o/` its the most wonderful time of the year o/`

Seeing football on TV last night made me giddy.  Planning my table-gate for tomorrow made me happy.  I'm even looking forward to grocery shopping at 5pm on a Friday.  The reason is simple.  College football season is finally here.

The first ball was snapped last night, and ESPN's first GameDay of the season - a 4 hour special - will be broadcast from Bowman Field in Clemson on Saturday.  250,000 to 300,000 people are expected to be in Clemson.  I. Can't. Wait.  The first Saturday of college football is like Christmas for me, and I have my day planned out.  There will be fresh baked  cinnamon rolls and mimosas in the morning, and I won't change out of my orange sweatpants until at least noon.  I printed out the full schedule for the day earlier this week, and there won't be a moment during the day that football won't be on my TV, laptop, or both.  If you don't want to hear the football tweets, I suggest that you go ahead and mute me for the day, because watching football at home became exponentially more fun with the invention of twitter.

The grande finale of the day is the Clemson v. Georgia game at 8:00pm on ABC...and my stomach gets a little queesy just thinking about it.  See, the thing about being a Clemson fan is that it's hard sometimes.  We have a long history of what is known as "Clemsoning".

from urban dictionary

BUT our recent history is changing, and good things are happening.  First Dabo was promoted to Head Coach, then we got "The Chad", followed by Brett Veneables, then last year we won the games we were supposed to win, and then there was 4th & 16 and we beat LSU.  I still get nervous, but Clemson has recruited well, and the coaching staff seems to have control of this team.

Key word there: seems.  We won't know a thing until Saturday night, and everybody will be watching.  Georgia is a strong opponent, and both teams have their top 10 national rankings on the line.  The atmosphere is Clemson is already electric, and Death Valley will be rocking tomorrow night. I. Can't. Wait.

It's a national broadcast, on plain, over the air digital TV, and since I can't make the trip to Clemson, I'll be watching & tweeting, I hope you watch too!!

GO TIGERS!

holiday recap

Now that the holidays are well behind us (and the SEC has won another National Championship) I thought I might as well share a little bit about what I've been up to on my holiday hiatus.

Sleeping, lots of sleeping...it really is my favorite thing to do, and it was glorious.

But I digress...  I didn't do a ton of decorating for the holidays, but I did enough to host the family's Christmas Eve and a group of my high school friends after Christmas without feeling like a grinch.

My sister took this picture of the pond on Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve tradition has always been dinner and presents with my dad's side of the family, but as my grandmother has gotten older, she's been a little more comfortable going out to dinner, then coming back to her house for dessert and presents.  Last year we transitioned to dessert and presents at my house, and this year I cooked and we did the whole thing at my house.  (My family was surprised that I could cook a turkey, go figure, this was like number 6 or 7 for me.) 

My Grandmother was thrilled to have dinner at my house, and I think it was the first meal she had eaten in the house since my great grandmother passed away in 1991.  It was nice to see her happy in the house, especially since I know she wasn't thrilled that I painted the kitchen yellow.

I spent the week after Christmas visiting friends who were in town for the holidays, and anyone who was still in town the weekend after Christmas came by my house to get togeather.  It's crazy that my group of high school friends has grown to include babies and puppies, but it has, and I think they had the best time out of anyone!  Little Bobby and Anoush (Armenian for sweet) are seriously best friends now.  Any time Bobby was upset...and that is hardly ever bc he is so chill...Anoush made everything better.  It was fantastic.

Our girl scout came through on the fire (since the ground was soaked), and I have to say it was a pretty perfect night.  (Well except for the part where a friend told us that she had to back to the UK for VISA issues, but she will better be be back)

from @Chandlee's instagram feed

New Year's Eve is one of my favorite holidays, and I have always celebrated with friends.  This year Clemson was playing LSU in the Peach Chick-Fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, and I apologized to the host in advance because I knew I was going to be preoccupied for the first half of the party.

Clemson vs. LSU was a pretty epic match-up, and going into the game I was nervous about how it was going to turn out.  LSU is good and consistent, Clemson is good, but no one can pretend that Clemson is the model of consistency.  Last year Clemson was on an emotional high coming off an ACC Championship, and was embarrassed by West Virginia.  So when I thought honestly about the game, it didn't look pretty. THEN Sammy Watkins was injured on the first drive of the game.  That was bad, there was a fumble, then LSU scored, but you knew that Clemson had success this year without Sammy, and all was not lost.  Somehow the team focused, rallied, improved at the half, and played the best 4th quarter of Clemson football that I have ever watched. (I've watched it about 3 times now, it was that good.)  4th & 16..4th & 16...it was just amazing.

