Tusk to Tail 2014: ‘Tablegating’ for the Hog show at Jerry World

Dallas is the home away from home for many Arkansas fans. The Big D is home to the Cotton Bowl and Reunion Arena, sporting venues Hog fans grew up on and attended for decades. Basketball and football titles were won in both, and our visitors enjoyed the big city hustle and bustle. Shopping and dining were always a draw, so those trips took on a mini-vacation feel, including a game that in plenty of instances ended with a win.

The Hogs return to the Dallas Metroplex this weekend to the friendly confines of Jerry World, The Death Star, or as it is officially known, AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The home of the Dallas Cowboys hosted the first three installments of the Southwest Classic against Texas A&M. before the last two were played on each campus once the Aggies joined the SEC. Arkansas hopes the return to AT&T Stadium will be good luck for them, as they are 4-0 all time there, including three wins over A&M.

I will be attending with my wife, daughter, and sister-in-law, all attending their first Southwest Classic. Craig May and Mark Wagner are driving over from Little Rock and picking up Craig’s brother Chris, who is flying in from Philadelphia. There will be some other tailgating regulars in town for the game, so it may end up being a party after all, just not an overly planned one.

Tusk to Tail is taking a break of sorts, electing to do some “tablegating” at a local bar, or perhaps some low-key back-of-the-truck cocktails just before game time. After four straight weeks on the road or on campus, some of the guys had some family time to make up, including their children’s sporting events to attend.

Tusk to Tail hosted big blowout tailgates the first three years of the Classic and for the 2012 Cotton Bowl game. There are plenty of good spots to be had, and if not too late you might be able to pick up a parking pass off of StubHub or Ebay.

But with limited numbers and the 2:30 p.m. kickoff time, it just made sense for us to back off a bit and recharge the batteries for the murderer’s row of Alabama and Georgia in the next few weeks. Those are going to be epic tailgates in Fayetteville and Little Rock, even more so if the Hogs find a way to win this game Saturday.

If you have never been to Jerry World, be prepared. Everything, and I mean everything, is at least 25% more expensive than any other college stadium you may have attended. Other than that, it is the nicest venue in which I have ever had the privilege of watching the Hogs play. You could drive 18-wheelers down the concourses, and you will most likely never wait in line at the restroom or the concession line. Jerry Jones knows how to make money, and the less time you wait in line, the more likely you are to buy. If you are in the upper decks, be sure not to allow yourself to watch the game on the gigantic  jumbotron screen.  You may actually have to make yourself follow the action on the field, as the screen feels like it is in your lap.

The stadium will be split between Hog fans and Aggie fans, and from what I could tell from the UofA website, there should be a respectable amount of Hogs Fans in attendance. I’m guessing north of 35,000 for each team. Parking is easy around the stadium but after the game, traffic can be terrible if the game is close and everyone stays. Be prepared, and have your exit route planned out.

For the most part, Aggie fans are friendly. I imagine after two fairly successful years they will be feeling it a bit and be mouthy but that’s okay. Just remind them that the Hogs own the series and own the games played in Dallas. Have fun and …

Go Hogs, Beat Aggies!