The Allure of American Football Culture
All due respect to baseball’s boys of summer, but football might just be America’s pastime. Whether it’s a town turning out to support a high school or college team, or the nation gathering to watch the Super Bowl, no sport is more popular in the US. While the games themselves are the main event, the exhilarating fan culture and rich traditions of the game offer can’t-miss experiences in and of themselves.
Game days have their own music, their own food, and their own language. From the pre-game tailgate parties to the spectacle of the halftime show and then on to a celebratory (or mournful) post-game drink, American football is a full-day event worth traveling for.
Refined Tailgating at the Grove
For most of the year, the Grove is simply a 10-acre stand of stately oaks and maples winding through the middle of the University of Mississippi, in Oxford. However, on a few magical – some would say holy – weekends, it transforms into a one-of-a-kind Southern tailgating heaven.
A sea of red, blue, and white tents appears in minutes on Friday night after a countdown leads to a mad dash for the most coveted spots. The smell of Southern fried chicken fingers and bourbon soon begins to waft through the trees.
Eschewing the traditional tailgate experience of partying from the back of your truck or SUV, the university’s strict rules prohibit vehicles and reserving spots, leading to a scrum when the horn finally sounds. Open fires and grills can only be used on the perimeter, but there are no restrictions on how lavish a spread can be. It’s not uncommon to see china, silverware, and even chandeliers in the fanciest pavilions, and many of them are catered.
Moreover, the most impressive display is the game day attire. Fans, students, and alumni promenade through the grassy thicket – the women in sundresses with cowboy boots or stiletto heels (really!), while the men don seersucker suits with red or blue bow ties.
Three hours after the game, it has all disappeared, another quirk of the strict rules. But for those magical few hours on home game days, the Grove is a uniquely genteel spectacle.
Post-game Bar Crawl in Eugene, Oregon
After taking in a University of Oregon Ducks game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, you won’t want to miss soaking up some of the Duck fervor the city is known for. Eugene may be small, housing under 200,000 residents, yet its downtown area is energetic, diverse in its offerings, and very walkable.
When the game ends, head by campus (take the bus, it’s very easy to navigate and parking is scarce) for a few cheap beers at U of O staples such as Taylor’s, Rennie’s Landing, or Max’s. You’ll find throngs of Duck fans either basking in victory or drinking in defeat amidst a sea of green and yellow.
When it’s time to shift gears, stroll over to West Broadway, where several newer hipster establishments await (sometimes dubbed ‘lil Portland’), as well as a small dance club called Cowfish, a beer hall like First National Taphouse, and an LGBT+ oriented cocktail bar, the Wayward Lamb, among others.
When hunger strikes, grab a slice of pizza at Sizzle Pie (open until 3 am) or indulge in a world-famous Voodoo Donut (open 24 hours on weekends).
Band on the Run at Howard
For most spectators who jam into William H. Greene Stadium in Washington, DC, on Saturdays, the countdown doesn’t end at kickoff; it coincides with both football teams heading to the locker rooms. That’s when the Howard University ‘Showtime’ Marching Band takes to the field. The Bison might lose the football game, but the band better not disappoint.
There’s a certain level of pride among HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges or Universities) in having an outstanding marching band, and thus, halftime performances are taken very seriously. However, serious doesn’t mean stodgy – how many times have you seen a tuba player drop it low? With glamorous Ooh La La dancers and a high-stepping drum major, it’s easy to see how the football games can get overshadowed.
The small stadium fosters a community vibe, fully capturing the true HBCU experience. Furthermore, regarding outfit choices, anything goes. Howard is renowned for its well-dressed students, meaning you’ll spot everything from men in ultra-cool patterned sports coats to women strutting in killer high heels.
Jet Nation Finds Redd Respite
In my football lifetime, the New York Jets have moved from a sports backwater called Flushing to an actual swamp that hasn’t seen the streets of New York. My earliest fan memories involve the winter winds swirling around Shea Stadium, where the open end faced Flushing Bay. Halftime shows featuring Frisbee-fetching canines and modernistic model airplanes often ended in farce, as the same gales that wreaked havoc on every critical field goal attempt posed a threat to the entertainment as well.
Last season, however, we found solace at MetLife Stadium. Just a mile away, offering affordable parking, public transit options (#161 bus from New York’s Port Authority), a stadium shuttle, cheaper drinks, and NYJ swag is Redd’s Restaurant and Bar, an old-school joint in Carlstadt. Here, you can sip $10 rum-and-Cokes from plastic cups in the sunshine, and retreat indoors where 25 big screens await in case the weather worsens.
Gang Green hasn’t won a playoff game since 2010, but at least I can don my #13 Don Maynard replica jersey (one of two Jet Hall of Famers) and commiserate with Jet Nation in comfort, all while awaiting our date with gridiron glory – or gloom.
Football Fan from Across the Pond
Growing up on a multitude of American TV shows in the UK, American sports culture has always held a sense of romanticism in this Brit’s eye. None more so than American football, with its pomp, ceremony, enormous crowds, cheerleaders, and halftime shows.
College football is the big ticket item for Brits looking to experience sports in the US. I could hardly contain my excitement when my brother and I discovered our trip to Miami coincided with the 2014 Orange Bowl. We were newcomers, tickets in hand, eager to crash the party of two teams we’d never heard of. Eager to join a tailgate – and with a crate of beer in tow – we found ourselves eating fried chicken out of the back of a pickup truck with a group of guys from Clemson, South Carolina.
We were overwhelmed by the sheer size of Sun Life Stadium (now renamed Hard Rock Stadium), wowed by wide receiver Braxton Miller, and baffled by what a Buckeye was. Grateful for the warm Clemson welcome, we were overjoyed when our adopted team in orange (how fitting) grabbed a surprise victory. My love for American football, along with the culture that accompanies it, had taken flight.
Turning Road Games into a BBQ Pilgrimage
When supporting your team in enemy territory, uncertainty often looms over the outcome. Away games can be tough, especially in spirited college stadiums. Unless you root for a powerhouse like Alabama, the odds might not be in your favor. It helps to have something reliable to look forward to on these trips, and discovering great barbecue while immersed in the football hotbed of Southern USA is an ideal opportunity.
Every year, I journey with longtime friends from my days at the University of Missouri to a road game cheering on our Tigers. While Mizzou may not necessarily triumph against the opponent, we make a point to sample the offerings at a local top-shelf BBQ joint. Consequently, every trip has been a win in its own right.
From the ribs at Burns Original BBQ in Houston to the wings at Edley’s Bar-B-Que in Nashville, I hold as many fond memories of slow-cooked meats as I do touchdown celebrations (this speaks more to the food quality than Mizzou’s performance… I think).
Our next trip is to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to face the dreaded Crimson Tide, and I’m already planning my order at the legendary Dreamland Bar-B-Que.