We didn't geaux

Sorry my little cabbages! We didn't go to Greenville.

Coach Hullabaloo was p-i-s-d, pisd after the Utep debacle and cancelled our trip to Greenville. This was before Toledo was forced to resign. Oh well. So I stayed and listened on the ole radio. Gawd IMG people just suck! "Well, now back to Gus in Greenville!"

Hello - our PBP announcer is Graf. Just kill me now if Gus were our PBP guy. And not just that, Graf's highlights of the game they played: were ALL ECU highlights. So they'd cut away to Graf screaming over something ECU did. They couldn't have done any of the fabulous plays that kept us in the game: Ginsburg's fake? Trent Mackey and the fumble? Sigh, no.

Anyways, it sounded cold and dreary so I am not terribly upset since my cute outfit would have just been ruined since it would have been covered up by a coat or something.

Overall the game sounded like it was a great effort by the team and major props to Coach Hutson ending his interview with "Roll Wave!"....so refreshing!

I am sad for us that Dezman Moses is a senior, he is a monster on defense. I hope he gets to the big league, he deserves it.

Signing off for the weekend, your favorite Greenie Dat (oh admit it! it's why you come to read my drivel!)

xoxo, Mrs. Hullabaloo

Battle For The Bong

Yes, this is what I'm calling the Alabama game next week. Can you be-lieve that Southeastern re-arranged their own homecoming festivities AND game so as to not interrupt people from ditching it for what's happening in Baton Rouge? Y'all that would just be my darkest day as a Tulane fan if that should come to pass in New Orleans. Really.

Anyways, I heard this clip on the radio on the way to work, and while I have some kinda words for Gus Kattengell, Larry Holder, Kaare Johnson AND most certainly with Eric Asher for their incessant infantile discussion of anything related to the Tulane Greenwave*; I AM giving WIST props for their commentary today by Joe Cardosi. I simply loved, loved what Signore Cardosi had to say and had to give it a hell yeah! mais oui!

*With a "flagship" station like THIS who needs friends?! Seriously, is it THAT hard to present Tulane's side of the story? Piggy-backing on Ed freakin-wears-purple-to-pressconferences Daniels for "insight"? and WHAT is exactly the hot potato deal with Frank Wilson? NO, WE DON'T WANT HIM! GET A FRIGGIN' CLUE! It's like these people refuse to believe that YES the Chancellor of Texas and the Chancellor of OU called our Old Man, who is now Vice Chairman of the entire AAU, and said: We Want to Play B12 Championships in the Superdome. We Want Access to Your Recruiting Pool. Manhattan, Kansas Sucks and Our Fans Would Rather Be Toe Up on Bourbon Street Than Drinking Decaf Sugar Free Sprite at a No-Dancing Allowed Wacky Waco....but I digress....

Click on this link to listen to Joe read his commentary. Transcript is below:

"Yeah lsu! Yeah Alabama!"
"Yeah! My teams gonna beat your team!"
"No! My teams gonna beat your team!"

We have about a week and a half left of this. I'm not gonna lie...It's exhausting.

Leading up the event? -Okay.

But two weeks, a week and a half out?

I've got no interest in smack talk. Honestly, I've never been a big smack talker when it comes to sports, when it comes to politics, even person to person relations.

All this back and forth sniping between lsu and alabama reminds me of when kids would get into a fight in grade school and they would spend ten minutes going:

"Yeah? why don't you swing?"

"Yeah? why don't you swing if you're feeling tough!"

"Well, c' c'mon then!"

"Well, if you're feeling froggy, jump!" (lmao! good one Joe!)

At what point do you just shut your mouth and punch a guy in the face? Let's be clear, one of these teams is gonna punch the other team in the face.*

* (oh! remind me to tell you about the woman who got into a fist fight with Comedian Al at the TU-lsu baseball game at the Dome. I swear this is a true story.)

I'll let you in on another secret. I don't win or die by the wins or losses of any team. I'm a much bigger Saints fan, than I am an "Alabama" fan. I'm an Alabama fan by de-fault. I was born in Alabama and I was raised for about the first half of my life in Alabama. If they win, I'll be happy. I won't talk that much about it. If they lose, I'll be bummed out.

Not so much for the team but just for the fact that I'll have to hear from a bunch of goons (yes! excellent description they are so totally goons!) who take this waaay too seriously.

Let's not lose sight of a very important fact: Sports are fun. They're still a game. Trash talk is one of the elements that helps fans participate in that game. You're on a team by extension.

At this point, the smack talk by lsu fans AND Alabama fans is only slightly more elevated than the vomit and drool freckled babbling of an infant. But, because I have had to deal with quite a bit of abuse this week: ROLL TIDE!

(woot!)

Thank you Messieur Joe Cardosi for your very refreshing insight! And please tell Gus Kattengell and Larry Holder to KNOCK OFF the ridiculous suggestion about Tulane in the Sunbelt. Puh-lease. That is the sorry-est piece of analysis ever. A founding member of the SEC goes to the Sunbelt. Get OUTTA here!

Rendezvous in Nola, Y'all

Yes, we had ourselves an outstanding tailgate in Champions Square for Tulane Greenwave Homecoming.

