RECAPS 2000

The 2000 tailgating season closed with the Ravens/Broncos AFC Wild Card Game.
It was Baltimore's first home playoff game since 1977.

Sept. 2, 2000: Temple 17, Navy 6
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Md.

Paul and Neil kicked off the breakthrough year for the A-Game with their first and last Navy game in Annapolis. We battled the rain to get ready for Navy and Temple. The Terps were playing Temple the next week so we figured we’d go scout the Owls. We graduated from subs to grilled Italian sausages and chicken courtesy of a new Coleman grill purchased during the offseason. It worked as predicted and several longtime Navy fans stopped by to comment on how good the food looked and smelled. The grill was one of several upgrades to our tailgate. The game was an absolute bore as Temple had no problem shutting down the Mids’ high school Wing-T offense. The Navy fans made the stadium resemble a library and we vowed never to do a game there again.
Record: 9-12

Sept. 9, 2000: Maryland 17, Temple 10
Byrd Stadium, College Park, Md.

The flagpole, one of several A-Game upgrades for 2000, debuted at the Terps' home opener vs. Temple on Sept. 9.

The team expands with Paul and Neil welcoming Craig Hall and Kristine as season-ticket holders. We joined the Terrapin Club and secured a Lot 1 parking pass so we could tailgate with the best Terp fans. We debuted a new 10-foot flag pole and proudly raised the Maryland state flag as soon as we arrived, about 3 1/2 hours before kickoff. We also broke in a new red-covered table and several new tailgating chairs, and the Brats-N-Beer made their first appearance. Guests included Stefanie, Brooke, Carolina Terp representative Becca, and Julie as attendance approached 20 for one of the best tailgate parties ever. We established ourselves in Lot 1 as an up-and-coming tailgate crew. With optimism high entering Ron Vanderlinden’s fourth year as coach, 46,950 filled Byrd and Paul and Neil forgot where they were for a minute. That also may have been due to our new digs in section 7. The Terps struggled, and if not for Brooks Barnard’s booming punts, it could’ve been disastrous.
Record: 10-12

Sept. 10, 2000: Ravens 39, Jacksonville 36
PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Md.

The second tailgate in as many days included Paul, Neil, and Kristine, and future A-Gamers Ralph and Mike, fellow SSU alums. This time, a Ravens flag was flying high above The Colt and we again fought off 90-degree heat with plenty of beer and sausages. Inside, the Ravens started their Super Bowl quest by ending an eight-game losing streak to Jacksonville with an amazing come-from-behind win. Tony Banks found Shannon Sharpe for the winning score with under a minute left and the place exploded.
Record: 11-12

Sept. 16, 2000: West Virginia 30, Maryland 17
Mountaineer Field, Morgantown, W.Va.

The first of now regular trips to Morgantown for the Terps and WVU.

This Ravens game was the second tailgate in two days sixth of seven in September 2000.

The second half of yet another weekend doubleheader tailgate proved to be the better party. Ralph and Mike and some other Salisbury alums joined us, as did SSU staffers Tim, Margie, and Wayno. Attendance broke double digits and the three regulars showed no signs of Saturday’s hangover. Craig Hall brought the woman for the first time and she appeared to have fun. No need to mention the game as we were playing the Bengals.
Record: 13-13

Sept. 28, 2000: Florida State 59, Maryland 7
Byrd Stadium, College Park, Md.

An incredible tailgating month, which featured seven tailgate parties in 26 days, closes with a dud as Florida State embarrasses the Terps on Thursday Night ESPN. The day started ominously as Neil Hall called in sick, but Craig Lestner did an admirable job off the bench bringing some fine cigars. Brooke and Elysa joined us, as did 47,000 others, but the game was such an embarrassment that we had to leave early.
Record: 13-14

Oct. 7, 2000: Virginia 31, Maryland 23
Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, Va.

Stefanie joins Paul on a road trip to Whoville. We did a good job arriving early enough to establish the Maryland section in the lot. Kudos to the woman for actually being ready to leave by the prescribed 6 a.m. departure time. Stef has a good arm and showed she hasn’t lost too much of her Powder Puff skills. Inside, the Terps fell behind early and couldn’t quite get out of the hole in the loss.
Record: 13-15

Oct. 21, 2000: Maryland 37, Wake Forest 7
Byrd Stadium, College Park, Md.

Craig Hall, Kristine, and Paul celebrate the first “A-Game” reference vs. Wake.

Back on our home lot, the crew welcomes Paul O. and Scott up from Salisbury for Homecoming vs. Wake. A momentous occasion as we first coin the phrase “A-Game.” The comment was made regarding the Brats. It exploded from there. Attendance drops to 26,544 as it’s clear Vandy isn’t getting the job done.
Record: 14-15

Oct. 22, 2000: Tennessee 14, Ravens 6
PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Md.

