I'm thankful for... TCF Bank Stadium!

[GoAUpher]

Do you realize how silly you sound?

Did I call anyone a bad gopher fan? I thought I said you were pathetic gopher fans. Big difference.

I actually view fans that park and going right to the bar/restaurant as lazy.

Sorry...pathetic. So let me get this straight. Showing up on campus early is pathetic if you choose to spend it somewhere other than a parking lot. It also makes you lazy. I happen to love tailgating (which in case you missed it was something I stated right away) but others don't. I like preparing the gear, getting up early, and heading to the lot with the Rouser blaring. But I'm going to play pretend. Lets say I still like being on campus early. But I do it to get to the bars. That means I'm lazy? Or, perhaps I live in the outstate (or out of state)…I drove 4 hours to get to the U and don't have time to enjoy tailgating. Am I lazy for spending more time on the highway then I do in TCF? The last one is something I've had to do because of work. I left Madison @ 5 am. Drove 4 hours. Parked in 7 Corners. Had a beer. Shuttled to TCF for game. Shuttled back to my car. Drove 4 hours home. I'd love to hear an explanation as to why this is lazy of me.

7 Saturday's a year isn't asking too much. Get out and show your pride.

WTF does this even mean? Show your pride? Are you the University's Spirit Police now? Because wearing maroon and gold in public is only supportive enough when done in a parking lot? Not in a bar, restaurant, church, hospital, habedashery, Coffman Union, etc. Would pregaming at McNamara also draw your disapproving stare? If there are some indoor locations that aren't pathetic has an official list been made so for everyone's reference to assure they aren't pathetic?

You don't need to go hog wild. Bring some soda's and a radio. Bring a football. Bring a grill or don't bring a grill. Stop at MacDonalds on the way........just show up and act excited that we have a beautiful campus and our autumns are perfect.

Again, showing up anywhere excited is not ok because why? I'm still waiting for you to explain WHY any other option is so pathetic. I get that you are the King of the Spirit Munchkins and you need to make sure your fiefdom is respected, but holy flying jeebus…this is so asinine!

Then hit Stub and Herbs on the way to the stadium for a quick beer or go for a few after the game.

300+ days a year to go to Stubs for a beer and food
7 days a year to tailgate for a U football game

And I haven't even gotten to the easiest comeback to your ridiculousness. Some people (GASP) don't like tailgating. I'll give you a minute to stop crying…I know this is a disturbing fact. So when you get a chance, try to come up with some, ya know, actual reasons why this makes someone a pathetic Gopher fan. Or keep saying its true "just because"...that's cool too.

 

[dpodoll68]

It can be generally assumed that any post using the word "haberdashery" is most likely awesome.

 

[minibeaver]

GoGophers2005, When I see a lone soul in some obscure parking ramp near the Bank before a game, throwing the football to himself, I’ll know it’s you, and it will warm my heart to know there are fans out there still fighting the good fight, drudging on, when all others have given up, in hopes of inspiring an inspirationless people to partake in the dying tradition of tailgating.

 

[GoGophers2005]

Do you realize how silly you sound?


Sorry...pathetic. So let me get this straight. Showing up on campus early is pathetic if you choose to spend it somewhere other than a parking lot. It also makes you lazy. I happen to love tailgating (which in case you missed it was something I stated right away) but others don't. I like preparing the gear, getting up early, and heading to the lot with the Rouser blaring. But I'm going to play pretend. Lets say I still like being on campus early. But I do it to get to the bars. That means I'm lazy? Or, perhaps I live in the outstate (or out of state)…I drove 4 hours to get to the U and don't have time to enjoy tailgating. Am I lazy for spending more time on the highway then I do in TCF? The last one is something I've had to do because of work. I left Madison @ 5 am. Drove 4 hours. Parked in 7 Corners. Had a beer. Shuttled to TCF for game. Shuttled back to my car. Drove 4 hours home. I'd love to hear an explanation as to why this is lazy of me.