It made me go Gormley Who?! We had it ALL goin' on. The tailgatresses who par-tay with Coach and Mrs. Hullabaloo are awesome. So props to Peggy for her amazing ribs, Priscilla's heavenly brisket and potato salad, and Beth Anne for the greens and mac and cheese. Yum-o!

We chose BBQ for the obvious reasons of playing Memphis, but one of the best things about Rendezvous BBQ in Memphis is that the downtstairs dining room is line with college football helmets of every school here and yonder. Tulane's is up there. You know whose is NOT? Yeah, baby - the Tigahs!

Many thanks to Nell for not only providing BBQ sausages, but also for bringing o-fficial Rendezvous BBQ Sauce to complete the day. It was perfect.


I'm still waiting for PreacherMan to give up the goods on the Banana Pudding, because it was unreal y'all.

I made some Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies from Booty's Whitney Miller's cook book and had Courtney Who Makes Cookies make some cookies for our football momma's with their son's numbers on them.


The cookies looked so great that FF ate the one belonging to Xavier Rush. ha! I won't ever let him live it down!!! (We love you FF! next year I'll make a cookie just for you!)

WHITNEY MILLER'S
SWEET POTATO PEANUT BUTTER BLONDIES
Pam, for greasing baking dish
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed (I made Coach roast and mash this)
2/3 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with your pam.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a small bowl.

In another bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar. Stir in the beaten eggs, sweet potato, peanut butter, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined. Add the flour mixture ingredients and mix well.

Pour batter in the baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes. Let cool in the oven (with heat turned off) for 10 minutes. Cut the blondies into squares or desired shapes.

....and Booty made some Olive n Blue Deviled Eggs (made with olives and blue cheese) accented with a green and blue jello shot for a chaser. Then we also had, of course, fixings to make Mint Juleps with Tennessee Whiskey...


Our final home tailgate for the football season will be Thursday's game against UH in two weeks. We're doing Burgers. And speaking of burgers, Ta'Molly has threatened to make us have Omaha Steakburgers at one of next year's tailgate.

Well just lock me up and throw away the key!

My four cents

I think I may already have a "My .02" post - heck my entire blog is what goes on in my brain, so whatever: I'm writing and you're reading, so my legal disclaimer is that this is for entertainment purposes only. Do not let the chirrens play with this while unattended. Do not leave near open flame. Professional gossipers have contributed this so do not attempt to do this at home without proper training by a professional gossiper. and do not follow without advice and consent of a medical professional. and heaven forbid: be wary of LSU fans whose feelings could get hurt. sniff!

Okay, now.....

So I wrote (dern I do a lot of writing) to WaveProf from yogwf, because after I took a nap (YES! when I nap during Saints Games, they win. So I am keeping up the mojo) I woke up to my facebook messages all blown up by people sayin' there's talk over at yogwf about little ole me. Lawd!

So this is what I said to WaveProf and I'm sticking to it:

Anyways, The person mentioned didn't think anything of my post and then they decided they didn't want it up, they were over it and asked me to to take it down after they read people's comments on it on yogwf. It's a good friend, so I obliged.

BUT I will tell you the truth after reading people's comments. It wasn't about the folks in question having another team to cheer for, because there are plenty who do and that's their prerogative. Look at Mr. Fancy Pants. Cheering for his War Chicken while he's got one son playing in olive-n-blue and another on the way (Coach Hullabaloo teases that it was really a chicken and they're just in denial - lol!).

Also, one of my favorite-est Greenie Dats is an Alabama alum and she cheers for both. RIPTIDE is a good friend and she spent 7 years at LSU (I'm not kidding! She's so cute about it too!).

This particular situation I blogged about was very unfortunate because these people were indeed meanspirited about the olive and blue. To OTHER members of the Greenie Dat Nation!

So this is my opinion: if you didn't want reaction to how you truly feel, don't be spouting off in public. It's out in the domain at that point and fair game for Mrs. Hullabaloo.

PreacherMan is always a wonder how I know so much dirt. Dern it. People just spout off to me. If I wrote HALF of what people share in confidence this would be out of control here in Hullabaloo Huddle. For reals.

(plus, I shant let an opportunity pass to poke fun at Tigahs, so there.)

Second, how can you expect the team to play with pride, when your family isn't even behind the team? (or even come break bread at our tailgates!) Nobody is happy with this season, starting right here with me, but there's disgruntled and then there's disparaging.

and third: Don't tell Mrs. Hullabaloo something you may not want commented upon :0)

and fourth: I assure you that Mrs. Hullabaloo tailgates will run circles around anything happening upriver. Bring it: Game on.

And fifth: Roll Wave!

PPS. My final comment (for today anyways). Nobody is holding a gun to anybody and forcing them to accept the honor of a scholarship at our fine institution. You can spend the time of your child's eligibility making new life-long friends, enjoying new traditions, having our wonderful tailgate grub or you can spend 4 or 5 years resisting that and wishing they were somewhere else. Luckily I've met plenty of wonderful peeps who chose the former rather than the latter.

Koozie's Pill Party

Tonite's post is all about Family. Because, y'all: I would not trade our Tulane family for nothing.

