as yall know, we had no idea what to expect when visiting baton rouge for the alabama game. everyone on this board was very helpful in providing insight and i thought i would let yall know how our trip went.

almost immediately upon arriving in new orleans i learned how to use "yall". i also learned that following up a hurricane with a handgernade can cause unexpected results.

the gameday experience was something i will never forget and was one of the greatest spectacles i have ever seen. not all things live up to the hype, but gameday in lsu is one of those things that outperforms the expectations.

we arrived on campus around 10:00am, parked on la30, and walked towards the northern end of the stadium in hopes of seeing mike the tiger. mike was not out when we went by, but what we did see was people in every direction in some of the most elaborate tailgating setups we have ever seen. literally, you could look in any direction and see people enjoying themselves.

we stopped at the campus store to buy our lsu gear so that we were not confused as tiger bait.

based on the many recommendations, we made our way to the chimes and had a couple plates of jambalaya and red beans and rice. very cool place and the food was fantastic. we didnt wait for a table, instead headed to the back room for open seating.

we then headed back towards the stadium by going through the parade grounds. not sure how to describe what we saw, but i do remember seeing beer flowing through r2d2 and a stripper pole.

we purchased chairs and positioned ourselves to watch the players and band come down the hill into the stadium. while sitting there we talked with others doing the same. it was here that i think i learned the most about how important lsu football is to yall. there were 3 generations of families that just showed up to watch the parade of players, coaches, band, and cheerleaders. amazing that they would fight through this amount of people just to see them and not actually go to the game.

we told our story to many people and they were all shocked we wanted to be there, but were more than friendly in telling us their stories and how much they loved lsu football.

we got to our seats and sat among the nicest people you could imagine. again, we told our story and they did everything to make us comfortable and understand why lsu football is what it is.

we all know how the game turned out. i can only imagine what it would have been like if they would have been able to hold on.

all in all, this was one of the best experiences we could have asked for. to see that many people enjoying themselves in so many ways, and to see no incidents, was truly amazing. what i will remember the most is the sense of tradition and pride people have for lsu football.

thank you all so very much. we will be back.

geaux tigers