My wife and I are only able to come over from Houston for one game this year and I wanted to share a couple of things from our experience.

We went to Tigerama Friday night and what a show. I have always been so proud and amazed at how hard that band works during a game and there are no more dedicated Tiger fans than those kids in those heavy hot uni's. I cant tell you how bone chilling it is to watch them perform in that venue, go next year.

I was told by a band employee that as of now there is not enough money to send the Tiger band to the Alabama game. I could not confirm but they said it was possible no band members would make the trip. If this is true can you begin to imagine what it would be like? I have no affiliation with the band so this is just a fans thoughts and concerns.

Went to campus at 5:00 am to get a spot. Some of those traffic people need a sense of humor it's early for everyone. Parked in one of the zillions of spots open by the Union.

About the same time a gentleman and his wife pulled up in a tricked out van. I asked about the spots cause I did not want to get in someone's regular spot. Turns out this couple had been in that spot for 30 years and adopted us without a blink. They had a great setup with a huge tv tents and food. We pitched in and helped unload and made calls to have family bring out our share of food to contribute.

We were able to pick up a couple of tickets that were one row from the top of the west upper deck. Had my wife not had that last mai tai she would have never made that climb. The fans up there were great and helped us get over the vertigo, it is a very different game from up there. The wind kept us cool and we were in the shade the entire time. When your up there you can see how perfectly the original stadium layout was as the Tiger bench is perfectly shaded while the visitors are getting blinded. Watching the team from up there you get the perspective that they are well organized, calm, and methodical in the way they play a game. There is none of that mass confusion we have suffered with in past years.

When we got back to the tailgate we broke everything down and left campus with little trouble. Our area and most of the sites I saw were clean. I can't tell you how proud I am to be a Tiger fan and to have a community that will welcome you as we were.

There are knuckleheads everywhere but with all that has gone on the last weeks we should all step back a moment and appreciate that which is the south Louisiana culture with it's friendly and caring nature. We should be proud of a university that has developed the facilities and programs that can draw the vast numbers of people to the campus for a weekend. We should be proud that a stranger can drive in from anywhere and his family have the kind of experience we had.

I live in Texas but I will always be a damn proud south louisiana boy and obnoxious Tiger disciple.

Thanks Baton Rouge.