I’ve been having trouble deciding how to blog about my Austin trip. It is by far one of my favorite trips ever. The very best thing for you to do is to check out our FNL podcast this Thursday. Kaitlin and I spent a full 50 minutes talking through the weekend. Yes, you could do a lot of other stuff in 50 minutes but for those wanting the full scoop, that’s the way to go. So for this site’s purposes. I think I’m going to talk about all my personal favorite moments by day. They overlap, obviously, but here it is from my perspective.
Pairings Party – Thursday
Setting: Pairings Party at the hotel bar. A band plays, a group plays a round of horseshoes and everyone mingles. Drew Waters/Wake Aikman, Brad Leland/Buddy Garrity and Kyle Chandler/Coach Taylor, Blue Deckert/Coach McGill as well as UT Coach Mack Brown all make appearances.
Notable Moment #1 – After meeting Drew Waters “Wade Aikman” who is much more handsome in real life (read: hottie!), a lady asks to take our picture with him. I had seen her at the bar but wasn’t sure why she was taking our picture and how she knew him. After the picture, Drew walks away and I ask her “So do you know Drew?” She laughs and says, “Yeah, I’m married to him.” We had a great conversation with his wife Heather. Very down to earth. They have two little girls as well and we chatted TV and Drew’s plans. And don’t worry, we discussed our declaration of Drew as an FNL hottie with his wife and she totally agreed 
I have to stop here and say being there was such a weird combination of meeting celebrity and just hanging out with folks. There was definitely a fine line. Yes, they were celebrity and they were cool with us fangirling over them but we also were able to chat and hang out like we were BFFs. It was a pretty cool line to walk if you ask me.
Notable Moment #2 – A couple come up to Kaitlin and I and ask if we’re Kaitlin and Amy. Kaitlin and I kind of look at each other wondering if the other had introduced us at some point or how in the world these two people know us. Turns out Michelle and Mark love the site and listen to our podcast and knew we were going to be there. We felt like celebrities for about .02 seconds which is enough to make you feel pretty awesome for a few days.
Very Favorite Notable Moment #3 – This I think is my favorite moment of the whole weekend. I need to give a little background. Tim Riggins by far is my favorite character on the show. I love all of them but if I fangirled over any of them, he was the one. My feelings for Coach Taylor were, gosh, how to say this…well, I always wished I was Julie or someone on the team, never Tami. I mean, every once in a while when Coach and Tami were snuggled on the couch or whatever I was happy to fill that role but I never fangirled over Coach. Kaitlin fangirled over Kyle Chandler. Shonda Rhimes, writer/creator of Grey’s Anatomy, fangirled over Kyle Chandler and honestly I never quite gone on that train.
Well, about an 1.5 hr into the party Kaitlin and I had just had pictures with Brad and met Michelle and Mark and I spot Kyle Chandler in the hallway coming towards the bar. He’s wearing a black polo, white ball cap, blue jeans and cowboy boots looking ever so Texan and not at all Coach Taylor-ish. His demeanor is nothing like Coach’s. I grab Kaitlin’s arm and tell her he’s coming. I’m telling you, Kyle Chandler can act because he was nothing like Coach. Suddenly I want to be Tami Taylor. (In TV land. I mean, I love being Mrs. Bennett, don’t get me wrong. We’re fangirling here so go with me) He talks to a few people and then I grab his attention. I try to explain in the loudest voice over the music I can that we have a site and podcast. We go to get pictures with him and I dutifully stand beside him and put my arm around him, as I had Drew and Brad and every other celebrity I’ve met and next thing I know, he has wrapped himself around me and thrown his head back and says, “This is later in the night,” joking around. I’m telling you, this is no Coach Taylor. So that was my picture with him that night. Love. it. Does my smile give me away? Kaitlin also got a picture and we chatted with him very briefly but Kyle kept a line of fans waiting when he wasn’t running around organizing something all weekend. And now I shall rewatch FNL and pretend I’m Tami Taylor.
Coming up, a tour of the set, hanging out with the cast at the clubhouse and more.
To see more pictures if you haven’t, check out my Facebook album
Great picture Tami Taylor
Love his facial expression, is he really that tall? Or are you really short??
Can't wait to listen to the podcast.
Yes! He really is that tall. I'm 5'6" if that gives you any hint. I'd say he's right at 6', taller than I imagined. Well, he had cowboy boots on and I had flip flops so that might make an inch or two difference.
Yes! He really is that tall. I'm 5'6" if that gives you any hint. I'd say he's right at 6', taller than I imagined.