Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Greetings fellow Tulanians. Treasurer Pat here taking a momentary break from the Gulf Coast summer sun to fill all you GSAPCers in on what we have in store for the next several weeks as we look forward to August, the start of a new school year, and, most importantly, the 2013-2014 football season. Speaking of football, this guy (and many other media sources) has us winning 6 games. That's a bowl season y'all!

This blog post comes to you from my home in Alabama, where college football is king and the SEC is headquartered. The start of a new season is a time of eternal optimism and the first topic of today’s post.
Whether home or away, the first game of the season is always a reason to celebrate for the Tulane faithful. I still remember my freshman year at TU when I spent Hurrication 08 cheering on the Green Wave against the #13 Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, AL. While we greenies were a small group in a sea of crimson, I will never forget the faithful fans who spent their time away from their beloved city rooting for our team not knowing what they might return to find. We suffered a heartbreaking loss, but I still get to remind all my SEC-centric family/friends that Tulane is the only team to hold Alabama to under 200 yards of offense in the Saban era (TU had 318 total yards of offense).

What was great that year was that one week later I got to spend my first weekend in NOLA as a college student climbing down all seven flights of Butler stairs to cheer on the Green Wave in an equally heartbreaking four point loss to the #14 East Carolina Pirates at home. I mastered the lyrics to the Hullabaloo that game, but the fight song eluded me for a few more weeks.

File:Louisiana superdome 2004.jpg
Superdome in 2004
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louisiana_superdome_2004.jpg
This year, the Tulane Green Wave will kick off their season Thursday August 29th in the Superdome against the Jackson State Tigers at 7 PM CST. As you GSAPC faithful may recall, the 29th will be the eighth anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast. This will be the first football game played in the Superdome on this anniversary as well as Tulane’s last season opener in the dome for the foreseeable future. A building that has come to symbolize the resilient nature of the people of New Orleans will play host to a team hoping to emulate its hometown. With a new stadium in progress Uptown, a move to a new conference eminent, and a second year head coach, we have a lot to look forward to as Tulane fans. I hope you are as excited to attend the game as I am and be there for something this extraordinary.

We at GSAPC, under the leadership of our president, are planning to show our strength at the game on the 29th while sharing the experience with our fellow alumni. Gumby members and New Orleans Young Alumni will join at a venue near the Superdome for food and drink from 5-7pm. Look forward to upcoming news and registration info about this exciting event before the game. YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS OUT. Good times, good people, and the opportunity to instill a love for Tulane football in the hearts of all the white-eyed undergrads in attendance. Info upcoming in our newsletter and on facebook!

There are eleven more games in the regular season, and we look forward to each and every one of them as well. Don’t forget about the postseason too. 13 or 14 games are possible in CUSA this year, and you bet your GSAPC leadership will be ready to celebrate all Green Wave triumphs and accomplishments this year.
   
I’ll wrap up my turn at the keyboard with some important info. Below are some highlights of other upcoming events that you’ll want to put on your calendar sooner than later.
  •  A Greenie in Black & Gold-August 16th-Come celebrate as Tulane alum Ryan Griffin starts his New Orleans Saints career at the preseason game vs. the Raiders of Oakland. We will tailgate outside the dome starting ~3pm before attending the game together and rooting for the boys in black and gold. Look at our FB page for details and eventual event location. Our seats are in sections 608 and 630. So far 30 Greenies have signed up and will descend upon the dome. Come join us! Roll Wave!
  • Pub Crawl-Your GSAPC leadership is currently planning a Magazine St. pub crawl/get together/raffle scheduled for Saturday, August 24th. We will be raffling off a chest of cheer and some Tulane/Pelicans swag. You are welcome to bring friends, play games, and come hang out with your buddies in the GSAPC. Members will have a chance at picking up some GSAPC swag (new T-Shirt!) or just enjoying some good ole beer. Look for details to follow on our social media pages as the date approaches and the detailed prize list is finalized.
  • Homecoming-October 5th vs North Texas. Get Excited. If you’re interested in learning more or have questions about any events contact us (gumbysapc@gmail.com). Need a place to stay in your Homecoming, home coming, let us know! We got spare rooms y'all. Come back to NOLA AND STAY HERE!

Farewell from the land of rolling tides, warring eagles, and ample parking spaces,
             
                Pat
                SSE ‘12
                Roll Wave



PS. Here are some pics from some of our most recent event, Running of the Bulls!: