Posted 29 July 2012 - 01:20 PM
I've never been with any other Huddle members, but I did go every year from 2005-2009 and am familiar with the event. Not so much with any tailgating, however.
Basically, the line to get in starts forming at least an hour or two ahead of when the doors open. If you want a good shot at autographs afterward, make sure you're near the front of the line and hurry to your seat when they let you in as the front row seats fill quickly, They're by far the best seats for autograph seekers, particularly right by the player entrance.
Before the doors open, they have games, music, the top cats, etc. outside the stadium. I've never really hung around any of this, though, so I wouldn't know what all they have. I do recall a guy in a giant eyeball costume walking around one year, though. Still not sure what the hell that was about.
Once they let you in, it's about an hour to an hour and a half before the actual practice begins. The team store opens and is usually jam packed. The top cats usually do a routine and Sir Purr shows up as well. They used to show the previous year's NFL Yearbook highlight film on the big screen, but I'm not sure if they do that anymore.
Once the practice starts, you'll see some of the UDFA's and lesser known players - along with kickers/punters - come out, followed by some of the 'name' players. They spend a lot of time stretching and warming up before practice. Usually it's the starting offense vs. backup D and backup offense vs. starting D in the scrimmage itself.
Afterward, most players go to the wall to sign autographs. It gets hectic here, even if you are in the front row. People act crazy about this, so if you have kids be careful. Best thing to have autographed is either a jersey or football. The autographs usually last 15-20 minutes or so. Maybe 30 for some players.
