Welcome, Meet the Belles!

Welcome to The Belles of Saturday!  This blog was the collaboration of two belles that live for football and Saturdays in the South.  We met through our personal blogs {Seashells & Southern Belles and Soulshine}.  After many g-chats and emails, we realized that both of us cared just as much, if not more, about what was happening on the field as what we were wearing to the game.

This blog will feature gameday attire categorized by school colors and teams.  Each week, we will highlight one SEC town and one ACC town.  Any and all input is welcome from guest bloggers.  We will cover all the tailgating essentials and recipes for tasty tailgate food.  To share our love of the game, we will put together mini-football lessons each week.  Additionally, we would love for y'all to share and submit any pictures from tailgates and games.  We would like to post those on Mondays.  We are also hoping to start a link-up for everyone to share their tailgating and gameday posts from your blogs.  As we grow, we would like to have tailgaters of the week and a prize will be awarded.

Now to meet the Belles...

Ashton

Hey y'all! My name is Ashton.  I am a twenty-something year old law student and a graduate of the University of South Carolina.  I grew up a Gamecock.  I didn't miss a home game from the time I was in eighth grade until I started law school.  I swear Williams-Brice is one of the happiest places on Earth.  As soon as the first notes of "2001" is played, I get goosebumps.  I have no problem yelling "COCKS" at the top of lungs.  Some of my fondest memories from high school and college are of tailgating at the Farmer's Market {may she rest in peace}.

I will give y'all a little bit of background as to how I came to love and understand the game of football.  My cousin, who was more like a big brother, started playing varsity football when he was in eighth grade and I was in fifth.  My family would go to all of his games, home and away. At most of the away games, I was not allowed to run around and play; I had to sit and watch.  Being the naturally curious person that I am, I started asking my Dad about everything that was happening on the field.  My Dad is the father of two girls, so he was willing and excited to explain the game he loved so much.  I learned the basics and I was hooked.

Just as I was getting the basics down, my Dad thought I was finally old enough to make the trip from the lowcountry to the capital city every Saturday.  My Dad attended South Carolina, too.  We, now, could share the same enthusiasm for Gamecock football.  My love and understanding grew each Friday night and Saturday.  When I started high school, it was natural for be to become a cheerleader, well not really. I think I cheered only because my Mom would not let me play football.  Every Friday before home games, all my friends and I would gather at one the players' houses and play NCAA.  I was the only girl that would play, so I quickly became "one of the guys."  I am usually more comfortable talking football with my guy friends than I am talking the latest fashion trend with my girl friends.  I start counting down the days until football season as soon as it is over.  Opening day feels like Christmas to me.

Not only do I love the game, I love everything that goes with it - the food, the fellowship with friend and foe, the cocktails, the clothes, and the traditions.  Gamedays in the south are the biggest social events of the year.  Football is a religion, and everyone dresses in their Sunday best to prove it.  I agree with Jana...God willing and the creek don't raise, I will be attending Carolina games when I am 80 years old.  And, I still will be yelling "COCKS" at the top of my lungs decked out in garnet & black.

And, this is what gets me excited on Saturdays in the fall...

xoxo,
Ashton

 Jana

As you can probably guess, since Ashton have I have started a blog devoted to it, I truly love the game of football and everything that goes along with it.  I'm a die-hard NC State Wolfpack and Carolina Panthers fan, but I haven't always been as obsessed about football as I am now.  Let me give you a little background as to how I became this way...

I grew up in Clayton, a small town in North Carolina; it's definitely what you would consider a football town.  I cheered all throughout high school and this is where my love affair with football was born.  When we weren't cheering, we had to turn around and watch the game.  I did watch the game, but I also closely watched what was happening on the sidelines.  I heard our coach call plays, saw how intense the players felt, and began to really learn what was going on.  I then went off to UNCW for college, a college at the beach (my other love in life is the ocean and all things nautical) but I quickly realized that I wanted to go to a college that had football so I transferred to NC State.

During my junior and senior years, I worked with the NC State Football Office in the recruiting department.  When I signed up to do this, I never dreamed how much I would love it.  This is where I truly became obsessed.  I got to be a part of the behind-the-scenes action of college football.  I got to help recruit players, potential college football stars.  I got to stand on the field before games started and then stood in the hall after games and watched the team walk in.  I sat with the same recruit every game my junior year and, bless his heart, asked him every question possible about football.  Ever since then, I've been in love with the game. There really is no feeling that's quite like being inside a college football stadium...

I also am a huge Carolina Panthers fan.  I am obsessed with Steve Smith and when he recently said that there is no where else he'd rather play than Carolina and that he will retire with us, it may or may not have made my year... My claim to fame is that I've met him several times and that I sat in his personal box with his wife for a Panthers game!

Come every August, the only reason I don't go into a deep depression over summer ending is because I know what's coming... The tailgates, the bright lights, 60,000 of my closest friends collectively yelling "and it's a WOLFPACK...FIRST DOWN," College GameDay, Fantasy Football, and Sunday afternoons spent watching NFL games.   That being said, depression does set in the Monday morning after the Super Bowl, when I know I have to wait half-a-year for football to come back around.  That's the only thing I don't like about football, the season is too short!! Petition for a longer season anyone???

My nickname is even football related.  Jantana Moss.  Like Santana Moss.  I could even be Jandy Moss or Jantonio Holmes...

So there you have it... that's how I grew to love, and became obsessed with, the great game of football.  I agree with Ashton, the night before football season starts is more exciting than Christmas morning...when I was five... If there's one thing for sure, God willing, I will be tailgating and rocking NC State sweaters when I'm 80 and if my mind is still good, I just might have a fantasy team with my grandkids!

xoxo,
Jana