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!