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Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?
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Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 1:38 AM

Hi everybody!

My wife and I are going to watch our first football game ever on Saturday. We are coming over all the way from Germany!

While we are really excited, we do have some questions:

1. Is there something to do at the tailgating if you can't organise anything yourself?
2. Is there any chance of getting a parking space somewhere in Clemson if you didn't book it in advance or is a taxi an alternative? (We are staying in one of the motels motels at the I-85 / US-76 interchange)

Thank you for your help!

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 1:43 AM

Tailgating will be really easy just introduce yourself to literally anyone and they’ll be happy to host you at their tailgate.

There’s a good amount of free parking at parking that costs 25 or less dollars but it can be a long way from the stadium. Someone else could probably give you more parking information.

Also if you don’t mind me asking what made you decide to make the trip from Germany to Clemson. And how’d Clemson become you’re team?

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 2:30 AM

Thank you for the comment!

"Coming over from Germany" was perhaps a slight exaggeration, we are stopping in Clemson on the way back from California (but we probably wouldn't have gone in the first place if it wasn't football season).

In 2013 I saw a bit of Friday Night Lights on TV and wanted to check out Football and back then somebody was uploading full Clemson games to Youtube. I really liked Tajh Boyd and Dabo Swinney. I have been following the Tigers ever since.

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 8:40 AM

Out of curiosity, where in Germany are you from. I was stationed in Bad Hersveld half a lifetime ago. Have seen a little bit of Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt, Bonn. Liked Munich & Berlin the best. Went back 15 years later to see what the reunification looked like. I was glued to the TV for 2 days in 89 when the wall come down. Having been there in 85, it was unimaginable, I was very happy about it, but I could barely believe it was happening.

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Who put the games up


Nov 17, 2018, 3:04 AM [ in reply to Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat? ]

Shoeless or someone else? I remember that getting shut down. Good to see the reach!

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 3:19 AM

Someone invite this man to your tailgate!! Not going to the game this weekend, otherwise I would for sure! If you don’t happen to get to stop in a tailgate, the Esso Club is fun, which is right next to the stadium at hwy 93 and centennial blvd. You can get to town a little early and pay for a spot downtown and hang out there for a while also, then head to the game. No tailgating at the downtown spots but you’ll be able to get some fresh new Clemson gear for your first game! Have fun!

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 5:10 AM

Be careful if someone offers you a beer; you may take that first sip and think it's colored water (or sprudelwasser). Also, I don't know if you realize it or if it's a deal breaker, but no beer/alcohol is allowed/sold inside Clemson's football stadium.

We Americans think we're funny. If someone says something you think sounds absolutely stupid or insulting, simply smile, nod your head, say "good one", and try your best to laugh. Hopefully, that'll make it stop. We also like to start off conversations with 'small talk', like talking about how hot or cold it is, if we think it's going to rain or not, or by complimenting someone's attire or appearance.

American football is not the same as soccer. We have to see scoring, and a lot if it. We need something to provoke us into a frenzy, like when our team takes the field, scores, or if we have a chance to get the ball back.

Hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip.

Go Tigers!

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 10:02 AM

And we’d rather not have football at all than see a tie.

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 6:20 AM

You're welcome to join us at our tailgate. We're in the Shaw family lot (also known as Lot 2) on space 251. If you go to the link below, scroll on the left side, select Lot 2 and click on the dot on the map, you can see how the lot is laid out. Look for 257 on the map--we're just up from there.

We'll go into the stadium at 6, and I'd recommend you do that too. You can see the team warm up, see the seniors be recognized, etc. The Military Appreciation is my favorite game of the year.

https://maps.topographics.org/hosted/clemson/?DB_OEM_ID=28510&_ga=2.10243829.1762169473.1542366638-2005454034.1542366638

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 6:03 PM

Thank you very much for the invitation! We'll come by tomorrow!

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 18, 2018, 1:08 AM

It was so nice to meet you both!! Congratulations on your wedding, and I hope you both enjoyed the game! Safe travels back to Germany!

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 6:40 AM

Welcome Geier! There are several things you need to do tomorrow, if you're up for a little walking. First off, print off a map of the stadium and surrounding area. Everything you want to see is within 1 km of the stadium.

I would recommend you visit the following:

1) Esso Club. It's an old bar that will be packed, inside and out, with fans drinking. It's our equivalent of Hofbrauhaus in Munich. Very touristy, but there's beer! It's located near the intersection of Hwy 93 and Centennial Blvd.

2) Littlejohn Coliseum and the Tiger Pregame Show. You can watch the radio show being produced live. They'll often have special guests. It's a good way to spend some time. Littlejohn is right up Centennial Blvd between Esso and the Stadium.


3) Tiger Walk. This is where the coaches and players walk into the stadium 2 hours before kickoff. This happens 1 block away from Littlejohn in Lot 5. Ask any fan you see and they can direct you. It'll be cool for you to see all of the players and coaches that close up. This would definitely be a 'must see' for any 1st time fan.