Also over the holidays (but before Christmas, I know this is out of order) I got to spend time with an out of town friend that I don't see nearly enough.  The trip was not entirely planned, but we got to hang out, make a bazillion sugar cookies, and meet her new puppy.

Isn't she cute!!  She's a little sassy, but I think she's going to get a lot of that from her family (human and puppy brothers & sisters)

My holidays were great, and hope yours were too :)   And if anyone knows how to get rid of this 5 day work week, let me know, I feel spoiled!

Clemson Football, 9-1

I've hesitated about writing about Clemson football this year because in my 10 years as a Clemson fan there has always been a catch.

here

Clemson is sitting just outside the top 10 nationally, and while I think it's a little bit inflated, I think it's about right.  I love Clemson, but they're not a top ten team...yet.  They've made huge strides in the past few years, and they're closer, but they're not quite not there.
 
The attitude of the team is changing.  They're hungry and confident.  They haven't freaked out when they've gotten behind, or when individuals have had less than perfect games.  In those cases, the rest of the team has stepped up and made plays.  They've gotten the job done.

here

Clemson has also kept their focus when a win appeared to be in the bag.  This weekend vs Maryland I loved seeing the second string guys in the game and making plays.  To me that reflects the attitude, hunger, and the beginning of some depth to the team.

One thing I remember about the glory days of Tennessee football, the Peyton Manning era in the 90's, was that they were so deep, that most individuals only had one or two years as a starter.  The teams were so strong that you had to work hard to earn your playing time.  When you got the ball, you had to make the most of each possession to get noticed and hold your spot.  That competition made for some exciting years of football, and I think Clemson is getting there.

here

I was not Brent Venables biggest fan through the first part of the season, and I think it was mainly Chad Morris's fault.  When 'The Chad' came in as Offensive Coordinator, it was like someone waved a magic wand and put some fight in their eyes.  They made big changes, and with that came some big plays.  When Brent Venables' defense stepped on the field for the first time this year, there was no evidence of a magic wand.  There were a lot of mistakes, and the same missed tackles & blown coverage that Clemson fans see too often.  Yes Chad Morris is a badass, and he did amazing things in his first spring at Clemson, but he had a few things that Brent Venables didn't have...namely huge play makers like Sammy Watkins, Andre Ellington, Tajh Boyd and D'Andre Hopkins.

here

What I like about Brent Venables is that he didn't coddle the defense early in the season.  He called out the mistakes, and said these are the things we need to do better.  He coached the guys how to do better, and they have.  They're still not perfect, but they're better.

here

One thing I love about Dabo Sweeney is that he is hiring coaches.  His hires have great minds for developing schemes who seem to have a vested interest in teaching their players.  Even from the outside, you can tell that the coaches lay out a path to success for their players, and they coach them on how to get there.  They give the players the tools make success obtainable, and they hold the players accountable. They have changed the attitude of the players, the administration, and have won a lot of fans in the process.

here

So yeah, Clemson is not a top ten team today, but they're getting there, and might be by the end of the season.  South Carolina will be tough, but it's going to be a really good game that I'm excited to go to Clemson for.  After that emotional win or loss, maintaining focus through a bowl game will be a challenge.  That's the next step for Clemson.  To be a top 10 team, Clemson has to conquer focus, consistency, and intensity every play of the season.

football picks

If you follow my blog, or especially if you follow me on twitter, you know that I  think football season is the most wonderful time of the year.  Not much makes me happier than tailgating and watching football.

My friend Phats over at BOILER UP with Phats, has a really great series on his blog where each Thursday during football season he offers his picks on the games in the coming weekend.  He's a die hard Boilermaker, and he also does picks for the teams that his readers follow, and it's a lot of fun.  He also asks a different reader to be a guest picker each week, and you can see who does better, the guest picker or Phats.

