It’s almost time for UGA fans to start tailgating … but where?
North Campus tailgating last year. (Photo by Bill King)
The Dogs scrimmaged Tuesday, my season tickets arrived, I sent off the check to reserve our spot at the church where we park and I made my reservation for the kickoff meeting of the Touchdown Club of Athens.
It’s starting to really feel like football season!
Aside from the annual shopping spree at the UGA Bookstore with my daughter next week, that pretty much takes care of my preseason preparations. But if you’re one of the folks who do tailgating in a major way (we don’t), you’ve got some issues to resolve thanks to the new restrictions, especially if you used to tailgate on the historic North Campus quads and Herty Field.
As you’ll recall, the university got fed up with the trashing of North Campus the past couple of seasons and decided to clamp down on tailgating there by issuing new rules that essentially allow nothing but low-key picnics in the area. Among the items no longer allowed are all the ingredients of first-class tailgating: tents, kegs, generators, televisions, amplified music, grills or cookers of any type, tables larger than 4 feet long and any furniture other than folding chairs. And you can’t set up more than four hours before game time.
For the purposes of these game day restrictions, North Campus is defined as the area bounded by Broad Street, Lumpkin Street, Baldwin Street and Jackson Street (including, but not limited to, the quadrangle between Broad Street and Old College, the quadrangle between Old College and the Main Library, and Herty Field).
Where will the folks who want to do more than spread a tablecloth on the ground go for their tailgating? I asked my nephew Al Skelton, whose tailgate party I wrote about last season. Al used to set up his tent near the UGA Chapel (and took his tailgating so seriously that he rarely bothered to actually go into the game, preferring to watch on one of the many big-screen TVs around him).
“That’s a good question,” Al said, “and I don’t think we’ve made a final decision yet. It’s disappointing that the spot we’ve been at for the last five years isn’t available anymore. It’s pretty much the only place I’ve tailgated. I think we’re torn pretty evenly between finding somewhere else on campus (although I don’t even know what the options are) or just tailgating in backyards here in Atlanta.”
What are the options? Well, they’re fairly limited. One of the reasons North Campus had become game day central was because the school banned sidewalk parking and built new buldings on some of the prime real estate where folks used to gather before a game. The fact that students are now into tailgating, formerly a pastime of alums, has added to the crunch.
But there are still places to tailgate in the old style. Once you get off North Campus, the Myers quadrangle has always had tailgating, sometimes getting pretty crowded, and that space will now be much more in demand. When my son lived in Reed Hall I was always surprised there wasn’t much tailgating in the quad there, and since that’s outside the North Campus restricted area, I’d expect that location will see more people setting up. The area along Lumpkin Street no doubt will be even more in demand than in the past. And East Campus already had a fair amount of tailgating and there’s probably room for more people there. It’s a bit out of the way and lacks the scenery of North Campus, but it’s not that bad a walk to the stadium.
It was obvious something needed to be done about tailgaters treating the university’s most historic area like a dump, and the crowding there last year had just about reached the gridlock level, but the case can be made that the UGA administration went too far in basically eliminating full-fledged tailgating on North Campus.
In fact, Athens resident Bruce Hendley did a pretty good job of laying out that case in an opinion piece in last Sunday’s Athens Banner-Herald, pointing out that moving the tailgating off North Campus won’t eliminate the littering problem and might just disperse the trash to other areas of campus. The shifting of folks off North Campus will probably hurt business in downtown Athens, he notes. And, he asks, why were tents and TVs banned from North Campus? How do they harm the area since they’re not left behind?
Said Hendley: “Here are things we know about tailgating: It’s only six days a year, and people come to Athens and spend money for the entire weekends surrounding those six days. The economy really needs those people right now. Why make it easier for alumni and fans to keep their tailgating and their money at home?”
He suggested allowing tailgating on North Campus and putting more police there to issue citations for littering.
My own take on all this: The new rules are probably an interim measure to clear the entrenched tailgaters out of North Campus. Eventually, tailgating will return to the area, but most likely on a paid basis, where you rent a space that’s already set up for you. Whatever company is hired to run the tailgating will ensure that no garbage is left behind, and UGA will make some money off the whole deal.
Sure, some of the charm of fan-run tailgating will be lost with a pay-to-play system. But the black eye that the garbage strewn everywhere after games was giving the university was anything but charming.
I’d love to hear from tailgaters about their plans for the coming season and your thoughts on the future of tailgating at UGA.
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139 comments Add your comment
Scott W.
August 11th, 2010
2:29 pm
With the rappin’!
Testing
August 11th, 2010
2:50 pm
Enter your comments here
RxDawg
August 11th, 2010
3:10 pm
An unfortunate and necessary evil.
Because of $, convienence, and time I keep my tailgating at home. It’s not what I want, but this alumni accepted that fact long ago.