Kristine treats Dad and boyfriend to a game, and Julie C. also joins Paul, Neil and Craig Lestner for the Ravens-Titans showdown. The rivalry developed into one of the best in the NFL. Due to excessive complaints from our livers, this is the last doubleheader tailgate weekend.
Record: 14-16

Nov. 4, 2000: Maryland 35, N.C. State 28 (2ot)
Byrd Stadium, College Park, Md.

Team A-Game before the rest of the party arrives for the N.C. State classic.

Arriving a full four hours prior to the 3:30 kickoff with N.C. State, the A-Game crew prepared for what turned out to be one of the best tailgates of the season. The four regulars were joined Salisbury alumni-turned-Terp fans Mike, Jan, and two Julies and friends. The temperature dropped as the afternoon progressed, turning into great football weather. We all got in a full compliment of Brats, Italian Sausages, beer and chips with several kinds of dip. The crowd was juiced because we were going for a fifth win, closer to bowl eligibility. We got it in classic fashion, rallying from a 21-6 halftime deficit to tie the game and force overtime behind the heroics of Shaun "A-Game" Hill. After the teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime, Hill scored on a QB sneak and the Terps’ D kept Philip Rivers and State out of the endzone for Ron Vanderlinden’s biggest win as coach. The crowd rushed the field to celebrate the classic upset. B-game to Paul for incorrectly setting the VCR at home, thus missing out on the timeless replays.
Record: 15-16

Nov. 11, 2000: Salisbury 18, Frostburg 8
RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Your 2000 SSU Alumni Association Tailgating Champions at the Regents Cup at RFK Stadium.

A-Gamers Paul and Craig were the first fans to arrive at RFK for the second annual Regents Cup Game. We even beat the parking attendants there and had to circle around the stadium for an open entrance to the lot. After grabbing a sweet spot in front of a grassy knoll, we raised a new custom-made, maroon and gold Salisbury flag, which served as a beacon for all the Sea Gull alumni and fans. Not long after, Ralph and Mike joined us, and soon once again the tailgate party grew to one big alumni gathering. Among the legions of Sea Gulls were Jessica and Ethan, Dave, Julie C, and others, and the party turned into high gear when legendary Ralph Murray arrived. The A-Game, passed over by the judges in the 1999 inaugural SSU Alumni Association Tailgating Contest, exacted some revenge, winning the contest thanks to a spirited display of maroon and gold and of course the best food and drinks the judges had ever had. You cannot compete with a properly prepared Bratwurst. Inside, the Sea Gulls got their own revenge for ’99, pounding Frostburg 18-8 to bring the Regents Cup home to the Eastern Shore. After the game, much of the pro-Sea Gull crowd of 3,100 returned to the lot to continue the party. Paul and Craig continued until the lot emptied out, then finally after sunset decided it was time to go home.
Record: 16-16

Nov. 18, 2000: Georgia Tech 35, Maryland 22
Byrd Stadium, College Park, Md.

At 5-5 and pleading for a bowl game, all of 24,701 fans showed up to support the Terps in the cold, which was the best part about the day as even the Coleman grill b-gamed us temporarily. The game was over by halftime and Vandy was fired two days later.
Record: 16-17

Dec. 10, 2000: Ravens 24, San Diego 3
PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Md.

An excellent cold weather tailgate as Craig, Kristine, Neil and Paul, and some friends, partied hard before the Ravens beat up on the Chargers to clinch their first-ever playoff spot. We drank extra hard and were rewarded with some freezing rain and sleet inside the game.
Record: 17-17

Dec. 31, 2000: Ravens 21, Denver 3
PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Md.

The A-Game Tailgate in playoff form as the Ravens hosted the Broncos on a cold New Year's Eve.

The first home playoff game in Baltimore since 1977 brought out the best in the A-Game. We overcame some early bumps, including the unfortunate absence of Neil Hall, some frozen beer we had to thaw, and an early 12:30 kickoff which cut into tailgating time, to host a terrific cold weather tailgate. Paul, both Craigs, and Kristine anchored the party, which once again included Ralph and Mike. Sam made his first appearance at an A-Game, as did homeboy Dave from Owings Mills. Today we found out that there is nothing finer that biting into a steaming hot Bratwurst on a cold day, and watching the steam come out of your mouth as you keep your mouth open because the Brat is so hot and the beer juices dribble out the side of your mouth. A-Game to Ravens fans for filling up the lot off Pratt and Paca early. The stadium rocked at deafening levels all day and the Ravens began their Super Bowl march by pounding media-darling Denver 21-3. An A-Game way to close out an A-Game tailgating year that saw us throw 14 tailgate parties, post a 9-5 record, and finally get our overall record above .500 for the first time in a long time at 18-17.
Record: 18-17
Note: We didn’t know it at the time, but this would be the final tailgate party with The Colt. Long live The Colt.