WTF does this even mean? Show your pride? Are you the University's Spirit Police now? Because wearing maroon and gold in public is only supportive enough when done in a parking lot? Not in a bar, restaurant, church, hospital, habedashery, Coffman Union, etc. Would pregaming at McNamara also draw your disapproving stare? If there are some indoor locations that aren't pathetic has an official list been made so for everyone's reference to assure they aren't pathetic?

Again, showing up anywhere excited is not ok because why? I'm still waiting for you to explain WHY any other option is so pathetic. I get that you are the King of the Spirit Munchkins and you need to make sure your fiefdom is respected, but holy flying jeebus…this is so asinine!


And I haven't even gotten to the easiest comeback to your ridiculousness. Some people (GASP) don't like tailgating. I'll give you a minute to stop crying…I know this is a disturbing fact. So when you get a chance, try to come up with some, ya know, actual reasons why this makes someone a pathetic Gopher fan. Or keep saying its true "just because"...that's cool too.

Here is why I think its pathetic...
I'm in C88 on the East Bank. A few of my buddies also got into the lot, but it quickly sold out and other buddies had to get parking spots in C86 and C89. For the Air Force game I bet there were 10 tailgaters out of the 40 some spots....the rest filled in within an hour of the game. As the season went on it got worse and worse, and by the SDSU game I bet there were 5 cars tailgating and the lot didn't come close to even filling in.
These lots are perfect. You have a view of campus and its easily walkable or accessible to campus transit. The U spends 300 million on a brand new stadium, provides ample tailgating opportunities, yet people don't show up or don't utilize a tailgating lot for tailgating. If you don't tailgate usse the Oak Street ramp or the State Fair lots for easy in and out. I don't get it. It's these sort of things that make me totally question if we even deserved this new stadium at all. Students don't show. Tailgating lots are empty. People leave early in close games. It's pathetic.

 

[GoAUpher]

Here is why I think its pathetic...
I'm in C88 on the East Bank. A few of my buddies also got into the lot, but it quickly sold out and other buddies had to get parking spots in C86 and C89. For the Air Force game I bet there were 10 tailgaters out of the 40 some spots....the rest filled in within an hour of the game. As the season went on it got worse and worse, and by the SDSU game I bet there were 5 cars tailgating and the lot didn't come close to even filling in.
These lots are perfect. You have a view of campus and its easily walkable or accessible to campus transit. The U spends 300 million on a brand new stadium, provides ample tailgating opportunities, yet people don't show up or don't utilize a tailgating lot for tailgating. If you don't tailgate usse the Oak Street ramp or the State Fair lots for easy in and out. I don't get it. It's these sort of things that make me totally question if we even deserved this new stadium at all. Students don't show. Tailgating lots are empty. People leave early in close games. It's pathetic.

Look, I wholeheartedly agree that sucks. The same thing happened to my group. We're split between C89 and C86. But nothing about this means the folks are pathetic. It means they have a different idea of gametime fun. Unfortunately that happens to directly conflict with your idea of fun. And again, that sucks. But this is not an ideal world we live in.

It would be great if the U enforced a "tailgaters only" type policy in the surface lots. But there are some major problems with this. 1) There aren't enough tailgaters in the fanbase. Sorry to say it, but its true. It's the same chicken and the egg problem you have with attendance. 2) There is absolutely no way to enforce it well and if the U tried they would be committing PR suicide. It would also be great if folks who bought spots and didn't plan to tailgate considered their fellow fan in advance. But again, this is not an ideal world.

I know I've been a snarky a** up until this point. But you should know that I totally understand your feeling with the bolded above. While I don't actually question whether we deserve the stadium (damn straight we deserve it) I understand the disappointment. I drank my gallon of Kool-Aid before the season and assumed that the stadium would fix all. It won't and didn't. But that doesn't mean things won't get better. The reason we deserve it is because Gopher fans should be able to go to a game and have atmosphere and traditions and great experiences just like any other B10 team's fans. The Dome robbed everyone of that. TCF has brought it back. But unlike we all hoped, things don't get better just because overnight.

