Memorial Stadium wasn’t the only place for fans to hear a starting lineup on Missouri’s campus Saturday.
Former Tiger football players Todd Neimeyer (1995-98), Mike Morris (1994-97) and Ben Davidson (1998-99, 2001) and former football managers Brock Paalhar and Kris Ball have their names announced during the “tailgate starting lineup” outside their tailgate in the corner of Hearnes Center’s parking lot that is closest to the stadium.
The group of guys has their name, height, weight and hometown announced on a recording with Alan Parsons Project’s “Sirus” playing in the background. The men exit their black bus as they are announced then they all huddle up and run through a sign, just like when they were playing.
“Not everybody does it. I don’t think anybody else does it. It’s something unique that we do,” Neimeyer said.
It’s hard to miss the group’s starting lineup because it’s so loud. On Saturday they had six large Peavey speakers that are used by a deejay. The lineup and the music blaring from the speakers was louder than local radio stations that were also outside the stadium and drowned out Marching Mizzou as they paraded into the Memorial Stadium.
Besides the loud music and tailgate starting lineup, the tailgating group is distinctive because of its black bus with gold stripes. Neimeyer said the five guys bought the truck for a bus sales company in St. James two years ago. He said they bought it for $2,500, but have put more than triple that amount into repairs and additions, such as a sound system, Astroturf and covering the seats in tiger patterned fabric.
“We did the entire thing by ourselves in about three weekends,” Neimeyer said.
One aspect of the bus Neimeyer is most proud of are the autographs on the ceiling. He said they started having current and former players sign the ceiling about a year and a half ago. Chase Daniel, Gary Pinkel and Brad Smith have all signed it.
Having a tailgate with a huge sound system and starting lineup isn’t as easy as it might seem.
“We got here at 6 a.m. this morning,” Neimeyer said. “We are usually the first people in the parking lot except for the RVs that spend the night.”
A HOUSE DIVIDED: The Arnez family was like few, if any others before the game on Saturday. The males in the family sported the Sooners’ maroon gear, while the females were clad in Missouri black and gold.
John and Ashley Arnez, both 29 years old, were at the game with their children, 6-year-old Timmy and 4-year-old Madison.
The only thing neutral was their grey 1994 Chevy Astro van, but even it wasn’t completely in the clear. A large black Missouri helmet decal was on one side, while a maroon Sooner Schooner was on the other.
“We grew up in a small town in southwest Missouri,” Ashley Arnez, who wore a black sweater with a gold pawprint, said. “Our families have always been loyal to the Tigers and Sooners, so these games always make for an interesting rivalry.”
When hearing a crowd walk by chanting, “M-I-Z” Madison, who was wearing a Mizzou cheerleader outfit, was taught how to reply “Z-O-U!”
“It’s her first game, so I’m showing her how to be a good fan,” Ashley Arnez said.
Pointing to her husband doing the Boomer Sooner chant, she and her daughter decided that Mizzou had much better cheers.
“I’ll let them have their delusions,” John Arnez said jokingly. “It’s all Mizzou fans have left.”
A TOUGH SELL: “PROGRAM!”
For Columbia resident Jonathan Summers, 18, selling programs at Missouri football games is a great way to get out of the house.
Summers is taking a semester off from school before he plans on attending a community college. He then hopes to enroll at Missouri as an education major after he gets his associate’s degree.
“I’d love to teach high school,” Summers said between his asking fans to pick up a program.
Tucked away at gate 6E at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Summers is selling programs in order to earn service hours for Young Life.
“It’s kind of cool to get involved this way,” Summers said. “There’s a lot more Oklahoma fans right over here though.”
And the Oklahoma fans were not buying what Summers was selling. Throngs of Sooners fans passed by, most not even bothering to stop and ask how much it was. One fan did and jokingly replied that the five-dollar price was too much.
It didn’t bother Summers. He said he enjoys the experience of interacting with other people. He was excited to go into the game thanks to his wristband. As for where program sellers sit during the games, Summers had a quick reply before making a sale.
“It’s pretty much anywhere they tell us,” Summer said. “But it’s pretty nice.”
NOTABLE: Representatives from the Holiday Bowl and the Sun Bowl were in attendance.