Shout out to the Greenbackers for having some extra tickets for Lisa and her little pelicans to attend the game. Greenbackers: if you read this THANK YOU for being awesome members of the Tulane Family.

So after the game (yes, we stayed!), Peggy, Koozie, Red and FF, and Coach Hullabaloo and I stayed and shot the shute outside in the parking lot like we like to do. We do a post-mortem, laugh our selves silly and enjoy each other's company. Y'all - the Hullabaloo Huddlers are a family and we stick together. A-men!

Anyways, during our post-game Koozie brought up that he and Peggy wanted to host a party at their place for the SMU game. He wanted Coach and I to go, but I reminded him that Coach and I would still be going to SMU. He was astounded. "WHAT!? Yous want some Cyanide to take wit ya?", sez Koozie. While I giggled I reminded him that Familia Hullabaloo are Texans, and that I would still want to see my family. Peggy was hilarious - she started doing a spoof rendition of me calling my folks and yelling into her "air" phone: "HEY: We Lost! So We AIN'T Comin', YA HEAR!!!!" and then fake hanging up. snicker!

So then we just went off on a tangent about how our next trick as fans would be to all re-enact Romeo and Juliet and all take cyanide together. Everybody commit mass suicide in the stands at the same time. Very Jamestown - or was it Jonestown? (we couldn't decide which J-Town it was, so "J-Town" it shall be). Peggy was laughing about pouring everyone "kool-aid" shots in lieu of Booty's jello shots. lmao!

And so we just tumbled down hill from there and suggested that at the Peggy and Koozie Pill Party, they would attach a hose to the car exhaust and do hits like a hookah.

I swear I laughed so hard I almost pee'd my pants!

Another thing that made me laught silly was Speedracer during the game. When we saw Up The Middle TM surfacing again we just went completely out the box. Speedracer was joking that Bob Toledo was calling the game from English Turn. No, wait - he was actually up in a suite texting the calls. Speedracer and I started yelling (for real y'all) "UP THE MIDDLE!!!!" I was laughing because this random guy down the row kept turning around and looking at me sideways. lmao! I mention this and Coach Hullabaloo chimed back that HE (as in Coach H) was looking at ME sideways. ha ha! He was so embarassed by me. Well, y'all I was embarrased by those dern Up the Middle Calls!

Anyways, so my Town Daughter did me proud today! Look at Chickadee's a-dorable shoes!


Listen y'all, every student needs to be indoctrinated by Mrs. Hullabaloo. Cute Green and Blue outfits are e-ssential. Chickadee told me that she and her adorable friend took all of their green and blue options out of their closets and styled their look for today. ♥ ♥ ♥ !!! I luvs my Town Daughter familia!

Welcome Visitors! Thank you for finding my little shtetl on the webs! So happy you came by! Miz Butterfly aksed I redact her story and I have happily obliged. Much love to y'all!

Anyways, as Speedracer so eloquently put it today during our pre-game Toast and Hullabaloo Chant (I like this tradition!) "The ONLY Good Tigah in Louisiana is a GRAMBLING Tigah!"

New Coach, New Chairs

And it's not even my Birthday! $25 at the Team Shop.

I even called it to Justin's attention that he needs to add my number to speed dial at the Team Shop so as to notify me when awesome stuff like this arrives so that I can race over and snatch things up.

Then I saw these long sleeved Tees at Old Navy today and snatched some up to get embroidered. (Click on link to buy online)



Yes, I'm obsessed - so get over it. I'm perilously close to being diagnosed a greenie dat hoarder. It's an affliction, I own it.

So, there - ha!

Happy Tulane Homecoming

...and remember y'all: the par-tay is in Champions Square this weekend. So Park in Garage 2 which is the lot closest to Benson Towers and the Old Macy's tunnel.

Thank You

Introducing Tulane Greenwave Interim Head Coach Mark Hutson....

Quelle relief. Now I can get back to things of real importance. Like making fresh lemonade for our BBQ tailgating.

Cinco and Dos Equis

Cinco - the magic number. This is it folks and then I pray we'll have ourselves a countdown watch of another sort. A vigil if you will.

First - I want to thank Toledo for saying he takes The Blame in Peter Finney's Times Picayune article. Quelle Relief. I was worried we'd be told to go across the street or something again. Sigh.

Too little, too late though.

So I had an exchange with someone who we'll call Sassy Pants. Sassy Pants brought up the name of a Coach whom we'll call Loudmouth. Lawd. Loudmouth wants to do us the favor of being Tulane's next head coach - honest to God - and I just about fell out of my chair, but not in a good way. First, Loudmouth's spouse is about the complete opposite of Our Current First Lady of Football, the very Jackie-O, Elaine Toledo. Yeah, I see that fitting in smashingly here in New Orleans. And second, I just don't know about Loudmouth being Head Coaching material again one bit.

Now, I know we aren't exactly in the position to be picky - but really. I want to swing for the fences. Not just settle on Tommy Bowden because he's been humbled and has his hat in hand now or on Loudmouth neither just because he thinks he's a hot shot. I want young, I want aggressive, and I want one who's got a charming wife. ♥MARIO CRISTOBAL!♥ Or I want proven, aggressive winners. Like Mike Leach + Hal Mumme. Come in a storm the place like pirates. Arrrggggh!

