Grambling State: Tigers vs Tigers

Easily one of the more intriguing games on our schedule this year was a trip to Grambling, Louisiana to the campus of Grambling State University. Grambling is certainly one of the more renowned historically black universities, and occupies a rolling stretch of woodlands in North Central Louisiana. In addition to being an all black university, Grambling is worthy of intrigue because its prominence and national reputation belie its deceptively small size. The fact that Grambling has nationwide recognition is a remarkable achievement for a school with less than 5,000 enrolled students. In the national college football landscape, Grambling certainly plays larger than it actually is (you won’t find me driving 4 hours to go to a Skidmore College game) so we made the journey to experience it first hand.

Undoubtedly, much of Grambling’s fame can be attributed to their celebrated “Tiger Marching Band”. Made famous for their talented and unconventional performances, the Tiger Marching Band is showcased on national television every year during the Grambling vs. Southern game at the end of the season. The Bayou Classic is likely where most college fans have become familiar with them. However, the Tiger Marching Band has a laundry list of accolades that likely few other university bands in the country can match including several television commercials, a handful of presidential inaugurations, the first Super Bowl and many other honors.

A great video on the band and it’s history can be found here:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Weekend/american-snapshot-grambling-state-marching-band/story?id=9463629

And a high quality video of a typical halftime performance can be found here:

Grambling is also well known for their former head coach Eddie Robinson. Robinson is a legend among College coaches, having amassed 408 career wins in his fifty six year tenure at the helm of the Tigers. This puts him in second place among all time wins for college coaches behind John Gagliardi of St. Johns, Minnesota. To put Robinsons longevity in perspective, Joe Paterno has to coach for another 11 years to equal the tenure that Eddie Robinson had at Grambling. In his honor, Grambling dedicated the Football Stadium “Eddie Robinson Stadium”.

Eddie Robinson stadium, aptly named for the legendary head coach, is an interesting venue. It’s not entirely a “stadium” per se, but more of a giant hole excavated into the ground filled with bleachers on opposing sides. It’s actually quite unobtrusive on the Grambling campus and difficult to spot until you know where you are going. While certainly not an enormous venue (stated capacity of only 25,600) it certainly puts you right on top of the action, and is surprisingly the largest stadium capacity in Division 1-AA football. Though on this particular day, only 7,057 packed the stadium for the home opener.

To me, the most impressive aspect of Eddie Robinson stadium is the fact that they bored a hole this deep into Louisiana soil without hitting water.

On the field was a SWAC battle of Tigers between Grambling State and Jackson State. Or, as they are referred to by the PA Announcer, the “G-Men” and “J-State” - evidently they are into the whole brevity thing. While the game itself was certainly not the level of speed and gameplay that we are accustomed to during our travels to BCS contenders, it was a hard fought and competitive game until the end. There were a handful of bone jarring hits that drew audible reactions from the crowd, and watching Grambling running back Frank Warren rumble for 256 yards on the day was an impressive display of talent. The game decision actually came down to the final play, when the Grambling defense stepped up and stuffed Jackson State on fourth and two with six ticks left on the clock to hang onto a 28-21 victory.

The Tiger Marching Band of course, was the true spectacle that we awaited at halftime, and they certainly did not disappoint. It’s truly in a category of its own when it comes to University bands that we have seen. While I was certainly impressed with the traditional drill of the Texas A&M Marching band (http://www.pigskinpursuit.com/2009/12/and-now-formed-at-north-end-of-kyle.html), the Grambling State band simply transcends any traditional band routine that we may be familiar with. While the performance starts out rather traditional (and impressive in its own right) it slowly builds into the unique blended art form that it eventually becomes at its apex. The Tiger Marching Band elevates the conventional halftime performance into a unique blend of symphony, theater, dance and art.

At the finale, the band actually starts playing and interacting with the crowd. It basically becomes a jam session where the fans and the band are rhythmically bobbing to the same performance, each feeding off the others energy and engagement with one another. It was more akin to being at a rock or rap concert, than a football halftime show. Amazing.

In the end Grambling was an extremely unique experience that we were thankful to have. It is undoubtedly a college football atmosphere steeped in tradition and pageantry well beyond its size, and made it well worth the trip out there.

Now for the answer to the question that everybody wants to know but is afraid to ask: No, we were NOT the only white people in the stadium on Saturday, although we were the only ones in the stands. Grambling’s kicker Zoltan Riazzo and a handful of other Caucasian players can be found on the Grambling and Jackson State rosters.