Dawgtards ruin this state
August 11th, 2010
3:27 pm
Even Dawgtards make fun of shreveport. You play rap music to fire up the thugs you recruit.
Why Not?
August 11th, 2010
3:28 pm
Whay not jsut tailgate at the Clarke County landfill?
Afterall, UGag fans trashed the place last year.
Why not just tailgate over the landfill and
just leave the trash on the ground.
UGag fans cerainly showed they know how to do that pretty well.
Scott W.
August 11th, 2010
3:42 pm
I am so glad all the rival fans are on here with their suggestions of where to tailgate.
NYC Dawg
August 11th, 2010
3:47 pm
I’m gonna do my tailgating at the Village Pourhouse…
Dawg Stephen--PROUD TO BE A DAWG
August 11th, 2010
3:55 pm
Coach Mark Richt has never won a BCS National Championship. His teams have never even played for a BCS National Championship. He has a losing record against Florida. At times he seems to be the nice guy who sometimes isn’t as fiery as other coaches. That’s where the negativity stops.
Before Coach Richt, Georgia had NEVER been to the SEC championship game. Under Coach Richt, the dawgs have been 3 times and won twice.Before Coach Richt, Georgia hadnt won the SEC in 20 years. They now can claim 2002 and 2005 as “year of the dawg”
Before Coach Richt, Georgia had NEVER beaten a top 5 team on the road. In 2006, Georgia dismantled Auburn at home 38-15 and it wasnt even that close. Coach Richt even took a knee on Auburn’s 5 yard line despite my mom screaming “KICK IT!!! Hang 41 on them!!!”
Before Coach Richt, Georgia was 1-8 versus Tennessee since the SEC divided into East & West. Since Coach Richt, Georgia is 5-4.
Before Coach Richt, Georgia was in a 3 game losing streak to Georgia Tech. Since Coach Richt Georgia is 7-1 including the biggest win over Georgia Tech ever at 51-7 in 2002 and a 7 game winning streak. (Georgia’s biggest streak ever)
Before Coach Richt, Georgia had NEVER won in Tuscaloosa. Under Coach Richt, they are unbeaten.
Since he arrived, Georgia has not played for a National Championship. That is not Coach Mark Richt’s fault. In 2002, Georgia finished 13-1, only to see 2 unbeaten teams with much weaker schedules play in Tempe, Arizona. Georgia finished at #3. In 2007, a 2 loss Georgia team was skipped due to the human polls to allow a 2 loss LSU team to play for a NC. Georgia finished with a #2 ranking and an 11-2 record. But Georgia was in the national spotlight and in the argument. Something Georgia hadnt had in over 20 years. That was all before Coach Richt.
Here are a few more thoughts to ponder.
(1-)-His .770 winning percentage is 4th best among active coaches.
(2-)He is the longest tenured coach now in the SEC.
(3-) 6 out of 9 (including 7 of the last 9) times his teams have won 10 or more games, winning as many as 13 games in 2002.
(4-)He is a 2 time SEC Coach of the year.
(5-)He is 38-4 against Non-Conference opponents.
(6-)His teams are 33-5 when playing in an opponents home stadium.
(7-)In 25 years, Coach Dooley had 7 “10 win seasons”. In 8 years, Coach Richt has done that 6 times already.
(8-) Coach Richt has won 90 games in his first nine seasons. He is the ONLY Coach in SEC history to accomplish that feat. Not The Bear, not Saban, not Jordan, not Fulmer, not even Spurrier or even our beloved Coaches Dooley or Butts.
(9-) Coach Richt is 1 of only 5 SEC Coaches to record 4 STRAIGHT 10 win seasons.
These are the accomplishments on the field. The off the field accomplishments include the habitat for humanity work, the mission work in Honduras (Yes Tim, CMR does it too) , Camp Sunshine for children, and not to mention the wonderful things that Katherine does by his side.
Coach Richt is MY coach. He is the coach of MY team. I am very proud to have him. Coach Richt may not have his National Championship yet, but rest assured, he will.
How2fish
August 11th, 2010
3:57 pm
Tech Wrek still 8-1 and for the record I dated the last two good looking girls at Bugville and that was over 20 years ago….and you still with the same blow up doll…lmao..
Spike
August 11th, 2010
3:58 pm
I tailgate at 590 South Lumpkin Street. In Hoc,boys.
Spike
August 11th, 2010
4:03 pm
And Dr. Adams, you can kiss my….. too!!
Damon
August 11th, 2010
4:10 pm
Where are we to get drunk?
Adams will not allow us sidewalk non-alumni fans in his box.
HounDog
August 11th, 2010
4:15 pm
Since we are talking about old trash … can we finally trash the red pants, red jackets, the crazy red, white, and black plaids, etc. In general, thinking that looking obsurd is ok because its a game day.