Why, why, why can't I have it all!?!

But let me tell you what we need. Rick Dickson, please start hearding us cats or come out and say something. Tomorrow will be the two week anniversary since your last weekly chat, which was previously on hiatus during the first three or four weeks of the season and then I think it had last appeared sometime before 4th of July. Kind of a not weekly, but rather Random Wave Chat. (Like my Random SuperFan TM Profiles which I will try to revive soon, I promise). But with all of the ugliness that people are saying or want to stage, donors calling and meeting with potential coaches or donors now swearing off ever coming to a game again - and here is silence like nothing's the matter. This is anarchy happening in Greenwaveland and I have tailgating responsibilities to tend to.

Aiy-yay-yay! Enough to make my head spin like a tray full of tequila shots.

Of which I dispersed plenty of at the tailgating for the UTEP game.

This deliciousness I received as a gift from Terry from Baseball's ex-boyfriend at My Fabulous Turchin Birthday several years ago and I have been waiting to share it with more people. I was glad to have it on hand Saturday as it was much needed.


Y'all this tequila is the shizzle! It's kinda amaretto-ey. Very very good.

So we also had us a feast of Tex-Mex. And YES, I made sure we served blue corn chips and guacamole corn chips so that we had color appropriate food. I think of everything.


PreacherMan made some ham carnitas and brought this delicious coleslaw which I slathered on my Chicken Tinga tacos.

PREACHERMAN'S COLESLAW
1/4 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
small fistful of chopped parsley
whomp a mayoneze
capful of vinegar
sprinkle of sugar
a shake of salt
cracked pepper, to taste

Like, I said - this cole slaw paired perfectly with my famous guacamole and the Chicken Tinga we cheated and brought instead of making.


Yes, I totally cheated and had Coach Hullabaloo pick up a tub of Chicken Tinga from Felipe's to serve at tailgating. I had cupcakes and my famous guacamole to make AND tablescaping and I took a short cut so sue me.

Anyways, I had a lovely time at our tailgating and post-third quarter in the parking lot, so there.


And this kegorator made me chuckle ~ do you see the Residence Life stickers all over it? I know this kegorator has a story and I want to know it!


I can't wait to dig into our version of Rendezvous in New Orleans - which y'all: Tulane's Helmet is up as decoration at Rendezvous in Memphis and guess whose is NOT. YES! Tulane one ups the Tigahs!

On the Menu: Priscilla's Brisket, Peggy's Ribs, Holly's Mac and Cheese, Greens, Fabulous Cheddar Cornbread Muffins, Sweet Potato Blondies and Baked Beans .... yummmmm, I can't wait!

Her Name Was Destiny

The stripper who "undid" Mike Price at Alabama, that is.

I bring this up because Mrs. Hullabaloo was fit to be tied when I learned that Messieur Price dared to impugn Tulane's name as One-Lane during his post game interviews with the El Paso media.

If Mike Price wants to take a cheap shot, well there. He now has himself a reciprocal cheap stripper shot.

Anyways, the Greenie Dat Nation is restless. And I'm hearing they want to picket en masse to the Coach's Radio Show. That would finally make the news huh? Faithful Fans Have Had Enough.

Well, at first they were agitating that they wanted to really sock it to Toledo with some very unfortunate language on their placards. I think I've walked them off the ledge by encouraging we do Greenie Dat paper bags like Saints Fans did in the 70's and 80's.

And so in honor of my "Lunatic Fringe" brothers and sisters who heading this call to to RISE UP TM like they faithfully did in 2003, I sent this first shot across the bow to Dickson and Cowen (oh, but yes I did)

Dear Rick and Dr. Cowen,

You know that Coach Hullabaloo and I are faithful fans of Tulane and Tulane student athletes, but what has been allowed to happen the past several seasons and since the UAB game has become completely unacceptable.

In my new unique position as president of a nascent booster club which includes many student athlete mothers, it is painful to watch these seasons unfold year after year and watch these women's disappointment.

I've had discussions with fans of every stripe and background: from well-heeled donors whose families founded TAF to Tulane Hall of Famers to humble "local" fans who grew up with Tulane Football. Everybody is disgusted with the state of affairs and frustrated at the bunker mentality taking hold by both of your offices.

Coach Toledo has been given ample opportunity to craft this program in his mold. He is currently working with an entire crop of student athletes recruited by his staff. If they aren't responding, why did he recruit them? Every week the excuses for our losses are blamed on unresponsive players, schemes that are "difficult" to prepare for, an empty superdome, etc. etc. - No More Excuses Please - Tulane does not accept mediocrity in any aspect of the University, why is it allowing the Football program to just bottom out in such a sad manner?

Dr. Cowen, in your invitation for your Town Hall on Friday you lamented not losing 15 pounds. (YES! He actually wrote this!) How about losing generations of fans and alumni? How about going from 25,000 turnstile count for the Tech-Tulane game your first year as President to 970 last weekend against UTEP?

In New York, my husband and I had the opportunity to have dinner with several members of the 98 team the night before the game. When they gave up and left the game in the 3rd quarter, they commented how difficult it is to be a Tulane alum. A former player from more recent years, turned his Tulane shirt inside out.

