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Tailgating: An Intro To The Fine Art Of Fandom

RyanWarrenCBS — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 11:24:30 +0000

Photo Credit: Scott Boehm/Getty Images

Ah, tailgating… an American institution and a true display of what it means to be a fan. For the uninitiated, a tailgate is a party hosted out of a car, or pretty much anything else with wheels (not Segways… yet). Most tailgates take place around football games and involve grills, beer, games and other outdoor distractions. The common tailgater will hold the party before and after the game, with the exception of some boozy warriors who celebrate throughout the game as well.

Got the fundamentals down? Good. Because that’s the academic definition of tailgating. And the truth is that tailgating means so much more than just partying outside on game day.

You see, our favorite athletes give us a gift every season. They sacrifice themselves for the sake of our school or hometown pride, not to mention our entertainment. In turn, we pay back their sacrifice with $45 parking spaces, $170 jerseys, $18 beers, $115 tickets and multimillion dollar contracts by camping out near the stadium for every game, sometimes for days at a time. The physical sacrifice we endure before and after the game is a direct homage to their efforts during the game. In fact, sometimes it’s harder. Let’s see JaMarcus Russell try to cram down 15 hot dogs before running out on the field. Maybe that isn’t the best example, but you get the point.

Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Maybe I’m being too dramatic. Just tell that to the Buffalo faithful, who brave freezing temperatures outside each winter to chomp down one more wing before watching their team heroically race for 3^rd in the AFC East. Or to the Houston fans who are forced, against their better judgment, to down beer after beer to stay cool in the sweltering southern heat. Ladies and gentlemen, these are the true fans. They sacrifice themselves to show both support and pride for their teams.

BUT! Tailgates are also a direct reflection of hometown pride. Think about it: you can get burgers at any tailgate. But only in Gillette Stadium can you feast on some of the world’s best New England clam chowder while some big guy named Sully screams aggressive things about your mother. And in New Orleans? You can have your fill of etouffee and gumbo, all while trying to decipher what language the locals are speaking (spoiler: still English).

And finally, tailgating is all about community. You’ll understand when you see it firsthand: the parking lot laid out in front of you, the air thick and smoky from a small army of grills, music blaring and flags flying high. It’s like someone stitched together everyone’s backyard cookout like a quilt. And even though the days when we would ask a neighbor for a cup of sugar are long gone, at the tailgate, where everyone is gathered together in the name of fandom, the feast is shared among fan and foe alike.

I could describe tailgating to you all day and night. But experience trumps all. So, do yourself a favor this season: go out there and celebrate your town, team, region, college or community, and enjoy a publicly approved excuse to drink beer at 10:00 in the morning.

Check out Tailgate Fan to keep the party going.

Stop in at the Man Cave, where the women are hot and the beer is cold.

Brian Cullen brings you the best tips and practices about tailgating all season at Tailgate Fan. Save him a brat, or follow him on Twitter @bucketcullen.

Die Hard Fans Tailgating The NFL Playoffs

mreal197 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:58:40 +0000

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Big Game Party Recipe: New England Chowder With Old Bay Croutons

mreal197 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:58:35 +0000

By Christine Hinrichs

After months of TV watching, countless cheers and upsets, and numerous football parties, the Super Bowl is finally here. And with the Patriots and the Giants meeting for their second Super Bowl matchup in the last few years, it’s sure to be a great game. I enjoy having Super Bowl parties, but what I really love is creating theme recipes. Here are two recipes, one for New York fans and one for Patriots fans, and both are easy to put together and are sure to impress your guests.

New England Chowder with Old Bay Croutons
(serves 6-8 as a regular entrée)
adapted from Epicurious

If you don’t like clams, feel free to omit the clams and then substitute vegetable stock for the clam juice. For a more festive feel, serve the chowder in shot glasses!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ¼ pound canned clams, minced, juice reserved
2-3 cups clam juice OR 3 cups of vegetable stock
1 yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup frozen corn
2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon dry white wine
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste
1 baguette, diced into 1-inch cubes
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-3 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine the clam juice and juice from canned clams until you have 3 cups of liquid.

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and cook until translucent and tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring, for another 2 minutes.

Whisk in the clam juice, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the thyme and 1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning. Add the diced potatoes and simmer partially covered until the potatoes are tender.

In a separate sauce pan, combine the minced clams and half and half and simmer until clams are cooked through. Once the potatoes are tender, add the clam mixture to the soup pot and the frozen corn. Simmer together for another few minutes. Stir in the wine and Worcestershire sauce, taste and adjust salt & pepper.

Meanwhile, toss the cubed bread, olive oil, and Old Bay seasoning. Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Bake until the bread is crisp but still has some give, about 5-8 minutes. Serve the chowder in small bowls or shot glasses and top each serving with Old Bay croutons.

Christine Hinrichs is a vegetarian who loves everything related to food. She daydreams about recipes, frequents the local farmers’ markets, and reads cookbooks before bed. Read about her food adventures at ruminationsonfood.blogspot.com.

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The Super Bowl of Feasts

mreal197 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:58:30 +0000

By Christian S. Kohl

The Super Bowl represents the lone day of the year where the best tailgate possible may well take place from the comforts of your own home as opposed to right outside the stadium. Ignoring the obvious problems of a difficult commute and wrangling space to tailgate among the droves of people, your on-site tailgate faces a logistical problem that your home tailgate will not: your car almost certainly not contain all the food you should be devouring on this magical day. The biggest day of the year unequivocally demands the biggest feast of the year.

Other major days of the year often involve the hearty consumption of food, such as Thanksgiving. As we all know though, such days often restrict the types of foods and sides you’re expected to prepare and consume. What makes Super Bowl Sunday consumption so glorious is not simply that you can eat all day long, from 3AM pregame coverage to the Lombardi presentation. What makes it the greatest feast day of them all is that there are no rules whatsoever, and absolutely anything goes.

Your spread can last as many courses as you want it to. You can start slow with appetizers like chips and salsa or nachos, working your way up to burgers, pizza, and ultimately dessert. You can barbecue all day and drop plate after plate of ribs, or pulled pork sandwiches on your kitchen tables for guests in one unending course until kickoff, then resume again at halftime. Desserts can be cakes and pies, or cookies and ice cream. Or you can very simply eat 300 wings a man and collapse in a ball midway through the second quarter.

Every player on the field has worked the entire year for this moment; it’s far and away the biggest day of the year. Such commitment requires celebration and food consumption on the part of NFL fans which matches their level of intensity. As a die-hard football fan, this is no doubt the biggest day of your year as well, and you simply cannot leave anything out there on the field. Even a person on a regimented and disciplined diet should break it for this one day. Take one day off from counting calories and count how many feet of the party sub you can ingest in four quarters. If you’re the tailgating chef, use every kitchen and grill resource you’ve got and use every last page of your playbook. You know Brady and Manning are going to air to out, and you absolutely should as well.

Whatever option you opt for, make sure it’s lasting and worthwhile. If there’s one thing everyone has realized about the Super Bowl, it’s that the Super Bowl is as much an event as it is a game. So as you assemble that menu for yourself, friends and guests, wherever in the world you might be, remember to make it an event everyone will remember for years to come. Tailgating champions don’t simply show up on Game Day. They prepare, and put in the work. Become that tailgating champion, at the game or at home. Harness the skills you’ve been developing all year, maximize your potential, and eat literally all that you can stomach.

Christian S. Kohl is a writer and filmmaker based in New York City. Find out more about him at DailySpew.com.

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Big Game Party Recipe: New York Pretzel Bites With Spicy Cheese Sauce

mreal197 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:58:23 +0000

By Christine Hinrichs

After months of TV watching, countless cheers and upsets, and numerous football parties, the Super Bowl is finally here. And with the Patriots and the Giants meeting for their second Super Bowl matchup in the last few years, it’s sure to be a great game. I enjoy having Super Bowl parties, but what I really love is creating theme recipes. Here are two recipes, one for New York fans and one for Patriots fans, and both are easy to put together and are sure to impress your guests.

New York Pretzel Bites with Spicy Cheese Sauce
(makes about 100 small pretzel bites)
adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients (pretzel bites):

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 yeast packet
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 ½ cups flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
10 cups of water
2/3 cup baking soda
1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Coarse salt or pretzel salt
Cooking spray

Ingredients (cheese sauce):

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Wait until the yeast mixture starts to foam, about 5 minutes. Then add the flour and melted butter and stir to combine as best you can. The dough will be firm, so use some muscle. Turn the dough out onto a flat surface and knead it until smooth, about 5 minutes. Spray the bowl lightly with cooking spray, then return the dough to the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Place in a warm spot in your kitchen and let the dough rise for about an hour.

Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper, and spray the paper lightly with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

In a large pot, combine the 10 cups of water and baking soda. Heat on high – you’ll need the water to be at a boil once you’re done working with the dough. Once the dough has risen, combine the 10 cups of water and baking soda in a large pot. Heat on high, and then turn back to the dough. Punch it down and divide it into 8 equal pieces (a pizza cutter works well for this). Roll out each piece into an 18-inch rope. Then using the pizza cutter, cut each rope into 1-inch squares of dough.

Once your water mixture has come to a boil add the dough pieces in batches – 12-14 – and leave them in the boiling water for about 15 seconds. Fish them out using a slotted spoon and place on the baking sheets lined with parchment. Continue until all of the dough pieces have been in the baking-soda bath.

Arrange the dough on the pans so there is space between each piece. Using a pastry brush, brush each dough bite with the egg wash. Then sprinkle the dough with salt to your liking. Bake the pretzel bites for about 14 minutes. Let cool for about five minutes before serving.

