Despite the endless barrage of sounds and smells faced walking through an LSU tailgate, none seem out of place. 40-ft. RVs bursting at the seams with with flat screen TVs, decorations, alcohol, barbecue pits, sound systems, games and food options of any variety are all normal occurrences. Any home football game in Baton Rouge results in the same sight and for a roughly 24 hour window, it’s considered sane. Tiger Stadium goes by many aliases, including a personal favorite I feel summarizes it more accurately than even Death Valley - The Cathedral of College Football. Similar to the “Sunday’s Best” outfits associated with early morning church visits, LSU supporters descend on campus to attend mass in their own delightfully colorful version of worship attire. Nobody bats an eye at 65 year old men in perfectly color coordinated outfits restricted to two colors. Fans have their own individual takes with varying levels of extremity, but purple and gold are the inarguable constants. I don’t know another event where the clothes mimic the atmosphere so perfectly. Everybody on the campus is having pure, unfiltered fun and the outfits perfectly reflect the lighthearted buffoonery on full display. The undeniably Mardi Gras-like colors serve as an amazing excuse to day drink and barbecue. People roam around with clip-on tiger tails, cat ears and facepaint despite the 90-degree weather - it’s superfandom on full display with absolutely no apologies. Most grown men with “normal” careers don’t strut around in purple or gold chinos, but for 24 hours it’s a football fueled party with costumes welcomed. Yes, you could cook 20 slabs of ribs in a suit and tie, but I think they’ll taste better if prepared with a novelty visor with fake yellow hair attached. The heavily devoted venture beyond readily available merch and opt for custom shirts, hats and jerseys embellished with nicknames, tailgating crews, graduate years and anything else deemed worthy of significance. With NikeiD’s limitless options, Shox are a fan favorite I’ve been fortunate enough to see in person on a few devotees. (I’m required to mention Jerry Seinfeld’s slew of custom fan Shox with New York color themes.) Paired with the ability to completely decorate the shoe in purple and gold and “Geaux Tigers” taglines while appearing an inch taller - what’s not to love? As the sky brightens on Sunday morning, many fans make the transition into the ceremonious oxford and khakis for the weekly church visit. It’s a respectable decision the delegation appreciates as most cathedrals across planet earth aren’t accustomed to tigerstripe shirts, harlequin pants and stained championships jerseys, but there is a rather large one in Baton Rouge that livingly accepts the madness. Amen.
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AuthorMax Theriot Archives
November 2019
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