If nothing else, I have had the amazing pleasure of spending time with Elaine Toledo and their sons in law throughout Coach Toledo's time here at Tulane. They could not be a lovelier family. Elaine Toledo is absolutely the most charming I've met. I also give credit that Coach Toledo has implemented many invaluable changes in the Football program by trying the rotating camps, and bringing the students in over the summer for school and strength and conditioning. But it is critical to understand that Coach Toledo being a poor choice for Heach Coach is NOT the entire problem.

It is WELL past the time to give the student athletes a Football Program which they deserve and which our alumni and the City of New Orleans can be proud to support. The Syracuse Game and the first half of the Tulsa game are proof of concept that this team has had the talent that can be coached up. Unfortunately we now have unfortunate injuries from the UTEP game that will now ensure that we coast down yet another losing season.

The larger picture in all of this is that Tulane Football is what the University presents as it's calling card to the national audience and to our alumni. Whether you want to fully realize that or not. Stanford, Cal-Berkely, SMU, TCU and countless private schools have proved that you CAN properly fund a football program AND have an academic legacy you can be proud of. This Big 12 discussion, however legitimate in the back room, is resoundly considered an embarrassing joke.

SMU, who has continually been trotted out as a peer instituion, paid their coach $2mm or whatever that enormous salary was. They got $1.5 back in ticket sales after the first year - this is feasible if you put a quality program in place. The City of New Orleans would love to support an attraction that draws 15,000-20,000 people downtown each weekend in the fall. That would be least $300k in ticket sales alone each home game, not counting concessions, parking, or hotel stays. But you have to get behind the program for this to actually happen.

Community Outreach by Tulane students is apparently an important goal for Dr. Cowen. Why can't our student athletes be the face of that outreach to underserved areas of New Orleans? Why can't a unique education major be crafted for student athletes with that goal in mind? We are in the #1 recruiting pool of the nation, yet vast swaths of the city and neighboring region either have NO knowledge of our school OR have a POOR image ENTIRELY because of what is permitted to take place on Saturdays.

This cannot be allowed continue in this manner. And dismissing the program to a division 3 or further watering down the program is also unacceptable. You have people threatening to stage picketing rallies during what should be a joyous celebration of homecoming.

You outlined a commitment to Tulane Football last spring with The Playbook, we are eagerly awaiting your leadership on Tulane Football.

Sincerely, Coach and Mrs. Hullabaloo

....and if this doesn't get a response, I swear I'll make a fashionable grocery bag to wear for Wednesdays radio show. and take pictures here to show.

I Promise!

Big Loss According to Big Mike

"Thank God for Breast Cancer!"

"I WANT Breast Cancer, put me out of my misery!"

"Toledo and Price are Friends? WHAT a Friend!!!"

"BIG 12?! The SUNBELT won't want us!"

omg it was hilarious. Big Mike came out with his pink Tulane shirt, just spitting out a rainstorm. I could hear him across the parking lot.

Big Mike had some competition on the outrage though. Coach Hullabaloo came out of the dome because Robert Kelly's touchdown was taken away from him by the Zebras. and he was fit to be tied. I was a little concerned, so I made sure to have a plate ready for him by the time he got to the car. Distract him a little with the food.

You see, I was already perched in my tailgating chair before the game was over so I got to witness all of this. Yes, it was very un-Mrs. Hullabaloo of me. But ya know, we had good eats leftover from tailgating and an ice chest full of drinks still. I turned the car radio on, settled in my trusty tailgate chair and got to wave good bye to everybody else leavin.

Booty and I started cutting up, laughing and then starting singing "Good Bye! Farewell! Auf Weidersehn Good bye!" "Adieu, Adieu, To you and you and you!" ...you know, to Coach Toledo our athletic misdirector the departing fans as they drove out of the parking lot.

I wasn't that bad of a fan. at least I was still in the area of the stadium ya know. I still have a little bit of a pause though, cause I don't want to be sporting tire tracks yet again from getting tossed under a bus and trotted out again as the excuse for why we lost.

Anyways as insurance against being labeled a scapegoat, I resisted my "naysaying" ways and decided during the game to get behind Up The Middle TM. Cause honestly, I am tired tired of complaining about it. So I started cheering "Yay! Up The Middle!"

Hoo-ray, Hoo-ray, Up! Da! Middle!

Lisa and Mrs. VOW were cracking up. If I had pom poms, I would have been shaking them every time Toledo called Up The Middle TM.

But then Booty came off her shift and so I asked her if she wanted to help me polish off our ice chest and she said, but of course! So there we were just taking all of this in.

SMU just beat UCF by a. LOT. ya know. So instead of grabbing onto my ankles for the rest of the season I think I am just gonna have to continue to enjoy my tailgating. BBQ next week y'all. Always a fan favorite.

Roll tide? Wave!*

*did y'all catch that during the game? the stadium announcer?! what was that story?!

I ♥ Our Tailgate Themes

and unlike Coach T, I ♥ evening kick-offs. Thank you Yom Kippur!

