Genius!

Right? Don't you just love, love the koozies? The Louisiana Sportsmen theme for yesterday's tailgate was truly genius.

and I can't wait to break out that playbook again. Perhaps with a faux antler chandelier (do you honestly believe I would harm an animal in pursuit of the ultimate tailgating tablescape?).

But my word, yesterday's game is one episode where Mrs. Hullabaloo hates to be proven correct about intuition.

From the bottom of my heart, I love Coach Johnson's enthusiasm and darnit, I am absolutely crazy about his wife! She is Fabulous exclamation point. If only we could will Coach Johnson to do well as a collective.

I am really terrified to go back to my initial reaction to the December press conference in the Wilson Center. Wherein I listened in panic to the words "I don't know yet what the offense is going to be" "We're gonna play a version of what the Saints play" "You can script plays all you want, but then xyz player is gonna go out and make a play and that script goes out the window" or the real zinger: "Scott Cowen intimated me"

!!!!!

Peter, Joseph and Mary, I can't believe me some of the excuses that are being trotted out and sampled to see if they stick. Like "we put in 9 different players and still trying plug in which ones will work with the plays" (or something to that effect)

For real? We can't evaluate talent 4 games in? I heard this movie before and it was Bob Toledo. And the plot was a refusal to give up on a system that we couldn't recruit for or that worked for our team, instead of playing up the talent which we have in order to cobble together a string of wins. And the story ended with 3 seasons too long on a contract (because, honestly I was done, done, done when Andre Anderson had a tantrum in the locker room after USM the last time we played in Hattiesburg).

And yes, I know and appreciate that the Voice of the Wave needs to remain positive in what he puts forth on the airwaves in order to keep the job he loves, but the fact that our special teams is doing better is hardly comforting. or THIS

Hello, our 4th quarter touchdowns these past four games is not due to some miracle cohesion that is sprung forth out of thin air. It is due to playing against our opponents practice squads, which opponents have begun to put in out of pity. Because we can't sink any lower than LAST. Which is where we have wallowed for longer than my lifetime.

So please, Tulane Athletics SID, please do not put forth any more bull like, well everybody else in the conference also lost or whatever in addition to this. It just makes this sorry Tulane Tradition sadder that there's not a path to fixing any of this with our self-imposed contraints. And on top of that, that more effort is put into excuses and spin instead of common sense solutions.

TPTB has GOT to own this. Maybe I should make them some cute armband mums like they do in Texas for homecomings there. Decorate it with ribbons that read "Longest Losing Streak in the FBS" "I Compared Conference Hopping to The Titanic" "I Told Fans To Go Across the Street" or "7 to 120 Under My Watch" or my favorite: "The Next Head Coach Will Be Getting a Gift" (yes, TPTB said this. To Me. In response to when I asked after Toledo was finally fired, why he wasn't fired earlier back in December 2010 when he should have been fired. Said "gift" was in reference to the talent on the roster that Toledo built that needed to be preserved in tact).

We all knew in June what we had on our hands, heck we knew in the spring. (or if I understood this and the staff didn't, then that makes me want to go out and stage a one woman Occupy Camp on the Claiborne neutral ground - well with Naked Pizza and The Pyramid nearby I need to have to plan for sustenance you know. So this seems like an ideal location. Also, I had an awesome pedicure at the nail salon there on Calhoun too. Afterall, I gotta keep up grooming while manning my Occupy Camp. You didn't think I'd go all grubby like the genuine Occupiers did you?).

So, I digress: If it was imperative to run the Saints playbook, then what prevented us from getting JUCO's to carry out that concept? If even just for the SAFETY of our student athletes. You know, other peoples' children?

But I have to give props where props are due: You know one thing that has improved after Fans complained long and hard enough? The Dome is no longer an ice box during the games. Hoo-ray!

And then of course, #57 Zach Davis is the gift the keeps on giving with his genius interceptions.

I am sad I missed the one from yesterday now that we are spending the 4th Q back at tailgating and finish up listening on the radio. Three quarters being as much as my eyes can take. But I did catch the one in Hawaii and it was balls the wall nuts. More on Zach Davis in a second.

The truly genius dish, though, from yesterday's tailgate is awarded to the Camp Street Krewe who served Shrimp n Corn Macque Choux with beef jerky from Bourgeous Smokehouse in Thibodaux.

O-M-G. Coach Hullabaloo was kevelling that beef jerky was so awesome. I can't wait to copy this! So I'll share a recipe a for Crawfish n Corn Macque Choux so I'm not a complete copy cat. (also, I am sharing that Coach Hullabaloo hopes that Coach CJ is sitting down with Sean Payton today and taking copious notes).

So about Zach Davis....Last week, Coach Hullabaloo mentioned talking to his daddy at tailgating. I looked at him mighty puzzled. Because of course Coach Hullabaloo, being a male, didn't know his name so I had to wrack my brain about which particular student athlete's parent he could be speaking of. I was told we had met this fellow previously and so I had to catalogue my brain going on just this one nugget of information alone. And what was most puzzling was that Coach Hullabaloo said that apparently Daddy Davis has attended many other of our tailgates. And then Coach Hullabaloo was puzzled with me, because like how could I not know about this stealth tailgater?

Coach Hullabaloo and I had indeed met Daddy Davis previously, when some jerk fans came up to us at tailgating in Tulsa one year and made a stupid rhetorical question if Tulane was any good. In addition to just being appauled at this lack of manners, I was mortified about who this misguided individual was speaking to - Daddy Davis of all people.

So indeed, Coach Hullabaloo sez that Daddy Davis has popped into our tent over the past few years and instead of leaving the fellow standing there amongst our revelry, Coach Hullabaloo entertains him as any good host can given the inane NCAA improper benefits rules (really? I can't give Ryan Griffin's wheelchair bound grandfather a bottled water while he melts in Champions Square?). But who knew we were graced with Daddy Davis' visits? It was certainly news to me.

Zach Davis' absolutely adorable mom came by our tailgate today and so I shared with her the story about Daddy Davis being our stealth tailgater. It made for a funny story, especially with Peggy later on in the game when I was telling her about our stealth companion and she was as unawares as I was.

Well, let me tell what will not be stealth - and that is this genius tailgating dish which I proclaim "Season Winner"

MIRLITON AND CRAWFISH MACQUE CHOUX
halfa stick unsalted butter
3 cups fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups Louisiana trinity (1 cup onion, 1 cup bell pepper+celery)
1 10 oz can chopped tomatoes, or Ro-tel
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 cups heavy cream
3 mirlitons cooked, peeled, and diced
(maybe some chopped okra!)
1 pound Louisiana crawfish tails
handful of minced parsley
generous handful chopped green onions

Heat butter in medium saucepot. Add corn and saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, trinity and tomaters. Turn heat up and cook until the chicken stock has evaporated. Add garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt, hot sauce, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil. Add mirlitons and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add crawfish tails and simmer for 10 minutes or until cream starts to reduce and thicken. Add parsley and green onions and stir to combine.

P.S. TPTB, if one of yous are reading this, yous are starting to mess with my tailgating and that is a problem.