By John Evanko
A disappointing 2008 football season, an incomplete Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and the uncertainty over a starting quarterback have left the Louisville fans seemingly without a remedy for the 2009 season. However, many U of L students are still anxiously awaiting the season’s kickoff for one reason: tailgating.
While the U of L faithful are looking forward to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 5 for the opening game kickoff, many of the tailgating faithful are looking forward to 7:30 a.m. to start tailgating.
In actuality, the party may begin much earlier for many tailgaters. Some fraternities, such as Pi Kappa Alpha, have events on Sept. 4, the night before the Cardinals’ first game. And Pikes, like tailgating chair Nick Bennett, are hoping to do something drastic.
“I’ll be trying to stay up all night and then get out to the fairgrounds for tailgating early the next morning,” Bennett, a senior communication major, said with a smile. “But we’ll see what happens.”
For many of the underage students, there will be plenty of festivities to enjoy throughout the year that don’t involve alcohol.
“I’m looking forward to the food and the slip-and-slide,” said Mitch Streufert, a sophomore sport administration major.
The slip-and-slide, often featured by Sigma Chi, is one of the prime forms of entertainment for tailgaters, both sober and not-so-sober.
“We’ll probably only have it at one tailgate,” Jon Tilley, Sigma Chi tailgating chair, said. “And we’ll clear the rocks, lay down the plastic and add a truck bed of water and some no-tear shampoo.”
Other forms of entertainment include cornhole, music and tossing a football around the parking lot. But for those that are of age, several Bud Lights may be all the entertainment they need. And no time is too early to start getting ready for the game, as Sigma Chi Adam Waldner has often proved.
“Four a.m.,” Waldner, a senior communication and political science major, said with a bold game face. “We’ve got to do a 4 a.m. tailgate for the first noon game.”
With the U of L football program declining over the last couple years, and fewer fans attending games, one may not expect such enthusiasm from the tailgaters. In fact, some students have noticed a drop in tailgating participation. While this may be true, Bennett and others, like Phi Delta Theta member Derek Carpenter, are still optimistic for this year.
“Some of the older fans who used to tailgate may not continue like they did in years past, but I don’t think the students will be affected,” said Carpenter, a junior physical education major. “In tailgating, everyone wins.”
After the tailgating festivities are over, many students and fans will head to Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. There, they will file into the incomplete stadium for kickoff.
According to Kevin Miller, U of L’s senior associate athletic director, 142 reserved parking spots have been relocated and about 1,800 seats have been removed, but students will still have the same number of seats as in years past, which is about 3,000.
The stadium construction, which is set to be complete in August of 2010 for opening day against the Kentucky Wildcats, is right on schedule, says Miller. The $72 million project will include 45 luxury suites and 2,000 premium lodge seats, as well as more reserved seating, bringing the stadium’s capacity to over 60,000.
Until that time, U of L students will continue to avidly support the experience that has long been the source of rowdiness and excitement for the tailgating faithful.
