RECAPS 2001
Sept. 1, 2001: Maryland 23, North Carolina 7
The 2001 tailgating season started on an ominous note when it was learned that The Colt had passed away a week prior to kickoff. It was a sad occasion but the A-Game was expanding and needed a new vehicle anyway. We called the Starship Lumina from the bullpen to transport us to campus and it did an admirable job, getting us there prior to the 8 a.m. opening of Lot 1, where we were promptly denied by the UMd. Fun Police. The scenario would repeat itself often this season. Once inside Lot 1, we had to find a new home thanks again to Terrapin Club re-assigning parking spaces. None of that deterred us though, as we were fired up for the start of the Ralph Friedgen Era at Maryland. The alumnus had come back to coach, and after a decade of losing we were ready to try anything. Debuting a new A-Game sign and raising the traditional Maryland flag, a good contingent of regulars and extras rung in the new era with Brats, Brats, and more Brats. We also participated in the new Terp Alley and welcomed our new coach with great fanfare. Inside, we thought we’d be in for the same old Terps however. Carolina scored on its first offensive play, prompting the Team to look at each other and say, “Here we go again.” But the new-attitude Terps rallied, and set the tone for the season by shutting down the Tar Holes the rest of the way, 23-7, before an energized crowd of 44,080. After the game, the team high-tailed it over to our corner of the field and we began a new tradition by belting out the Victory Song. A great way to kickoff a new season and a new era of Maryland Football. Only b-game was some Carolina fan stole our flag at some point during the game. An APB is still out for that guy. Sept. 8, 2001: Maryland 50, Eastern Michigan 3
Paul was debacled severely for missing his first game of the season ticket era due to a wedding. The Hall Brothers and Kristine carried the torch without missing a beat however, as the Celica made its first appearance in Lot 1, and the Weber performed up to par. A 50-3 steamrolling over E-M-Who put the Terps at 2-0 and got Team A-Game its 20th career win. Sept. 22, 2001: Maryland 27, Wake Forest 20
Perhaps the ultimate tailgating vehicle, the Rav, made its debut on the road for Team A-Game’s first of several road trips of 2001. The Team made the trip and linked up with Becca Lestner, chair of the Carolina Contingent of Terp Fans. About 15 of us were probably the only group of tailgaters in the lot across the street from the stadium – par for the course as far as Wake Forest football is concerned. With the Maryland flag flying high and dying our hair red, we were joined by a veteran Terp fan who vividly recalled Maryland’s 1953 national championship. No one can remember his name, but he was a jolly old fellow who seemed right at home with a beer in one hand and a Brat in the other. Who isn’t? Inside the glorified high school stadium that is Groves, where two-third of the Deacon fans come dressed as gold bleachers, the Terps got another important early-season ACC win as Bruce Perry rushed for 270 yards and two touchdowns. The Terps’ 2-0 conference record put them in first place – the first time anyone’s said that in [insert favorite double-digit number here] years. It should be noted that at this tailgate Neil laid such a blind-side, sucker hit on Paul that even officials in Charlottesville threw a flag. Beer went all over the state flag, which was unacceptable. Sept. 29, 2001: Maryland 32, West Virginia 20 With Paul missing his second game in three weeks due to a wedding, the Hall Brothers and Kristine again led the A-Game, and reported to Paul that he missed a great deal of the A-Game that WVU brought with. Unfortunately none of the Team members brought a camera to capture the A-Game for The Album. Tradition has it that on the rare occasions the Terps have started 3-0 over the last 20 years, they improve to 4-0 with a win over the ‘Eers. The tradition holds to form today as Maryland forces six turnovers to beat back WVU 32-20 before another 40,000-plus crowd. The win gets the Terps their first Top 25 ranking in [insert random number here] years. Oct. 6, 2001: Maryland 41, Virginia 21
The Terps hadn’t beaten Virginia in 10 years, and Paul and Craig Hall were so fired up about it that we tried to get into Lot 1 at shortly after 7 a.m. for the noon kickoff. Pulling up to the entrance in front of Cole Field House, the UMd. Fun Police promptly denied us admittance. Refusing to accept a delay in the celebration of a Maryland Football Gameday, we opened up the Rav, turned up the tunes, plopped down some chairs, cracked open some cold ones and feasted on chips and dip. This began the tradition of The Pretailgate – the warmup tailgate in front of Cole prior to the regular tailgate, while waiting for the idiot campus police to let valid permit holders into the lot. Finally at 8 a.m. they let us in, and we set up as Mother Nature treated us to weather. In a matter of minutes, the sun disappeared, the sky got dark, the wind started howling and the heavens opened up. You could literally see the front coming through. Of course nothing can stop an A-Game Tailgate as the Team threw on some ponchos and kept the party going in the face of what would later be known as the Cold Front Game. Perhaps it was the front, or maybe it was the Fun Police, but something got C-Hall to a new level of fired-up-ness as evidenced by the pictures in the Album. The skies eventually cleared and the Team enjoyed another great tailgate. Inside, we exorcised a decade of frustration and continued the Fridge’s Revenge Tour of 2001 by spanking Virginia 41-21. Next up, Thursday Night ESPN at Georgia Tech. Oct. 20, 2001: Maryland 59, Dook 17