You probably know where this is going...this was my week to pick.  Phats likes to put me in an awkward spot, and chose me because two of my teams, Clemson and Georgia Tech are playing each other this week.  The fun thing about picking games for Phats, is that this being the internet and all, his reader's teams are from all over the country and the NFL.   If you want to see who I picked, and see some of the oddest mascots in College Football, check out this week's post over at BOILER UP with Phats.

it's the most wonderful time of the year

I am officially spoiled. ESPN managed to turn the opening weekend of college football into a 5day event, and I loved every minute of it.  They managed to work it so that there were good games that I actually wanted to watch each of those 5 days.  Add in the watchESPN app, and DVR, and I was able to see everything on my list of games to watch.

Yes I’m that girl who printed out the schedule last Monday,and highlighted the games I wanted to watch.

The biggest surprise of the weekend was how much I enjoyed the Notre Dame v. Navy game in Ireland. The football was good, and I love that they played the game overseas.  It made the game extra special, and I hope it’s something that can be repeated.

The best part of the weekend was that my teams did well.  Tennessee came out and played ball for 4 quarters.  Last year they showed moments of brilliance, but endurance, and the ability to keep it together when opposing teams made halftime adjustments were not on their list of strengths.  QB Tyler Bray looked solid, and I’m cautiously optimistic about this year. Opening against NC State is not going to be anything like playing Alabama, even with a home field advantage, but it’s a start, and an improvement from last year.

Clemson rocked against Auburn.  I expected a close game, and I had my fingers crossed for a win.  There were mistakes,and first game jitters, sure…but every Clemson fan knows that’s going to happen.  I did not expect D’Andre Hopkins to have such a stellar game, or for the Clemson offence to look so balanced.  It was nice.  I mean really nice.  And it means I can’t WAIT for Sammy Watkins to make his presence known against Furman. I’m extremely excited that I will be in Clemson that weekend, and the ticket office has got to be happy that Sammy’s comeback has put that game on everyone’s radar.

And Go Jackets!  I love Georgia Tech, but I did not expect them to win in Blacksburg.  I’ll take forcing the first ever overtime in Blacksburg as a moral victory, and choose to ignore the fact that they gave the game away with a stupid interception. Yes the uniforms are awful, but they’re not Maryland bad.  Georgia Tech is going to play hard this year,but I don’t expect great things.

Which brings me to predictions.  I’m not sure I’ve ever made predictions before, so this is going to be an interesting test to see if I really do know what I’m talking about when it comes to football.

Clemson: I’d love to say 11-1, but Clemson will always have a hiccup, and will probably go 10-2 in the regular season.  The more losses we have in the regular season, the better our shots are in a bowl game.  I know that may sound counter intuitive, but if for some reason Clemson is undefeated going into a bowl game, their heads will be so swollen they will barely be able to snap the ball.  A few losses would go a long way to keeping them focused and actually winning a bowl game.

Tennessee: I'm guessing that Tennessee goes 8-4 in the regular season, but probably loses its bowl game.  Tennessee just isn’t there yet.  Coach Dooley is on the hot seat,and hopefully the pressure will keep him focused and motivated.  I haven’t drank the Dool—aid, but I’m not quite sure it’s poison either.  We’ll just have to see how this season goes.

here

GaTech: I’m going to go with a 7-5 regular season.  I know one game doesn’t decide a season, but the ACC likes to beat up on each other about as much as the SEC does, and GaTech is going to have a few more tough losses.  They will play hard and rally, and could beat one of the service academies in a bowl game, but I have a feeling that this season is going to be tough.

I love football season. And DVR.

PS Thanks wikipedia, for teaching me a little bit about fair use of logos :)

Clemson & Chick-fil-A

Yesterday was National Signing Day. This is the day that high school football players fax in their letters of intent to play football for the program of their choice, based on scholarship offers. Recruiting is not an exact science. It's had to know what kind of player an 18 year old will be in college, and it's hard to know what makes them choose one scholarship offer over another. There are the normal things, program/conference reputation, caliber of specific position coaches, academic reputation, social connections etc.

And then there are the things that come out of left field. Yesterday Cassanova McKinzy - a four star linebacker recruit out of Birmingham, Alabama - picked Auburn over Clemson because Auburn had a Chick-fil-A on campus.