DawgStyle
August 11th, 2010
4:25 pm
Dawg Stephen…GREAT JOB!!
smart like a Fox
August 11th, 2010
4:29 pm
who cares……
TallyDawg
August 11th, 2010
4:52 pm
No one tailgates at tech because they don’t get off their World of Warcraft sessions long enough to pee, much less watch a football game. Who would want to watch the bugs get bent over on a weekly basis anyway?
Moggs
August 11th, 2010
5:10 pm
Wow Dawg Stephen- I think I’ll cut-n-paste your comments and use them any time anybody says anything bad about the Dawgs. Love your blog by the way-
Beast from the East
August 11th, 2010
5:23 pm
Dawg Stephen,
Great post about Coach Richt. But to be fair, those other coaches did not play 12 game regular seasons and the Bear, Jordan, Dooley and Butts did not have a “13th” game because the SEC did not have an CG back then. That changes the perception on the 10 win season thing, as those guys would basically have to have gone 10-1 every year to have a 10 win season.
That being said, I agree that UGA has a good one in Coach Richt.
Evans:
August 11th, 2010
5:24 pm
Behind the doublewides with Darm’s red panties. It’s panty party and all the mutt fans will attend.
Blowfish:
August 11th, 2010
5:25 pm
Hey howtofish: I still say they are better looking than the skank chick your sorry azz AD was with when he was busted for DUI! Just remember, if you drink and drive you lose……………so……………your all LOSERS!
UGAIII
August 11th, 2010
5:27 pm
Please don’t kill me this year like you did my relative. I don’t think I can handle another aweful season. Just give me a bowl of water and a bag of ice for my nads, and I should be ok.
Jay
August 11th, 2010
6:02 pm
It’s the excessive alcohol that is ruining the entire game experience.
Ed
August 11th, 2010
6:25 pm
After-game cleanup efforts in the swamp also included picking up peroxide bottles. Nothing says UF quite like bleached-blonde hair and orange t-shirts, especially on an aging, leathered-skin woman who remembers the pre-1990s abyss all too well (and is no humbler for the experience).
Nothing except jorts, mullets, and Natural Light, of course.
Win or lose, they’re still Gators and they’re still tacky.
Hobnail Boot
August 11th, 2010
6:25 pm
Going to be hard to tailgate becasue of the early games. We may need to cook B-Fast at the first few games. We tailgate on Oak St right across the river. Our tailgate grew from Six people to over Seventy five for a big game. All I do is spend my entire day cooking. I am ready to tone it back some and down size a little. We do have a great time but it is a lot of work.
Hobnail Boot
August 11th, 2010
6:30 pm
Great post Stephen Dawg. Do you do taxes?
Gratefuldawghead
August 11th, 2010
6:33 pm
Hobnail Boot …So what time do I show up for B-Fast
Hobnail Boot
August 11th, 2010
6:36 pm
We get there early. Show up and I will fix you a big bowl of Shrimp and cheese grits. Come on over.
Gratefuldawghead
August 11th, 2010
6:39 pm
Shrimp and Cheese grits….AWSOME! I have been tailgating with the wrong people!!!!
GO DAWGS!
btgt69
August 11th, 2010
6:50 pm
how about Clarke County jail ,, that’s where the players are
Ed
August 11th, 2010
6:56 pm
Beast, I’m with you on the 10-win season analysis. Use to be that three losses in a season made winning 10 games impossible – now, four losses doesn’t necessarily prevent a ten-win season. The new benchmark for sustained greatness should be 11-win seasons.
I was completely sold on Richt through ‘07, but the past two seasons have made me rethink his place among the top coaches. Good coaches (forget great coaches) don’t get their rear ends handed to them in rivalry games in back to back years (UF).
Heck, forget the last two Florida games. At least those teams were really good teams quarterbacked by one of the all-time elite college players…how do we justify getting beat by 26 to a 6-loss Tennessee team? Second blowout loss in as many trips to Knoxville. That makes at least 4 games in the last three years, including Alabama in ‘07 (let’s face it, the final score was a little deceptive) in which Georgia got completely outclassed. Other than the ‘03 SEC Championship game, I can’t think of another instance where that happened the first four years under Richt. Even that game was competitive for the first three quarters.
I think it’s fair for Georgia fans to start wondering if Richt knows what he’s doing without guys like Van Gorder and Calloway around. 2010 will be an important year for him.
Ed
August 11th, 2010
6:59 pm
Correction: We beat Alabama in ‘07. I meant the 2008 game, when we got down 31-0 before the seats were warm.
And Jerry Mathers as the Beaver
August 11th, 2010
7:00 pm
Beav: Hey Wally, what’s the Joke by Coke?
Wally: That’s Georgia Tech. Geez Beav, don’t you know anything?
B; Gee Wally. I was just askin. Don’t treat me like Lumpy!
W: Beav, shut it or I’ll sick Edward Haskell on you!
