How could game day in Athens be improved?
Would the Dawg Walk be even greater if more fans could experience it? (AJC staff)
Game-day traditions are a big part of college football. Even though fans of rival schools like to trade trash talk about each others’ traditions, there’s an overall appeal to the colorful spectacle and sometimes heart-pumping excitement of the various rituals. You don’t have to be a fan of Ohio State to appreciate their band’s dotting of the “i” or the many quirky traditions of Texas A&M.
The Sporting News’ Dave Curtis and Matt Hayes have each listed their top 10 game-day traditions, and UGA mascot Uga placed high on Hayes’ list, coming in at No. 2 behind the Saturday night atmosphere at Death Valley in Baton Rouge.
I must admit, I never really thought of Uga as a game-day tradition — more like a 365-days-a-year tradition — but I can see how a visitor to Sanford Stadium would come away most impressed with what many outside the Bulldog Nation consider the best mascot in college football.
We discussed UGA game-day traditions last summer, and I noted out of the many things I get a kick out of on fall Saturdays in Athens — from the kids waving at the team buses rolling by on Lumpkin to the ringing of the chapel bell after a win — my particular favorites are the Dogs walking toward the east end zone while the Redcoats play “Krypton Fanfare” during the warm-ups, and, most of all, the spine-tingling solo from the trumpeter in the southwest corner of the upper level stands before kickoff.
At the time, I asked in a poll what your favorite game-day tradition was, and the solo trumpeter finished first, with 49 percent of the votes, followed by the Larry Munson pre-game video, the team’s Dawg Walk, ringing the chapel bell and the Krypton Fanfare.
Ah, yes. Just thinking about all of that has me hankering for September.
Of course, that doesn’t mean some game-day traditions in Athens couldn’t stand some tweaking.
The one that immediately comes to mind is tailgating, which has become an increasingly troubled proposition in recent years and stands to get even hairier, pardon the pun, this season with the severe limitations on when and how and with what fans can set up on the North Campus quads. It’s unfortunate, but the pig sty that fans were turning the campus into pretty much has quashed attempts to have a tailgating atmosphere along the lines of the Grove at Ole Miss. I’m not sure what the solution is there, but I have a feeling making folks pay to tailgate in the quads might be where we’re headed.
And as I noted last year, the problematic physical layout and very limited sight lines of the Dawg Walk in the Tate Center parking lot keep it from being a must for many fans. I realize the coaches probably wouldn’t be too thrilled about a lengthy walk for the team on its way to the stadium, but if there was a way to have the Dawg Walk wind through a more open area of the campus than that rather cramped parking lot, I’m sure many more fans would enjoy the chance to see the players up close before a game.
Got any ideas along those lines or concerning improving tailgating? Or are there any other game-day traditions you think could be improved? Anything new you’d like to see established as a tradition in Athens? Is there something you’d like the Redcoats to add to their game routine? Feel free to share your ideas. …
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282 comments Add your comment
Scott W.
May 26th, 2010
3:12 pm
I would go along with the fact that winning more often would beget more traditon.
southsideDawg
May 26th, 2010
3:19 pm
Form a G for the team to run out of or do like FSU run out to Welcome to the Jungle. I think we need more cheers when the defense is on the field.
I love going to the night games but I think the whole trash thing happens when we play the night games. Doesnt make it right I just think that is when it happens.
The band needs to change the halftime show different songs.
One tradition the fans need to do is get in the stadium before 6 min into the game. The UGA fans need to be giving the visiting team a hard time during warm ups like at other places.
golfman42
May 26th, 2010
3:19 pm
Ok, so in response to people saying the Redcoats play the same things and never add anything new I want to point out all the songs we added for this past season. “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough,” “Smooth Criminal,” “The Final Countdown,” “Sweet Caroline,” “All the Way Turned Up,” and “I’ve Got the Music in Me.” Hope this clears that up. And I am sure more new ones will be added next year
Bill
May 26th, 2010
3:22 pm
Doug C has a valid point about the Redcoat Band not having a song for the entire stadium to sing to. Years ago, I wrote the Band Director and suggested the pre-game program drop the singing of the school song, which no one knows and half the people attending never heard of for they probably did not attend UGA, and substitue the Georgia State Song….”Georgia On My Mind”. Everyone has heard Ray Charles sing that song at one point in their lives.
