Scalp 'Em, 'Noles (l)

Cheers

GO NOLES! -->>---FSU--->>

December 05, 2012

Scalp 'Em, 'Noles (l)

Designer Digitals Products:

Jesse Edwards: All Natural Solids Paper Pack

Ali Edwards: Long Journalers Value Pack

Katie Pertiet: Photo Clusters Colors No. 01; Messy Stamped Alpha No. 08 Brushes and Stamps; Grid Iron Brushes and Stamps

Michelle Martin: Just Linens No. 12 Paper Pack; Janine Solids Paper Pack

Fonts: TypeWrong; Trebuchet MS

Journaling: More than ten years ago, we were season ticket holders for the FSU games. Many a weekend was spent traveling to Tallahassee with Marc and Karen and cheering the Seminoles on to victory. The team of the 90s was a dynasty, and we enjoyed being a part of the glory days of FSU. Nothing lasts forever, however; and change inevitably happens. Katie and Sam came along, and weekend trips to Tallahassee became a little harder to manage. We gave up our season tickets, and my beloved Seminoles fell on hard times. That didn’t stop me from watching every game on TV, though, and going to the occasional bowl game if FSU was playing nearby.

Last weekend, the Seminoles hosted Clemson, and Marc and Karen were going for Marc’s work. We were lined up to keep the munchkins while they were gone. Imagine my surprise when Marc called to say he had a ticket for me and in the skybox, no less. My sweet husband graciously agreed to stay with Katie and Sam so that I could take the pre-birthday trip to Tallahassee. I was ecstatic!

Marc heard about a promotion Chevy was doing in conjunction with the game, so we drove to Tallahassee in a new Chevy Malibu, decked out with Seminole flags and magnets. Capitol Chevrolet hosted a pre-game tailgate party in a parking area right across the street from Doak Campbell Stadium. No hiking two miles across campus to get to the game for us!

It had been years since I’d been to a game, so I was anxious to see and photograph some of the new additions to the stadium, like the larger-than-life statue of Bobby Bowden, the legendary coach of the Seminoles. Karen and I took a walk around the stadium while Marc was schmoozing with his Progress Energy colleagues. We passed group after group who could be considered nothing less than professional tailgaters. They had their tents and areas decked out with everything imaginable, including centerpieces, grills churning out food; card games in progress, TVs tuned to other football games being played, satellite dishes, and pick-up football games. It was a riot of all things Seminole, and I loved it.

Just a few of the images that I captured in the afternoon and evening before the game began. Marc told his friend Audie about the Chevy promotion, and we hooked up with him at the tailgate party. The friends that came with him in the big honking Silverado truck had the cutest little boy all decked out in his Seminole shirt. He loved playing with the bean bags. As we walked around the stadium, I saw these two boys tossing a football and tackling each other -- maybe a couple of future Seminoles. On a fruitless quest to find shirts for Katie and Sam, Karen and I went to the Seminole Sports Shop in the stadium, and sitting outside, waiting patiently for the game to begin, were the Seminole faithful. I love the sea of garnet and gold. We also went into Moore Athletic Center where they keep the two national championship trophies from 1993 and 1999. Charlie Ward’s and Chris Weinke’s Heisman trophies are there, too. And the man who put Florida State on the map stands outside -- Bobby Bowden, headset in hand. Love that man! Surrounding the stadium is the Walk of Fame, highlighting stellar athletes from all the sports at Florida State. Of course, I was most interested in the football players, and Karen couldn’t pass up a chance to have her picture taken next to Chris Weinke’s square. As it started getting dark, we returned to the tailgate party area to meet up with Marc before heading into the stadium to cheer for the Seminoles. 11.13.10