Be it 500 highway miles away and on television, or 30 feet from the Autzen gridiron heat, local tailgaters find unique ways to faithfully rally around the green and yellow. For these fans, the game is only part of the fun.
Tailgating is not just sitting in a parking lot, 24-year-old Jim Brice said. Fans don’t have to own a tent or parking pass to get all the glorious vibes of tailgating jubilation, he noted.
“We rally up all the troops and support our favorite team. We don’t miss a thing when Oregon is on the road,” the University sophomore said.
Taylor said that he travels to games with five to 10 friends and usually arrives at least an hour before kickoff. He normally runs into people he knows and said his
favorite tailgating foods are bratwursts and cheeseburgers. Talor added that hanging out before the contest is an act of dedication and loyalty.
“We have lots of fun regardless. Everyone should experience it at some time or another,” he said.
During the away game against Stanford, students, alumni and Duck fans gathered in homes, bars and other hangouts to catch the game.
“Duck” VanVoorhis was at Taylor’s Bar and Grille on East 13th Avenue to watch the Stanford game with three other friends that day. He said he has been to every home game since his arrival on campus.
“We hang out at our house, party a little bit, get some food and go to the stadium,” he said. “It is the environment of everyone being there for the same purpose that brings me there.”
VanVoorhis has tailgated at Autzen for up to three hours before a game.”You better be sore and tired like you just competed in the game,” he said.
In front of the Len Casanova Athletic Center, 64-year-old Larry Lopp steps through the wet and cold of Eugene and breaks the surface of a small puddle with his shoe. He has been tailgating since 1970, when he moved to Eugene from Montana.
During his 35 years as a Eugene resident, he said he has missed maybe six games and tailgates.
“When I first started watching, I just thought it was a very exciting team at the time. They had Dan Fouts, who went on to be an NFL Hall of Famer. They were a very explosive offensive team. One of their best receivers ever in Oregon, Bobby Newland, played, and they had Ahmad Rashad, better known as Bobby Moore at the time,” he said.
The athletes and atmosphere have kept him returning, Lopp said.
“The people for the company I work for were all football fans. Back in the day when you were a football fan you could get a motor home or small trailer and have a tailgate,” he said. “Now we get together with two parking spots and out of the backs of the cars we set up food and tables and stuff.”
Lopp rides the bus to Autzen on game days at least two hours before heading into the game.
When it comes to drinking alcoholic beverages before and after games, Lopp said that everyone should be responsible, but that without beer, the stadium would not be as full.
“I will put it this way: Football is a ravenous sport. If you take away the drinking and the social aspect you will lose a good portion of the crowd,” he said.
One of the final hurdles to a perfect tailgating experience comes at the end of the day. Trying to go home after a win or loss can be a challenge. Hence, some fans tailgate afterward to allow the rush to dissipate.
“The flow in a lot of the parking lots is pretty heavy so a lot of people have to wait for an hour after,” Lopp said.
For tailgaters, the community they create makes each game memorable.
“We had one guy the last game with lamb chops, and it was the best meat I had ever eaten, it was cooked so well,” Lopp said. “So football Saturdays are the best, and the excitement? I live for it.”