salience
November 20, 2005
The DC/VA/MD trip was well worth the wait ya'll. Danielle and I got in to Shell's house late Friday night and we all stayed up talking 'til the early morning. Make no mistake, we weren't there to sleep. We were up for GAMEDAY bright and early, making it to College Park, MD by 10am after metro-ing it up from Springfield, VA. I have to admit, I expected more from this college town. Not only was it really quiet, it was pretty anti-climatic. One of the girls I know up here is an MD alumna, and she had built up her alma mater to be much more than what I saw yesterday, that is for sure.
No matter. We took the shuttle to the campus and immediately ran into the cymbal line and Liz finishing getting their equipment into the stadium. The new uniforms are different. I can't say I love them, the buttons especially are a little much and the new logos are just weird to me, but they look nice nonetheless.
From there we headed to Comcast parking lot B11 to meet up with some '05ers and the late greats of '04. It wasn't even 11 yet and there was a beirut table and full Mike Kelly family hospitality on display. We all did the collective "oh yes, that's right" when we had to do the mental check that this is indeed the class that followed the 4 Wallingford of legend. Got to see old friends and catch up, hard to believe it's been six months since graduation almost, right ya'll?? Time flies so quickly. Jen Murillo, Kate-ah, Faleris and Wenger (aka Falenger), Mike, B-Lan and Felt, it was so good to be back with such great people again. Even though we were in a new place, when we were together it felt like home. It was GAMEDAY!! and the appropriate music of '04 slideshow documentation was blasting from the trunk. MD fans were completely wasted by this point and tripping over their words trying to insult us. But c'mon, "Fear the Turtle?!"
We missed the BCMB pregame unfortunately, but by some great divine act, Shell and I were right next to the band. Danielle snuck in with us, and we were the lone superfans in a greyhaired group of BC alumni. We stood for the entire game, unless the pearl adorned woman behind us whined that she couldn't see only to ask her husband what was going on in the game, at which point we'd sit down 'til the next big play. Thanks to Danielle we had a gallon size ziploc of homemade in albany, ny rally chocolate chip cookies the security guard "didn't see" when we made our way into the Terps' stadium. We sang along to stand short staples and reacted genuinely to the new additions. We made fun of the MD band, although I have to admit, they rocked halftime. Even if their band was white, two of their three drum majors were black and they were going to entertain and move for the crowd, no doubt.
We were complimented twice on being great fans, even videotaped by alumni who appreciated us. And yes folks, staying true to our BCMB roots, we were sober and completely into the game, despite my embarrassing, misguided attempts to get Shell to drink Molson at our second ever tailgate (the first being in South Bend for ND last October). For the second half, a group of five bigger black guys settled into the seats around us, wearing nice street clothes and silver UnderArmour football gloves. That's right, BC Football alumni were having a great time at the game with us!! The most famous? Signing the most autographs?? None other than Derrick Knight of '03, all-time Eagles' leading rusher ya'll!! That's right, CSOM Finance. :) In hindsight, we were sorry we hadn't sang the KnightRider theme, haha.
After completely silencing College Park with a 31-16 win, we celebrated with a final rally cookie. The ladies in front of us finally turned around and asked, "Do you guys really have rally cookies?!" When we politely enthused, ""Of course, would you like one?!" All they could do was laugh. We cheered the band out of the stadium, and I reached down my hand to Coyne who tightly grabbed and squeezed it as he marched the band on by. It gave me goosenbumps. The BCMB DMs for '02 - '03, '04, and '05 were all in the same place. There are just no words to describe that, you know?
Our group followed the band to another alumni event and finally got some time with our babies. I was immediately surrounded by my saxes and BFaulks. Those kids are my heart ya'll, it's just the way it is. And even though it's been months, it's still us and that's what it's all about. :) I did it all for them, and now they carry it on.
The sun was setting and as they lined up for Coyne's whistle, we made our way back to B11 to say our goodbyes to our '04s. We all agreed, tailgating together somewhere again sometime soon is a must. It'd been too long and even though we're all over geographically, we aren't that far apart.
We made it back to Springfield in time for Shell's mom's great homemade lasagna and a push to see the new Harry Potter movie with Shell's amigo Aaron y su hermano at Potomac Mills (my used to be favorite place ever when I lived in Woodbridge, VA back in the day). The movie scared me. As expected, there were moments when I was holding onto both Shell and Danielle!! But we listened to our BCMB cd from last fall and it was good. We sang along, our voices scratchy and low from all of the yelling and singing at the game.
This morning we slept in a little and then ventured out to continue a Chestnut Hill tradition at IHOP. I got a recipe for Thanksgiving stuffing from Shell's mama and then it was time to part ways. Danielle to Rockaway for her Thanksgiving break and me back to Levittown for work. And it's just so neat, I can't truly do it justice here in this space.