Here are my thoughts:

• There is a Chick-fil-A on campus.
• This guy might not be smart enough to play for Clemson. If this really was his priority, then even as an outside linebacker, we don't want someone that would rather be at Chick-fil-A than spending time in the weight room.
• We didn't do a good enough job recruiting him.  He should have been so blown away by our program, coaches, facilities, and gameday atmosphere that Chick-fil-A wasn't an issue.

I also think it's funny how this has become a hot topic of conversation today.  Yesterday was a fairly calm signing day for Clemson, I think most things went as planned.  Chick-fil-A has even gotten involved sending the following tweets:

Way to go Cassanova, best of luck at Auburn.

my two wishes

After Clemson's embarrassing, horrible, horrible loss to a better executing West Virginia in the Orange Bowl, I wrote this post on what it means to 'Clemson yourself' - a phrase which has since been added to the urban dictionary.  At the end of the post I made 2 wishes:

1. Dabo Swinney takes a lesson from Chad Morris and becomes a hard ass.  This means firing a few people, enacting a no twitter/cell phones on gameday rule, and putting his team through the toughest spring training known to man.
2. Derek Dooley does NOT hire Kevin Steele.

It's only been 8 days, but it looks like 1.5 wishes have already come true!

Derek Dooley at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville hired Sal Sunseri from the University of Alabama and NOT Kevin Steele as their new Defensive Coordinator.  That truly is a wish come true.

-AND-

Dabo Swinney has become a bit more of a hard ass.  Not a Chad Morris hard ass, but he got rid of Kevin Steele, our horrible defensive coordinator.  There's a $1.3 million question re: if he was fired or left on his own, but that's not for me to worry about.  I'm going to take this as half a wish come true, and I'm hoping Dabo will step up to the plate this spring and become a full fledged hard ass.


Not a bad way to roll into the weekend :)

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Sushi Nabe

I'm publishing this post today in honor of the 2012 BCS National Championship game tonight. You'll understand why by the end of the post.

Sushi Nabe is known for having the best sushi in Chattanooga. But growing up here, sushi just wasn't on my radar. Luckily living in South Carolina for 10 years (not a landlocked state) exposed me to a lot of fresh fish, and also sushi.

I was both excited and nervous to try Sushi Nabe.  They've been making sushi in Chattanooga since 1990, so that's exciting.  Any restaurant that has been in business that long has food worth coming back to.  What made me nervous is that Tennessee is a landlocked state, and fresh ingredients are key when it comes to sushi, and like it or not, the logistics are just harder here.

I have been to Sushi Nabe twice since I moved to Chattanooga.  The first time was this summer, and I ordered two different shrimp rolls. One was $4-$5, and the other was $8-$9.  The sad thing is that at the end of the meal, I couldn't tell you which roll was which, and neither roll was great.  Not going to lie, I expect to be able to taste the difference when one roll is twice as expensive as the other.  I was not impressed.

I'm so glad I went back to try the sushi again.

I went back to Sushi Nabe this fall, and they had a few specialty, football themed rolls.  I thought this was a fun idea, and tried the Roll Tide Roll ($10-$11).  It was AWESOME.

Not only does it look pretty - I don't even like wasabi, but that football is pretty cute - it tasted great.  I love the extra crunchy stuff and the sauce that is the goal post was exactly the perfect compliment to the roll. Don't get me wrong, the roll was great on it's own, but the sauce really took it to another level of tasty.

I will be cheering for LSU tonight in the National Championship game, but when my friend Phats asked me to pick the winner (and a few bowl games)...well, all I have to say is "Roll Tide, Roll"

Sushi Nabe:

110 River Street Chattanooga, TN 37405-4006

(423) 634-0171 | website: http://www.sushinabechattanooga.com/

Hours:

• Monday: CLOSED
• Tuesday: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:00pm - 9:30pm
• Wednesday: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:00pm - 9:30pm
• Thursday: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:00pm - 9:30pm
• Friday: 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5:00pm - 10:00pm
• Saturday: 12:00pm - 10:00pm
• Sunday: 12:00pm - 9:00pm

what it means to 'Clemson' yourself

But this one – this one was a monumental fail, even by Clemson’s standards. ~ Heather Dinich, ESPN

Everyone wants to love Clemson.  Everyone wants them to do well. If you've ever been to Clemson, if you've ever  been to a game in Death Valley, you want each team to be as special as the place itself.  There is always so much potential....and there are always so many disappointing, stupid, mistakes.  Great wins, followed by seemingly inexcusable losses.  (I say seemingly inexcusable, bc inevitably I will make excuses by the end of this post.) Clemson is well known for beating the odds, but also loosing the games they are supposed to win.