Louisiana Tech: Bulldogs vs Midshipmen

While Louisiana Tech by itself would never merit a four hour roadtrip for even the most diehard of College Football fans, since it was a mere five miles from the Grambling campus it presented the unique opportunity to hit a doubleheader on Saturday. After making a quick getaway from Grambling, we hustled over to Joe Aillett Stadium in Ruston just in time to sneak in midway through the second quarter. Terry Bradshaw would be proud.

Joe Aillet itself was a surprisingly pleasant venue. While certainly not cavernous in size (30,600 stated capacity), it was a remarkably intimate and clean atmosphere, and had the simple charm of a beefed up high school stadium. We found free and easy parking about twenty five yards from the entrance, and sauntered into our seats effortlessly. Small stadiums do have some advantages over their larger, crowd choked bigger brethren. It also had a markedly different family oriented atmosphere, and makes for a enjoyable Saturday evening for Ruston residents. Given the small stature of the school, I was also quite impressed with the student section, which was fully occupied, standing and boisterous for all four quarters.

On the docket for the Bulldogs this evening were the the Midshipmen from the Naval Academy. Being an ND Alum, I’m all too familiar with the triple option attack from Navy, and they prove a formidable opponent no matter who they are playing. Of course Lousiana Tech as a member of the WAC conference is no stranger to shootout type games, and one can only imagine what happens when Boise State comes rolling into town later this year. To my surprise, the contest was actually quite close until midway through the third quarter, when the Navy grinding attack finally took its toll, and they punched in a few touchdowns. The Middies then ground out the clock and cruised to a 37-23 victory.

In all, we were quite charmed with the Louisiana Tech game, and certainly glad that we made the five mile detour from Grambling. While more relaxed than some of the larger venues we visit, Louisiana Tech has its own unique charm and there are far worse ways to spend a beautiful Saturday night than under the lights of Joe Aillet Stadium.

Country Tavern BBQ

Country Tavern is a bit of a legend among Texas BBQ joints, and while not located in the famed “Barbecue Triangle” of Central Texas, it’s still widely considered one of the preeminent pit stops for purveyors of smoked meat. Tucked a few miles off Interstate 20 in Kilgore, Country Tavern made for the perfect diversion during our four hour jaunt out to Grambling.

Like any Texas Barbecue joint worth its chimney, Country Tavern is not without a bit of controversy over the last few years. Having been in business since 1939, Country Tavern has earned its reputation among the best in the state by churning out high quality cue’ for eons. However, a few years ago, they abandoned 70 year old location in favor of a squeaky new building. The stodgy faithful of Country Tavern have been quick to assert that the new location doesn’t quite turn out the same quality meat as the old location. Unfazed, we decided to give it a shot anyway and we strolled into the shadowy interior of Country Tavern and settled into a plush booth.

I was quite pleased to discover that regardless of the new building, the quality of the food was still top notch. The sausage was pleasantly spicy with a good snap to it, though I would have preferred they not slice it prior to serving. The brisket was solid, but not exceptional. It had a solid depth of smoky flavor throughout and just the right amount of rendered fat, but a more pronounced crust and smoke ring may have preserved some of the moisture a bit better.

The ribs were probably the winner overall for me despite the fact they were a bit non-traditional from a Texas sense. The ribs were tackified and sweet on the outside having been basted during the smoking process (the sauce had completely crusted onto the meat and fortunately they were not wet). The result was a sweet, almost candy coating on the outside of the ribs, which, paired with the inherent saltiness of the meat and infused smoke, created a delightfully complex flavor experience. They were actually very reminiscent of Chinese style spare ribs, but with a more robust smoke profile.

The only surprise at Country Tavern, unfortunately, was the ticket the waitress gracefully handed off to me at the end of the meal. I nearly spewed Big Red through my nose when I looked down and saw nearly fifty dollars staring back up at me in black and white. Our meat plates were nearly twenty dollars apiece…. I immediately calculated how much Snow’s brisket I could get for that hefty price, or a new snowblower.

Oklahoma! Sooners vs. Seminoles

Kicking off the Pigskin Pursuit for 2010 was a trip back up to Norman to see the storied Sooners of Oklahoma. The Ruf/Neks would have to the circle the wagons pretty tightly, however, because the Seminoles of Florida State were in town. This was an enticing matchup, as two traditional powerhouses were squaring off in one of the biggest games in the country in week two. Despite both of their storied traditions, Oklahoma and FSU had only faced each other five times in history. The last time was a 13-2 defensive standoff in the 2001 BCS Title Game, where the Sooners stifled the Seminoles for their 7^th National Championship. Although I had been to Norman before, this game would be an appropriate marquee matchup to start the season.

