Back to football, back to tailgating.

YES! We're back to spelling Texas with odd objects, back to tailgating, back to FOOTBALL!

We knew that football season would eventually return. The Sept. 3 opener had been on the calendar for quite a while. What we didn't know was that our tailgate, the one we've had for three or so years now, would continue. At the end of the disappointing 2010 season, we packed up our toys and went home, not expecting anyone to take up the tailgate's cause. Our long-suffering sponsors knew they'd have other places to be on their fall weekends, so it looked like the end of the road for our "little" gathering.

HA! As if!

A few hardy souls volunteered to take over, making sure someone could grab our spot early on gamedays, finding a storage unit for all our tents and tables. Nobody cooked or grilled anything and everybody ate before they came. For this first game, we didn't even have a TV or generator to worry about. Easy peasy! Honestly, it was the most enjoyable gathering we'd had in a long time. Without the TV and all that food to prepare, we were free to just sit, enjoy cold beverages and TALK. Especially after the long off-season, it was great to just visit with our football friends.

Some other scenes from our opening game:

I won't buy items that have "Hook 'em" with a single quote mark instead of an
apostrophe before the "e." But this guy? What the heck is up with THIS?

From our seats we could see the new Longhorn Network set.
Too bad hardly anyone could see LHN on their TVs at home.

Hello there, Bertha! Good to see you again.

Doesn't matter that it's 97 degrees. This still gives me goosebumps.

"I'm a Longhorn fan."

Texas offense

Fozzy takes the snap from the "WildHorn" formation.

The Rice MOB spoofed the Aggies' move to the SEC. Love it.

A tradition is born: The Longhorn Band played "All I Do Is Win"
for the victorious team. TONS of student involvement for that!

The other "goosebump moment": The Eyes.

Our mascot gets his own CoolZone. Now that's SWAGGER.