Arnie West
May 26th, 2010
3:29 pm
Please burn the black jerseys. Or donate them to a local high school team.
Jimnalph
May 26th, 2010
3:30 pm
First, get rid of the drunk rednecks. Second, get rid of the poor losers dog fans being among the worst. Third, enforce the laws on drinking alcohol. Fourth, get some nicer fans. But it will be impossible for UGA to accomplish all that. So, hopeless cause.
Denver Dawg
May 26th, 2010
3:30 pm
The thing that made me want to join the Redcoat Band (waaayyy back in the 70’s) were the incredible jams the Redcoats would do in the stands featuring A DRUM SET AND ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR! That’s right! Just try something like that these days! When I was in the band we would do shows like “Cats” and medleys of Gershwin tunes – can you believe that? No wonder people got in the habit of geting a coke and heading to the bathroom when we came on! Our band has a lot of potential power, but someone is not allowing it…
golfman42
May 26th, 2010
3:30 pm
not a fan of the band, obviously you’ve never been to a game. In the two years I have been in Redcoats, I have never heard a band that plays as loud as we do.
Arnie West
May 26th, 2010
3:34 pm
game day can be improved by one thing: WIN!
Tailgating Ideas » Blog Archive » Mid-Week Eye Candy Wrapper #88: Arizona Edition
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Glory Glory
May 26th, 2010
3:36 pm
I see Georgia Tech is continuing one of their hallowed traditions this upcoming season…..
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!!!! Nov 4th, at Virginia Tech…. haha!! Thats gonna be a washout if I’ve ever seen one.
Gbal
May 26th, 2010
3:36 pm
A game day experience that I would dearly like to see reinstuted ….
The electric band section instruments of the 70’s and James Brown tunes. There was nothing like the stadium in the 4th quarter when Dooley’s Junkyard Dogs had a victory locked up and the electric section would kick in with “Dooley’s Junkyard Dawgs”… “I feel good” !!! And occasionally the GOD FATHER OF SOUL himself would make a showing. I know it is not likely that we can brign JB back, but as a kid that was the coolest gameday experience on earth. That electric guitar, base and drums was absolutely spine tingling. I know the rest of you old Fharts like me can close your eyes… see and hear it now. The student section would absolutely rock. Id sit across on the south side with my folks and think… One day I am going to go sit over there!!
I think the NCAA has band electric instruments in the stadiums. That is too bad. I do not see the difference in that and todays Soldier Boy blairing out of the PA… Bring it back!!!
Another tradition that it is ashame it is gone…. and can never come back…..
Fans on the tracks. Fans PACKED on the tracks to watch the game. GA, UGA, and Rebel flags waiving high!!! 4-5 tiers of scaffolding errected on the tracks so that fans could get up higher and see over the scoreboard…Remember a couple of occasions where the train actually came thru and 100’s of fans held there ground to watch the game.
Watching these “track fans” was quite an experience; for those who saw it you will never forget it! I said that one day I was going to sit up there too!!! I DID, and I will leave it at that as my mother is still around!!! Quite the GAME DAY EXPERIENCE.
Things change and there are still great times at Sanford, but nothing like those experiences for me.
Bring them back!!! Knock out the East stands…..!!! JB … You hear me??
Arnie West
May 26th, 2010
3:38 pm
oh yea… beer sales in Sanford…
fed up dawg fan
May 26th, 2010
3:41 pm
I would love for them to stop playing “Teenage Waste Land” before every game!!!
How2fish
May 26th, 2010
3:42 pm
Jimnalph bite me …how’s that for a nicer UGA fan for you buttcheese
Bobby
May 26th, 2010
3:44 pm
The Redcoat band playing “Dixie” would be a nice tradition to resume.
Truth
May 26th, 2010
3:44 pm
Who cares? Uga has become totally irrelavent to the division, to the conference, and to the nation.
studentsection
May 26th, 2010
3:46 pm
And I know no one wants to hear it, but close Sanford in. Get as many rabid Dawg fans in as we possibly can. There clearly is a demand. Plus, the view out of the stadium is now compromised by Tate 2. As a current student, I’d sacrifice my daily view in for an incredible experience on Saturdays.