 

[GoGophers2005]

Oh, I've been a total db on this. It just frustrates me when I see comments that people won't tailgate unless they can see the stadium and then to look back at how C88 lot got worse from game to game.
A better word instead of pathetic would be bewildered....I guess I was just seeing if I could ruffle some feathers.

On a side note its going to be interesting to see how they deal with parking this next season. If I was in C88 do I automatically get back into that lot or is it a free for all again? That would stink if that were the case...because what if people from the high dollar lots and higher gopher points decide not to renew, will they get my spot over me? That would tick me off even more.

 

[at the bar]

Why couldn't the U designate some lots for tailgating only and others for parking only? The tailgating lots would be patrolled and have port-o-pots and the parking only lots wouldn't need anything. This could save the U some $ too. If the tailgating lots costs a little more, fans who don't tailgate probably wouldn't pay the extra $ to park there.

 

[dpodoll68]

I don't tailgate, ever, because it holds absolutely zero interest to me. It doesn't matter whether the lot is downtown, in Stadium Village, or inside the stadium itself. (Wait, scratch that last one, because I actually would tailgate in that situation.)

You're just not stating your point very well. Your point is that people who are inclined to tailgate and don't because of the idiosyncrasies surrounding the situation at the U are pathetic. I actually agree with you there.

But your blanket statement that "no tailgating = pathetic fan" is horribly wrongheaded and tends to piss off non-tailgaters (like myself). The last time I checked, sitting in a parking lot for hours before the game is not a prerequisite for fandom. I know that's not the point you're trying to make, but your message gets lost when you don't elucidate your train of thought.

 

[GoAUpher]

Oh, I've been a total db on this. It just frustrates me when I see comments that people won't tailgate unless they can see the stadium and then to look back at how C88 lot got worse from game to game.
A better word instead of pathetic would be bewildered....I guess I was just seeing if I could ruffle some feathers.

On a side note its going to be interesting to see how they deal with parking this next season. If I was in C88 do I automatically get back into that lot or is it a free for all again? That would stink if that were the case...because what if people from the high dollar lots and higher gopher points decide not to renew, will they get my spot over me? That would tick me off even more.

Well, I think its pretty clear you ruffled mine.

I'm wondering the same about next season's parking and have been meaning to contact the U about that. Parking is one area where some definite improvements can (and IMO should) be made. So I'm interested to see if/how the U addresses the topic. Most importantly, I want to find out the best way to assure that all the guys in my group are in the same lot next season.

 

[MNCH]

You hit it right on the head....if you are a season ticket holder and do not tailgate (or use your tickets) you are pathetic and I am a better Gopher fan than you. There are 7 games a year, that means there are 45 other weekends a year to do whatever you want. Even more pathtic is 'having to see the stadium' in order to tailgate. What a bunch of crap....that's like saying you need to sit in a suite if you ever go to a game.

There are plenty of spots to tailgate ON THE EAST BANK IF YOU WANTED TO. I stated that the Mpls Park Bd. opened up the East Bank Flats for 10 bucks a game and is an easy walk to campus.

So if I don't get my drink on, I am suddenly a bad fan? Since when did we become Wisconsin?

Sorry, but I prefer watching football over playing cornhole. So yes, I'm going to watch the games on TV instead of cornholing with my drunk friends for four hours before gametime. But have fun! I'm sure it's entertaining!

 

[GoGophers2005]

So if I don't get my drink on, I am suddenly a bad fan? Since when did we become Wisconsin?

Sorry, but I prefer watching football over playing cornhole. So yes, I'm going to watch the games on TV instead of cornholing with my drunk friends for four hours before gametime. But have fun! I'm sure it's entertaining!

I actually don't drink.

Okay, I had to come back and edit...who am I kidding.