice of Heaven known as Blacksburg, VA. So, here we are…another season of Hokie tailgating is upon us. We’re talking Virginia Tech football here, people! For the uninitiated, we’re talking Good Times (in caps because while y’all might have fun…WE have Good Times Events). We take it seriously and we think (hope/dream/fantasize?) that we have an amazing group of Tailgaters representing the Hokie Nation and Good Times fans. So, without further ado (who hasn’t wanted to say that?), we want to welcome you to our little web homage to Good Times, especially those Good Times associated with Virginia Tech football and tailgating. Other Good Times Events might sneak in here because, well, why limit yourself to just one Season of Fun, right? But, our hearts bleed Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon, and that’s our favorite. So. Who the heck are we...? Oh, honey, we thought you’d never ask! WE are the Gurus of Good Times!!

(Guru #1) Fun Pusher: aka the original “Guru of Good Times,” Fun Pusher is one Big Time Hokie chick. Graduated in ’02 and ’04 (loved VT so much she had to do it twice!). Has been going to games since ’00 and a season ticket holder since the 2006 season, and is batting a perfect .1000 attendance record for all home games since then. She has a planner’s spirit and LOVES nothing more than planning up Good Times Events, especially tailgates. She is serving her third consecutive term as Madam President of her tailgate (yes, there is a governing council, folks, this is how things get DONE!) She has a Hokie husband and has made efforts to indoctrinate all family members and friends into the Hokie Nation. She remembers the “Stick It In” cheer and has a bad habit of buying things just because they have a VT on them. Or are orange. Or maroon. (Seriously, you should see her house and closet.) Favorite Hokie Player Ever: Bryan Randall, followed by Deron Washington (Basketball) and Xavier Adibi. Favorite drink: bourbon and coke zero. Always down for the Key Play and trying new beer. Also one of two original organizers of the Annual Girls’ Cabin Weekend Extravaganza (and knows y’all are jealous of that). And the rest you’ll find out as we go…

(Guru #2) April: April is the most recent addition to the Good Times Planning Committee. She was headed down a dark and dangerous road until Fun Pusher showed her the light that is the Hokie Nation. Even though she's not a season ticket holder, April has a pretty damn good attendance record for the past two seasons. She now drives the Hokie-mobile (burnt orange Ford Escape), and the Virginia Tech campus is one of her favorite places on Earth. (Even though she did graduate from Roanoke, ahem, Go Maroons.) April lives in her tiny little house where she proudly displays the Hokie colors. Favorite Drink: Who can have just one? April is a beer taste tester by heart. She is a contributing organizer of the Annual Girls' Cabin Weekend Extravaganza, and can also be found blogging at Did That Just Happen? and The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans!!

(Guru #3) Rachael: Fun Pusher’s sister and long-time Partner in Crime (bwa ha ha ha). Hokie by Heart (and that’s what counts). Proud wife, and mom to two adorable Future Hokies. Rachael went so far as to purchase her new house because of the guest suite that would give the Fun Pusher a fabulous place to crash on game weekends. (Ok, so this is not completely true, but the guest suite IS a nice perk that Fun Pusher takes advantage of often.) Rachael is a Karaoke Queen and the other original organizer of the Annual Girls’ Cabin Weekend Extravaganza. She might like to tailgate even more than going into the game. Most Often Seen With: California Car Bombs or Miller Lite.

So, we welcome you to follow along on our little journey. Keep up with our antics and check out our updates. Hopefully we can provide some entertainment!! If nothing else, we will entertain ourselves. GO HOKIES!!