With the redcoats, has anyone ever been to a basketball game? The pep band is incredible. The play with much more sass than the Redcoats do. Don’t get me wrong, the Redcoats are great, but we need more attitude. That’s the one thing missing from Sanford, attitude.
Brian
May 26th, 2010
3:46 pm
We need some Disturbed or Godsmack music right before the Dawgs come out pregame to get the student section and team pumped. I’d say “Indestructible” or the opening riff to “I Stand Alone”. Even POD “Boom” would be better than what we do now.
To get the ATL vibe hype right before the 4th quarter how about the Yung Joc “It’s Going Down” instrumental with Joc saying “It’s Going Down” only during the chorus, so we don’t offend any alumni or children’s ears.
John
May 26th, 2010
3:47 pm
I have alwaya loved being in Athens on Game Day. However, one negative thing that has increased exponentially in the past four or five years is the obscene conduct of too many fans, most of whom unfortunately are students. I don’t know whether it is because more games are at night and, therefore, fans are more intoxicated but it has become almost impossible for a parent to feel comfortable taking a child to Athens on Game Day. Last year’s Alabama game was the worst experience I have ever been through as a football fan. This needs to be changed by strict enforcement of alcohol and lewd behavior bans by stadium personnel.
Dawghater
May 26th, 2010
3:48 pm
UGA Game Day Traditions
- Drink as much BUD, PBR or Jack Daniels
- Show your axx and treat opposing fans with the class you don’t have
- Dress up in all black or some other reason that you think will make your team win
- Watch Alabama or Florida wipe your butt off the field
- Get Drunk some more after the game and come up with reasons why the refs cheated UGA out of a chance to win
david
May 26th, 2010
3:49 pm
The Blackout Part II
Not a fan of the band
May 26th, 2010
3:49 pm
golfman42,
I’ve been a season ticket holder since I got out of school and average going to 7-9 games a year. The band sucks.
studentsection
May 26th, 2010
3:50 pm
The biggest problem with Sanford right now is the way that the students are split up. The students will be your loudest, most obnoxious, and most intimidating group. You have to utilize them. Right now, students are in both endzones and the east 300 level. Move students together. Put all students on the lower level east/north side. This is the area that holds noise best. Hopefully, the alumni will take notice with the students’ lead and stand up to get loud. If not, we have one section we can surefire count on.
delaGATOR
May 26th, 2010
3:52 pm
Fans used to go crazy when the Redcoat Band played DIXIE!! 99% of the people agree that it should be resumed. Damn this P.C.
Glory Glory
May 26th, 2010
3:59 pm
I LOVE the Techies that jump on here screaming “irrelevant” at us. We are obviously irrelevant enough for them to care so much about us that they forget to buy tickets to their Thursday Night games.
Georgia Tech Football: Keeping the Thursday Night JV Tradition Alive.
Matt from Suwanee
May 26th, 2010
3:59 pm
Why all the Redcoat hate? The difference between UGA and schools like FSU and LSU (that also have great bands) is the fan’s involvement. It isn’t our band. It is our fans. We can do better.
1. Show up (and not so drunk that you can’t function)
2. Get there early and be loud during pregame.
3. Stay loud throughout the game (even louder on defense)
4. When the band does do a cheer… participate! Fan participation is why LSU fans are so loud.
Don’t blame what the band plays. If they play “mary had a little lamb”, then we should stand up and scream as loud as we can.
Hmmmm
May 26th, 2010
4:06 pm
You can’t beat Munson drooling all over himself and forgetting if changed his depends at halftime or not. Man, that’s tradition.
Hmmmm
May 26th, 2010
4:07 pm
he*
boots
May 26th, 2010
4:07 pm
Get the gator mug off the dawg ajc page. Please. As for the game-day experience, put out more trash cans, improve halftime, improve quality of the stadium (not just the box seats) by upgrading the food, bathrooms and entrance areas. Above all, WIN.
oldschooldog
May 26th, 2010
4:09 pm
Amen, Mike. And no repeat performances by the Redcoats. Sacrificing some “tightness” would be a welcome trade-off for new routines weekly. Go to Jax and/or to Auburn or SC where the band travels and you may see the same routine three times a year.