Last night was no exception.  Clemson was a 3.5 point favorite in it's very first Orange Bowl.  Well, you know what happened.

The most points allowed in a bowl game. Ever. Since the beginning of time.

Roller coaster seasons.  Ups and downs.  I have said it before, being a Clemson fan will take years off your life.  This was so hard to watch because the team gave up.  They stood dumbfounded asking 'how could this happen to me' rather than making a tackle and stopping abuse.  Like most Clemson fans, I blame the coaches.  I blame Defensive Coordinator Kevin Steele for not being able to to do his job in an "x and o" basic sort of way. I also blame him for developing a defensive that was soft on fundamentals, and weak mentally.  I blame Dabo Swinney for not recognizing the problem before the game, and not taking over and rallying his players during the game.  The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year couldn't get his team to focus and execute. Epic fail does not begin to describe how this game went.

The silver lining, if there is one, is that this Clemson team - even with this horrible, horrible loss - exceeded expectations.  This was a team that most predicted to be 7-5 at best.  This is a young team (both players and coaches).  This is a brand new offensive scheme that only 65% installed, worked wonders.  This is a team that won the ACC for the first time that I can remember.  This is a team that took down the defending SEC & BCS National Champs, as well as the defending Sun Belt, SoCon, & ACC champs.

I have 2 wishes coming out of this game.

1. Dabo Swinney takes a lesson from Chad Morris and becomes a hard ass.  This means firing a few people, enacting a no twitter/cell phones on gameday rule, and putting his team through the toughest spring training known to man.
2. Derek Dooley does NOT hire Kevin Steele.

 It would rock my world for these wishes to come true.

ACC Champs!

Saturday's game was just great.  I actually had a Clemson fan to watch the game with, we had power - all of Clemson lost power during the game - AND Clemson played well.

Me too Dabo, me too

It's hard to beat a team twice in one season . To put it gently, Clemson had not been playing up to their potential going in to this game and it looked like Virginia Tech would take the championship once again.  Keven Steele put together a defensive effort that may have saved his job. 

Being a Clemson fan is like riding a roller coaster.  There is a lot of anxiety, and many ups and downs.  Your heart is always racing, and sometimes you don't know whats next.  Twists and turns, climbs and drops, and even the upside down parts.  If you know a Clemson fan, this is how they describe football season.  I hate roller coasters by the way.  I'm just glad Clemson is cruising around on the top.

 

Looks pretty good doesn't it?

Clemson Tigers, 7-0

The jury is still out on Clemson football (7-0) this year.  Lots of people around the country are talking about a national title, and it's my personal belief that you don't talk about that kind of things until 10 wins are in the books.  It feels different than others I've experienced (I just moved back to Chattanooga after spending 10 years in Clemson), but with Clemson, you never know.  The defining characteristic in both the football and basketball programs for the majority of the seasons I witnessed has been inconsistency. Basketball wins vs North Carolina followed by losses by bottom ranked Florida State and football wins against top ranked Miami followed by losses to Duke.  The talent has been there, but for whatever reason the teams can't pull it together on a regular basis.  I'm always nervous about jinxing Clemson, but here are my thoughts on Clemson Football as it stands now, and why I think that this year *might* be different.

Chad Morris - I am 100% convinced that the single most important precipitant in Clemson's success this year is Offensive Coordinator Chad Morris.  Not only has he brought a new offense to the program, but he's implemented it in such a way that technique and discipline on the field have improved.  He hasn't overwhelmed his players and focuses on execution. The way he is introducing his playbook the players have time to learn and be comfortable, and teams are surprised each week as new layers and folds are added.  I also really like his attitude.  He's tough and all business.  When asked about how tough he is on his players he has said "I don't need any more 20 year old friends" and if my memory serves me correct also something to the effect of  'this is not the first time I've yelled at a team, and it won't be the last.'  I feel like he is giving this team the tools it needs to be better football players, pushing them,  and expecting them to make it happen.  I like it. A lot.

