The Game: Traditions, tailgates and football

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Yale, the winningest team in college football history, overpowered Harvard, 9-7, last year.

You should know by now that Ivy League football is not of the same caliber as the games that you see on ESPN. If you're looking for football quality on par with a late-season Florida vs. Florida St. matchup, you'll have to flip on the TV. But even in the Ancient Eight, there are some games that are elevated to sacred status, some that are undeniably a cut above the rest.. At Yale, one matchup stands out every year, and it's known simply as The Game.

At the annual Yale-Harvard football game, you will encounter a tremendous sense of competition. The enthusiasm for such a modest level of collegiate athletics is amazing. What is more amazing is that you will quickly find yourself just as wrapped up in the action as everyone else.

The Game is an event unto itself. It is not simply about football; it will never just be about precision passing or breathtaking kickoff returns. You can tell how huge this game is just by looking at the droves of fans who flock to it. While attendance at regular Yale football games is usually about 10,000, The Game regularly draws 30,000 to 40,000 fans. So what will The Game be like for you, an unsure but enthusiastic freshman? For starters, The Game's location switches each year from Cambridge to New Haven, and this year it will be held in the Yale Bowl. Whether you're an avid regular at the Bowl or just looking for the supreme way to spend a cold Saturday, The Game is your best bet. Besides, there's no excuse for you not to go: Yalies get to go home for a week of vacation after The Game, while Harvard students go back to classes for three more days. Some dreary Cantabs may even have to miss the action because they have big papers due on the following Monday.

So how should you get ready for The Game? For starters, if there is the slightest hint of inclement weather, bring rain gear. You can easily keep warm by clapping and huddling together with your friends, but getting soggy at The Game is no rare occurrence. Then again, even if you're cold, you'll be warmer than the 11 shirtless guys with "Fuck Harvard" painted on their chests who stormed the field at The Game two years ago. If you want to wear a blue G-string to appall Cantabs and parents alike, be my guest; you won't be alone. You get cold, you lose your voice, and if you're a Saybrook senior, you lose your clothing. Don't worry, it's all in the spirit of The Game.

On game day, hit the parking lots first. Make the rounds at the various tailgates, which feature keg-standing students grilling burgers and alumni serving scotch and canapés from station wagons. There will be no shortage of free food (or beverages). After becoming sufficiently inebriated at the tailgates, make your way over to the Yale Bowl, a beautiful if well-worn stadium which the Giants chose as their home field while Yankee Stadium was being renovated in 1973 and 1974. Next year, when you trek up to Cambridge, note that Harvard plays in a goofy horseshoe-shaped stadium that is open at one end. One can surmise that this is to give the Cantabs a chance to flee when they're getting humiliated on the gridiron.

When The Game begins, you'll witness the adrenaline. Both teams really want to win. Even if hopes of winning the league championship have long since become impossible, The Game is a chance for redemption. At the same time, a great season can be brought down by a loss. A Boston restaurant called Locke-Ober has a tradition of placing a veil of mourning over a certain painting after a Crimson loss. Odds are that the painting will not see the light of day after this year's Game.

In the past, the Cantabs have had cause for mourning more often than not, as Yale owns the series by a decisive margin of 62-45-8. Yale comes in with a one-game winning streak, but Harvard won the previous three. If history is any indicator, the Bulldogs are due for another victory. The bottom line: go to this game. It's important and it's an excuse not to go home early for break. After all, we Elis invented football. History's on our side, and we have a lot to prove.

Dan Brodhead contributed to this article.

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