4) Marching Band before Kick-off. About 30 minutes prior to kickoff, the band and cheerleaders march to the stadium. A good place to view is on the Avenue of Champions between Gate 5 and Gate 9. It's only about 5 minutes to watch them pass, but it's a very good appetizer for the main event and gets your heart pumping.

5) Running Down The Hill. After you see the band, enter the stadium, grab some snacks and find your seat. You absolutely need to be in your seat at least 5 minutes before kickoff, but I would recommend 20 minutes before. The tunnels into the stadium get backed up and you don't want to miss the Tigers running down the hill. It's the 'most exciting 25 seconds in college football' and this is the 1 thing you must not miss.

There is so much to do and if you ask 20 people you'll get 20 different answers. As mentioned before, everyone is very welcoming and will gladly host you at their tailgate. If you have any questions, just ask! Welcome to Clemson! You're going to have a great day!

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 7:01 AM

And I’d recommend some pulled pork BBQ and boiled peanuts (Cajun spiced are best if you like spicy foods) while in the area. Every time I head back south for a game those things are MUST HAVES.

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 6:43 AM

This is going to sound silly, but I went to a game with a German student several years ago and she was very weirded out by Clemson's tradition of extending our right hands at the end of the alma mater and before every kickoff. It looked and felt way too much like a Heil Hitler to her. I had to explain it was 100% unrelated but she still got very uncomfortable, like "I want to leave" uncomfortable, every time it happened. So just be warned. It's definitely not a sieg-heil or anything close to it.

(Raising the hand and "waving" at the end of the alma mater is symbolic of our military years when the cadets would take their hats off and wave them. A lot of people still do it this way, actually, myself included. Waving an outstretched hand before each kickoff is something a lot of fan bases do; Clemson is not unique in this regard.)

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that might've been just her


Nov 16, 2018, 9:36 AM

I've attended games with German tennis players on the clemson teams and they never made any correlation to that.

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Re: that might've been just her


Nov 16, 2018, 2:13 PM

I think that salute is an arrestable offense in Germany. They are still very conscious of their Nazi guilt.

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Re: that might've been just her


Nov 19, 2018, 6:39 AM [ in reply to that might've been just her ]

Or they might have just kept it to themselves, or they were educated in that regard ahead of time. It's hard to say.

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 6:43 AM

Wear orange or purple. Everyone at the game will have on either orange or purple clothes.
Have fun.

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 6:50 AM

Parking can be confusing on game day if you don’t have a lot assignment. Arrive EARLY. Free parking for people without a parking pass can be found on Kite Hill or the Wlaker Course driving range. Look for “KH” on this map or the area near lot 26, which is the driving range. The driving range is closer to the stadium. Ask anyone for directions to the stadium from where you park. You also may want to print a map. Do not count on good cellular phone service, 80,000 people using it slows service to a drag.


http://www.iptaycuad.com/pdf9/5450922.pdf

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 6:54 AM

Just to clarify- by arrive early, I would shoot for 3 hrs (or more) before kickoff. That depends on how much time you need to tour campus/downtown/tailgate.

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6 or 7, don't you think?


Nov 17, 2018, 2:32 AM

To get the full experience

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I recommend getting to a parking spot by late morning


Nov 16, 2018, 8:20 AM

You can walk around the downtown area where the shops are, Tiger Sports Shop is a great store to find some gear.

Get some Clemson ice cream at the Hendrix Center.

Go hang out at Esso Club a little and meet some Clemson fans there. It will be very crowded but it's one of those game day musts for a new fan.

Work your way into the tailgate lots and you can honestly just introduce yourself at some tailgates and you will be warmly welcomed. Let them know it's your first time at Clemson.

Most importantly, enjoy it, soak it in and watch our Tigers get a win!

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"IDIOT POSTER OF THE MONTH SO FAR...GWP-- You have won IPM Award for your failure to completely comprehend a clear post & then choose to attack someone who points out your ignorance. While you are not yet in the same No Class Catagory as deRoberts, ClemTiger117 & Tigerdug23, you are getting closer to the Sewer Dwellers." - coachmac


Spill the Beans/Annies has better ice cream


Nov 16, 2018, 2:03 PM

And it is downtown.

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Snowflake Basher........Out


Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 8:33 AM

Two hours and ten minutes prior to scheduled kickoff the football team participates in Tiger Walk. They are bussed to the entrance of Lot 5 then get off the busses and walk through Lot 5 to the West Zone of the stadium. You should try to be there 15 to 20 minutes early to bet a spot to see the team. If you decide to go there,stop by my tailgate at 5555 in Lot 5.

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 9:15 AM

Please come to our tailgate....we are serving burgers and brats around 5:15 pm...after the Tiger Walk. Call me at 864-593-6192 and I can give you exact directions once you are close. Our tailgate is located right next to the stadium, kind of under the overpass heading to the north stands upper deck. My college roommate is coming...he spent the last 3 years working in Germany, so you can speak German together. AND, my ancestors were from Germany (Black Forest region), but I can't speak a word of German. Please come...we would LOVE to have you! Gooo Tigers, Mark Eisengrein (good German last name!)