Receivers and backs - I grew up an SEC fan, and I appreciate a good hard hitting running game.  For me something that separates the men from the boys in football is yards after hit, or yards after contact. The ACC is more of a passing conference, and in past years Clemson has been weak in the yards after contact category.  Don't get me wrong, there have been a few standout players, and maneuverability has been a strength in many Clemson players. But an area where I see an across the board improvement on Clemson's offense is the guy with the ball tucking his shoulder, making a hit rather than just taking a hit, and trying to break a tackle for extra yardage. I like it.

Adjustments - A strength in this coaching staff and this team lies in the ability to adjust the game plan, and make corrections.  The first two games this year Clemson played sloppy and ineffective first halves, but were able to make great corrections and adjustments at halftime.  As this season has progressed we've seen good adjustments in the 2nd quarter and after halftime.  Clemson has not been able to do this in season's past, and I give the staff and the players kudos for this.

Every game is a big game - Clemson has always been able to get up for the big game.  They've exceeded expectations when they're up against quality opponents.  It's great to have a team that plays to the level of the competition when the opponent is nationally ranked, not so much when it's Duke.  **So far** this year, Clemson has played every game like it's a big game, and that each win is important.  I'd like to see them come out stronger to start a game, but they have settled down each time and played every game like it's the most important game of the year. I've also never seen the fans get so excited for a road game at Maryland, or a home game against un-ranked UNC.

Sammy Watkins - The great thing about this team is there are a lot of play makers.Tajh Boyd, Andre Ellington, DeAndre Hopkins, Dwayne Allen are all fantastic.  I believe that by the end of the year Mike Bellamy is going to be a true freshman standout.  And then there is Sammy Watkins.  I'm convinced that there was a moment in the 2nd half of the Maryland game when Clemson was down and he said to himself 'We need to win this game, and I'm going to make it happen.' And then he did. He doesn't do it alone; he's had some great blocks.  What impresses me even more than his speed, hands & size (all amazing by the way) is his vision and communication skills.  This is a true freshman that came in and studied the offense this summer with his upperclassman QB.  He knows the game, and is able to communicate what he sees on the field to his coaches and the other players in a way that directly translates to points.  This kid is special, has his goals set high, and I'm pretty sure he's not going to let anyone on a football field stop him from making his dreams come true.  He will do what is necessary to out run, out catch, and out smart anyone he lines up against.  His talent, work ethic, and immediate impact on the field is why we (and thanks to ESPN, everyone else) have taken notice of Sammy Watkins.  Tweets like these are why Clemson fans have fallen in love with him, and cheer for him on Saturdays.

 

*Images from TigersNow.com, Clemsontigers.com, Orlando Sentinel online, and the Sammy Watkins for Heisman Facebook Page.

This weekend: Clemson at Virginia Tech

This weekend Clemson wraps up the 'Schedule of Champions' part of the season facing off against the defending ACC Champs in Blacksburg. It's our first big road test, but I don't think location will be too much of an issue. Even though the noise has worked in our favor and not against us this year, we know what loud sounds like, and at least we won't be surprised. What I am worried about is consistency. Anyone who has been a Clemson Football fan will tell you it takes years off your life. The biggest culprit is the stress that accompanies inconsistency. We've played some good games and some not so good games, and that make me nervous. The only good thing is Clemson usually gets up for big games, and this qualifies as big.

The best part about this game is it will be my first big 'tablegate' of the year. A good friend of mine went to med school at Virginia Tech, and we're going to watch the game in HD at her place. She has treated me to many an amazing meal, and so I'm excited to bring a tablegate spread. If you know me at all, I'm all about a party, good food and good friends.

Prediction: As soon as I pick the Tigers, I'm going to loose. But I'm going to do it anyway. I like the passion of this football team. I was impressed by our ability to finally wrap up a tackle vs FSU. VTech has a young team, and I think that works in Clemson's favor...ie our freshman are better than theirs. This is a big game and I like Clemson's track record when it matters. The first half will be ugly, but Clemson will get it together in the 2nd half. Tigers win on the road, and become the first ACC team EVER to win 3 in a row against ranked opponents. (and possibly loose the ACC in the same season. That would be our luck)

Horray for Football & Friends!

Just wanted to make a quick note that I had a Fantastic football weekend in Clemson this past weekend, and that I made a few game picks over on BOILER UP with Phats. I missed on the Clemson game, but I'm always happy when they surprise me and play up to their potential and win one they're "supposed" to win.

