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OZZIE4DUKE
06-08-2010, 05:31 PM
After months of lobbying the powers that be in the Duke Athletic Administration for Drop Off Passes next fall, I declare VICTORY! :cool::cool::D:D




TAILGATE TENT DROP-OFF PASS POLICY


2010

NUMBER OF PASSES
· Each tent is given 4, ten-minute drop off passes to use one time each game.

USING THE PASSES
· Passes will be for individual games, so you will use new passes for each game. Upon entering the lot, you will give your pass to the parking attendant. This will ensure all passes are used only once.
· Passes will be mailed to you prior to the season.

TIMETABLE
· Passes may be used until 2.5 hours before kickoff (ex: kickoff is 12:00 pm, drop off passes must be used by 9:30 am).

TRAFFIC CHANGES
· The only change with traffic patterns that will affect this group will be that Towerview Dr. will not be accessible from Duke University Rd. You all will have to enter Towerview from the West.

NOTES
· Unfortunately, there will not be any way to get back into the lot immediately after the game. (aka no “Pick-up Passes”)

roywhite
06-08-2010, 07:44 PM
Uh, what does this have to do with anything other than your own tailgate arrangements?

OZZIE4DUKE
06-08-2010, 08:25 PM
Uh, what does this have to do with anything other than your own tailgate arrangements?
There are 18 tents in Blue Devil Alley. This benefits the other 17 tents as well as ours.

Upon further reflection, I don't like the tone of your question.

allenmurray
06-08-2010, 08:33 PM
Uh, what does this have to do with anything other than your own tailgate arrangements?

Ozzie did A LOT of work on this to benefit ALL of the tents in Blue Devil Alley (not just his, but the other 20 or so). Many, many, many of them are frequented by DBR folks, not just his our) own.

He was looking beyond himself.

yancem
06-08-2010, 09:04 PM
For someone who has been away from Durham (and therefore football games) for 15+ years, what the heck are you talking about?

Bob Green
06-08-2010, 09:46 PM
Uh, what does this have to do with anything other than your own tailgate arrangements?

I view it as a public service announcement for the entire DBR community. You know the whole neighborhood pub environment. Thanks Ozzie!

OZZIE4DUKE
06-08-2010, 11:14 PM
For someone who has been away from Durham (and therefore football games) for 15+ years, what the heck are you talking about?
Last year, and again this year, in an effort to promote the pre-game atmosphere, Duke offered tailgate tents in the Card Gym parking lot. They sold 18 tents. The team takes the Blue Devil walk from the bus stop circle to the locker room 2 hours before the game, passing by the tents and lots of screaming fans. They copied the tent idea from Vanderbilt and the walk was something Cut brought with him from Tennessee. Access to the Card Gym lot, and Towerview Drive is restricted before the games, hence the need for "drop off passes". I first proposed these to the admin last September, and it took many emails, meetings (with Eric Beatty, Stan Wilcox, Coach Cut and anyone else I could corner for a few minutes) and phone calls to get them announced today! :D

I view it as a public service announcement for the entire DBR community. You know the whole neighborhood pub environment. Thanks Ozzie!
You're most welcome, Bob. Hope you can join us for a game (and Brunchgate!) or two this year. We've got extra tix if you need 'em!

2535Miles
06-08-2010, 11:30 PM
For those of you who haven't experienced the walk, you need to show up this season and give it a try. It's an awesome experience. What could be better than standing in the shadow of Cameron Indoor Stadium, eating great food, drinking copious amounts of adult beverages, and sharing time with fellow fans and friends, AND THEN getting to reach out and exchange high-fives with the players as they walk towards the stadium? I can't even count the number of great folk I met.

Of all the things that DBR has afforded me, this has been one of the most cherished memories. It's a great community and an awesome time.

Come out, have some fun and if you're a nice enough person I'll give you a bowl of chili.

airowe
06-09-2010, 12:04 AM
This is great, now I just need to find a driver to drop me off ;)

Ozzie, my buddy Ryan (GTHC tent) said they were talking about moving the tents at one point. I'm guessing they're not?