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Brave.***


Nov 16, 2018, 6:21 PM



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this will be an interesting game for you to attend


Nov 16, 2018, 9:38 AM

As it is our annual "Military Appreciation" game.

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GERMANS


Nov 16, 2018, 9:44 AM

:)

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Somebody had to do it


Nov 16, 2018, 11:41 AM

+1

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Point of order


Nov 16, 2018, 9:56 AM [ in reply to this will be an interesting game for you to attend ]

After Saturday, you must no longer refer to yourself as a “European Fan”. It’s just “Tiger Fan”, we’re literally all from everywhere but we’re all Tigers. Anybody that travels 3000+ miles to Death Valley qualifies as “Tiger Fan”. Welcome to the crazy.......you’re gonna love it!!!

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You’ll feel at home - you’ll be able to drive


Nov 16, 2018, 9:47 AM

On either side of the road before and after the game

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Re: You’ll feel at home - you’ll be able to drive


Nov 16, 2018, 10:00 AM

No American should ever tell any German anything about driving........truly........it just looks silly.

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He's not coming from the UK***


Nov 16, 2018, 12:04 PM [ in reply to You’ll feel at home - you’ll be able to drive ]



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"When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car."

"I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it."


no One has brought up Pearl Harbor?!?


Nov 16, 2018, 9:47 AM

#neverforget

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 11:59 AM

Get a gun, and some cowboy boots so that you fit in. Also, do not appear so cheerful, you will stick out like a foreigner and will be made a mark.

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Check your T-mail


Nov 16, 2018, 1:26 PM

Check your T-mail by clicking on the icon in the upper right hand corner.

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 2:39 PM

Sie sind herzlich willkommen!

I would say come by the Cooper Library so I could practice my German. The wife and I stepdaughter and her husband are doing a short tour of Vienna, Salzburg, Munich and Nuremberg in April. But you'd heve to conclude my German is atrocious. Three semesters at Clemson and I never got more than a reading knowledge, and most of that is gone. Two years ago I visited my son who was doing some student teaching in Saalfelden and thought I would be alright, but on the train from Munich I realized I was in trouble.

But come by anyway, might be a beer in it for you. Just holler "Wo is Psquare?"

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 16, 2018, 6:07 PM

Thank you all very much for the kind invitations and recommendation! As our flight is currently boarding, I can't answer all of you in detail at the moment, but will later.

See you tomorrow and go Tigers!

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Ihr beide koennen gerne bei uns tailgaten. Wir sind am Nu


Nov 16, 2018, 10:12 PM

Street aka Shotgun Alley (Parkplatz 2813). Das ist nur 5 Minuten zur Fuss von Death Valley (suedliche seite). (Ich habe ein Paar Jahre in Deutschland gearbeitet, aber dass ist schon langer her.) Ich habe mich sehr wohl in Deutschland gefuehlt, und es werde mich freuen wann Ihr vorbeikommen werden.

Go Tigers!

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wow, all the way from germany! have a wonderful time!


Nov 16, 2018, 10:29 PM

and go tigers!!! ????????

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Start the day right!


Nov 17, 2018, 3:02 AM

Don't eat your hotel. There is a Cracker Barrel right at your exit and/or stop by the Smokin Pig on your way in, depending on whether you are on SC or Cali time.

Traffic is not an issue before noon.

A lot of people park downtown, or near there. A key question is if you stay out after the game or go back to your hotel. If back to the hotel, kite Hill is as good as any.

You can get Tiger gear many places. Stop by one on the way in, if it's before say noon or 1.

Lots on tailgating, I would only add you could break the day up depending on how much walking you want to do. See the campus early, tailgate, pregame, game, post game. Say 9 or 10 am until 2am the next day. Or you could come in at 4, tailgate a bit, and go straight to the hotel after the game.

I don't know when you fly out, but the botanical gardens are nice and there are some great things to see in the area.

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Re: Recommendations for European fans attending 1st game on Sat?


Nov 17, 2018, 7:44 AM

Just be aware that "football" in AMERICA and "football" in Germany are different. We call German football "soccer", and we won't be playing soccer today.

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Wow. Try to arrive early. Lots of traffic, lots of people.


Nov 17, 2018, 8:38 AM

Be prepared to walk a lot. Find Bowman field.

Enjoy!

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Update on tailgating?!?!***


Nov 18, 2018, 6:13 AM



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Update on tailgating


Nov 19, 2018, 5:28 PM

Hi everybody,
I want to give a little update, now that we are a back in Germany.

Firstly, I want to say "Thank you so very much" to all the people who gave recommendations and/or invited us to their tailgate and than sorry to those people, who invited us, but we didn't show up.

All together it was a fantastic experience! We met a lot of super nice people, some of those that invited us here, but also lots of people we just happened to talk to. I really can't stress enough how friendly and welcoming everybody was. Tried all kinds of fantastic homemade local specialties, including our new favourite: chocolate bacon :) We got the complete experience: from the tiger walk to rushing the field after the W.

We really hope to be back soon!

Thank you all so much and GO TIGERS!

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