Well kids, it's finally that time. After about 13 years, we are officially shutting down the Soonerfans.com tailgate parties.
Why? Cause we want to. Momma and I have purchased a lake property at Texoma we plan on spending more time at, and we have decided we would like to do the normal thing - show up on Saturday, hang out and see the game, and then go home - instead of starting on Tuesday and ending on Sunday night. We'd like to attend more away games (away games gave us a weekend off), and there's also some potential liability issues that were additional straws on the camel's back. And frankly, the dang things have gotten so big they've taken on a life of their own.
It's a bittersweet pill though. We've met so many great people over the years (and a few dumb asses too), and it was a really cool thing to know so many of the posters personally. This alone made/makes this site unique, and it was always fun to watch new people nervously come up to their first SF.com tailgate and then figure out it was kinda silly to be nervous about it. I've heard that comment many, many times. Friendly, open folks who like to share was the norm. In case you don't know, about 90% of posters are nothing like their internet persona in real life.
Anyhow, I could go on and on about the great times we've had over the years. I remember our first one at the Sarkey's Center. My Sooner Harley with one ice chest, a Dick Butkus newspaper grill, and a card table and 4 folding chairs. From there to the Huston-Huffman area, then on to the house on Jenkins, and finally our uber-sweet spot at the Casa Blanca building. If anyone feels all nostalgic, feel free to post your favorite tailgate moments.
I will leave out a lot of folks here I'm sure, but I'd still like to try and thank those that contributed to make these parties what they were. Here goes:
Tailgate sponsors: Doug, Bryan and Shannon, Jim Tessio, Jim Aux, and a whole bunch more who've sponsored over the years deserve serious kudos.
Phil and Leslie for obvious reasons.
Oklahomey and Delane for their tireless fund raising efforts and contributions.
Jim Aux for the allsome Sooner wood carvings and financial support.
Phil and Peggy for tables, whole hogs, elk and antelope meat, advice, and other things.
BFS and Angela for the consistent help with every tailgate set up, and the cheap entertainment. Heh.
Doleo for the set up help and cheap entertainment.
Olevet for the OVJ. Nectar of the gods I tell you...
Boarder for the cooking help and financial support.
SSC, ST and Trina, and countless others for the help tearing down.
I'm gonna quit there. I just realized I can't possibly name all the folks who helped make these things what they were. Thanks to everyone.
Hope to run into some of you at future games, and we will be doing an away-game shindig or two this year. Thanks again y'all.
Bazinga
Originally Posted by rock on sooner
