WE WIN!

Thank God we scored 47 points in the first half; otherwise we would have lost 6-0! Just kidding!!!!! Victory is the sweetest when it comes with your friends! What a difference a week makes! We have a true freshman quarterback that is a stud. He can run and pass with precision. Our defense spent the entire night in FIU’s backfield. Our kicker put three in the endzone. On a night where even Salim Simson saw a great deal of playing time, we are quick to forget last weeks game. This is the display that we expected this season from our team. An offense that moves the ball at will and a defense that can stop the run. I will savor the victory this evening and then wonder why I don’t recover like I used to. GO BLUE RAIDERS and bring on the Cavaliers. -- Fredo

Gameday - Special Entry by Mamma Corleone

The weather is perfect for football - the true blue tailgaters have been in the parking lot since early this morning. Lunch has been grilled and eaten and everyone is mellowing out getting ready for the late afternoon “wannabe” fans. The is much anticipation for a win tonight not only for the fans but the players too. They certainly have worked hard and overcome many obstacles along the way. Regardless of the outcome of the game - true blue fans will rally and be ready for next week. GOOD LUCK to our boys!!!!! I am confident of win!!!

Where Are You - by Fredo

It is a beautiful day on Greenland. Probably about 80 degrees. We even have a nice breeze. Got the grill going. Got the drinks cold and everyone is starting to show up. My question is: Where are you?

Blue Crew is here and in style...as usual...

Thanks again to Puleo’s for the burgers!

Get Over It... - BigBlueFan

Well, Thursday's game was definitely a disappointment that took a couple of days to get over.  But Monday morning was the time to get off the mat and get back on the horse(lets see how many clichés I can get into one blog-that's 2).  However, this Saturday is the cure for what ails ya(3)! 

We have Florida International coming to the 'boro and bringing with it the nation's longest losing streak.  While they have a decent defense, their offense is atrocious.  They have not played well in a game yet this season and just got spanked by Kansas.  We should be able to hold them to very few points.  I am hoping in the last ten days that our defense has learned to tackle.  We should have a field day with an offense that hasn't moved the ball all season.  Now, our offense should be much better this week now that Dwight Dasher has had 10 days to learn the rest of the offense.  This cat is going to be a star for the Blue Raiders before his time here is done.  

It is time for the fans to suck it up(4) and support the boys in blue!  I will be tailgating early as will the rest of the godfathersbluecrew!  I hope to see you all there so that we can celebrate the thrill of victory together!

Gameday - WKU - by TomHagen

I can honestly say there were folks here with tents up and music going when I arrived at 8:30 this morning. I should have known better. After all, it is the home opener and we are all a bit craved for a home game. Good thing it is against a local team like WKU. More on that later.

If you are a Blue Raider faithful, or just reading this because I have hounded you to near exhaustion, this is good tailgating to experience. I have been to great places like The Grove in Oxford, the hill in Knoxville, Touchdown Jesus in South Bend and even Pappa John’s Palace in Louisville. They are great tailgate experiences. No doubt. But here, nestled on Greenland Drive in the ‘Boro, we have something going. Maybe it is a little bit of southern hospitality. Maybe it is a dash of our desire to recruit anyone to be a Blue Raider fan (we need lots). Either way, folks that are here to tailgate are here because they are passionate.

Yes, all tailgaters are passionate. Yes, they all have cool gear and great traditions. Trust me, it gives any fan of football chills to watch the ND band march by on their way to the stadium with the throng of fans cheering them on. That is pure football legend and history. But at MT, we are in the evolution of football tailgating infancy. No, I don’t mean we are immature or weak tailgaters. Rather, we don’t have multiple national championships to spur us on. Our program does not strategically schedule our fall to avoid possible losses. Rather, we will play anyone, anytime, anywhere.