In the meantime, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk to combine for about 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and slowly whisk in the half and half. Return the pan to medium-low heat and slowly add the cheese, jalapeño, and spices, whisking in a figure-8 pattern. Once the cheese has just melted, remove from heat.

Keep the cheese sauce in a microwave-safe container so it can be reheated as needed. Serve alongside the pretzel bites.
Christine Hinrichs is a vegetarian who loves everything related to food. She daydreams about recipes, frequents the local farmers’ markets, and reads cookbooks before bed. Read about her food adventures at ruminationsonfood.blogspot.com.

End of Game Celebrations

mreal197 — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:30:42 +0000

By: Christian S. Kohl

We’ve all been there. You set aside an entire, glorious weekend day. Arrive at the stadium hours before game time and enjoy a spectacular tailgate as the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. Head into the stadium, cheer until you’re so hoarse you can no longer speak. Just a few short hours later, after thrilling victory or crushing defeat, there’s little else to do aside from returning to the parking lot, spending three hours moving a total of 200 feet, and nosing the car out of the parking lot before heading back home. Unless of course, when you find your car again after that draining and exhausting game, there’s another tailgate waiting there for you.

Think about it. A postgame tailgate. You’re going to be stuck in that line of cars for hours anyway. Besides, it feels like forever since your last meal. It was morning then, and the sun is setting now. For all intents and purposes, it’s dinner time, but it could be an eternity before you again find refreshments and food. Unless another magical spread is upon you as soon as you return.

The best part of the postgame tailgate is that it’s appropriate no matter what happened during the game. An epic and triumphant victory for your team demands celebration. A bitter and costly defeat requires comfort, and a forum to discuss all that needs to happen for the season to turn around. What better place for all of that than huddled around a barbecue next to your car as you’re cooking meat?

This particular form of tailgating requires a special kind of person, however. In order for this to be executed properly, you need a Tailgating Hero. You need a person in your crew who comes to the games for the food and the camaraderie, but doesn’t live and die with the outcome or the score. Someone who feels like they need to stretch their legs even after halftime ends, and is content to listen to the radio, or get the live reports when you all return. Because that person, the Tailgating Hero in your crew, can leave in the third quarter and fire everything back up again. If every single one of you is a die-hard, this may be nearly impossible to pull off. Just remember though. Rooting with all your strength for your team is about hope, and belief. For the postgame tailgate to appear, and appear without a hitch: all it takes is one person.

I advise that this particular form of celebration best take place if your crew can all arrive in a single car, as the maximum number of people can enjoy the liquid festivities postgame as well. I would further advise that if that same person who takes the bullet and volunteers to set up the postgame tailgate also holds the keys and drives home, something very special has happened in your life. You have found the Tailgating Hero. Maybe not the hero your tailgate deserves, but the one it needs right now. And if you’re ever looking to thank that person, don’t even bother getting them an apron. Thank your Hero properly, and buy him a cape. For he has made the impossible a reality, and allowed all that is great about game day to truly last the entire day.

Christian S. Kohl is a writer and filmmaker based in New York City. Find out more about him at DailySpew.com

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Everyday Life Is A Party, Too

mreal197 — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:01:49 +0000

By Christian S. Kohl

Fans come from far and wide to gather and tailgate for some of life’s most exciting events. What better way to savor the anticipation of a highly awaited game other than with sumptuous food, ample beverages, and great company? After all, tailgating as an idea is all about making things better. In this case, making the very best of times simply that much more unforgettable. Yet, I humbly propose the notion that tailgating actually makes everything better, so much so that it very well may redeem even the most unpleasant or generic of moments in life.

Everyone hates going to the Motor Vehicle Bureau. Takes all day, line feels like it stretches on to eternity, generally about eight ways unpleasant. Not if you’re all tailgating it, though. Think about it: you and a few buddies decide to all renew your license on the same day, and throw a party out in the parking lot. All you need is one guy to hold your place in line, and you can all switch out as burgers come off the grill, or if someone needs a refill. You can instantly turn one of the most irritating errands of life into a quality flag football game and a fantastic time.

Girlfriend wants you to come along while she shops for shoes? Let’s turn this into a group event instead. Ladies, you go hunt for bargains on slingback pumps, and we’ll be out here in the lot. We’ll even have dinner served and ready to go for you when you come back. This way, everybody wins, instead of one of us dying a painful death watching your purse outside the fitting rooms, a place where time stands still and all hope perished decades prior.

Tailgating, as all true die-hards know, is an event in its own right. The amount of preparation and attention to detail requires it be done right means you don’t just throw a few items in a cooler and head out. This is an outdoor banquet with a dress code of jeans and hoodies, something we can all appreciate. This is a feast for the senses and great times enjoyed by all. I mean to take nothing away from the joy of the game itself. I simply intend to demonstrate accurately the glorious value of the tailgate, even by itself.

Need some electronics repaired and they won’t be available until the end of the day? Give them your cell and not your home phone; you’re glad to wait. Every time you go the doctor’s office for a routine physical, the waiting room is jammed and it takes them forever to call your name. It’s the absolute worst. …or is it?

Go out there and give it a shot. I offer this as a personal challenge to all of you out there, even the most hardened of skeptics. Faced with an endless wait and potential hours of agonizing monotony, head out into what would otherwise be a bleak and dreary reality. I challenge you all to see if there is in fact a situation that some lawn chairs, quality music, coolers of the good stuff and endless sides of perfectly prepared beef can’t fully redeem. Make it fun, and most of all, make it count.

Christian S. Kohl is a writer and filmmaker based in New York City. Find out more about him at dailyspew.com

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Wild Card Weekend’s Hottest Cheerleaders

mreal197 — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:01:35 +0000

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Tailgating For The Whole Family

mreal197 — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:50:17 +0000

Tailgating is a time-honored tradition, handed down through the generations of fans who enjoy flame-kissed meat, coolers of beer, and outdoor parties just as much as they love rooting on their beloved teams. I mean to take nothing away from such glorious experiences, and instead offer an opportunity to partake in them more often, and include everyone in the whole family.

In the interest of keeping the barbecue flames of tailgating burning for everyone, I’d like to suggest the following: sporting events at any level can be tailgated, and everyone can partake. After my high school football games, parents used to lay out a savory banquet for us. Not just brownies and desserts, we were treated to pound after pound of burgers and dogs, not to mention fall-off-the-bone fried chicken using a recipe one parent would make weekly from scratch. What better way to get everyone together: parents and players, teammates and friends, unite the whole community after a heroic win or tragic loss than unending mountains of delicious food?

The same idea works for tailgating your kid’s regional semifinal soccer match, or the last Little League game of the season which determines the regular season championship. In fact, the further away from professional ranks one gets, the more sense holding tailgates makes. Introductory levels of athletics these days are intended to introduce the kids to sports without heaping on the pressure of “winning is everything,” or exposing them to the dangers of full contact right away. To that end, the leagues are about more than just learning: they reinforce the idea of teamwork, friendship, and community.

At age seven, the purple team isn’t a sworn enemy; in fact, your next-door neighbor and best friend plays for the purple team. After three long periods of hockey at 7AM, or battling it out for six innings plus two extras on the local diamond, why not all get together afterward to share a few laughs and a hearty meal? Not to mention, with younger generations of players beginning to learn our greatest sports, a fantastic way to better understand them is often through conversation and story. Everyone, kids and parents, learn the rules faster, start talking strategy sooner, and may enjoy the game at a deeper level, all the while scarfing down the best food grills can offer. Tough to argue with that.

It goes without saying that tailgating for an event and its players should be age appropriate. Piecing together a spread for a rec or developmental league should probably contain water, soda, and juice in place of the NFL standards such as beer, and more beer. There may be more snack foods and sugar than homemade sauces and meat. The feast would take place after the game instead of before, but the concept remains the same. The idea of tailgating can be celebrated at every level of sports, not just elite college teams and the NFL. So give it a whirl, and let me know how it goes. Get the whole community out there warming up next to those barbecues, rooting on their hometown teams and the next generation of athletes. After all, a rock-solid tailgate simply makes the brutal losses that much easier to swallow, and the legendary victories that much more epic, and unforgettable.

Christian S. Kohl is a writer and filmmaker based in New York City. Find out more about him at DailySpew.com

Essential Playoff Tailgating Tips

mreal197 — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:50:03 +0000

Your team made the playoffs. Congratulations. You scored tickets to the game? Well that deserves a celebration. As winter sets in, the NFL cookout staple of tailgating becomes as much about surviving as it does gorging. Sub-zero temperatures, wind and sobriety can be a devastating combination. Here are some tips for your winter weather tailgate:

Hot Beverages: Many hardcore tailgaters will stick by their beer of choice, but for those willing to adapt; a hot cider, hot cocoa with a nice shot of choice will both be appropriate to warm you up. While on the topic of hot liquids…

Soup and Stew: Yes, you’ll grill out, that’s a given. But heat up some soup and stew to add to your cornucopia of delightful choices. Stew is easy to disperse, and spoons are a much easier glove-used-utensil than forks and knives. Make sure you remember the essentials: Pot, ladle, bowls, etc.

Precook Your Food: Minimize time between packaging and mouth. Always a plus. Spending less time standing around and more time eating is a must.

Styrofoam Floor: I know it may sound crazy, but take it from a seasoned Kansas City Chiefs extreme-weather tailgater; if you can stow away some sheets of styrofoam next time you get a package, it will make a world of difference beneath your feat or folding chairs when its below zero outside.

Bring the Right Gear: Don’t get caught unable to light your grill in the cold wind. Frustrated fans will quickly abandon your tailgate for warmer pastures if things go south. Try an industrial lighter to get the job done, such as the Zippo Flex Neck Utility lighter to dominate the cold and wind. A regular lighter, if it even lights, may suffer at the hands of winter winds.