I didn't get to as spend time with everyone as I would have liked to, but there are only so many hours in the day, and as much as I hate it - I do NOT do well on no sleep. But I had a wonderful time listening to music, hanging out at Backstreets, getting some new stained glass projects into the design phase, meeting new friends, getting to know some old friends better, and enjoying a beautiful football Saturday in Clemson.

Photo courtesy of/stolen from @olivertwisted on tumblr

Oops

I forgot to post my Bloody Mary recipe Saturday morning. There was too much football and I just forgot. Since the post was only halfway finished anyway, I'll finish it tonight, and go ahead and schedule it for this Friday.

All 3 of my teams won this weekend!! Clemson, Tennessee, & GaTech got wins, and UTC even put up 7 on Nebraska. How did your teams do?

My College Football Teams

As promised, here are my teams, the teams I tend to pull for, and the team I hate.

Clemson - I spent 10 years in Clemson and fell in love with the town and the people. NOTHING in Clemson is more important than football. I have always been able to fake being a Clemson fan, I was a Rally Cat, I had a job in Clemson where I was required to wear orange on Fridays (or wear a construction vest & hat all day) and I was literally paid to set up tailgates. Many of my friends incomes are directly tied to the outcomes are directly tied to the success of the football team. Over the past few years no one has forced me to watch or follow the Clemson Football team, but I have. I know a lot about these guys, and I really do want them to do well. Being a Clemson fan may take years off your life, but I do pull for them.

Tennessee - I grew up a Tennessee fan. When I was little one of the few times I was allowed to stay up past my bedtime was the Tennessee Alabama game in October. Peyton Manning was the quarterback when I was in High School, and I used to know all the running backs, the fullbacks, and the receivers. Those were the "Glory Days" of Tennessee Football under Phil Fulmer. While I was in Clemson it was pretty hard to find a place that would show the Tennessee game, so I've missed the past few years or so....probably not a bad thing. I'm really excited about getting back into Tennessee football, and seeing their progress this season.

GaTech - When I was in 3rd grade, a literal line was drawn on the playground. Were you a Georgia fan or Georgia Tech fan? Most everybody picked Georgia, I picked Georgia Tech. Just so happens that my boyfriend out of high school, and one of my best friends went to GaTech, and they both joined the same fraternity. I spent about 3 solid football seasons in Section 221, bobbing up &down between the 3rd and 4th quarter to the Budweiser song, proclaiming myself to be a 'hell-uv-an engineer' and tailgating with 'my boys.' Being a GaTech fan is special. It's Tech, so you know it's not a football school, but the fans they do have are as loyal as any you will find. And every once and a while, the football team will surprise you with some big plays and some unexpected wins.

Teams I hate, hate hate:
Florida, or anything associated with Steve Spurrier. I hate them. I just do.


Teams I have associations with:

UTChattanooga - I live in Chattanooga. My sister and her husband met at UTC. This is the little football team that could. They're not an SEC school. The players are not very big. Attendance is directly tied to if Tennessee is playing home or away. But you gotta have hope for this team. They play in the same conference as Georgia Southern, Elon, Furman and App State, and have yet to win a title. But they're trying to get better. Last year they played at Auburn, this year they open at Nebraska. They don't have a prayer in these games, but they're trying to earn money and show their players that they have a chance to make some plays on a big stage. UTC has a local hot-shot QB, an inexperienced offencive and defensive line, and I hope they can be "the little team that could." You can't help but root for the hometown boys.
Edit: As indicated in the comments, my sister wants to make it known that she played D1 tennis for UTC, and remains proud to be a MOC. Yeah, I guess that's another reason to pull for them ;)


Auburn: This is my sister's favorite team, Alma Matter of my friend Nicole, and an SEC school. They're fun to watch, so I'll pull for them unless they're playing one of 'my' teams.






Alabama: I'm nostalgic. I'd love to see Alabama come back to the glory days of Bear Bryant. I want them to be great, but I still want Tennessee to beat them. My cousin is a sophomore this year, so there's another reason to keep up with them.





LSU: My friend Colleen is a HUGE LSU fan. Seeing as how I'm going to be taking advantage of their super football cable package this year, I have a feeling I'll end up an LSU fan as well.