Late games = later tailgates. Which means I can sleep in later on Saturday mornings, I can take my time packing up the ice chest and whatever dish I'm contributing, and then at the dome I'm not racing to set up our tent and tablescaping - all of which result in less arguments with Coach Hullabaloo. That right there ALONE needs to be factored in when the making of the Tulane Footbal schedule is happening. A marriage saving football schedule, how perfect would that be?

So our Hullabaloo Huddle Syracuse v. Tulane Tailgate theme was Oktoberfest and it was honestly the best one so far (oh yes. prior to being held hostage in exchange for a ransoms-worth of timeouts, we tailgated).

PreacherMan brought Polka music - lmao. I just ♥ PreacherMan's sense of humor and his opennes for taking tailgating themes to heart! We have such a great tailgating group.

Circe went to town with the menu: Brats, amazing German Tater Salad and then she surprised Coach and I with some homemade peach jam to bring home that was awesome. Circe keeps a blog and posted the recipe here, and trust me it was delish.


I just totally was afflutter with the German condiments. So cute right?


However, probably THE cutest thing is #17 Alex Lauricella's Family.

The Lauricella clan have the cutest little mr. bo-bo's in the family that they ride around in this little wagon before the Tulane Marching Band comes through.



....and they had throws too!


How a-dorable are these?

So to decorate for our tailgating, I actually picked up these glass steins from the bookstore. I had seen them during an earlier shopping trip with Circe and once I see something that I know is "perfect" I cannot shake it from my mind no matter the cost.


I'm almost embarrassed to admit they were a zillion dollars a piece. So much so that Coach threated to return them and explain that his wife had lost her mind. (lmao! I am sooo sure!)

In addition to our money-is-no-object-themed tablescaping, I contributed some red cabbage and apple slaw (recipe below) and Pricilla made this a-mazing German Chocolate Cake that was ver gut!

I honestly think all this heaven sent food was kismet, because our next door neighbors for tailgating happened to be Momma and Daddy Rush whom we befriended immediately. They were the most gracious people ever and turned out that they are the parents of our new rockstar wide receiver Xavier Rush. (!)


O-M-G, where has he been all our life? I am serious about the OMG. Usher is my soundtrack when I think of or discuss Xavier Rush as wide receiver. Makes me want to throw up my hands and just dance like a fool, like a fool. I literally almost lost my voice screaming over his 3 td's. I was absolutely ke-vel-ling.

I know that you'll also be kevelling over our recipes for this week. Enjoy!

RED CABBAGE AND APPLE SLAW
2 tbsp red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
1 tablespoon creole mustard
1/4 cup evoo
2 medium unpeeled Red Delicious or Fuji apples, sliced in super thin wedges.
some chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups coarsely shredded red cabbage
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup pecan halves, chopped
saltnpeppa, to taste

Whisk vinegars, honey and mustard in small bowl. Gradually mix in the olive oil so that while you mix, the erl emulsifies. Toss apples with lemon juice, and then add to shredded cabbage, green onions and dried cranberries. Add dressing and toss. SaltnPeppa to taste. Garnish with chopped pecans.

CIRCE'S GERMAN TATER SALAD
Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes, leave them skins on
some bacon
a medium chopped white onion
a few tablespoons of erl
Tabasco spicy brown mustard
apple cider vinegar
bunch a green onions, chopped
saltnpeppa, girl

Berl your taters whole in seasoned water til they are al dente. We don't want mashed taters here, but they shouldn't still be raw and hard in the middle now. After you're done cooking them, take them out and when the taters stop steamin, slice em up in rounds like doubloons so that they soak up the dressing real good. While the taters are boiling you can cook up your bacon (make sure you cook an extra piece for nibbling). Keep a couple tablespoons of the fat from your bacon cooking to sautee up your chopped onions.

While everything is cooling off, enjoy some of your coffee and then start making the dressing by whisking those wet ingredients together into a froth and then adding in the green onion, salt and pepper to taste. lovingly toss together with your bacon, taters and sauteed onions. And stand back cause people will bite your hand off if you are in the way of serving themselves extra helpings. Like Mrs. Hullabaloo was doing. I swear I almost O'D on this Tater Salad. I was totally ignorant and serving myself heaping mounds.

So this was too funny not to share.


What's the story with the kids chillaxing on the parking median? As evidenced by their sign, this group were overachiever tailgaters and I loved it loved it. Right before packing up to go, they led everybody in a round of Hullabaloo. It was excellent.

OK Next Up: UTEP and our menu for this week is Tex-Mex. Please sign up:

Fajitas
Fajita Fixings
OR Tortilla Soup?
Pricilla's Enchiladas (Priscilla's got this)
Spanish Rice (Circe's got this)
Tamales (Circe's got this)
Salsa
Mrs. Hullabaloo's Famous Guacamole and Chips (Mrs. Hullabaloo)
Cupcakes and Cookies (Mrs. Hullabaloo)
Jabaritos Soda (Mrs. Hullabaloo)
Hibiscus Tea (Circe)
Margaritas

Time Out Toledo

"....I was talking to Steve about it and we said that because of the time, we didn't have enough time to do anything with it anyway (!!!!) so we were going to take it down. They have had several blocked kicks. That's what we were hoping for, that we could get through and block the kick because they have had like five or six of them this year. It didn't work out that way.

