SEC Weekly Feature - Tuscaloosa, AL - Rammer Jammer

Unviersity of Alabama

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Town: Tuscaloosa, AL

Head Coach: Nick Saban

Stadium: Bryant-Denny 

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Mascot: Crimson Tide, Big Al (elephant)

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Colors: Crimson and White

Biggest Rivals: Auburn and Tennessee

Famous Alumni: Paul "Bear" Bryant, Joe Namath, Harper Lee, Kathryn Stockett, Mark Ingram, Coach Dabo Swinney {Clemson University}, Frank Howard {former Clemson Coach, see Howard's Rock}, and Sela Ward

Traditions: Houndstooth, The Quad, Million Dollar Band, Bear Bryant, The Third Saturday in October, Roll Tide, Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, 13 and counting, Bryant Museum, Sweet Home Alabama,  crimson shakers, championship coaches statutes, and Dreamland BBQ

Places to be Seen: The Quad, Bear Trap, Galettes, Houndstooth, Phil's (Buffalo Phil's), and anywhere else on The Strip

I have experienced Gameday in Tuscaloosa and I have to admit that it is like none other.  It is truly the quintessential southern Gameday.  If my heart did not belong to South Carolina, I would have definitely loved to spend four years of Saturdays at Alabama.  The Quad is packed with tailgates of every variety and age groups.  Gameday festivities fill the streets and sidewalks of University Boulevard.  If you ever get the chance to attend a game in Tuscaloosa, you should.  Just make sure you bow your head when the Bear's name is spoken and wear your houndstooth.

RTR!

xoxo,
Ashton

ACC Weekly Feature - Blacksburg, VA - Hokie Hokie Hokie Hi

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia Tech

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Town: Blacksburg, VA

Head Coach: Frank Beamer

Stadium: Lane Stadium

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Mascot: Hokies, HokieBird

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Colors: Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange

Biggest Rival: Virginia and West Virginia

Traditions: Orange Effect, Maroon Effect, Enter Sandman, Hokie Pokie, Commonwealth Cup, Beamer Ball, Corps of Cadets Band, Fighting Gobblers

Best Plays to Go in Town: TOTS and Big Al's

Thanks to Jennifer for the insider info.

My close friend, Colleen, graduated from VT in 2005.  I asked her to tell me what it means to be a Hokie and this is what she sent me.

It was January 1, 2001, my senior year of high school and I had a big decision to make.  Where to attend college?  Virginia Tech was playing Clemson in the Gator Bowl.  At the time, Clemson University and the University of South Carolina reigned high on my list, but my brother was a sophomore at Virginia Tech and it crept in, too.  After many visits to see my brother, I had grown to love "the cow school between the hills."  Virginia Tech and Clemson became my top two choices.  Would I be a Hokie or a Tiger?  I had to make a choice, a choice that would make me the person I am today.  So back to January 2001, we go...I let football determine my fate.

Virginia Tech beat Clemson 41-20 in Jacksonville, Florida and I needed to figure out what a "Hokie" was because that's what I was going to be.  It didn't take long for me to learn that "Chicago Maroon" and "Burnt Orange" matched better than black and white.  Virginia Tech is the coldest, hottest, and windiest place I have ever  been.  I believe with all my heart that God is a  Hokie because I had never truly seen the beauty of fall until I watched the leaves turn maroon and orange my freshman year of college.  I had become a Hokie and I lived for Saturdays at Lane Stadium.

It is difficult to describe the feeling you get when you wake up on Gameday in Blacksburg, VA, but I will do my best to give you a little piece of what I call heaven...

"We are Virginia Tech" and on Saturday at Lane Stadium it's Frank Beamer's team running out to Metallica's Enter Sandman while 66,000 fans jump up and down at the Home of the Fighting Gobblers, it's the Corps Cadets in the south stands and students in the north, it's Turkey Legs and key plays, Go Tech Go's and Stick It In's, it's blocked kicks and special teams, the "Lunch Pail" defense and the "Hammerin Hokies" offense, it's Hokie Bird and Hokie Stone, it's 4th quarter Hokie Pokies and dancing Tuba players, it's tailgates and TOTS, Hokie House and Hokie Hy's, it's where my heart is and if you don't know anything about what I just told you then pay a visit to Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virgina where there's a small stadium with a loud crowd.

xoxo,
Ashton

Football and Fashion - Outerwear

Depending on where you live, hopefully there will still be a few games left that you can wear your Gameday dresses to, but it's never too early to start thinking about tailgate outfits for later in the season.  Below are some coats in tailgate-approved colors!