The contest itself turned out to be a bit of an unexpected mismatch. Having no dog in the fight, naturally I was hoping for a close, competitive game. Instead, Oklahoma absolutely pasted Florida State and reasserted themselves as the team to beat in the Big 12 this year. The offense had their way with the porous FSU defense all day, to the tune of 487 yards, as Bob Stoops clearly asserted himself over little brother Mark at this years Thanksgiving dinner table (Mark Stoops is the defensive coordinator for FSU). I think the Sooner Schooner may have even worn some grooves into the Gaylord Stadium turf after circling a half dozen times throughout the day. The Sooners extended their nation leading home winning streak to 32 games, reinforcing Norman as one of the toughest places to play in the country.

Final Score: OU 47 FSU 17

Perhaps the only disappointment on the Oklahoma side was the early departure of their student section. Midway through the 4^th quarter, nearly half of the OU student section had already headed for the exits. Students are supposed be the lifeblood of stadium atmosphere, and a raucous and rowdy bunch from whistle to whistle. Leaving early is expected from the wine and cheese crowd, but inexcusable for students. Besides, if my team was hanging a 40 point shellacking on the likes of FSU, I would be hanging around and savoring every last second of that contest. Poor form OU students.

A word for a minute on tickets – as I tend to get this a lot. The first question people always ask me is about tickets. Do you have tickets? How are you going to get tickets? Let me try to clear this up for a minute. If you have any desire to attend college football games, don’t let tickets be an obstacle in any way. Finding tickets to these games should be the least of your concerns. There are ALWAYS tickets available, and 95% of the time they are available at or below face value (even at the National Championship Game last year). Don’t bother with Ebay, Craigslist, and Stubhub. Just wait until you get near the stadium, and there will be throngs of tickets thrust into the air for sale (many of them by scalpers – whom you should avoid as well). Just ask around until you find someone whos friends couldn’t make the game, or had to leave his children at home. They are generally just looking to sell the tickets to anyone mildly pleasant to sit next to (not completely hammered) to recoup their money back.

Here’s how tickets worked at the Oklahoma vs FSU game, and bear in mind this was easily the biggest home game in Norman this year. Kickoff was at 2:30. I approached the stadium at about 2:23. By 2:24 a guy and his wife were walking out holding their newborn and 2 tickets in the air. Turns out, they needed a ticket for the baby as well, so they couldn’t go to the game. I offered him face value for 1 ticket (87.00) and was on my way into the stadium fifteen seconds later. (He actually offered me both for $100.00 but I declined since I had no use for the extra).

Oh by the way – the ticket was on the 50 yard line, aisle seat, 27 rows from the field. One of the best seats on the house. Face value. Consider this the next time you are worried about tickets.

Blue Pig BBQ

I can’t quite remember where I first heard about Blue Pig BBQ, but I know it was on one of those “Best BBQ” lists that are routinely forwarded to me from friends and relatives. The problem with such lists, is that 99% of them are generated on hype and reputation alone. The author, usually of dubious credentials (like being from the North, or raving about “sauce”), has likely never even visited half the places on their list. The fact that Sonny Bryans still manages to make “best of” lists and television shows is proof of this abhorrent and misleading practice. Therefore, as a rule, I generally ignore such lists at face value, and I usually screen for multiple data points about a BBQ joint before adding it to the esteemed ranks of the Pigskin Pursuit list. One only has so much stomach space, after all.

Unfortunately, pressed for time, Blue Pig did not undergo my usual scrutiny for selecting a BBQ establishment and this one certainly slipped through the cracks.

I knew I was in trouble when I walked through the door and nary a hint of smoke greeted my nose. My fears were confirmed when my three meat tray arrived with a pile of nondescript meats that barely resembled BBQ. The jalapeno cheese sausage had fallen straight off the Sysco truck, and a quick nibble confirmed its mediocrity. The ribs were dry, lacked any hint of smoke, and flopped sloppily off the bone likely from sitting under a heat lamp for a few hours. Finally, there was this other grey matter that they referred to as “Brisket” on my tray. Like a five year old choking down peas, I winced through a few bites of the meat substance before paying it the ultimate insult - I “sauced” it. (Then I made a sandwich out of it.)

For those unfamiliar with the blog, for me to “sauce” any BBQ meat is an insult of the highest order. Roughly equivalent to walking into the kitchen, shooting the chef’s dog and scissor kicking him in the chest.

