Just a hop-skip-and-a-jump over the bayou from New Orleans (we’ll get back to that in a minute), Baton Rouge takes the cauldron of excitement that is college football, and adds a whole bucket of Cajun crazy. As a visiting fan, you will endure endless “Tiger Bait!” taunting…and you will like it! Respond to these taunts with a laugh and you will probably be rewarded in return with free beer and free food. Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce what they give you…and certainly don’t ask what’s in it. Just eat it; it’s good.
After our last trip to LSU, many Carolina fans returned with tales of verbal and physical abuse. We saw no such thing. I’m not denying that it happened, I’m just saying that if you go into that inferno with thin skin…you’re probably asking to be hurt in some way. Suck it up and enjoy the abuse. Coonass love is tough love.
While you’re there, you need to walk around the campus, hit the bookstore, and then walk over the Parade Grounds towards downtown. There you will find The Chimes…a great bar/restaurant where you can down a few before or after the game. When we were there last time, people were lubing up for the night game while taking in the feeble JP 12:30 game on TV. This year, the day game kind of cuts down on the pre-game festivities, so maybe you should swing by after the game. Just don’t taunt them too abusively after our win.
Before you head into the stadium, you have to check out the $3 million Tiger habitat. The beloved Mike V kicked the bucket earlier this year, so be on the lookout for the brand new Mike VI. He may look cute, but he would not hesitate for a second to go all Siegfried & Roy on your ass. This Saturday’s game also just so happens to be Mike VI’s debut in Death Valley. He’s never been into the stadium before on gameday, so God knows what’s going to happen. When you bring a flesh-eating beast into your stadium, you are asking for bloodshed. Sir Big Spur might peck at your finger, Uga might shit on your carpet, and Ralphie might trample you if you get in his way, but Mike VI is clearly the only live mascot in America that would jump at the chance to disembowel you and happily much on your innards while your heart is still beating.
Awwwwww...
Once you’re inside the stadium, expect it to be loud. If you’ve been to The Swamp, you’ll know what you’re in for…very similar. Pray that your team keeps things under control, because if the LSU fans sense blood, they’ll ratchet up the sound, the Tigers will respond, and things could get ugly in a hurry. Any Gamecocks who survived the trip in 2002 will remember the disastrous third quarter when everything fell apart. To this day, I still swear that something happened to our team in the lockerroom. I don’t know if that infamous Cajun Magic is to blame, but we walked out at halftime a different team. After that, our season—and Lou Holtz’s tenure at USC—was as good as dead.
Regardless of the outcome this time, I guarantee you will have a good time in Baton Rouge. And while you’re down there, you may want to swing by a little town called New Orleans. I hear they may have a few good bars there, so my crew will be checking it out Thursday night, Friday night, and maybe even Saturday night. See you there...laissez les bons temps rouler!
And Go Cocks.
Pat O'Briens and the Goblet of Fire
No comments:
Post a Comment