Beast from the East
August 11th, 2010
7:05 pm
Ed,
I think Richt has “earned” a little latitude. Yes, the last 2 years his teams have underachieved, but he seems to have a renewed energy this season. UGA certainly has tons of talent of the offensive side this year. Coupled with a new voice of the defensive side and I think they’ll be greatly improved. I’d be very surprised if my Gators walked away with a blowout win in Jax again this year. I expect a close game with turnovers being the deciding factor.
IF he has another lackluster year, then the rumblings will surely get louder. I don’t expect it will come to that though.
Best of luck this year!
Delbert D.
August 11th, 2010
7:11 pm
Another candidate for the Heistman Trophy: FSU starting LB Nigel Carr. He was was “arrested on July 25 on felony charges related to two auto burglaries. It was the first time a FSU football player had been arrested since Fisher took over for Bobby Bowden in January.”
Quote from Andy Johnston’s AJC blog today.
beatdowns galore
August 11th, 2010
7:32 pm
Looks like Dawgstephen has a man crush on Mark Richt……
Ron
August 11th, 2010
7:35 pm
Anywhere’s a great place for a drunken idiot.
Ed
August 11th, 2010
7:37 pm
Very gracious of you Beast of the East, thanks. Not to beat a dead horse, but here’s the box score from last year’s debacle at Tennessee: http://espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=292832633
UGA was completely outclassed by every key measure: final score, total yards, passing, rushing, turnovers. This against a team that otherwise went 6-6 that year with a schedule that included a couple of nonconference cupcakes.
Richt better get the mojo of his first four years back if he wants another four. I’m pulling for him, but would be lying if I said I wasn’t highly skeptical at this point.
Huey Dewey
August 11th, 2010
7:40 pm
Sorry But Im not attending the Thug rap concerts at Sanford Stadium this year. I will watch some real college football on my 42 inch.
NO LINDSEY SCOTT,NO 1980 TITLE MUTTS
August 11th, 2010
7:51 pm
PLEASE UGAG DONT KILL ANYMORE PROFESSORS,AND EVERYBODY BRING THEIR REDPANTIES!
NO LINDSEY SCOTT,NO 1980 TITLE MUTTS
August 11th, 2010
7:53 pm
KIRBY SMART OR WILL MUSCHAMP ARE YOU READING THESE BLOGS,THE ALUM WILL BE CALLING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR IF MARK RICHT IS 6-6?
Dogit
August 11th, 2010
7:58 pm
will red panties be considered trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sugar Hill Dawg
August 11th, 2010
8:08 pm
Since my boys are at Auburn, I only get to tailgate in Athens once every two years – really enjoyed last year’s trip to Athens! I tailgate on Samford Drive across from the band building – not too far from Jordan – Hare. I have to admit the tailgate experience at Auburn is much more pleasant than the experience in Athens lately. I was at UGA 71 – 75, had season tickets until my oldest was born (1990), so its been a while since I made the weekly trek to Athens from good old Gwinnett County! It now seems like we’d be denied our old spot (the small lot next to the Main Library, kinda between Park Hall, the Business School and the Main Library). I think there’s a building there now. I sure miss those great times!
corkylikesbeer
August 11th, 2010
8:55 pm
cant spell sugar without uga…go dawgs…
RV Parking
August 11th, 2010
9:06 pm
RV Parking, 3/4 mile from Gate 1. 651 W Broad Street, between Pope & Finley. Plenty of space for 2 RV’s and room to tailgate. $400/game. email rv.651wbroad@spamgourmet.com for more information.
beets
August 11th, 2010
9:23 pm
when i used to tailgate.. we would smoke grass in the adjacent building, urinate any place we could, and just go crazy.. this was waaaay back in 00-03…
ugag is irrelevant
August 11th, 2010
9:25 pm
bring the dumpster from your trailer park and you can dump it right there where you park … how convenient for athens to offer such a public service
Dan
August 11th, 2010
9:25 pm
Thank to the so called “necessary restrictions”, imposed by our dear, Mr. Adams, my family no longer even attends games at UGA -after doing so as alums and financial supporters of the University for decades and generations…UGA will NEVER be Princeton Mr. A…don’t even!!! Hope you enjoy seeing the declining numbers of football supporters and financial supporters as you carve your place in UGA history! We are fed up, and will watch from our tailgate parties at home, Thank You…It WAS a great school and tradition…
Mike Oxbig
August 11th, 2010
9:28 pm
Huey Dewey- the only thing 42 inches that you have in your house is your wife’s dress size
Tom, Resident Georgia Fan
August 11th, 2010
9:44 pm
Bill, do you tailgate up at North Oconee Methodist Church going out of town past the Blind Pig?
Betty Boop
August 11th, 2010
10:00 pm
Just look for the red panties marking the approved tailgating areas.