Competitive Tailgating

Everyone in the state knew the Maryland-Navy game was going to be hard-fought and thrilling with a stadium full of vocal partisans.  Yes, it was that -- and more.

What I didn't know is that another equally intense, nationally-ranked competition took place hours before, just outside M&T.

While strolling among the revelers many hours before the game, I encountered this fortress in Lot J.  It consisted of a van, large trailer, several tents and matching golf cart.  From at least a block away I could see Jay Bush and Duke the talking dog beaming from the side panels, and a team of color coordinated cuties running around with scorepads.

Yes, the Gurus of Grillin' Beans were judging tailgates.  I'm not sure what criteria they used to measure school spirit and culinary prowess, but they seemed to be having a wonderful time at this off-site, intrastate rivalry.  Just as the teams were pulling out all the stops, so were the party heartiers.

Right next to the bastion of beans was yet another competition, involving busloads of students, a long table covered in cups filled with an unknown liquid, and ping pong balls.   This spectator seemed to be one of the officials.

The Terp tribe also had some kind of frisbee fling and a spirited game of cornhole taking place at the same time.  An interesting type of triathlon, but I didn't see any grills set up, so I'm not sure if they qualified by Bush standards. (They were using generic beans in their bags, so that must have disqualified them.)

They certainly seemed to be having a good time, though.

On the other side of Camden Yards, a mega tailgate was taking place, involving 4,000 Midshipmen, a country western band, and real food (but no ping pong balls.)  The entire Brigade, plus a few friends and family, enjoyed a barbeque buffet on Eutaw Street before mustering for the march to the stadium.  Entertainment was provided by Montgomery Gentry and everyone seemed to have a good time. 

(Too bad Babe couldn't enjoy some of that pulled pork and cole slaw like the Mids clustered around him.)

Most of the alumni ordered their tickets and parking well in advance, so their tailgates were assembled in the lots between the stadiums.  As you can guess, no one looking for the USNA Class of '89 had trouble finding where their shipmates were gathered. 

This picture was taken a full five hours before kickoff, and you can see how many cars were already in Lot B.

On the east side of the complex, this Terp Tent entertained a multi generational family of Maryland fans.

Although the tailgating festivities alone could have made the day a complete success (at least for the professional partiers in the bean truck) there were other rituals transpiring before kickoff. 

Lined up on the south side of Oriole Park with a brigade of their own was the University of Maryland Marching Band.  To give you an idea of just how much brass they brazened, this is the saxophone section alone. 

The Maryland band marched up the promenade and into the stadium before the Brigade of Midshipmen.  Interestingly, there were just as many Maryland fans who came to watch the parade as there were Navy parents and friends.  

It's always an impressive sight.  While we've hosted the Brigade for other football games (Army, Notre Dame) it is usally when they're in their winter blues.  The crisp white uniforms they wore on this late summer provided an even greater contrast to the sea of red on the opposite side of the stadium.

I learned much later that the winner of the tailgate competition is a resident of Takoma Park (I'm guessing a Maryland alumna) and the Terps prevailed on the field.

But ultimately the biggest winner was the State of Maryland and the many people who attended and enjoyed this amazing day of activities.  I watched part of the broadcast on ESPN and was proud of how beautifully Camden Yards, Baltimore, and the intensity of the competition was conveyed to millions of viewers.

It is something we look forward to experiencing again in the near future.