Game Ideas: Tossing around a football in the cold will quickly turn into tossing a frozen rock at each other’s face. Combine that with wearing bulky gloves and you have a Marsha Brady situation waiting to happen. Bags (cornhole, bean bags, bag toss, whatever you call it) is the premier cold weather tailgating game. Simply, you can hold a drink in your other hand, and you won’t embarrass yourself by showing off your Drew Brees (or more likely Ryan Leaf) throwing skills.

Enjoy Yourself: Sitting around talking about how cold it is will only make you feel colder. Talk about how great Aaron Rodgers is or how decent Matt Ryan is. Toss a football around for thirty seconds until your hand freezes. Just be happy you aren’t a Chiefs fan or a Colts fan or one of the dozens of other team’s fans sitting at home.

Tailgating is a time honored tradition in professional football, and is proven to help your home team win (actual results may vary). Making sure you’re prepared for the cold weather will enhance your tailgating time. If you do decide to brave the cold and paint your chest and go hat-less, then don’t cry. There’s no crying in tailgating.

Kyle Ayers is a writer for CBS Local and KorkedBats.com, as well as a stand up comedian living in New York, Earth.

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Extending The Tailgate: Keeping Camaraderie Alive

mreal197 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:10:17 +0000

By: Harrison Goo

(credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

A few days ago, I wrote an article about the concept of “extending the tailgate.” If you didn’t see it yet, you can read it here. And while the feedback I received was generally positive, I found that people always ended up wondering the same thing. Will the idea really work? Like many things that sound good in theory, (socialism, communism, democracy, etc.) concepts like “extending the tailgate” are only as good as the proof you offer for their success. And, after debating how best to quantify this proof, I thought it best to offer a few anecdotes from my past. For anonymity’s sake I have used pseudonyms for the people whose stories are retold here. I must admit that these will be drawn from their favorite players or teams. Thus, if you know them they will be easily identifiable…which makes reading their stories all that more humorous. And…if not…, well, I hope you can still find some humor in them as well.

The (Self-Proclaimed) Sports Gooru:
The first real tailgating experience that I can remember happened when I was 7. It was with my dad and his friends, sitting around a car eating a bento an hour or so before the game. Truthfully, it wasn’t all that great. My young age and lack of football knowledge saw this experience as little more than eating outside in a noisy, crowded parking lot. Even when we went into the stadium, I didn’t know any of the players and cheered only when those around me did. Luckily for me though, this was the last game of the 1992 season (the year Hawaii went 11-2 and made the Holiday Bowl), so there was a lot to cheer about.

That is not to say, however, that this scarred me from ever tailgating again. In fact it was quite the opposite. Tailgating became a way for me and my buddies from high school to get together. Once we went off to different colleges, having extended tailgates were the only times when we KNEW that we would be together (provided, of course, that Hawaii qualified for the Hawaii Bowl which happened on Christmas Eve, when we were all on break.)

My tailgate memories, however, are not all nostalgia and happiness. My worst drinking experience ever happened at a tailgate, a couple of years ago between my two alma maters (USC and UH.) I’m truthfully not much of a drinker, and made the fatal mistake that day of allowing someone else to mix my drinks. In any case, after about an hour of drinking games and (what I thought was) quite a bit of sweet tea vodka and beer, I retired to my car hot, tired and slightly sick. Big mistake. When I woke up a half an hour later I was more hot, more tired and more sick. Then, after getting up and walking around I felt my stomach churn and…well…yeah you can imagine the rest at your own risk. This was definitely not my proudest moment.

Extended tailgates though, have easily been some of the best experiences of my life. My favorite happened in June of 2005, the summer after UH beat up on Roddy White’s Alabama Birmingham team in the Hawaii Bowl and optimism for the upcoming season was high. At the time, Oceanic Cable (the cable service provider here in Hawaii), had just come out with a “UH Sports on Demand” package, making every UH game from the last 5 seasons available and viewable for a small fee. So we potlucked, gathered at “The Tank’s” house (prior to him officially becoming “the Tank” since we were underage at the time), and sat for hours in front of his TV reliving the glory games of the past few seasons (against Fresno State in 2001 and BYU in 2002, among others.) It was a great day.

AP (I Drink) All Day:
I think it was Hawaii’s 2009 season opener against Central Arkansas. Yeah, that was it. I, along with the “Denver Ewok”, decided we were going to go beer for beer with “The Tank”. Big mistake. A few beers turned into flip cup, which turned into 10 games of flip cup. Maybe it was 20? Who knows. I don’t even remember when it was that I stopped remembering. I do know that I started to regain my memory midway through the second quarter but it faded in and out until close to the end of the 4th. The final score? UH – 25, Division III Central Arkansas – 20. Guess I didn’t miss anything. Hmm, on second thought, maybe it would have been better if I forgot the game completely. (Reaches for a beer.)

After that, I don’t remember who UH was playing, but I know we managed to get together an epic game of flip cup…Punahou (high school) Alumni vs. The World with 13 people per team. Sadly, the build-up greatly exceeded the actual event. After the first guy we were neck and neck. Then we stalled on “Dez(ire more beer) Bryant”. And stalled. And stalled. And stalled. Soon 13 people from “The World” were finished and Dez was still trying to flip his cup. It was a sad, embarrassing day.

The best extended tailgate I can remember? Actually to tell you the truth, all the best ones I don’t remember. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m cool just hearing about em afterwards.

The (Shark) Tank:
All of the extended tailgates happen at my place which is sort of how it’s always been. Since I live in the most central location, we’ve been getting together here, tailgate or not, for the better part of the last two decades. And you know what? Each time its special. Enough can’t be said for having a great group of friends who always get along and always have a good time. I’ve been blessed. Absolutely blessed.

That being said, I have a ton of tailgating stories. But really the most important thing for you to know is that no one out-drinks me. No one. 25 shots in one night at a bar in Whistler says it all. As does the Keggerator in my house.

Andrew (Not Very Much) Luck:
My story is the same as the Gooru’s. Only I drank for an hour longer and threw up an hour earlier. I’m a lightweight and I’m not ashamed to admit it! Andrew Luck got robbed! STANFORD FOR LIFE!!! (Okay this last part I just made up.)

The one extended tailgate that jumps out to me happened in 2001. We were having a Superbowl party at “the Tank’s” house to watch the Baltimore Ravens play the New York Giants. Terrible game. Terrible and boring. So what did we do instead? Walked over to the park and got our own football game going. Are we athletes? No, not by a long shot. But we had a great time and in the end, that was the most important thing.

Antonio (Natural HI) Gates:
My first ever tailgating experience was in high school with Dez’s family, and it was also my real first exposure to a Jam session. His Grandpa was playing guitar, two guys were on the Ukulele and there was another on a washpan bass. The most incredible part was these 4 old-timers seemed to know the words and chords to every song I could think of. It was amazing.

As for extended tailgates, the random dinners at “the Tank’s” were something I’ve always cherished. It wasn’t even anything particularly fancy, we’d just set up a grill with beer, music, drinking games and, of course, more beer (cut to AP nodding in agreement). As we got older though, these gatherings became more and more important because they were just about the only times that we’d all get together, just to hang out. Once people started becoming busy with school or work, it was hard to just take a breath and meet up, so I’m glad that this tradition is something that has endured the test of time, so to speak.

LaDainian (Ring My Del) Tomlinson:
Tailgating has been a tradition in my family since before I can remember. I think my parents told me that even before I was born, they used to tailgate with their friends. Then my mom stopped going and we’d go shopping instead while my dad and brother tailgated with our friends. Then after awhile my brother wasn’t as interested in football anymore so he stopped going too. Just my dad was left.

It was about this time, however, that I started dating “AP” and began to develop an interest in the game again (mostly so I could beat him in our fantasy football league.) So when he’d tailgate or get together with his friends, I’d tag along. Not sure what this really means. Is this even really a tailgating story? Sorry if it’s not. But I guess my point is that tailgating is probably more than just the game right? It’s a chance for friends to get together and have a good time. At least that’s what I love about it.

The most important thing about all these stories, you see, is not just their content, but the emotions they elicit. No matter what happened, whether it was a drunken flip-cup fiasco, or a football game in the park between friends, all our activities can be looked back upon fondly. I guess what I’m trying to say is that, while I’ve described a set of recommended circumstances for extending your tailgate, it is by no means mandatory to follow them. The main thing for this type of tailgate it seems, is that it’s not just what you do, but who you do it with.

Harrison Goo is a contributor to CBS Local and the founder of the blog Sportsgooru.com. To contact him, email him at harrison@sportsgooru.com follow him on twitter at @sportsgooru.

Larry The Cable Guy’s Tailgate Tip #5

mreal197 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:31:46 +0000

(credit: TailgateFanChallenge.com)

When you think tailgating, you think fried, sauced and meaty heaven, but there’s another important part of tailgating that you can’t forget – team spirit. I’m not talking pom-poms and high-kicks; you must have team shirts, hats, signs and most of all, the attitude. Hold your head high like you’re one of the big guns running out of the locker room and onto that dewy field. I want to hear cheers, screaming and team chants. After a really good tailgate, you should wake up in the morning with no voice, a full belly and maybe a chicken bone or two in your glove compartment.

Now some folks can go extreme – I’m talking full body paint, crazy wigs, and once I even saw a dude in a cheerleader skirt! To each his own, but here’s some of my personal “don’ts” when it comes to team spirit:

Full body paint on game day is one thing. Shaving your team’s logo in chest hair is another… good thing football season doesn’t overlap with beach weather.
Do not choose permanent spray paint when “sprucing” up your car with team spirit; and do not try to convince your wife that now it’s the coolest car on the block.
Keep it friendly, folks. You don’t want to be the one taunting the other side when that big guy in row F comes your way.
As much as you wish you could run out onto the field to help score that winning touchdown… don’t do it. Trust me on this one.