Sky-high following the Terps’ dramatic 20-17 overtime win at Georgia Tech on Thursday Night ESPN, Paul and Craig Hall again arrived early to the College Park campus and were stunned when the Fun Police actually admitted us into Lot 1 before the schedule 9 a.m. opening. About damn time. Maryland had become bowl eligible and would surely improve to 7-0 against the lowly Dookies. The Pretailgate was enjoyed in the official spot in Lot 1b with a great sunrise and cool, crisp autumn weather. As the tailgate continued the Team was joined by Elysa and Jessica, which added a needed quotient of A-Game. Several members of A.J.’s crew also stopped by and helped us postgame after the 59-17 spanking until all the food was gone. Nov. 3, 2001: Maryland 47, Troy State 14
The unbeaten season had ended in a tough loss at Florida State, but that did not squash the momentum of what was turning into The Dream Season. Again the Fun Police permitted Team A-Game to enter, and we held a proper Pretailgate while attempting to wake up some of the student parking attendants who were still hungover from last night. Craig Lestner and Big Mike Keller helped us battle some rain as the A-Game prepared to keep its own unbeaten season alive. Troy State proved no match as Maryland got back on the winning track in preparation for an ACC showdown with Clemson next week. Nov. 10, 2001: Doubleheader Day
...followed by the Terps and Clemson nightcap on ESPN2... In the first-ever Tailgate Doubleheader for Team A-Game, Paul and Craig Hall again arrived early in the a.m. at the parking lots of RFK Stadium for the third annual Regents Cup Game for Salisbury vs. Frostburg. Again we had to wait for security to let us in. But once inside, we enjoyed a full tailgate with Ralph Murray and Tim from Salisbury joining Ralph Lusby and chica to help the Team defend its Salisbury Alumni Tailgating Contest Championship. It was another big win for the A-Game, and after claiming the prize, we headed through D.C.’s finest neighborhoods to arrive in College Park at 1:30 p.m. for another full tailgate for the Terps’ 7 p.m. showdown with Clemson. Mother Nature again treated us to excellent weather, and the Team was joined by future A-Gamers Craig Lest, Big Mike, Ralph, Sam and Chad, among others. The Team went for a walk through Lot 1 and enjoyed the finest A-Game representation the University of Maryland has ever put forth. We didn’t realize there were so many hot girls at this school. After a fired-up Terp Alley, we went inside to be a part of the fourth-largest crowd ever at Byrd, 52,462, where it was announced just before kickoff that Florida State lost and a win tonight means the Terps get a share of their first ACC championship since 1985. The Revenge Tour continued big-time, as Maryland handed Clemson a 37-20 thumping, its first over the Tigers in eight years. We rushed the field afterwards to celebrate with our ACC Champions as The Dream Season continued. Nov. 17, 2001: Maryland 23, N.C. State 19
This was the All-Time A-Game Tailgate. You could not have asked for a better road trip, especially after it starting with Craig Lestner, Big Mike and Brian almost biting it on the I-95 ramps at the Mixing Bowl in Northern Va. Paul and Craig Hall formed the other half of the caravan. A.J. hooked the Team up big-time with first-class lodging facilities that included a full kitchen for the proper preparation of the Brats. After arrival in Raleigh and a shop, where Julian at Food Lion b-gamed us by not having any lamb chops, the Brats were prepared in the full kitchen, and the glorious smell of the Brats and beer and onions permeated wonderfully throughout the hotel. We then headed up to the team hotel for drinks with Noli, Chuck, Geoff and the rest of the Terrapin Nation that had trekked south to support the Turtles in their ACC title quest. There was something special about this group of fans as we Moved the Chains and belted out the Victory Song in the hotel bar over and over again. Early the next morning, C-Hall was first to awake, fully dressed in battle gear too pumped to sleep. The Team met EverTerp in the fairground lots, beating most of the N.C. State fans there, and promptly raised the Maryland flag to establish the A-Game Tailgate section. As the morning and afternoon wore on, with Brats being consumed, footballs being tossed, and jabs exchanged with Wolfpack Fan, the rest of the Terrapin Nation arrived to partake in the festivities, including YeahTerps A.J. and his crew, Becca Lestner and the Carolina Terp Contingent, Paul O. and Tim from Salisbury, the Fowlers, relatives and friends (including A-Game) of QB Shaun Hill and WR