OZZIE4DUKE
06-09-2010, 12:14 AM
This is great, now I just need to find a driver to drop me off ;)

Ozzie, my buddy Ryan (GTHC tent) said they were talking about moving the tents at one point. I'm guessing they're not?
No. Tents are in the same place as last year, at least the original 18. They may have sold additional tents and put them across Towerview in the parking lot we used to call "the second lot", but that was 35 years ago when it was student parking.

oldnavy
06-09-2010, 06:28 AM
Thanks Ozzie. I hope to make a couple of home games this year. I will try to get over there to see what the buzz is all about. I think it is great that you put the work in to get r done!

Reilly
06-09-2010, 07:20 AM
Congratulations on the successful lobbying effort. A common sense policy that will help folks and won't hurt anyone.

No time to rest on the victory; push forward to extend the Blue Devil Alley atmosphere all the way along Main West.

During the Devil Walk, the team walks along the main residential quad of Duke and is usually met with .... nobody. When the team makes it to the parking lot, the energy level picks up thanks to those loyal, fun fans in the tents.

We have the prettiest campus in America; central casting couldn't design a better layout for a festive team walk, and yet the students are not out in front of their dorms and Main West is often dead for the walk. A couple common sense policy changes could make it come alive, and the Blue Devil Alley energy could extend all the way along Main West.

Gameday Saturday can be so much more than just a football game; it can be a collective coming-together and gathering for all parts of the University. The Devil Walk can be such a tremendous gathering -- if Main West were alive. The students no doubt have energy to spare; I hope they choose to use it to take part in this coming together of the University community, and I hope the administration implements whatever policies it can to encourage that.

Bob Green
06-09-2010, 08:43 AM
You're most welcome, Bob. Hope you can join us for a game (and Brunchgate!) or two this year. We've got extra tix if you need 'em!

I hope to make it to the Army game on Sept 25 if I can work out the logistics.

Highlander
06-09-2010, 08:48 AM
I hope to make it to the Army game on Sept 25 if I can work out the logistics.

I'll be there (Since it is homecoming), potentially with the fam in tow. Please keep us posted if it works out, because I would like to meet you.

OldPhiKap
06-09-2010, 09:19 AM
Great news to improve upon a growing tradition.

Hope to see y'all at the 'Bama and UNC games!

-- OPK

devildeac
06-09-2010, 10:35 AM
For those of you who haven't experienced the walk, you need to show up this season and give it a try. It's an awesome experience. What could be better than standing in the shadow of Cameron Indoor Stadium, eating great food, drinking copious amounts of adult beverages, and sharing time with fellow fans and friends, AND THEN getting to reach out and exchange high-fives with the players as they walk towards the stadium? I can't even count the number of great folk I met.

Of all the things that DBR has afforded me, this has been one of the most cherished memories. It's a great community and an awesome time.

Come out, have some fun and if you're a nice enough person I'll give you a bowl of chili.

And that's not just crazietalk, but sometimes it is. His chili is awesome, BTW.

Indoor66
06-09-2010, 10:53 AM
I hope to make it to the Army game on Sept 25 if I can work out the logistics.

A Navy man at an Army game? Heresy. :)

Bob Green
06-09-2010, 10:54 AM
A Navy man at an Army game? Heresy. :)

It will be a double victory: Duke wins and Army loses. :D

Indoor66
06-09-2010, 10:55 AM
It will be a double victory: Duke wins and Army loses. :D

NOW I understand. Well played.

jmb
06-09-2010, 11:41 AM
Ahh the venerable Devil Walk. Fresh "traditions," created daily.

Reilly
06-09-2010, 12:34 PM
Ahh the venerable Devil Walk. Fresh "traditions," created daily.

The biggest pet peeve of a Duke classmate/friend of mine is the use of the word "tradition" for new endeavors. It is quite common to see folks and entitities tout this or that "new tradition" -- an oxymoron, as you note. Hopefully we can all describe it accurately: a new effort at creating a pleasant Gameday experience.

The saddest I'd ever been as a Duke alum/fan was for the home football opener in 2007 against UConn. It was my first time back to campus in many years, so I got there early and walked around, both East and West. You would not have known there was a football game or any event that day. East was dead and empty with no buzz. West was dead and empty with no buzz. It was so quiet it was eerie, and disheartening.