Want more tailgating advice? I have full intentions on spreading this bit of wisdom and more as I visit football stadiums across the country with Prilosec OTC to search for the best of the best in “A Better Way to Tailgate” challenge. Enter HERE to win in one of three categories: 1). Food Served, 2). Tailgate Set-Up and 3). Team Spirit. All entries must include a tailgate photo. Note the “Food Served” category also requires a recipe submission. In addition to game day tickets, other prizes include the ultimate tailgate gear. To view the official contest rules, click here: www.tailgatechallenge.com.

Content for this article provided by Prilosec OTC.

Larry The Cable Guy’s Tailgate Tip #6

mreal197 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:31:29 +0000

(credit: TailgateFanChallenge.com)

Larry the Cable Guy here. As many of you know, I have quite the fashion sense. My idea of formal attire is a tuxedo t-shirt, and “dry clean only” is when I hang my clothes out on the line in my backyard. But what I’m probably most known for (aside from my sparkling personality) is my lack of sleeves.

For me, sleeves are just a nuisance, especially when tailgating. I mean let’s be honest, sleeves are only going to end up covered in sauce. Save yourself the load of laundry and cut those suckers off, am I right? But if I’ve learned anything in my life, it’s never to be wasteful. Everything has a purpose in this world, and while sleeves don’t necessarily belong on my shirts, they can definitely do some good when you and your pals are chowing down before a game.

For instance, do you lady tailgaters ever get cold and not pack enough layers? Cut off sleeves make a nice pair of leg warmers. Ever have your car parked smack in the middle of the stadium lot with no real distinguishing landmarks? Stick those sleeves on a plastic pole…I bet no one else there will be able to say “our tent is the one with the flannel sleeves flag blowing in the breeze.” And after a successful tailgate, there’s always grease and gook on the tables and grills. Nothing like a strong, durable shirt sleeve to wipe those nice and clean so you can do it all again next Sunday.

Do you already use sleeves to accentuate your tailgate? How does your football fiesta stand out from all the others? I have full intentions on spreading this bit of wisdom and more as I visit football stadiums across the country with Prilosec OTC to search for the best of the best in “A Better Way to Tailgate” challenge. Enter HERE to win in one of three categories: 1). Food Served, 2). Tailgate Set-Up and 3). Team Spirit. All entries must include a tailgate photo. Note the “Food Served” category also requires a recipe submission. In addition to game day tickets, other prizes include the ultimate tailgate gear. To view the official contest rules, click here: TailgateFanChallenge.com. It doesn’t get better than that. Show us what you got!

Content for this article provided by Prilosec OTC.

Tailgate Recipe: Purple Pride Pizza

mreal197 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:08:12 +0000

By: Christine Hinrichs

(credit: Christine Hinrichs)

It never hurts to serve a dish that represents your beloved team. To show your football pride, I suggest serving a homemade pizza complete with team-appropriate toppings. You can buy pre-made pizza dough at many markets around town, and a lot of pizza places will let you purchase some dough right from their shops. As for the toppings, be creative! Are you cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles? Top your pizza with sautéed onions and peppers, thin slices of steak, and provolone cheese. Hoping the Green Bay Packers win the game? Serve your party guests a four-cheese pizza, using whatever cheese strikes your fancy at the market. If you’re a Saints fan, try a Muffuletta-style pizza… the possibilities are endless. But I’m a Minnesota girl and all about the Purple Pride. So I put together a pizza recipe that is perfect for any Minnesota Vikings fan!

Purple Pride Pizza
Makes one 16-inch pizza

Ingredients
1 round of pre-made pizza dough
1 lb. purple potatoes, very thinly sliced into rounds
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
1 cup (or more!), grated pecorino Romano cheese
2 teaspoons garlic salt or powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Stretch or roll out the pizza dough until it measures about 16 inches across or it fits into your baking sheet in a rectangle shape. Place the dough on a pizza stone or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the pizza dough with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the thin slices of potatoes on top of the dough in a single layer. Sprinkle the fresh rosemary on top of the potatoes and add the grated cheese on top. Sprinkle the garlic salt/powder on the crust portion of your pizza.

Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Eat, enjoy and Go Vikings!

Christine Hinrichs is a vegetarian who loves everything related to food. She daydreams about recipes, frequents the local farmers’ markets, and reads cookbooks before bed. Read about her food adventures at ruminationsonfood.blogspot.com.

Tailgate Recipe: Black Bean Corn Flautas with Cilantro Lime Dip

mreal197 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:08:00 +0000

By: Christine Hinrichs

(Photo credit: Thinkstock)

Try out this recipe for one of my favorite game-day appetizers: a zesty, filling dish that will keep the crowd happy. Black Bean Corn Flautas with Cilantro Lime Dip – makes about 30 flautas.

Ingredients
2 cups frozen corn
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
4 green onions, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, chopped fine
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
Dash of cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt & pepper
1 package of wonton wrappers

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine all of the ingredients (except the wrappers) in a large bowl. To assemble the flautas, place a tablespoon of the mixture onto one of the wonton wrappers. Roll tightly, and wet the edge of the wrapper with a bit of water, pressing to seal. Repeat until you are out of mixture or out of wrappers.

Place the flautas seam-side down on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Once all of the flautas are on the baking sheet, spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake until browned, about 15 minutes. Serve warm with salsa or cilantro lime dip (recipe follows).

For the Dipping Sauce
Makes about ½ cup of dipping sauce
Adapted from Big Girls Small Kitchen

Ingredients
4 ounces plain Greek yogurt
½ lime, zest & juice
Large handful of cilantro
2 garlic cloves, pushed through a garlic press or chopped fine
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine. Serve cold alongside the flautas.

Christine Hinrichs is a vegetarian who loves everything related to food. She daydreams about recipes, frequents the local farmers’ markets, and reads cookbooks before bed. Read about her food adventures at ruminationsonfood.blogspot.com.

Extending The Tailgate: There’s Always Next Year

mreal197 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:50:04 +0000

(credit: Rich Schultz /Getty Images)

If you’re like me, a fan of a middling team, with a middling coach, and some unsubstantiated but not totally unbelievable point shaving allegations, then your college football season is over. You’ve suffered through countless amounts of heartbreak and disappointment, and you’ve found yourself periodically questioning whether or not your fan-hood was strong enough to handle this type of emotional instability year after year (which, of course, it always is.) See, the thing with sports fans, or at least those masochistic enough to support a perennial loser, is that their best hope is always, always, next year’s hope.

The question then becomes, what is the most effective way to build on it? How do you (the fan), after yet another losing season, effectuate excitement when the future of your team seems utterly bleak? When, even after a 6-7 season, you can tell that most of your talent for the following year will be mediocre, or inexperienced, or, both? (yes, Greg McMackin, I am still bitter at you.)

Well, never fear, for I have a solution for you. Having been a University of Hawaii fan my entire life, I’ve had 26 years of experience nurturing (and maniacally rationalizing) the concept of “there’s always next year”. Case in point, in the last decade they have gone (mostly under June Jones): 10-3 | 9-4 | 8-4 | 5-7 | 11-2 | 12-0 | 7-6 | 6-7 | 10-3 and 6-7. Okay, I admit it, that’s not too bad. But let’s go back one more decade (closer to the beginning of my life.) In the eight years prior to hiring June Jones the team was: 4-7 | 11-2 | 6-6 | 3-5-1 | 4-8 | 2-10 | 3-9 and 0-12. So while I don’t intend for this to be a history lesson of the ups and downs of University of Hawaii football, I think it’s a great illustration of the wide swings generally experienced by fans of college football teams. One decade of dominant (okay maybe above-average) play here was preceded by a decade of getting dominated. One decade that produced some of the best talent the school has ever known (Colt Brennan and Davone Bess) was preceded by a decade that was best known for producing … a kicker (Jason Elam). What does all this mean? That I’ve spent a lot of time finding out the hard way that no matter how hopeless your team looks, if you stick around long enough, things always get better.

So, I’m happy to share with you today, my carefully developed and fool-proof method to enjoying an otherwise depressing offseason. A method that centers around one thing. Regular off-season tailgating! It cannot be stated frequently enough, that one of the single most important parts of college football is not just the game itself, but how it manages to bring people from all walks of life together. It follows then, that there is no better way of fostering hope for the future then by tailgating even after the season has long since ended. How do I know this? Well, quite simply, because I asked.
Chuck H., 25, Government Employee : “What gets me excited about college football during the offseason? Tailgating, because it’s a chance to hang out with friends and share (the team and the sport) that we love the most.”
Scott O., 25, Engineer: “”Tailgating is definitely something I look forward to because I go to these games not just as a fan, but also as someone who wants to hang out and eat good food with friends.”
Travis T., 26, Accountant: “There’s nothing better than gathering with your friends, eating, drinking and then watching the game.”

So, while this sample is quite small, their sentiments were echoed by just about everyone I asked (several of whom declined to be quoted here today.) After a few more discussions with people, some commonalities began to emerge.
Scott O.: “I’m also really excited to see who will step up and become a potential draft pick.”
Travis T.: “One of the things I always look forward to is seeing the potential of the team. Are they gonna be good this year or not?
Wade T., 25, Research Engineer: “What excites me the most about college football in the offseason? I like looking at the list of commitments/recruits. Having good recruits gives me a ton of optimism about the potential of the upcoming season.”
Mike T., 26, Med Student: “I really like reading about the recruits. Not only the ones that we are targeting, but also the local guys and seeing where they end up. Excited to see their potential growth.”