Shop Ruche Secret Ballad Coat

ModCloth You're Golden Coat

ModCloth Diagonal Alley Coat

ModCloth Regimentary My Dear Coat

ModCloth Junior Copy Writer Coat

ModCloth Jacket and Bean Stalk Coat

ModCloth Just Checking In Coat

ModCloth Look In the Letter Box Cape

Beaus of Saturday - Brooks Brothers

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It's time to talk fashion for the Beaus.  This season, Brooks Brothers came out with a collegiate collection containing polos, dress shirts, sweaters, and ties.  The ACC/SEC schools in the collection are: Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Vanderbilt, and the University of Virginia. 

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Below are a a few pieces in the collection. 

Alabama

Auburn

Boston College

Virginia

Vanderbilt

Movers & Shakers

If you have watched any sports related show since August or listened to people chat at a tailgate this season, I guarantee you have heard the words "conference realignment."  Those two words have become like nails on a chalkboard to me.  I am one of those traditional people that wants everything to stay the same.  College football should not be about TV packages, media markets, and money to be made.

Let the boys play!

It all started last year with Colorado and Utah made the move to the PAC-12 and Nebraska heading to the Big Ten.  With Colorado and Nebraska both leaving the Big 12, it has effectively become the "Big Ten" and makes the old Big Ten the new "Big 12."  Is everyone thoroughly confused?  Thought so.

What was the point of all this moving around?  These conferences wanted to reach the "magic" number of twelve schools to implement a conference championship game.  Just like the ACC and the SEC have a championship game {and the Big 12 had} the first weekend of December, the Pac-12 and Big Ten will have a championship game this year.  These championship games serve as springboards into the coveted BCS bowl games.  In the case of the SEC, it is the de facto national championship game. {another post for another day}

But wait!  Why are we still shifting around?  Twelve member conferences were perfect.  Apparently, not.

As of two weeks ago, Pittsburgh and Syracuse are joining the ACC therefore leaving the Big East with only seven football schools.  The ACC remains an even conference {seven teams per conference division}.  Made official today, Texas A&M is the 13th member of the SEC.

WELCOME ONE AND ALL!!

All this leaves lots of questions to be answered.  Who is going to be the 14th team to the SEC?  Are the Big East and Big 12 going to crumble and force schools scramble for a conference?  Will the SEC and ACC stop at 14?  Who knows and it just makes my head hurt.

Lastly, does anyone know what the states of Oklahoma and South Carolina have in common?  Both of their major state universities are ranked in the Top 15 and 4-0 on the season.

xoxo,

Ashton

Gameday Picture Link-Up Week 4

Today is our 4th Gameday Picture Link-Up!  If you link up with us, be sure to link back to us so others can link up too.  Feel free to grab our button.

  

Can't believe we are already done with week 4 of college football.  How is your team doing?  

and as always, if you don't blog and can't link up, send us your pictures and we'll get them posted on here. 

A Little Football Humor...

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Football and Fashion - NFL

Gotta love Victoria's Secret's Pink NFL Collection.  It's the perfect uniform for lounging around on Sunday afternoons and watching your favorite NFL team. 

All images and items from victoriassecret.com

Pigskins & Pearls 101: First & Ten

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That is another FIRST DOWN!  

As the team marches up and down the field, orange sticks march down the sidelines marking the downs and the yards the offensive has gained.

The down markers ("sticks") mark off a ten yard segment.  The offensive team has four tries to get the ball past those ten yards.  That is where the term first and ten comes from.  The team is on their first try to get ten yards.  Hopefully by the second down, the team has less yards to cover.

Typically if the team does not get the ten yards after the third down, they will have to punt the ball on the fourth down.  The coaches have to way the risk to go for on fourth down.  Things to consider are what yard line they are on and how many yards to go.  If they team is in the red zone (20 yards to the end zone), they are likely to kick a field goal to at least come away with some points.