To go to a game now is 1000x better. A real effort has been made. Live band. Food available. Inflatables for kids. The tents in Card parking lot. The Devil Walk. The band out and about. As Cut says, we're going to have some Fall Saturday celebrations. The folks in the tents are great -- the best of Duke fandom (I can say this b/c I'm not one of them). The effort by the school to make it fun is so, so much better. I hope the students join the party and line the Devil Walk and make Main West come even more alive.

du_bb1
06-09-2010, 01:10 PM
Hopefully there will be more tents this year-we are on the waiting list, #2 if I remember correctly--we were told they would also be in card lot---"Let's get ready to rumbleeeeee"

allenmurray
06-09-2010, 01:16 PM
The biggest pet peeve of a Duke classmate/friend of mine is the use of the word "tradition" for new endeavors. It is quite common to see folks and entitities tout this or that "new tradition" -- an oxymoron, as you note. Hopefully we can all describe it accurately: a new effort at creating a pleasant Gameday experience.

As Cut says, we're going to have some Fall Saturday celebrations.

I agree that "tradition" isn't the right word (yet), ;).

On the other hand, a new effort at creating a pleasant Gameday experience doesn't quite roll off the tongue. :D

The word Cut used is perhaps the best description: celebrations.

CathyCA
06-09-2010, 01:20 PM
Blue Devil Alley is so much fun. I've made many new friends tailgating before football games, and my child is thrilled to high-five the football players as they come through on the Blue Devil Walk. Also, our tent has the best chef in town. ;)

If you all have never experienced Blue Devil Alley, I invite you to join us for a tailgate experience you will thoroughly enjoy.

Thanks, Ozzie, for your efforts to obtain drop-off passes for all of the tents. On behalf of my two 76 year old passengers with bionic parts, I thank you for making their game day experience so much more pleasant.

OZZIE4DUKE
06-09-2010, 09:31 PM
Blue Devil Alley is so much fun. I've made many new friends tailgating before football games, and my child is thrilled to high-five the football players as they come through on the Blue Devil Walk. Also, our tent has the best chef in town. ;)

If you all have never experienced Blue Devil Alley, I invite you to join us for a tailgate experience you will thoroughly enjoy.

Thanks, Ozzie, for your efforts to obtain drop-off passes for all of the tents. On behalf of my two 76 year old passengers with bionic parts, I thank you for making their game day experience so much more pleasant.
You're welcome! And we certainly do have the best chef in town, :D although the meatballs 2 tents over are not to be believed! :cool:

CameronBornAndBred
06-09-2010, 09:50 PM
Thanks tons Ozzie, since you are saving DukePA and me from carrying tons. (Grills and mimosas!) Without those passes, BDA would not have been near as a festive place this year.

sue71, esq
06-09-2010, 10:58 PM
You're welcome! And we certainly do have the best chef in town, :D although the meatballs 2 tents over are not to be believed! :cool:

Ooh you'll have to introduce me to that tent. :)

OZZIE4DUKE
06-10-2010, 08:27 AM
You're welcome! And we certainly do have the best chef in town, although the meatballs 2 tents over are not to be believed! :cool:


Ooh you'll have to introduce me to that tent. :)
That'll be my pleasure. Those guys drive from Tennessee and Mississippi for each game. They are friends and family with Coach Cut. Just don't ask them for any Snapple... :eek::cool:

2535Miles
06-10-2010, 10:48 AM
You're welcome! And we certainly do have the best chef in town, :D although the meatballs 2 tents over are not to be believed! :cool:
Ahem. Don't you mean chefs? :p

OZZIE4DUKE
06-10-2010, 06:16 PM
Ahem. Don't you mean chefs? :p
I like my mother-in-law's chili too, but I don't consider her a chef... :p jk. Yes, I meant to say chefs. :cool:

DukieInKansas
06-15-2010, 12:41 PM
For those of you who haven't experienced the walk, you need to show up this season and give it a try. It's an awesome experience. What could be better than standing in the shadow of Cameron Indoor Stadium, eating great food, drinking copious amounts of adult beverages, and sharing time with fellow fans and friends, AND THEN getting to reach out and exchange high-fives with the players as they walk towards the stadium? I can't even count the number of great folk I met.

Of all the things that DBR has afforded me, this has been one of the most cherished memories. It's a great community and an awesome time.

Come out, have some fun and if you're a nice enough person I'll give you a bowl of chili.

Will you be at the Alabama game?