One of the best traditions in the sports world is the pregame tailgate. And when it comes to traditions, the University of Virginia is unparalleled among colleges worldwide. After all, we have fourth-years, not seniors. We have Grounds, not a campus. We have Thomas Jefferson's Rotunda, the honor code and student-self governance. And, of course, Virginia has the Lawn: the perfect place for relaxing during a beautiful Charlottesville day.\nSo, you'd think that a school with a rich history of traditions would combine the ultimate pregame festivities with the ideal spot for a college football tailgate. You'd assume that, six or seven days a year, the Lawn would become the University's tailgate central. Right?\nWrong.\nUnless you are the invited guest of a Lawn resident, guess what? You're not welcome to enjoy pregame festivities on the Lawn. Sure, you can stroll the grass en route to the game, but there are no open parties allowed there. In fact, to even be at a Lawn party, you need to be on the bricks outside a room - or inside a room - and you have to have one of 40 wristbands that Lawnies are allotted for the entire year. Don't even think of bringing that Solo cup on the grass, and be sure to give back your wristband so it can be reused again and again. Doesn't that sound like fun?\nI hope you didn't try to go to a tailgate Saturday, or else you would have been bitterly disappointed. (Although, nothing trumps the disappointment of a 12-point loss to William & Mary. WILLIAM & MARY!) What should have been the hot spot for tailgating the 2009 season opener was a boring, VIP-only lounge of sorts. I've got to be honest: I respect the students who earned the privilege of living on the Lawn, but the fact that only their guests can enjoy pregame festivities there is completely ridiculous.\nI'm sorry, but when did the Lawn become sole property of the 50 or so students who get to live there? Every tour at this University promotes how the Lawn is a public space for students, faculty, community members, visitors, even aliens if they so chose to land in Charlottesville. Why should football game days be any different? Especially if our team can't beat FBS opponents, we NEED to be able to tailgate before the games.\nWhile it's not as though the smackdown was laid on all of us this year - similar nonsense was in place last year - it still is inane that this sort of anti-fun policy is endorsed by the University. Every year the policy gets changed a little bit, it seems, but those in charge have yet to get it right. What's more, the current policy was a better option than some proposed alternatives. As The Cavalier Daily reported Sept. 2, the latest rules were the product of a meeting between Lawnies and Dean of Students Allen Groves.\nI won't point blame at Dean Groves, as he is just an enforcer of policy. I have never met him but I hear he is a great guy who tried to help Lawn residents in their bout to host parties. I hope, and believe, that Lawn residents tried to allow everyone else to enjoy this otherwise-public space and didn't just contend for their own get-togethers. My anger, then, is directed at the University on the whole, which is at times too caught up in old-school traditions (for instance, keeping Al Groh around) and unwilling to embrace new ones.\nNo other school has a place like the Lawn - a central spot where people of all ages and classes can come together in such a historic location. As such, no other school could have a tailgate as awesome as a Lawn tailgate. It's really simple. For many years, the Lawn was the place to be before football games. Now, it's the place you're not allowed to be.\nSo what if a few idiots made a mess on the Lawn during a tailgate last year? From what I know, it wasn't University students that caused the disturbance. Here's a novel idea: If someone does something ridiculously stupid, like uses the columns as urinals, then cuff him and take him away. Otherwise, let us have our Lawn back! Some of Virginia's best tailgates of all time took place on the Lawn, and from an athletics department-type perspective, what better way is there to get people hyped for a game than to have thousands of students, alumni and other fans mingle with each other? There is none. And for what its worth, we are going to need a lot of encouragement to stick with the hapless Hoos.\nThose of us who don't live on the Lawn think limiting the Lawn to residents and their guests is not only unfair, but also goes against everything the Lawn should be about. For the University to step in and prevent a huge majority of its students from enjoying the ideal location for a tailgate is unbelievable.\nOh, one last thing: I'll wait one more week before embracing the Fire Al Groh movement. Let's hope the Hoos can help save their coach's job with a good showing against TCU. If not, though, the case to can the coach could be too compelling.
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