Don’t see it yet? In their own way, Scott, Travis, Wade and Mike were each excited about the same thing. The “potential” encased in the future. Potential and Hope are, after all, two of the most malleable emotions contained within a sports-fan. Why else would Oregon buy a billboard of Joey Harrington in Times Square? Or the University of Hawaii to make an hour long DVD about Colt Brennan? Heck, for that matter, why would Kim Kardashian marry Kris Humphries? Or Lane Kiffin seriously offers a scholarship to a 14 year old? The answer is simpler than you’d think. Each was a carefully calculated move to build people’s hope and potential for the future. For Oregon and Hawaii it was to get exposure for their respective candidate’s Heisman campaigns. For Kim it was to make more money, and continue her “fairytale” life in front of the camera. And for Lane Kiffin, it was to show exactly how serious he was about bringing talent to USC.

So how does all of this relate to offseason tailgating? Well, truly effective tailgating can be thought of as a Billboard, a DVD, a marriage and a scholarship offer all wrapped into one. That is, effectively extending a tailgate past the end of the regular season requires hype, highlights, stability, and hope for the future, all at the same time. See, an offseason tailgate full of desperate fans is like a gathering of a new set of hungry employees. They’ll believe whatever you tell them and they are starving for positive references. Thus, all it takes is one amazing run in practice (Dillon Baxter, circa USC 2010), or one amazing YouTube video (Leon Jackson, circa Hawaii 2006) to break open the dam of negativity and skepticism that was built up over the previous season. And, with the advent of large TV’s, watching these highlights has become easier than ever. So, whether you’re warm in Hawaii or freezing in Boise, Idaho, take some time after the college season is over to get together with your friends. Make it an “official” event (just like a fantasy football draft is) and mandate that everyone wear your team’s colors. Tell your girlfriend or wife its “therapy” or (best case scenario), if she’s a fan, bring her along. The beauty of extended tailgates is that they really don’t require a complicated mix of things. Good friends, good food, good highlights, good conversation and, most importantly, a good attitude. Can you see? Extended Tailgating; there’s nothing bad about it.

Harrison Goo is a contributor to CBS Local and the founder of the blog Sportsgooru.com. To contact him, email him at harrison@sportsgooru.com follow him on twitter at @sportsgooru.

Tailgate Recipe: Beer Cheese Dip

mreal197 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:05:25 +0000

(Photo Credit: Thinkstock)

Love beer? Adore cheese? Then this flavorful dip is for you. We’ve got one of the most delicious pre-game eats to supplement (and make) your tailgate perfect.

Beer Cheese Dip: Makes about 2 cups of cheese dip. Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Ingredients
1 cup of good beer
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
8 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
3 ounces gruyere, grated or chopped into small pieces
1 ounce cream cheese, broken into pieces
¼ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions
Heat the beer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Once the beer is warmed, add the cornstarch mixture and whisk together until thickened, about two minutes.

Add the cheeses about a half of a cup at a time, stirring in a figure-8 pattern with a wooden spoon. Once the cheese has melted, add another half of a cup, until you have added all of the cheese. Add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard, stirring to combine.

Serve the cheese dip hot with an assortment of bread cubes and vegetables. If you have a small crockpot, serve the cheese in that to keep it warm. Otherwise, put the dip in a microwave-safe bowl so you can re-heat as necessary.

Christine Hinrichs is a vegetarian who loves everything related to food. She daydreams about recipes, frequents the local farmers’ markets, and reads cookbooks before bed. Read about her food adventures at ruminationsonfood.blogspot.com.

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Larry The Cable Guy’s Tailgate Tip #4

mreal197 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:54:19 +0000

(credit: TailgateFanChallenge.com)

Hey, Larry the Cable Guy here. This go around, I want to talk to you about another important factor in your tailgate: team colors. When it comes to those two or three colors that represent your team…the more you use them, the better.
Nothing beats being the envy of all others on game day. Here are a few tips to earn you those coveted bragging rights…which are almost as rewarding as your team winning the game itself!

Team colors never go out of season. The more festive your tailgating site, the better.
Bonus points for having someone in your crew dress up as the team mascot…but I would advise you not to bring an actual version of your mascots to the party.
Anything inflatable always draws attention to a party. Balloons, giant inflatable football players, moon bounces…they all scream “You WISH you were at my tailgate.”
They’ve got EVERYTHING in team colors nowadays. Cups, plates, napkins, tables…bring it all. Each utensil will leave your tailgate crew more and more amazed with every bite!
Have you seen those branders that put your team’s logos on your steaks and burgers? Now THAT is some serious dedication. It’s great to feel like you’re supporting your team with every bite.

Now in order to make sure I’m ready to go on game day I have my secret tailgating strategy: Prilosec OTC. As a frequent heartburn sufferer, if I take Prilosec OTC once a day in the morning, I can rest assure that I’ll be heartburn-free for 24 hours*. That gives me plenty of time to show off my stand-out tailgate and enjoy the beauty that is football.

Is your tailgate already the talk of the parking lot? Prove it! I have full intentions on spreading this bit of wisdom and more as I visit football stadiums across the country with Prilosec OTC to search for the best of the best in “A Better Way to Tailgate” challenge. Enter HERE to win in one of three categories: 1). Food Served, 2). Tailgate Set-Up and 3). Team Spirit. All entries must include a tailgate photo. Note the “Food Served” category also requires a recipe submission. In addition to game day tickets, other prizes include the ultimate tailgate gear. To view the official contest rules, click here http://www.tailgatechallenge.com. So enter now, and I’ll check out how great your pigskin party really is! Show us what you’ve got!

*It’s possible while taking Prilosec OTC. Use as directed for 14 days to treat frequent heartburn. Do not take for more than 14 days or more often than every 4 months unless directed by a doctor. Not for immediate relief. This Tailgate Tip has been provided by Prilosec OTC.

Larry The Cable Guy’s Tailgating Tip #3

mreal197 — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:11:21 +0000

(credit: TailgateFanChallenge.com)

Larry the Cable Guy here. It’s always important to stay protected on game days, whether you’re on the field with the pigskin, or in the lot roasting that oinker to perfection, and I don’t just mean potholders. My buddies and I have an epic tailgating story – a tale of teamwork, pride and the ultimate benefit of wearing a two-can helmet.

When you’re committing to a full day of hard tailgating work, you gotta stay hydrated for crucial grilling and chilling activity. A two-beverage helmet accessory is key to both your performance and physical appearance.

Now, one cold November day, my boys and I were circling the lot, looking for the perfect spot to set up shop, when we pulled into a space just as another group was too. Trucks facing head on, we got out to figure things out and claim our spot. Now, tailgaters are friendly folks and they like to have a little fun; so we decided to settle things with a little parking lot football scrimmage – winner got the primo lot spot.

After one hour of sweating it out for the prize, the score was neck and neck, and I was ready to finish this game and replenish the missing calories I had just burned with some beef, because I gotta keep my figure. I put it in high gear and sprinted with the ball to the end-zone to score the game winning touchdown. Only problem was, it’s tough to stop this body’s momentum, and I kept on going head first into the 10 foot tow-zone sign. Lucky for me, I had my two-can helmet on, which suffered a pole-shaped dent and the loss of about half a beverage. But that’s why you’ve got the second can, right?

Want to hear more about my tailgating style? I have full intentions on spreading this bit of wisdom and more as I visit football stadiums across the country with Prilosec OTC to search for the best of the best in “A Better Way to Tailgate” challenge. Enter HERE to win in one of three categories: 1). Food Served, 2). Tailgate Set-Up and 3). Team Spirit. All entries must include a tailgate photo. Note the “Food Served” category also requires a recipe submission. In addition to game day tickets, other prizes include the ultimate tailgate gear. To view the official contest rules, click here www.tailgatefanchallenge.com. So enter now, and I’ll check out how great your pigskin party really is!

This content has been provided by Prilosec OTC

Tailgate Turf Wars: Pros & Cons Of Location

mreal197 — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:03:03 +0000

(credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

For the modern football fanatic, there’s only one great turf debate left to take place. But forget about the grass (or lack thereof) on the field, because we’re not just talking football; on the contrary, we’re talking tailgating! And when it comes to places where great pre-game parties take place, it’s a turf war of words (unless you’re a Raiders fan, in which case it’s probably an actual gang war).

From the grass and asphalt outside your favorite stadium, to attached arena parking structures, to that seedy bar across the street from the game you can’t afford a ticket to, there’s a litany of environments to experience, each with its own up and downsides. Before you get sucked into yet another unexpected tailgate celebration, be sure to check out our list of turf pros and cons!

Is the Grass Really Greener?
You may not find too much green grass outside of an NFL game, but hit up any NCAA event and it’s a helluva lot more likely you’ll be trampling some good ol’ fashioned Kentucky Blue Grass.

PRO: As is the norm with former players who failed to do anything else thus far in their lives, the sight and smell of green grass will undoubtedly lead to them breaking out the ball and attempting to reclaim the former glory of tackle-football games long since forgotten.

CON: Even though Brett Favre probably isn’t one of your pals, and real life rarely turns into a sepia-tone Hanes commercial, it’s VERY possible that this alcohol-infused pick-up game could just morph into an excuse for you and your buds to text each other pictures you’ll later regret.

Gravel: A Lazy Man’s Lawn
Gravel?! Where the hell are you tailgating? The trailer park where my imaginary grandmother lives? Believe it or not, gravel is everywhere, including stadium parking lots across the country…

PRO: The ground might not showcase the same sense of gridiron grandeur as that of a grassy field, but gravel certainly tops asphalt. Plus, seemingly safer than the grass, a gravel lot is certainly more conducive to a gentleman’s exhibition of classic-style two-hand touch.