Arnie West
May 26th, 2010
4:09 pm
Yea “Teenage Wasteland” is terrible. Get that shot outta here!!
studentsection
May 26th, 2010
4:10 pm
@Matt,
We realize that the problem first and foremost is the fans. Most of our solutions is to hopefully have the redcoats appeal to the lazy @$$es. The band is central to any atmosphere. It’s not redcoat hate, but more redirected redcoat use.
Barry Morton
May 26th, 2010
4:11 pm
Attended a UT/UGA game in Knoxville a few years ago. UT Band marched down a street leading into the Stadium, playing Rocky Top, with the fans following behind the band. AWESOME.. UGA could improve this by combining the player’s DAWG WALK in front of the Band. Baxter or Lumpkin could accomodate. They could still turn into parking lot of present Dawg Walk.
studentsection
May 26th, 2010
4:12 pm
@Matt,
The problem is first and foremost with the fans. But the redcoats can help us out fixing that. Hopefully, the redcoats can appeal to all the lazy a$$es to get what we need–energy. I love the redcoats. The key is figuring out how to get more to love them.
halcott
May 26th, 2010
4:14 pm
Play DIXIE!!! The fans will love.
motosurf
May 26th, 2010
4:15 pm
The band doesn’t play any “call and response” type music for the fans to shout anything in unison.
I also agree that they get drowned out by the other team’s band quite often…but maybe that’s because of the type of music they play?
Reality Check
May 26th, 2010
4:15 pm
Nuke the stadium while filled to capacity. Do the world a favor and exterminate thousands of idiots.
SSIgator
May 26th, 2010
4:18 pm
Only went to one game there – 1995. My general impression was that I had never been to a stadium as quiet as Sanford. Sat on the alum side and it was like being in a movie theater. Everyone was watching, but very little participation. I don’t think it was because of the score. Iwould have thought the place would have been loud just because it was UF. Very weird.
Bob Dylan
May 26th, 2010
4:24 pm
The starting lineups should dance to LOLA at midfield before the game.
Scott W.
May 26th, 2010
4:27 pm
Lola is a Kink’s song, Bob.
Ace
May 26th, 2010
4:27 pm
One day UGA may make it back to the top 25.
bobby
May 26th, 2010
4:27 pm
I agree with halcott, play dixie and the fans will go bonkers!
Scott W.
May 26th, 2010
4:32 pm
Funny story, last year I was in the Alum section of Sanford during the AU game. I was screaming my head off for the first Auburn poss. After AU scores the lady in front of me says to me “Maybe you’ll beat Alabama.” I look at her dumbfounded and say “Mam, I’m a Georgia Fan.” To that she says “Well you where screaming so loud…I thought you were…”
Bob Dylan
May 26th, 2010
4:37 pm
I know Scott. It’s the lyrics that are appropriate for UGA
robodawg
May 26th, 2010
4:41 pm
I think they’ve got to bring tailgating back close in to the stadium, especially on the south and west sides. Time was when just the walk in to the stadium was festive and, well, thrilling. It set the stage for the stadium action to come. Excitement was in the air, because on every available plot of land you had tailgaters woofing and cheering (and taunting). Now you walk through a dead quiet no-man’s land. It’s deflating, and embarrassing really.
Bill W.
May 26th, 2010
4:41 pm
PLEASE REMOVE THE PIC OF TEBOW ON THE BARNHART BREAKS DOWN THE SEC EAST CAPTION!
One, two, free, fo, fi, dem der Gator don't take no jive!
May 26th, 2010
4:53 pm
I think the picture of Tebow adds a little color to the page…..along with some class, rings, trophies, etc.!!!!!!!
Does he really bother you folks that much?
motosurf
May 26th, 2010
5:06 pm
Robodawg, that is a very good point. I think you’re right.
Mike T.
May 26th, 2010
5:07 pm
GoGators!
Start a new tradition, beat the GATORS!
We have 47 times. Gators only won 39 times