Today, we are here. It is great weather. We have ESPN going, beer flowing and games of corn-hole already begun. It is football season, and the Blue Raiders are at home tonight! (ESPN/CSS 6PM)

Check this out...Cool Stuff - by T.Hagen

http://youtube.com/watch?v=faXjFpJHRNk

The Thrill & Skill of Tailgating - by Santino/aka BigUnit

In my few years as a self-proclaimed professional tailgater, I have found particular rituals to be a glorious part of the undertaking.



Of particular enjoyment is arriving at the parking lot for game day early in the morning while the birds are chirping, the dew is still on the ground and the crisp air that is unwarmed by the sun blows by. This is the beautiful solitude that is being among the first people to arrive.

The feeling you get as you set up your tailgate tents in just the right pattern to get maximum coverage without taking up too much space. Placing weights on the tent for security. Even taking the time to measure out the position of cornhole or other entertainment. Nothing beats setting up the satellite dish and and hitting a 95 in signal strength on the first try.

Of course you can't forget the single most important part of tailgating: the grill. Ever notice how important it is to position the grill for maximum cooking space with minimum smoke. Or, better yet, how crucial it is to find that perfect spot for it so that you don't end up downwind from thick grey smoke. This is where you can tell the difference in a novice once-per-yer player and a pro.

Then, it gets good. If you are a morning 'gater (all pros must be) next comes the vodka and bloody mary mix and those few minutes of relaxation before the crowd arrives.

We can't play down the value of the crowd though. Once the crowd starts to arrive, the pro gets to work. Sometimes it is simply friends and family. However, a real tailgater will always be ready for long lost friends, VIPs and other admirers. Most important is being prepared for opposing fans as we subscribe to the theory that visiting fans deserve your very best. After all, they should leave your field taking comfort that, while they lost, they learned something about tailgating from you.

Stop by sometime and enjoy our way of doing things. Munch down a burger. Toss back a cold one. It's time to see the Blue Raiders play!

GO BIG BLUE!!!!!

Bring on the ’Toppers - by Fredo

What is that thing?

For anyone who did not watch or listen to the game on Saturday, it looks like we got pounded on paper. But to those that saw it, we saw a team continue to grow. Louisiana State University will be playing for the national championship and we witnessed why on Saturday.

The MT offense could not move against a team that was bigger and faster than us. However, our defense played well on Saturday. We forced LSU's first two turnovers and held our own against a great offense.

Now we turn our attention to Western Kentucky. This game is important for a number of reasons. First, we get to come home. We will be playing in the friendly confines of Floyd Stadium for the first time this year. Our boys are ready to come home and we are ready to see them and tailgate! Second, the Toppers present a challenging opponent, but one we should beat. They played a respectable game against Florida, but then played cupcakes in West Virginia Tech and Eastern Kentucky.

This is the renewal of a fierce rivalry from back in the 90's. It also brings full circle a rivalry between two schools 90 minutes apart that spans all sports. The fans from these two schools love to hate each other. Tailgating for this game will start early, so bring your tents, chairs, and beverages, and lets have a good time while we put a beat down on a new rival, showing them that while they may be 1-A in most sports, this is how we do things in the big leagues!

MT goes to the bayou - by Fredo

On Saturday, our boys head down to the Bayou to take on the Tigers of Louisiana State University.  On the surface, this looks like a mismatch of gargantuan proportions, but I assure you that it is not.  The only question is which offense will show up?  The one that could not move the ball against Florida Atlantic, or the spread that moved at will against then #8 Louisville.  We have the first team speed to move the ball against LSU, but their defense will be much better than what we have seen thus far.  Our defense could be in for a long night, but LSU has not felt the hitting that they will feel on Saturday night.  This game will boil down to a couple of things.  LSU is going to move the ball.  We must move the ball with them.  We must hold on to the ball, which has been our downfall in both games this year.  While I am not suffering from delusions of grandeur, I definitely think we can make another statement on Saturday.  Also, if you are so inclined to watch the game, Kirkenburts on Cason Lane and Bleachers in Franklin have bought the pay per view and will be sponsoring tailgate parties on Saturday.  Bring your tents, chairs, and other tailgate paraphernalia and watch the game.