CON: Every game of two-hand touch ever played has always devolved into a tackle-laden, injury-causing battle of friends-turned-enemies. Fueled by cheap beer, cheaper insults and the cheapest of meats, this situation can only go awry. And gravel is totally to blame for the injuries.

You Can Kiss My Asphalt!
Tailgating on asphalt is a lot like wearing plastic underwear. Sure, you might black out and make a total mess. Thankfully though, you can easily grab a bucket of water and wash the mess clean.

PRO: Ever notice how people toss out apple cores and cigarette butts while driving on freeways? That’s because asphalt is a naturally trashy environment, second only to a landfill. It attracts all varieties of filth, but at a glance, still somehow retains a look of cleanliness.

CON: Look a little more closely at the ground just feet from the plate of food you’re holding… notice anything? It’s stained beyond any sight you’ve ever seen, more similar to that favorite pair of boxers from when you were 15 than the windows of a nice Catholic Church. Gross.

Top o’ the Structure to You
It doesn’t get more industrial than tailgating on the top level of a stadium parking structure. But that said, where else can you pre-game at such a high elevation? Nowhere! (Maybe Denver.)

PRO: If you’ve ever been to a great Mardi Gras celebration, you know how empowering it can feel to stand on a balcony high above the rigmarole as people look up and cheer, like you were some kind of king. Pre-gaming at the peak of a parking structure is quite similar.

CON: It will only take so long before some obnoxious drunk carelessly dumps a Weber full of smoldering coals down onto the dumpster area below, inevitably starting a six-story flame that leads to a full blown riot, which subsequently gets the very game you’re tailgating cancelled.

Taking the Sports Bar Exam
If you can’t afford a ticket, and want to soak your sorrows in suds, what better place could a person be than inside a sports bar next to the stadium, packed with people of the same ilk?

PRO: Cheap beer, free food, instant friends…there isn’t much more an excited fan could ask for on a game day than an amazing tailgate, sans the elements, cars, exhaust and all other negatives of a common tailgate experience. And it sure beats doing it alone in one’s own driveway too.

CON: Finding a way home from such a situation isn’t always the easiest thing. And let’s face it: if you don’t have enough money to pay for even the cheapest seats at a game, dropping drunken dollars on an errant, post-game cab ride probably won’t be too friendly for your wallet either.

Did we leave out your favorite turf or tailgate environment? Got your own pre-game story to tell? Let’s continue this social conversation in the comment board below!

Elijah Bates leads the creative department at CitizenGlobal, a social media company in Venice Beach. When he’s not working, or contributing Best Of and Mancave articles to CBS, you’ll find him surfing the California coast & evading stingrays like trips to the dentist.

Tailgating At The Iron Bowl

mreal197 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:12:16 +0000

(credit: Drew Hoover/CBS Local Sports)

Larry The Cable Guy’s Tailgating Tip #2

mreal197 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:56:16 +0000

You’re sitting at your tailgate, burger in one hand, beverage in the other, the sounds of jocks fighting to the finish in the background – what could be any better? One word – cheerleaders. Figure out how to get the ladies to join to your tailgate and you’ll feel like you made the game winning touchdown. Now I’m a good looking guy, so the ladies flock to me like a moth to a flame, but I know you guys need more advice, so listen here:

Keep those dang low-fat chips, cut up veggies and pretty pink cupcakes on hand. When the girls have a hankering for a snack, you’ll be ready.
Get a wingman on your side… and no, I don’t mean the guy with the best buffalo wings on the lot.
Two keys to success – babies and puppies. Get those suckers to your party and let the cuteness take its course.
Start practicing your cartwheels and handstands, because it’s time to fill in for the male cheerleader and help the ladies practice their fancy routines. But don’t even think of shaking those dog-gone pom-poms.
10 tailgater guys in 10 sleeveless shirts – you got yourself the makings for one good looking human pyramid.

The bigger and better your tailgate, the more new friends you’ll make. Make it count. Trust my advice now? I got more where that came from. I have full intentions on spreading this bit of wisdom and more as I visit football stadiums across the country with Prilosec OTC to search for the best of the best in “A Better Way to Tailgate” challenge. Enter HERE to win in one of three categories: 1). Food Served, 2). Tailgate Set-Up and 3). Team Spirit. All entries must include a tailgate photo. Note the “Food Served” category also requires a recipe submission. In addition to game day tickets, other prizes include the ultimate tailgate gear. To view the official contest rules, click here http://www.tailgatefanchallenge.com. So enter now, and I’ll check out how great your pigskin party really is!

This content has been provided by Prilosec OTC

Grill Grrrl Recipe: Grilled Mini Caprese Pizzas

mreal197 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:34:28 +0000

Pizza is not just for ovens anymore. The grill is a great place to do pizza because you get nice grate marks on the dough that adds a nice touch as the grill actually cooks the pizza dough.
These mini pizzas are easier to do because it is easier to flip multiple pizza dough disks than it is to do one gigantic piece of dough and also allows you to avoid “hot spots” on the grill that might burn the dough.

This recipe is great for tailgating as it requires minimal ingredients and everything can be prepped the night before.

Ingredients:

One package refrigerated pizza dough (or you can make your own)
Fresh Mozzarella cheese- cut into bite size pieces
basil
salt, pepper
olive oil
One-Two tomatoes

Directions:
Preheat grill to medium heat. Then, roll out the pizza dough on a flat surface. Using a small bowl or wide mouthed glass, cut the dough into small circles to make the mini pizzas. Roll leftover dough pieces together, flatten and repeat cutting into small circular cutouts.
Brush both sides of the dough with olive oil. Make sure your grill has been sprayed with non stick spray. Grill the dough until grate marks appear, about 5 minutes. Flip the dough, then, with recently grilled side up, add tomato slices, a piece of basil, and the mozzarella.
Grill for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
This recipe can easily be adapted for meatlovers with the addition of cappicola or pepperoni.

Robyn Lindars, aka “The Grill Girl”, writes about BBQ and Grilling on her site Grill Grrrl and hosts Womens Grilling Clinics to encourage women to learn the art of grilling.

Always Root For The Home Team?

mreal197 — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:44:21 +0000

Most fan manifestos mandate that you have to root for the professional team in your city or region. Now, many have some qualifications and exceptions but it’s like trying to interpret the IRS tax code. Usually one such allowable circumstance is if your city does not have a team then you can pick another team. However, that exception comes with some clause that the choice must not be based on any enumerated item.
Where did all this regulatory code come from? I don’t know but it’s Un-American. We must stop this movement, led by who I call the Manifestos, immediately.

We allow more freedom of expression in our choice of religion, politics and sexuality. But choose to root for a pro team outside of your geographical boundaries and you have committed an unforgivable sin.
Let’s pull back a bit now, as I am not a fan anarchist. I am more of a libertarian who still has a few rules about team loyalty.

The big one is pick a team and stay with it. However, you get one time to be converted and root for another team. Unlike my Manifesto brethren, you don’t need a pre-defined reason. It might help to have a good explanation to fend off charges of being a reviled bandwagoner but as long as you stick with that new team you by definition are not a bandwagoner. You see, a bandwagoner will show their true colors and jump again and again.

I think that I understand the inherent desire to root for the pro team that inhabits the area where you live. That’s what you’re being fed on a regular basis through the media and what’s all around you. So, it makes sense that most people in an area root for that team. But that’s pretty much why a lot of fans that root for “national” teams got attached to their team.

Something called television has been around for the masses since the 1950s and it beams images of teams from these far way locations that enable sports fans to also see teams from other areas. Yes, seeing your team live is an added bonus and I would suggest a true fan make at least one pilgrimage to the city of their adopted team. But many fans that live in the same city as the team they cheer for don’t go, or have the opportunity to go to many – if any games. So, please spare the sideway glances that say your rooting interests are pure and superior.

Those that look at its citizenry who root for an outsider live and die by their convoluted dogma usually mumble something about rooting for the home team reflects local pride. Hmm, the success of a team with a roster that on average 91.5 % (made up stat) of the players were not born or raised in that area reflects geo-pride (made up word)?

Using that same logic, you would think living near a college would require a fan to root for Local Tech or Nearby State. But where are the Manifestos lighting the stakes for those who gravitate toward National U. Now, of course, may people whom root for a college team are graduates and that seems okay no matter where you are from. But what that says is that only those who have gone to college have a sports right to make an independent decision as to who to root for.

Sounds like elitism to me.

Perhaps my perspective is unduly influenced being born and raised in Central New Jersey, right smack dab in the middle of the New York and Philadelphia media markets. I had a plethora of pro sports teams to cheer. And although most aligned with teams from either metropolitan area, many sports fans within this Shangri-la sports corridor either feel no great connection to teams without New Jersey in their name or simply realize the options can also extend beyond geographical boundaries.

I grew up with two older brothers and the oldest like a birthright for the eldest became a fan of the Yankees. The middle brother went for the Mets. I could have mimicked either one or followed the other home rule option and rooted for the Phillies. Yet, the free thinker that I am I became a fan of the Cincinnati Reds.

Long live pro-choice!

Martin Sumners is an NBA columnist for IamaGM.com. Find out more about Martin at sumsoul.com and follow him on Twitter @sumsoul.

Keeping Your Tail Warm At Your Tailgate

mreal197 — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:39:29 +0000

Frigid temperatures aren’t enough to keep passionate fans from huddling in stadium parking lots on Sunday mornings for a tailgate. There are franks and burgers to grill, brews to enjoy, and plenty of ways to prepare for winter’s merciless wrath.

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow can stop a postal worker, but they will drop a tailgate dead in its tracks. Cold weather, though, can be manageable. The chef has an obvious advantage while quarterbacking the grill, but what do you do if you’re a role player on the tailgate roster?

Let’s start with the obvious.

