There was a conspicuous lack of pork in every tent we visited this weekend. It must have been out of respect for their revered mascot, Tusk IV, that Razorback tailgaters dropped the extra dollars on strip steaks for their grills. It would have been sacrilege to do otherwise. And after hearing countless choruses of hog calls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWMynRGeR88&feature=related), it was obvious these people really love their pig.
They really love their tailgating too.
We had a chance to spend the weekend with this proud community of grill masters for one of our clients and I witnessed some truly impressive setups. From converted school buses to a two-story inflatable dome, to a trailer with a draft pull and indoor toilet, the Razorback faithful really know how to put on a show. The only thing more impressive than their rigs was their boundless hospitality and Arkansas pride. After a few hours, I lost count of how many people offered to feed me and let me enjoy their tailgate. (I also lost track of the amount of people that offered me drinks, but that was a side effect of the drinks.) I’ve never felt more at home with complete strangers in my life. But I had a job to do!
And how’s this for a job: I had the distinct pleasure of finding and interviewing the three best tailgate teams on the beautiful Arkansas campus this weekend. For an entire day, we shot video and stills to populate one of the coolest projects out there, the Jarden TLG8 Tour (http://tlg8tour.com). We spent about an hour and a half with each crew, learning about their specific tailgate loves, group history, and how they built their tailgate setups. There was no shortage of outgoing individuals either. Mike and Ugly Uncle were bombastic and outspoken in their distaste (euphemism) for Houston Nutt; the Hog Express was humble and inviting even to the opposition; and Tommy and the Hog Father’s Hog Nation was all about family and tradition. Ultimately, visiting the University of Arkansas and hanging out with her faithful fans was a blast.
I’ve been a lifelong Notre Dame fan and have never cared about another college football team. But after my weekend in Fayetteville, I’m adopting a second team—the Arkansas Razorbacks. Woo pig sooie!
