The Grove

First off, I’ve never seen anything like it! This is an amazing tailgating experience that you simple can’t describe with words! I wish I were hip enough to have a tent on a beautiful autumn day. It’s customary to see chandeliers, catered delights, booze, Hotty Toddy Potties, pompoms, sharks, the sound of generators running in order to power the flat screen tv’s and grills, children going absolutely nuts and rebel fans cheering on the school of their dreams. Don’t think this is a friendly tailgate, you’ve actually gotta know folks in order to partake in the overflow of eats/drinks…no strangers allowed unless you’re walking by to admire the fun from a distance. The campus from what I could tell beyond the literal SEA of Red and Blue is beautiful. The traditions are great and well-​kept as people gather for Saturday football. It’s evident that the city of Oxford reels in huge bucks from patrons both far and near in town for the big games. I’ve just got one question: ARE YOU READY?
«Hell Yea, Damn Right: Hotty Toddy gosh all mighty, who the hell are we, HEY! flim flam bim bam Ol Miss by damn!
If you’re every in Oxford on a Football Saturday… indulge in the atmosphere!

Taking my son to tour college campuses has me feeling somewhat nostalgic and missing the good olé days. Other college campuses just simply don’t compare. Sure, other colleges may have huge vacant areas shaded by massive, beautiful trees, but they don’t have the Walk of Champions, the Pride of the South, and no one greets you with «Hotty Toddy» or «How’s your Mamma and ‘em?» There’s only one Grove and it’s at Olé Miss.
Read this review with a slow, Southern drawl:
It’s a place where Saturdays are holy days and Olé Miss football is religion. Sorority girls and alumni ladies are dressed to the nines. Tents are adorned with ice sculptures, crystal chandeliers, fine silver, fancy tablecloths in red, white and blue, of course, and there’s more delicious food spread out than you could eat in a week. Some folks even bring their tvs and satellite dishes so they can kick back and watch football until the big game starts. Boys and men toss around footballs in their Church clothes. It’s a hellava party from sunrise to dark. There are no strangers here, just friends you haven’t met yet.
Before the game starts you have to gather around the Pride of the South as they play in front of the Student Union, then crowd around the Walk of Campions and wish the team luck as they make their way to the Vaught. You can feel the love in the air and it puts you in the mood for the excitement that will soon follow!
There’s a reason ESPN and Sports Illustrated rave about the Grove. If you get a chance to go on a game day, I’d highly recommend it. In the words of Larry Wamble, (even though I can’t stand double negatives), «We may not win every game, but we ain’t never lost a party».