GOOD FOR PROS, GOOD FOR YOU

Take a cue from those professional athletes you’re paying a King’s ransom to watch live in action. If that NFL equipment is good enough to keep a third-string running back warm and ready to rock on special teams, it should be good enough for you in the stands.

You can find inspiration from the late Steve Jobs and adopt the mock turtleneck. The NFL Shop offers the aptly-named “Cold Weather Mock Toasty Top” for about $50 to serve as your body’s first layer of defense.

The mock top’s design is described with a “next-to-skin fit,” meaning it’s super tight and can prevent the discomfort of layers bunching together at inconvenient spots. Cotton-based thermals are known for shifting, stretching out, and not holding in place.

I know what you’re wondering and the answer is, yes, there are pants, too. Obviously, the hardest part here is pulling away from the mirror while striking a valiant superhero pose.

LAYER UP

No matter how heroic you feel, you need to remember you’re not a pro athlete and don’t have the benefit of warm-ups and on-field activity to keep your blood pumping. A cold-weather compression get up is a start, but fleece jackets, thick hoodies, and/or heavy windbreakers – ideally with your team’s logo – should not be forgotten.

Also, if you’re the kind of guy who likes wearing jerseys, make sure you own one that’s a little too big. A lot of folks really dig the hoody-beneath-the-jersey look, especially if they feel coats are too bulky for crowded stadium seats. It’s important to not lose sight of why you’re freezing your fanny off, so keep that team spirit high up with your body temperature.

DISPOSABLE WARMERS

They have a variety of names, but it’s usually something obvious with “hand warmers” in the description. You see them by the checkout registers at Modell’s, often in orange packets to represent heat. There is no shame in breaking open a few HeatMax products and sliding them into your gloves, socks, and shoes.

BODY HEAT

Don’t let the dropping temperatures deter you from what you should normally do at a tailgate. Gluttony at the grill is a given during the festivities, but so is grabbing an old football to execute your best Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson impressions (just don’t get injured). Keeping active while layered up will help you fight the frost.

If you’re the kind of tailgater to party with a significant other, then you need no instruction. Snuggling under a fleece blanket is an advantage you have over the single folks in your party, so embrace it and share your warmth with someone special.

IT’S LIKE CAMPING

There’s no such thing as a brief tailgate. You’re going to be there for a while, so you might as well set up camp and make sure your party is as comfortable as possible.

Erik Manassy, a New York Jets season-ticket holder and avid tailgater since 1998, is no stranger to dressing in layers. But when the temperatures really get crazy, so does his party’s preparation.

“During the cold tailgates, we bring a tent with walls,” Manassy said. “Inside the tent, we have a space heater that uses propane and there are about four to five people hovering around it. On the really cold days, we bring the firewood and fire pit.”

Who wouldn’t want to add some roasted marshmallows to the tailgate menu?

ADMITTING DEFEAT

It’s easy to convince people of your unflappable will as a super fan, but your health and well being have to be a priority. The three hours to burn before kickoff can feel inhumane in unbearable temperatures – no matter how well prepared you believe you are.

Conditions are really unforgiving if your team plays outdoors. When there isn’t a climate-controlled dome for the game, it’s your job to know how much your body can handle for the next three to six hours.

“The coldest tailgate I can remember was the Jets’ [Week 17] game against the Cincinnati Bengals to close out Giants Stadium [on Jan. 3, 2010],” Manassy recalled. “I was chilled to the bone. I hate to admit it, but I retreated to the car and stuffed those heaters in my socks, arms, you name it.”

There’s no shame in that, at all.

Angel Navedo is a contributing writer for ESPN Magazine, TheJetsBlog.com and more. Find out more about Angel at ThatsAngel.com and follow him on Twitter @NamedAngel.

Larry the Cable Guy’s Tailgating Tip #1

mreal197 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:41:18 +0000

There’s no better place to make friends than a tailgate; people tend to bond when they are chowing down and introducing themselves with BBQ sauce on their face. I’ve made some of my best pals at tailgates, and folks always flock to throw downs. Ribs and hot dogs may clear out in a flash, but tailgate friends are for life.
But sometimes you have to live by this motto — relationships with fellow tailgaters are like mullets. Once they stop growing nicely, it’s time to cut them off. Here are a few tips from my experience with knowing your tailgate friends from foes:

Rule number one of barbecuing – everyone’s got a “secret” sauce. A true friend knows this is sacred, but watch out for those dang nosy ones, poking around your recipes and storage containers for clues.
You have to remember there are two sides to every game, and two sets of fans. Be good to your rival neighbor, and give the heave ho to your pal that doesn’t treat the other side right!
Last one – you give me food poisoning with your grub… then I start walking. Respect the food and do it right!

I have full intentions on spreading this bit of wisdom and more as I visit football stadiums across the country with Prilosec OTC to search for the best of the best in “A Better Way to Tailgate” challenge. Enter HERE to win in one of three categories: 1). Food Served, 2). Tailgate Set-Up and 3). Team Spirit. All entries must include a tailgate photo. Note the “Food Served” category also requires a recipe submission. In addition to game day tickets, other prizes include the ultimate tailgate gear. To view the official contest rules, click here www.tailgatefanchallenge.com. So enter now, and I’ll check out how great your pigskin party really is!

This content has been provided by Prilosec OTC

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Social Media Collides With Traditional Tailgating

mreal197 — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:35:03 +0000

(credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Much has been made in the last decade of how this generation lacks the focus and work ethic of generations past. And, to that end, studies have been done to offer some tangible proof as to these widely accepted assertions. There was a great article in the New York Times about a year ago (I love the NYT and will reference it constantly), by Matt Richtel, titled “Growing up Digital, Wired for Distraction”, which did an excellent job of capturing our generation’s mentality. It discussed how cutting edge technology and social media not only offered more distractions for young people; its steady use has succeeded in shifting their focus habits.

Researchers fear that because technology and social media offer constant, steady stimulus, developing brains will eventually become habituated to constantly switching tasks and, unfortunately, be less able to sustain attention. They theorize that this will lead to an entire generation of kids “whose brains are going to be wired differently.”

So how does all of this relate to tailgating? Well, the same criticisms and observations of children and their inability to focus on a single task carries over to the tailgating experience as well. To wit, none of my early tailgating experiences with my dad (in the mid 90′s) involved electronics of any kind. If we were lucky, someone would bring along a radio so that people who were tailgating could listen to whatever game happened to be on. Otherwise it was just you and whomever you came with sitting and talking for 5 hours. Fast-forward a decade and a half later where conversations rarely last longer than ten minutes and people are constantly fiddling with their phones. Whenever there is even an instant of conversational downtime, people instinctively move to text, or browse the web, or write an email, or scroll absentmindedly. As a result, much of the interpersonal engagement that made tailgating so magical has been lost.

So what’s the solution? First, an anecdote: A little over a month ago, I got into a mini debate (on Facebook no less) about what exactly “tailgating” should consist of. I originally posted a thought that I felt tailgating close to a stadium in someone’s garage was my idea of “perfect tailgating.” Why? Because in the garage we have a big screen TV, a grill, shade, didn’t have to worry about parking and, perhaps most importantly, good clean bathrooms to use (rather than the explosion of filth that is a stadium port-a-potty.) We’d still go to the game of course, but we’d get dropped off right outside the stadium and picked up there as well. It was more comfortable and it was more efficient (and, coincidentally, supported by Matt Whitener in his article on Tailgate Fan titled “Home-gate“, where he discussed his theories on how to turn your home-entertainment system into a fun tailgating experience.) Seems like a no brainer right? Well, as it turned out, not as much as I thought. There are traditionalists (including more than a few of my closest friends,) who get incredibly, and immediately offended at the mere suggestion that tailgating could be done anywhere other than in a parking lot. They argued that tailgating, by definition, is about the atmosphere, about sitting on or around the back of a car, and about eating in the stadium parking lot surrounded by thousands of people who are doing exactly the same thing.

What I’d argue – what the traditionalists are overlooking is that now, with the advent of social media and smartphone technology, their hallowed conception of tailgating has already evolved past the point of no return. Short of collecting, and holding, every cell phone before the tailgate, there is no way to return to the same raw, fan-filled atmosphere of emotion that existed before. Like the iconic image of a family at a dinner table where both kids are texting and looking disinterested while their parents try to engage them in conversation, tailgating too has apparently succumbed to the swarm of social media. Indeed, one no longer even needs to be present at a tailgate to get a feel for the experience. For example, once I arrive, I can check in on Foursquare, Tweet the coordinates of my location, Tweet when I take my first drink, and Instagram a picture of both our grill as we cook as well as the finished food. Finally, if I get bored, I can log onto Facebook to see how everyone else not currently at the tailgate is doing. The sad part? Anyone sitting at home on their computer could have access to the exact same data. So, even if they never leave their house, they could still recall in vivid detail, the events of a tailgate they never attended. And, recently, more and more people have begun to do this. Tailgating traditionalists are always going to tailgate. It’s in their blood. But for the casual fan? Why go down to the stadium when you could, for example, stay in the aforementioned garage with the big TV? Or, better yet, in a man-cave with air conditioning and a fully stocked refrigerator? Tailgating has progressed (or regressed) to the point where it seems that there are only two options left. To continue on in denial that tailgates are the same as they’ve always been, or, to try to adapt and recapture some of the old magic that made it so special.