....Ha! It didn't work out!? I'll say!!"

So the title of my post today was gonna be "WHAT A RUSH" because Xavier Rush is awesome, exclamation point...

But alas, Coach Toledo hasn't figured out that momentum can be iced with time outs or preserve time for a last ditch effort to score. What happened with skippering a game? Old man just watching the game like it was on TV or something. This was very Admiral Stockdale in the '92 VP Debate.

So because we have to sadly break it to him that he can't hoard time outs, try bring them home to display on his mantle, stockpile them like coupons, use them to pay for the early bird plate with the other Blue Hairs at The Peppermill or have 5 for next week's game, I decided to interview fellow fans on what they would buy with 2 time outs. A store credit if you will...

"'I would buy you!" (why thank yoouuu! But I'm waaaay expensive! Just ask Coach Hullabaloo.)

"Mike Leach!"

"A sense of humor..."

"A reimbursement..."

"A Playbook for the new Millenium" (Mrs. Hullabaloo concurs. Cause LAWD, up the middle!)

"A Tulane Bowling key chain...to go with the million dollar hot dog I bought at the dome." (ha ha Big Mike!)

"Scott Cowen's buy-out clause for the first Time Out. And Rick Dickson's with the second."

"I'd pitch in for Bob Toledo's One Way Bus Ticket."

"Forgiveness of the Players for not giving them a chance to win"

There you have it folks, your Post-Game Pulse TM.

Now. if yous ak-sin' me - I think I would have to buy a pair of refs who could do some homecookin'. I think that might be nice for a change instead of ones who constantly have it in for us.

And I just have to add one more thing: Blocking a Kick? After serving up 5 years worth of mealy-mouthed conservative playcalling, and suspect Special Teams skippering, all of a sudden we've mastered the art of kick blocking? We didn't even manage to do it earlier in the same game. Yes, we did that against Southeastern. But they have a 1-4 record. In Division 2.

Oy!

A Hullabaloo Nay Nay !

A One A Two
A Hullabaloo Nay Nay
Who-Say, Who-Say
We Say "Nay!" "Nay!"

Btw: Stay Strong Brothers and Sisters!
We Will Survive This Episode in Tulane Athletics. I Promise!


So tonight at the Radio Show, PreacherMan made me laugh silly! Well, I guess count me in as a "Bandwagoner Naysayer!"

PreacherMan came up with an excellent idea for us to all get T-shirts that say "WE SAY" on the front and "NAY!" on the back. lol!

Cuz GAWD the mental acrobatics trotted out since our Road Spanking TM has just made me laugh. Really, what else am I gonna do? Cry?!

First - to any Athletics Lurkers: 2+1=5 or what? Lawd I just felt sorry listening to the QBClub speech. Brandon! Go Out and Spin Like a Dreidel! (God Bless Brandon for carrying out his marching orders as best he could) So you see, Brandon explained, if you look at our record and compare it to everybody else in our sorry little conference, we are actually "still in the mix" We're standing 5th in a non-aq situation. We got everyone right were we want em!

(lmao, this reminds me of one baseball season during one of our weird down streaks where we had ducks on the pond, no outs, no strikes and a jokester in Section 110 chimes up "Here We Go! They got us RIGHT where they want us!")

Then tonight at the Radio Show I literally smacked my forehead with my palm and then rested my head against my steeringwheel* to laugh when I then heard Coach T talk about how there was "just 3 other teams in our conference with winning records!"

(*Mrs. Hullabaloo's single act of subversion (other than this blog of course) was to step out during the Coach T portion of the show, but to be present and show my support to Graf and the Player's portions of the show.)

So you see: because our conference under performs, Tulane is actually doing well and we should all rejoice! So cue the Angels in Harmony! Yes, this is all just a smashing success!

I love all of our players dearly. They are like family, seriously. I love, love some of the mommas I've befriended and couldn't imagine not having them in my world. So the belittling of us "Crackpots": that we are allegedly disrespecting the team and not supporting the players by saying "Nay" to any additional layering of bull makes me want to fly an airplane banner in circle 8's between Willow Street and St. Charles Avenue that says "YOU JUST DON'T GET IT!!!" and followed by a smaller banner that reads "LEAVE THE KIDS OUT OF IT!"

Is it really so hard to just man up and say "This Is Unacceptable. We Will Fix This. This is How We Plan to Fix This: A, B and C" ?????

Now two more really interesting tid bits from the radio show:

First - Coach T claims to have received messages of support from Greenies who have been under a bushelbasket want him to keep on keepin' on. Who are You? Please step forward and make yourselves known. I want to do a SuperFan profile of one of these peeps, cause they are better fans than me.

Second - We (as in the Greenie Dat Nation) got an email from an Army mom about how impressed she was with our manners. (yes! because Army's manners are sadly lacking.) This email made me giggle, which I know is terrible - as Southern Ladies we are taught to accept compliments graciously. But see, I failed to mention in my post-game post that Coach Hullabaloo almost got into a fist fight with a female Army fan at the condiments station during the game. He was trying to dress his hot dogs and had other concessions sitting in front of him. This huge long empty condiments table and some Army lady apparently wanted his spot. So she grabbed our bucket of freshly purchased stale popcorn and warm Michie gatorade that he had resting immediately next to him and shoved them down the table without even saying "Pardon Me." Coach just looked at her with his jaw on the ground and then instructed her on the finer points of the word "Excuse Me" and she just looked at him like he was the crazy one. And then apparently they went tit for tat.