Guilian Gary, and of course Noli and Chuck, who brought the ultimate sign of the times: "Turtle Wax the Pack: ACC Champs!" Assuming our traditional road trip spot behind the band in the visitors’ section, Team A-Game led the 1,500 Terp fans in a see-saw game. After a late Pack score, Shaun Hill began a two-minute march, and we thought we had it won when he found Rich Parson over the middle on a deep post pattern. Parson got caught and fumbled at the goalline, but the Terp defense forced a three-and-out, and we got the ball back with less than two minutes left and no timeouts. What followed was the best hurry-up offense ever witnessed by Team A-Game in person. Shaun A-Game Hill calmly led the Terps down the field, converting a key fourth down among several big passes. With about 40 seconds left, Hill hit Guilian A-Game Gary in the endzone to send us into hysterics, and send 50,000 Pack fans into instantaneous silence. Maryland then picked off Philip "I Can’t Beat Md." Rivers, and it was delirium in the stands and Oranges onto the field. Amidst hugs, dances, high fives, and cell phone calls home to those who b-gamed the trip, we belted out wonderfully unending renditions of the Victory Song and celebrated our first ACC Championship since 1985, and our first Orange Bowl berth since even longer. It was a magical conclusion to The Dream Season and no one on Team A-Game will ever forget clinching the ACC title that night at hostile Carter-Finley Stadium. After the game, with pissy Pack fans crying and complaining, we hosted the ultimate victory tailgate, cheering every time ESPN showed highlights of the game, and chanting "N-I-T" to all the Pack fans as they drove off in obscenity-laced tirades. Finally, at 1:30 a.m., with a victory meteor shower overhead and all the food gone, they turned off the stadium lights and we were forced to pack up. No words remain to describe this trip. Simply put, the All-Time A-Game Tailgate. Dec. 2, 2001: Ravens 39, Colts 27
The traditional December Ravens game found Team A-Game sky high for a cold weather game for our defending Super Bowl Champs against the Indianapolis "Irsay Still Sucks" Colts. Paul, Sam, Craig Hall and Deanna were the first ones into Lot Camden. The Brats always taste better in the cold, and the beer began flowing and did not stop during the game, as Paul and Sam continued with the suds well after halftime, when the Ravens began to rally after allowing Peyton Manning and the Colts to go up and down the field. Colt Fan was in front of us, and couldn’t take the heat of a second-half lead, much like the outfit from Indy on the field. The Ravens took the lead late and picked off a Manning pass to clinch it. It was at that point Colt Fan had enough of the Raven cheers and turned to unload on Sam. Paul was in a selfish mood so he stepped in to absorb the attempted blow. Luckily the beer had long ago numbed the cheek, which was only grazed. Unfortunately Krome was too inebriated to return fire accurately and whiffed a couple times before stadium security intervened. It is believed to be the first fisticuffs ever for Team A-Game. Fortunately or unfortunately, Team head of security Craig Hall was seated in another section, or else the A-Game Exec Committee might still be in jail. Jan. 2, 2002: Florida 56, Maryland 23
The Terrapin Nation descended on Miami for the Terps’ Orange Bowl homecoming, literally. The UMd. ticket office sold 22,000 tickets, but walking around Miami and then inside Pro Player Stadium, there were easily upwards of 25-30,000 Red Shirts. At the crowning moment of The Dream Season, the A-Game Tailgate also kicked it up a notch, hosting what Terrapin Times magazine would soon-after name the Top Orange Bowl Tailgate Party. Craig Hall, Paul, EverTerp Geoff, Noli, Chuck, OldLiner Dave, Christina FTF, Parrothead Darren and Mike Norris led the cast for the regulars as we hosted about 100 people throughout a day-long celebration of Maryland Football. In fact, the whole parking lot looked like College Park, with hundreds of Maryland state flags flying high in the South Florida wind that eventually brought a mix of thunderstorms and steady rain. Underneath a tent covered by a large state flag, we watched replays of the season’s best games like the OT classic at Georgia Tech, clinching a share of the ACC championship at home over Clemson, and then winning it outright at N.C. State. We feasted on multiple dishes and beverages and sang the victory song add infinitum, and naturally the media flocked to cover our party. We were interviewed by the Washington Post, Rene Knott of Channel 7 and Jess Atkinson of Channel 9. Sadly the time passed too quickly, and we packed up for the last time of the most memorable season ever. Inside, the Terps put up a great fight for a half, but they missed some opportunities and the Gators had superior talent and speed to pull away in a rout. The loss downed us only momentarily, as Team A-Game had sat through many a tough year with the Terps but with the Fridge back on the sideline it is clear he will restore Maryland Football to its rightful place among the ACC’s best. So many memories from 2001, thanks to all for another great A-Game season.
|
