Tiger
tailgaters ready for a great season
Laura
Thornton
Mizzou
football fans have been anticipating the 2006 season. Mizzou
tailgaters create a family-and-friends atmosphere where people
from all over can come together and celebrate one thing they
have in common – Tiger football.
All
week long people were waiting anxiously for the season opener.
For some, this was their first game here; for others, like
freshman Sarah Ott, the game and the tailgating were old news.
Ott’s family has been coming to Columbia for as long
as she can remember. “My parents set up a big tailgate
for all the home games. We never miss a game.”
For
Jason Boyd, a sophomore transfer student from Colorado Christian
College, this was his first Missouri football game. “I’ve
seen people tailgating at Rams games, but I’ve never
really taken part in it.” Boyd looked forward to the
atmosphere and energy of the tailgaters most. Boyd and his
friends bought hot dogs and hamburgers in preparation for
the big day. They planned to have a large tailgating site
hoping that additional people would stop by and hang out.
Fred
and Anita Pollock have been following the Tigers for over
50 years. They had hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, bratwursts,
beer and soda available for the family to enjoy. “Fred
still barbecues the food and our son David helps while the
children play. Our tailgating site has gotten quite large
over the years.”
Starting
with only themselves and another couple, the Pollocks now
have their four children and 10 grandchildren with them. Their
grandchildren had a five-on-five football scrimmage set up,
everyone wearing a different Mizzou Tigers jersey. Even the
youngest, five-year-old Jocelynn, was a part of the game.
Fred Pollock says, “If it weren’t for the fans,
Mizzou football would just be regular old football.”
