this is football...

...all the people want to hear about is touchdowns and injuries.
right. that's all they care about. if that is all people really care about then i am going to personally extend an invitation to the cheerleaders to meet me at the gnome during halftime of the really cold games. no reason to freeze in a tiny skirt if no one cares.
in the south, football is about the touchdowns and injuries, BUT it is also about the tailgate and dress color. girls in the south do everything up right...well most of us. we match our purse to our shoes, we accessorize with zeal (and i don't mean a cheese hat or foam finger), and we can make a mean cobbler. yes sir, there is something about us southern girls that is unmatched by any other female from any other geographical location. we have secret dip recipes for game day (well actually you can have the recipe if you ask we keep no secrets). we have a special section of clothes in our closet dedicated to fall saturdays. and after you turn 55 you get special bracelets, earrings, and reading glasses to promote your favorite boys. after 55 you also take advantage of senior shopping day at belk but that is for another blog. a true southern girl makes the most of football season and all the people associated with it.
now i'm sure you are wondering why get dressed up for a ball game? why get dressed up to walk up stadium stairs an eat hot dogs? don't worry i'll tell you.
the tailgate. the tailgate is just as important as the game. for some people the tailgate is the reason they never actually make it in the stadium (but those people are ill behaved). the tailgate is not just a way to grill before a game; it is a chance to meet and greet. to network with the guy who has a business that could benefit your own. to say hello to so and so's new girlfriend that you have to be nice to regardless of the fact that she is from new york city. the tailgate is a chance to show off your new orange purse! and if you don't have one to show off kate spade did have a nice selection of orange on sale...you're welcome. the tailgate is a way to enjoy the people you see all the time, in a public setting, under a tent that you had at "T" printed on just for game day. plus the tailgate is assurance that you won't miss the traditional "Vol Walk." it is here that you set the tone for the ball game. it is here that you decide who you will invite over to your house for the away games. and it is here that you check out the boys at the other tailgate tents. (you will recognize the acceptable one by their sear sucker pants or special saturday pants, polo shirts, sperry top-siders or rainbows,croakies, and orange solo cups.)
let's just say you can't make it to the stadium or it is (ugh) and away game. well, that doesn't slow us down or change the color of the sweater around our necks. not one bit. away games mean gatherings. it means opening up your house to your male and female friends and providing a nice arrangement of heavy appetizers and a fresh, clean flat screen. away games have the ability to be just as fun and are for sure just as important socially. in the south, saturday means football, period. and a true southern girl is always ready for the game.
so, here's to the southern girls who walk from the garage to the stadium in heels just because they make her legs look longer. here's to the southern girls who stay up all night on a friday to cook yummy snacks for everyone under the tent. here's to southern girls who can keep up with the boys while keeping their dress clean and their pearls in one piece. here's to the southern girls who are older than all the college students but still have as much energy. here's to the southern girls who show up in pin attire and sport buttons that share how much their sorority loves the team. here's to the girls of fall, thanks for making every gathering classy and memorable.