Much Ado About Condiments, I know - lame. If I had been there I woulda just pulled Coach away and rolled my eyes at the lady, but Coach - who's been silent at Army all these years while I immaturely spout off - had had enough.

Well, let me tell you what we don't have enough of: Tailgating Themes. I will overlook Coach T's backhanded comments about finally having a late kick off to allow for tailgating before our game against Syracuse this Saturday - and share our tailgating menu, which I am very much looking forward to: Oktoberfest!

We'll be having brats, pretzel hoagies, all the trimmings, red cabbage salad, german potato salad, Black forest cake and German chocolate cake....Yum-o!

Gameday Dresses part deux

So the past few weekends, Mrs. Hullabaloo has been Project Runway-ing outfits the night before leaving for games.


this cute little ensemble was quite successful for our UAB trip.

Yes, I know that I have an abudance of green and blue dresses and outfits, but I wanted logo'd stuff.

I made a long sleeve one for Army, but I may burn it now....

Anyways, I ran across these other cute ones from other schools (below) and posting to share.


Please note that I do not claim ownership of these photos, but I thought they were cute. I don't remember where I saved them from, so if they are yours remind me and I will give you proper credit. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Anyways, the reason for my Project Runway marathons the night before hitting the road for away games is that I am SO over the "shrink it and pink it" mentality of the Collegiate Licensing Industrial Complex. Or at least the one that governs Green Wave Merchandise, so I am opting to make my own.

I have been deluged with requests to make these for other Greenie Dat-ettes, but you see Coach and Mrs. Hullabaloo would rather use our disposable income on more fun things than legal defense, so no. You must make your own until someone in the Collegiate Licensing Industrial Complex finally decides to start making cute Tulane dresses.

I will, however, point you in the right direction. First: buy two shirts. Then I loosely followed the instructions from this website and then just started freestyling a little to come up with my own touches. It usually takes me about 3-4 hours to make a dress. Using 2 t-shirts makes it a lot easier because you have a built in hem situation happening.

Anyways, have fun!

IHTFP

IHTFP....

Coach Hullabaloo used to tolerate it. But no more.

What is IHTFP? Well, you need to read Jarhead the book. or be a Marine. And listen my chickens, Mrs. Hullabaloo loved marines. Thankfully God is good and gave me a great Marine as a husband.

Why do IHTFP? Cause our weekends at "Tulane North" (quote by Rick Dickson) are just soooooo predictable. Let me count the ways:

1. Rick Dickson and Scott Cowen both have a higher tolerance threshold for bull than moi. That's predictable. We'll see what excuse is trotted out this week and deemed acceptable.

2. Army Refs are awesome! They are so on top of it! Dusting off every arcane penalty call in the playbook. They even closed out Army's final extra point at the end of the game and gave Tulane a penalty for "illegal substitution." WTH was that about? I thought Coach Hullabaloo was going to go beat up one of the Zebras when they didn't call a late hit penalty on Army, because they are perfect in every way. I even saw little Coach Bobby T burst a blood vessel screaming at the refs over that one. I say little, cause from our vantage point in the endzone seats - he looked tiny.

3. Army's coaches are always so classy! and didn't you just love, love how they put the student section with the band directly behind our bench? and could just jump out and about amongst our line to do their stupid push ups? Clearly, there's no arcane penalty call for that. Because they are perfect in every way.

4. Oh, but I also ♥ Army's play announcer. Most schools think that it would be sufficient to say "Orleans Darkwa, 5 yards on the carry. Tackled by #9 John Doe" But no, not at Army. Here the superlatives abound. This sounds so much better and descriptive: "John Doe, just flying out and stuffing and stopping that run in an astounding manner! Obliterating all hope for Orleans Darkwa to make a first down! Oh yes, I guess it's 3rd and 2. Everybody stand up and make noise!

4. It is just sooo awesome to hear Tulane Alumni say "It is really hard to be a Tulane Alumni." for reals that was heard in the stands. Even David Skeehan turned his Tulane shirt inside out.

Coach and Mrs. Hullabaloo were very lucky (no sarcasm, I mean this) and got to have dinner the night before the game with some of the defensive line members of the 98 team. These guys were enormous, I can't think of any of our players who compare in size. Buddy Teevens was apparently an excellent recruiter. Some of them played pro with AFC teams. For the game they had matching hoodies with their numbers stitched on the sleeves and "Greenwave" on the hood, it was totally Hullabaloo Huddle-worthy. I loved it, loved it. I woulda taken a picture to share, but you know when your Coach calls sissy and predictable plays, your team is all around unprepared, Army just oozes class, and the Zebras are insufferable, I couldn't fault them for leaving at the beginning of the third quarter before I could corner them for a photo opportunity.

...but anyways y'all, what is most alarming about this game is that Dickson is bummed Army wants to cancel the contract til 2015.

Who wouldn't want more of this?! Sign me up!