But we all came to BC from such different places, geographically and life-experience wise, spent these four years that flew by together in this great organization, went our separate ways only to come back together to find we are still us. And we don't say good-bye, just "see you soon, real soon." It's one of the best feelings ya'll, definitely.
No matter. We took the shuttle to the campus and immediately ran into the cymbal line and Liz finishing getting their equipment into the stadium. The new uniforms are different. I can't say I love them, the buttons especially are a little much and the new logos are just weird to me, but they look nice nonetheless.
From there we headed to Comcast parking lot B11 to meet up with some '05ers and the late greats of '04. It wasn't even 11 yet and there was a beirut table and full Mike Kelly family hospitality on display. We all did the collective "oh yes, that's right" when we had to do the mental check that this is indeed the class that followed the 4 Wallingford of legend. Got to see old friends and catch up, hard to believe it's been six months since graduation almost, right ya'll?? Time flies so quickly. Jen Murillo, Kate-ah, Faleris and Wenger (aka Falenger), Mike, B-Lan and Felt, it was so good to be back with such great people again. Even though we were in a new place, when we were together it felt like home. It was GAMEDAY!! and the appropriate music of '04 slideshow documentation was blasting from the trunk. MD fans were completely wasted by this point and tripping over their words trying to insult us. But c'mon, "Fear the Turtle?!"
We missed the BCMB pregame unfortunately, but by some great divine act, Shell and I were right next to the band. Danielle snuck in with us, and we were the lone superfans in a greyhaired group of BC alumni. We stood for the entire game, unless the pearl adorned woman behind us whined that she couldn't see only to ask her husband what was going on in the game, at which point we'd sit down 'til the next big play. Thanks to Danielle we had a gallon size ziploc of homemade in albany, ny rally chocolate chip cookies the security guard "didn't see" when we made our way into the Terps' stadium. We sang along to stand short staples and reacted genuinely to the new additions. We made fun of the MD band, although I have to admit, they rocked halftime. Even if their band was white, two of their three drum majors were black and they were going to entertain and move for the crowd, no doubt.
We were complimented twice on being great fans, even videotaped by alumni who appreciated us. And yes folks, staying true to our BCMB roots, we were sober and completely into the game, despite my embarrassing, misguided attempts to get Shell to drink Molson at our second ever tailgate (the first being in South Bend for ND last October). For the second half, a group of five bigger black guys settled into the seats around us, wearing nice street clothes and silver UnderArmour football gloves. That's right, BC Football alumni were having a great time at the game with us!! The most famous? Signing the most autographs?? None other than Derrick Knight of '03, all-time Eagles' leading rusher ya'll!! That's right, CSOM Finance. :) In hindsight, we were sorry we hadn't sang the KnightRider theme, haha.
After completely silencing College Park with a 31-16 win, we celebrated with a final rally cookie. The ladies in front of us finally turned around and asked, "Do you guys really have rally cookies?!" When we politely enthused, ""Of course, would you like one?!" All they could do was laugh. We cheered the band out of the stadium, and I reached down my hand to Coyne who tightly grabbed and squeezed it as he marched the band on by. It gave me goosenbumps. The BCMB DMs for '02 - '03, '04, and '05 were all in the same place. There are just no words to describe that, you know?
Our group followed the band to another alumni event and finally got some time with our babies. I was immediately surrounded by my saxes and BFaulks. Those kids are my heart ya'll, it's just the way it is. And even though it's been months, it's still us and that's what it's all about. :) I did it all for them, and now they carry it on.
The sun was setting and as they lined up for Coyne's whistle, we made our way back to B11 to say our goodbyes to our '04s. We all agreed, tailgating together somewhere again sometime soon is a must. It'd been too long and even though we're all over geographically, we aren't that far apart.
We made it back to Springfield in time for Shell's mom's great homemade lasagna and a push to see the new Harry Potter movie with Shell's amigo Aaron y su hermano at Potomac Mills (my used to be favorite place ever when I lived in Woodbridge, VA back in the day). The movie scared me. As expected, there were moments when I was holding onto both Shell and Danielle!! But we listened to our BCMB cd from last fall and it was good. We sang along, our voices scratchy and low from all of the yelling and singing at the game.
This morning we slept in a little and then ventured out to continue a Chestnut Hill tradition at IHOP. I got a recipe for Thanksgiving stuffing from Shell's mama and then it was time to part ways. Danielle to Rockaway for her Thanksgiving break and me back to Levittown for work. And it's just so neat, I can't truly do it justice here in this space.
But we all came to BC from such different places, geographically and life-experience wise, spent these four years that flew by together in this great organization, went our separate ways only to come back together to find we are still us. And we don't say good-bye, just "see you soon, real soon." It's one of the best feelings ya'll, definitely.
lasaliente, 20:53