Football and Fashion - Purple, Red, Blue

1. Vestique Ring My Bell Dress in Purple

1. Vestique Ring My Bell in Red



1. Ring My Bell Dress in Royal

ACC Weekly Feature - Chapel Hill, NC

School: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

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Town: Chapel Hill, NC - Part of Tobacco Road

Head Coach: Everett Withers (Interim)

Football Stadium: Kenan Memorial Stadium

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 Mascot: Ramses

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 Colors: Carolina Blue, White

    Traditions: The Old Well Walk – UNC Football Team/Coaches walk from our historic Old Well through campus with fans lining the walk from start to finish before pregame warm-ups, Tar Pit – Section in the endzone dedicated to the Students, Hells Bells – The song plays during games in affiliation with our historic Bell Tower located outside of the stadium, Tar Heel Town – pregame gathering for football fans in the main quad on campus with family attractions (music, food, games)

Famous Alumni: Michael Jordan, Julius Peppers, Tyler Hansbrough, Willie Parker, Mia Hamm, Sean May, Marion Jones, Lawrence Taylor, Jerry Stackhouse, Stewart Scott, John Swofford, Roy Williams, Davis Love III, Antwan Jamison, James Worthy, Phil Ford

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Biggest Rival: Duke (Go to He!! Dook!)

Where to Stop for Food: The Rathskeller, TimeOut (after 2am), Crook’s Corner

Where to Watch the Game if You Don't Have a Ticket: Top of the Hill – famous bar/brewery overlooking historic Franklin St., P Bob’s – Outdoor patio seating with flat screens outside, 4 Corners – tons of tv’s and a great atmosphere

     Where to Party After A Win: Franklin Street,  Top of the Hill,  He’s Not Here (get a ‘blue cup’), La Rez (late night spot), Spanky's, Players Dance Club (if you’re into the club scene)

      Big thanks to my friend Eddie who gave me the insider information for this post. You're my favorite Tarheel!

SEC Weekly Feature - Gainesville, FL - We Are The Boys From Old Florida

University of Florida

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Town: Gainesville, Florida

Stadium: Ben Hill Griffith Stadium

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Head Coach: Will Muschamp

Mascot: Gator, Albert and Alberta

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Colors: Orange and Blue [which I found out this weekend is pleasant to the eye since they are opposites on the color wheel. booyah. we must be smart.]

Traditions: we have a lot. we are most known for the gator chomp. you can do that whenever you want. even just walking down the streets and you see another gator fan. not on gameday. the 'go gators' cheer prompted by the band's five note ditty. two bits. this guy is a legend. he is now officially retired but he still cheers at big games. "two bits. four bits. six bits. a dollar! all florida gators stand up and holler!" he always wears his orange and blue suit too. it is awesome. and my personal favorite: singing 'we are the boys of old florida' before the fourth quarter. no matter where you sit or if you know them or not, you embrace and sing the song. it is so great to watch in the stadium with everyone swaying.

Famous Alumni: the band sister hazel is all from florida. all graduated from there. erin andrews. tim tebow [duh], bob vila, rain phoenix [joaquin's sister]

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Biggest Rival: a tie between UGA and FSU. UGA because they are also in the SEC but FSU since almost everyone you know from highschool either went to FSU or UF. 

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Where to stop for food: leonardo's pizza. dragon fly sushi, or swamp restaurant.

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Where to watch the game if you don't have a ticket: swamp restaurant. hands down. most fun gator watching spot in gainesville. a second best is either gator city or balls.

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Where to party after a win: the streets. almost every big game the city is smart and shuts down university ave. mainly because the students would shut it down for them if they didn't. it was CRAZY during all the national championships. [sorry had to throw that one in there] or if the bar scene strikes you: salty dog, balls, swamp, anywhere on university ave. amazing!

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i can honestly say i had the most fun someone can have when it relates to football. we were very lucky to be a winning team for the years that i was there. however, i am no fair weather fan. i love watching the game regardless. obviously it is more fun if we are winning but the experience makes it worth it. now, i go to the local alumni bar to watch it with my fellow gator grads. they have food, beer, and play the fight songs. if you moved outside of your football city, you should look up and see if your school has a local alumni chapter. they usually have a bar sponsor the watching party! it is worth it!!

you should stop my cheeriosandbeer to learn more about my obsession with the gators. i am so pumped it is football season again. i have truly missed it. 

Football and Fashion - Gold

1. Anthropologie Hip Cinched Blouse