In fact, the best part of the meal was the cheesy potato concoction, which was actually the only thing I finished. Does Kreuz Market even offer side dishes? I wouldn’t know because I’ve never gotten past the meat. So if I’m telling you about the side dishes at a BBQ joint – take it as a warning and eat at the Denny’s across the street, or grab a pack of Combos from the Quik Trip.

Sorry Blue Pig, you’re not up to snuff.

http://www.bluepigbbq.com/

The moral of this entire story is of course quite simple: Never trust Barry Switzer.

Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch and RV Park

When I first read about a BBQ joint that doubled as an RV Park, I got one of those twinkles in my eye that only comes from uncovering yet another unique roadside gem on the college football tour. If it’s one thing I’ve been searching for, it’s a place to enjoy some delicious smoked meats in the comfort of my opulent, fiberglass mobile palace. Mind you, I don’t actually own an RV, but the allure of eating BBQ in an RV park was simply too much pass up. Oklahoma: home of catfish noodlin’ and BBQ RV Parks.

In my imagination, the pitmaster for Smokin Joe’s would be a folksy hybrid character mashup of Uncle Eddie from “National Lampoons Family Vacation”, and the famous youtube celebrity “Winnebago Man”. Draped in a vintage leisure suit this character would surely dish out my BBQ with a toothy grin and a profanity laden tirade. Reality set in quickly however, when two extremely pleasant and polite women behind the counter took my usual three meat order.

While the combination of a BBQ and RV Park is an alluring story, it’s the pile of the meat on that tray that ultimately matters. I’m here to tell you that ol’ Smokin Joe ought to consider flipping the breaker on the RV hookups because this guy flat out knows how to BBQ.

The sausage was probably the most common of the three meats. I opted for the spicy sausage, which had a decent snap to it, but was clearly packed too tightly to be made in house and chewed a little too commercial for my taste. The brisket, however, was fantastic. Note the well established crust on the brisket and deep smoke ring. Clearly Joe has spent some time perfecting this finicky meat. The only drawback was that he trimmed his brisket, so it doesn’t have quite the same moistness that some of the Lockhart notables do. Finally, the ribs stole the show. These ribs were perfectly cooked, had a deep smoke ring and silky texture. Additionally, they were enormous and meaty (the pictures don’t really do them justice) and I had all I could handle to finish three of them.

It’s always nice to discover a place north of Austin that actually serves respectable cue’. Oklahoma can be a bit of an enigma when it comes to BBQ (due to the Kansas City influence from the North), so it’s quite a treasure to discover more traditional Texas style BBQ this far north.

http://www.smokinjoesribranch.com/

Now if only we could get one in Dallas…

Friday Night Lights: Southlake Style

It goes without saying that football is a religion in Texas, and high school football is the emblematic icon of that faith. Across all corners of the state, the world stops on Friday Night as communities gather under the vaporous glow of beckoning light towers piercing coal night skies above the stretching Texas plains.

Reaching for a venue that embodies the best of Texas football, our feature high school game for 2010 was the fabled Southlake Carroll Dragons.

Southlake, for those of you unfamiliar, is one of the most storied high school football programs in Texas, and therefore the country. The Dragons boast seven Texas State 5A Championships and from 2002-2006 compiled a record of 79-1 including three consecutive state titles from 04’-06. Gregg McElroy, Chase Daniel and Scott Chandler were just a handful of recent graduates whos names may sound familiar.

Despite occupying the outskirts of DFW airport, Southlake is one of the wealthiest suburbs in Texas, and features some of the gaudier McMansions ever to sport a replica medieval entryway. Lets just say the fanbase at Southlake is a bit of a different demographic than you may be familiar with. Bleach blond trophy wives toting their True Religion clad pre-teens around the bleachers are the norm inside the 11,000 seat, $15 Million dollar concrete Dragon Stadium behemoth. The entire atmosphere is unapologetically competitive and elite. That said, it’s an environment that breeds exceptional athletes and scholars, so they are certainly doing something right.

On the field, the game had all the action and regalia we have come to expect from big time High School football. Full bands were in attendance, each putting on impressive half time shows including a rendition of “On Wiscsonin” aka The Southlake Carroll school song (many Texas High school songs are borrowed from Big 10 Schools). The speed of play was impressive for a high school game, and despite a handful of turnovers, execution was remarkable for a bunch of 16-18 year olds.

In the end, Southlake overcame a 10 point 4^th quarter deficit to stretch the game into overtime, where they promptly stuffed in a 17 yard run and held on for the win.

Final Score (OT): Southlake Carroll 31 - Richardson Berkner 24

Don’t worry about missing any of the on field action when you need some nachos, Dragon Stadium has you covered on the concession stand plasma screens.