This year has been no different. The weekend started, as it always does this time of year, on Thursday night. My friend Brent had a buddy coming through town who, like Brent and I, is a connoisseur of all things gastronomical. I met Brent and his girlfriend, Amanda, at their house around 6, and we enjoyed a cocktail. Gin, white grape juice, and fresh basil has been our go-to summer cocktail, and we decided to have one last round before the leaves change. Brent’s friend, Scruggs, arrived from Memphis, and we went to the Crown & Goose in the Old City. After a few beers at the bar, we ordered dinner. Venison and blueberry sausage with mashed potatoes and braised chard was my dinner. It was fantastic. Go there and get it.
After dinner we went to Preservation Pub for a few beers and then to our “on the way home” spot, Sidestreet Tavern. Being Thursday, it was karaoke night at Sidestreet. This actually means that there is a karaoke machine, complete with DJ and his girlfriend, singing the newest Nashville hits back and forth to themselves. We decided to give it a go. Scruggs sang about Memphis, Brent wowed the crowd of 7 with “Gin & Juice”(quite fitting) and I belted the song that made Bret Michaels famous to great acclaim and gusto.
It gets a bit hazy here, but the night ended up with Scruggs and I playing guitar on my back porch and cooking something. I think pork bellies were involved.
One of my favorite things about football time is Friday afternoon. Tom and I have a long tradition of having lunch on Friday, and then going to stock liquor in my uncle’s Skybox. It’s really just an excuse to sit in an empty Neyland Stadium, have a day drink, and listen to the whispers of Volunteers past. Normally, we have dined at Hooter’s, but this year have decided to change venues to OCI. Tom ended up getting a case of the Friday stomach flu, so he couldn’t join me for lunch. I met a couple of liked minded Vol fans and they joined me in the Box. It was beautiful as always.
Dinner was braised pork tacos at my house. I had some friends coming in town and we hung out on my porch while enjoying cocktails, beers, and pork fat. We decided to not to go out Friday so that we could be fresh for Gameday. Two hours later, after returning from Rooster’s, my friend, Leslie and I decided to watch “Arthur,” my favorite movie. If you haven’t seen it recently, watch it. The first 45 minutes are some of the best one liners in cinema.
I woke up furious at 10 am on Gameday. Furious that I had slept so late, and furious that I woke up to Nick Saban’s voice on ESPN. After a quick shower, some power claps, and a Mexican coke, I was ready to go. After I got dressed, my friends Clay and Josh arrived from Nashville. Clay is one of the biggest Vol fans I know; Josh is one of the funniest people I know; together they are the perfect storm. I refer to them as Hurricane McCord, since Clay usually drives. After Hurricane McCord made landfall at Tomache, we loaded up and headed to the tailgate.
We have friends with great parking passes that give us access to the best tailgating spots on campus. Four tents set up on a lovely grassy knoll, under hundred year trees, two blocks from the Stadium. We dropped off our cooler and went to park the car. As Leslie and I walked out of parking garage, I looked up and saw the back of the Jumbotron. I gaze up and the power T and Eric Berry’s lovely eyes. As I stood there in splendor, I smelled hickory smoke wafting on the first cool breeze in over 4 months. I cried.
Upon arrival at the tailgate, I shook hands with the 30 people that I will spend the next 6 home weekends with and grabbed an ice cold High Life. Ribs and venison jerky were on the food table along with an assortment of dips and snacks. The requisite contribution form the wives and girlfriends. The meat is always prepared by men. It is the SoDec way. I soon walked down to Tom’s tailgate, closer to the stadium, and discussed the upcoming season with my father and cousin. I am more optimistic than they.
As kickoff approached, we made our way in to the cathedral that is Neyland Stadium. Long story short, Vols win.
After the 50-0 win, we made our way to the Clay’s truck only to find that Hurricane McCord had blown back to Nashville, leaving Leslie and I stranded on campus. Luckily, I have a lot of friends in this fair city. After a couple of phone calls, I had secured us not only a ride home, but several beers and pizza rolls in the mean time. Thanks, Spurge. Go Big Orange.
Leftover tacos, High Life, Negronis, hammock, sleep.
Sunday started with the usual post game sluggishness, but I still managed to pull up my boot straps and I went to meet some friends at Barley’s. I soon realized that sitting at a bar on Sunday afternoon was not what I wanted to do. I ordered Chandler’s delivery to my house and returned to Tomache. In no time I was elbow deep in ribs and fried chicken. Fried okra flew about face like birdseed at a wedding. I think I actually snorted some mac & cheese.
A few minutes later I received a text from Brent telling me that I should bring the croquet set to Twon’s house. Twon has a great porch and back yard. Nearly as decadent as mine, but better suited for the type of blue blood games that we enjoy so much. Being fully satisfied on the best blick food in town, I loaded up the mallets and headed west. Before long we were engulfed in a very intense croquet match, followed by several more. Twon decided to dawn white pants, white Polo, and briefly a white sweater vest. This is a fantastic of example of SoDec.
After a few hours of croquet, it was time to make a move. It was Boomsday after all. I made my way downtown to Spurge’s houseboat to watch the fireworks from the water. I was late. I watched the fireworks as I tried to find a way down to the marina. Most of the streets were blocked or turned into one-ways. My trek was illuminated by the bright flashes of the nation’s largest firework show, and the deafening report was similar to Dunkirk, I imagined. I finally found my way down to the river, having only broken one traffic law( I think.) There was a good crew on the Moonspinner and a good time was had by all until the early morning. After a lift home, I went to bed with a heavy head.
Next Week: Oregon
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