RECAPS 1999
Sept. 2, 1999: Maryland 6, Temple 0 We found some fellow Terp tailgaters wedged into a lot in downtown Philly. Never did see any Temple fans, though a few managed to trickle into the hole that is Franklin Field. We enjoyed some overrated Philly cheesestakes and good conversation with Terp fans from Bel Air. Shamefully, the game went down to the last play. Sept. 18, 1999: Maryland 33, West Virginia 0 Paul and Neil return to the original scene of the crime in their first year as season-ticket holders. With subs, beer, a football, radio, and some chairs, we had a great tailgate in Lot 4. Inside, the Terps laid about as bad a beating you can lay on someone, spanking a cocky WVU team 33-0 with 33,169 crazies that rushed the field afterwards. Sept. 19, 1999: Steelers 23, Ravens 20 In the first-ever weekend doubleheader tailgate, Paul managed to recover from Saturday’s Maryland-West Virginia game in time to meet Kristine downtown to see the Ravens battle the Squeelers. A hangover and 90-degree heat did not stop the beer from flowing yet again. Stoney Case rallied the Ravens to tie late, but poor special teams play allowed the thugs from Pittsburgh to escape with the win. Oct. 16, 1999: Clemson 42, Maryland 30
Paul and Neil get to the traditionally empty Lot 4 early and make the best party that no one sees. Good subs, good tunes and plenty of room to throw deep. Eventually some other fans show up and Brooke visits us for the first time, mainly to pick up some beer to take back to her dorm room. LaMont Jordan scores four touchdowns to single-handedly keep the Terps in it, but the game was the coming out party for Clemson QB Woody Dantzler, who ran and passed the Tigers to the win before the same 34,000 that seemed to come to every game. Oct. 21, 1999: Chiefs 35, Ravens 8 In the second tailgate in five days, Paul and Neil both leave work early to meet on Pratt and Paca for ESPN’s Thursday night special. The drinking started in the lot and didn’t stop when the game started. It may have been the single drunkest game ever, and it needed to be to soften the pain of watching the Ravens play. Hero-now-goat Stoney Case gets two INTs returned for scores. Only highlight of the game was the Chiefs fans throwing peanuts at us in the middle of a blurred second half. Paul ate them. Neil threw them back. Oct. 23, 1999: Maryland 45, North Carolina 7 Paul and Neil salvage the last of the three tailgates in one week by partying in a cold Lot 4 prior to the Terps’ 45-7 punking of UNC. The Tar Heel band unloaded and got dressed next to us and we booed them mercilessly, except for the hotties. It was 24-0 at the end of the first quarter. The only thing left to do was rip the students for not showing up to see it. Pathetic attendance of 27,077 to see the Terps improve to 5-2. Oct. 30, 1999: Dook 25, Maryland 22
One of the best-looking tailgates with Brooke, Elysa, and Carrie stepping up to join Paul, Neil and Craig Lestner. A good party but someone didn’t tell UM fans it was homecoming as Lot 4 was its usual barren self and only 30,222 showed up at the game. We were gunning for our sixth win and bowl eligibility, but the Dookies inexcusably scored late to win, and the Terps never, ever got that sixth win. Nov. 13, 1999: Frostburg 23, Salisbury 22
The inaugural Regents Cup Game ranks as one of the top five tailgates ever. Neil joined Paul and a host of other Salisbury alumni in downtown Baltimore to get ready for the annual Maryland Division III grudge match between Salisbury and Frostburg. For the first time, the teams were playing at a neutral site 2 1/2 hours from each school, and they were meeting on the last day of the regular season, the traditional rivalry day in college football. The parking lot was one big party, with alumni from both schools giving it a homecoming feel. A crowd of 5,192 attended the game, largest in the history of the series. Four lead changes in the fourth quarter made the game a classic, and the Gulls would’ve stolen the show if they’d hit on a 40-plus-yard field goal as time expired. It was a fitting start to the newest chapter in a three-decade old cross-state rivalry. Nov. 20, 1999: Virginia 34, Maryland 30 Tired of partying with the same six cars in Lot 4, Paul and Neil agree to meet Brooke in Lot 2 to tailgate for the UVa game with bowl eligibility on the line. A solid tailgate with the UM students. The game was a nightmare. LaMont Jordan again single-handedly kept Maryland in it with 306 yards rushing, but the Terps could not run out the clock with the late lead, and Virginia marched the length of the field in the last minute to steal the win and keep the Terps out of a bowl, again. The fans were all set to storm the field when Billy McMullen outjumped Tony Okanlawon for the Hoos’ winning score with 25 seconds left. Nov. 28, 1999: Jacksonville 30, Ravens 23 Tim and Scott come up from Salisbury to join Paul, his date, Craig Lestner, and Kristine. A great tailgate in the usual downtown lot despite cold temperatures. Inside the stadium Timmy once again proved he can hang with us anytime, downing beer after beer to force a removal of the shirt and the donning of a purple wig. Paul’s date proved useful in using her coat to get cans of Budweiser inside the stadium, but then saw fit to take a nap during the game. That was her last appearance as a guest. As per the norm, the Ravens lost a close one to the Jags. Dec. 19, 1999: Ravens 31, Saints 8
Paul, Neil, Brooke and Kristine closed out the 1999 tailgating season in style with a very nice cold weather tailgate before the Ravens’ beating of the Saints. Santa Claus even stopped by to party.
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