How people would continue in denial is obvious. Just keep plodding along and act as though everything is okay. But how to change? That takes a bit more ingenuity and open-mindedness. My suggestion? Mobile tailgate applications. Why? Because if people are going to be on their phones anyway, it’s the perfect way to reach them and incentivize attendance, as opposed to apathy. Indeed, steps in this direction have already been taken, as one need look no further then this very site to find a solution! Tailgate Fan.com has built out a great app for iPhone and Android users (sorry Blackberry) to help make the tailgating process both easier and more social. The app integrates location-based software into a great content management system that allows you to plan a tailgate, invite your friends, delegate food assignments, view other tailgates near you and, most importantly, post on a wall about why your tailgate is better than all the rest. So, not only does this make the organization process easier, it works with our dependency on our cell phones by turning the art of tailgating into a competition.

Towards the end of Richtel’s article, he discusses Woodside High School in Silicon Valley and how its principal, David Reilly, is determined to work with technology rather than against it. He tasked his teachers with building web sites to help engage the students, re-tooled his music classes to integrate digital recording devices, and planned to use iPad’s to teach Mandarin. Unfortunately, while his strategy is admirable, it is far from being universally accepted. Some teachers feared that his eagerness to embrace technology would succeed only in accelerating the decline of their students’ individual focus. One teacher who remained in particularly staunch opposition to Reilly’s tactics, noted that “you can’t become a good writer by watching YouTube, texting and e-mailing a bunch of abbreviations.” This same logic can be applied to the rationale of those who remain against integrating social media with tailgates. If you need a phone app to tell you that you’re having a good time then, well, that sort of speaks for itself. However, the reality for those against change is that they may not have any choice. People are so tied to their phones that social media integration is likely to be in the inevitable, and probably quite near, future of tailgating (I’ve already downloaded and used the Tailgate Fan app to plan my last tailgate. Yes I’m drinking the kool-aid and no, I’m not ashamed to admit it!)

Harrison Goo is a contributor to CBS Local and the founder of the blog Sportsgooru.com. To contact him, email him at harrison@sportsgooru.com follow him on twitter at @sportsgooru.

Grill Grrrl Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Slider With Blue Cheese Dip

mreal197 — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:10:52 +0000

This is a quick and easy slider that will satisfy your urge for buffalo chicken, without all the mess of frying. Pair with arugula, dill pickles and blue cheese dip and you have a perfect spicy chicken with cooling blue cheese dip; the perfect combo of hot and creamy.

This recipe will make approximately 8 sliders, enough for 4 people

Ingredients:

Packets of chicken cutlets (ie: tenders) – enough for 8 sliders
1 bottle wing sauce or hot sauce (use mild wing sauce if you don’t like heat)- 2 cups or more (enough to coat chicken in bowl and reserve some for basting on grill afterwards)
1 package of dinner rolls or “slider” buns
1 jar sandwich dill pickles
1 container of pre-washed arugula
Blue cheese dip (see recipe below)

Preparing/Grilling Instructions:

1. Give the tenders a quick drizzle or olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper. Add enough sauce to coat all the tenders in a medium-large size bowl. Let them marinate at least 15 minutes in the fridge.

2. Prepare the grill for medium direct heat, about 400 degrees, while the chicken is marinating; meanwhile- make The Blue Cheese Dip.

Blue Cheese Dip:

12 oz. container sour cream
4 oz. container blue cheese (the better the cheese, the better the dip)
2 tblsp minced garlic
1 tbls spoon dry mustard
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt- to taste

Combine all ingredients and store in refrigerator.

3. Grill tenders on direct heat for 3 minutes per side or until thermometer reaches internal temp. of 165 degrees. Baste with additional wing sauce.
4. Serve tenders on buns with blue cheese dip, arugula, pickles and extra wing sauce. Serve with additional arugula on the side and blue cheese dip as the dressing.

Robyn Lindars, aka “The Grill Girl”, writes about BBQ and Grilling on her site Grill Grrrl and hosts Womens Grilling Clinics to encourage women to learn the art of grilling.

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Famous People You Might See At A Tailgate

mreal197 — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:32:54 +0000

You typically don’t think of an early morning tailgate as an event most celebrities would care to be a part of, but you’d be surprised. There have been tales of actual sightings of some famous faces pre-gaming out in the parking lot, be it for a brief moment or long enough to at least throw back a grilled dog or two. Sure, it’s a rare occurrence, but some celebrities are such diehard sports fans that it wouldn’t be beyond them to join the rest of us in the tailgating experience. Going off of what we actually know, here are a few celebrities who wouldn’t surprise me if they joined in on the tailgating fun.

Will Smith at a Philadelphia Eagles game — Both Smith’s most famous character, the Fresh Prince, and the man himself were born and raised in Philadelphia, and have long been Eagles fans. You typically wouldn’t imagine seeing Smith walking among the most diehard fans hours before kickoff, but seeing as he’s now a minority stake owner of the currently locked out Philadelphia 76ers, you very well might see him strolling around Lincoln Financial Field trying to earn some goodwill among fans, as well as trying to sell tickets to see his Philadelphia 76ers once the lockout is lifted.

Mark Wahlberg at a Patriots/Red Sox/Celtics game — It’s been well documented that Wahlberg is a man of the people, especially in the Boston-area sports scene. In fact, Wahlberg once relayed to David Letterman a story about how he was jumped by six Jets fans at Medowlands Stadium because he was a Patriots fan. Talk about a passionate celebrity fan, and a mismatch. Your six Jets fans are no match for The Fighter.

Ashton Kutcher at a Chicago Bears game — Kutcher has never wavered on his love for the Chicago Bears, having been quoted as saying that football Sundays are the “highlight of his week.” Even as the rest of the world wants to talk about Kutcher’s personal life, all he’s thinking throughout the NFL season are his Chicago Bears. Not only might you see Kutcher yucking it up at Soldier Field, but also he’s been sighted in and around Lambeau Field since his wife, Demi Moore, is a Packers fan. Consider the NFC North well-represented.

Adam Sandler at a Pittsburgh Steelers game — Sandler is one of many celebrity Steelers fans, but he’s also the one most likely to be throwing back a few dogs and brews with us fans in the parking lot. His blood actually bleeds black and gold. Or so the legend goes. In fact, Sandler actually played a former Steelers quarterback turned criminal in the film “The Longest Yard.” Need further proof that he fully embraces the Steel Curtain? Didn’t think so.

Snoop Dogg at a UCS Trojans game — I guess you can call Snoop Dogg a USC Trojans fan, considering he’s been seen rocking head to toe Trojan gear in the Rose Bowl parking lot on a few occasions. Honestly, I can’t imagine there’s a better celebrity tailgate partner out there than Snoop Dogg. Not only does Snoop know how to party, but his laidback and chill demeanor fits in perfectly to the tailgate atmosphere. Plus, there’s always a chance that with Snoop in the mix you might not need to worry about playing DJ.

Other famous sports fans who you might see tailgating:

Matthew McConaughey – University of Texas
Ashley Judd – University of Kentucky
Bill Murray – Chicago Cubs
Kid Rock – Detroit Lions
MC Hammer – Oakland Raiders
Regis Philbin – University Notre Dame (Hey, you never know!)

Tom Lorenzo is a freelance sports, entertainment and pop culture writer from New York City. You can follow him on Twitter at @TomLorenzo .

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Penn State Fans Move Forward By Tailgating

mreal197 — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:12:31 +0000

Burgers or brats? It seemed like a trivial question for most Penn Staters this past weekend. Delegating purchases of cups and napkins or preparing pasta salad were menial tasks in comparison to the greater issue looming over a usually happy valley.
Still, though, droves of people woke up and made the pilgrimage to State College to show that while their faith may be in question, their way of life was not.

There were Penn State flags flown at half-mast while families and friends came together to grill hot dogs and burgers and drink hot cider. They played cornhole and washers and listened to music in the fields outside of Beaver Stadium. They lined up down the block for their turns to snap a photograph with the Joe Pa statue.

Ticket scalpers manned their usual corners; held their usual homemade signs indicating if they were buyers or sellers. Parking was a typical nightmare and the weather was unseasonably warm. People set up their camps and cooked their meals as if it were a normal Saturday in Happy Valley. In reality, it was anything but.

Conversations would trickle from clusters of people standing around grills or sitting by a table. They expressed disgust and disbelief toward the allegations against Jerry Sandusky. They condemned Joe Paterno for not doing enough or they’d condemn the university for firing the legendary coach. They held disdain for those involved that were still associated with the team and the university. But, they had these conversations over sausages and pulled pork. Talking about alleged sexual-abuse and the potential of a subsequent cover-up simply replaced discussions of blitz packages and blocking schemes as fans tossed a pigskin or played ladder golf.

The scandal enveloping Penn State and its community is a travesty. The people of the Penn State family are truly mortified that their school had a role in such despicable actions. But, there’s something to be said of the resilience demonstrated in the fields on Saturday before and after the Nittany Lions lost to Nebraska. Throwing some shrimp on the barbie may not always be an act of courage, but this weekend it was. For many, the scandal dominated their thoughts and conversations—their entire week had been dominated by a sensitive topic that affected everyone with ties to the university, in one way or another.

Fans donning shirts supporting organizations dedicated to heightening the awareness of child abuse fought traffic to get their cars close to Beaver Stadium. They shopped for food and drinks and planned for an afternoon that is usually propelled by high esteem and nostalgia. They marinated poultry, grilled patties and baked cookies. And, if even for a few hours, they were able to shift their focus to whether or not a burger was fully cooked or who was winning washers instead of harping over Joe Paterno’s hypothetical involvement or how deep a cover-up may run into the team’s staff and the university’s hierarchy.

It’s hard to find any winners in this scenario—even the Penn State offense couldn’t get it done against the Cornhuskers. But, Saturday afternoon was a step forward for the State College community and for Penn State fans. And luckily for their stomachs, it was a step forward that involved kielbasa and beer.

Mike Bertha is a Penn State grad from Philadelphia. You can read him daily on the Philly Post and follow him on Twitter at @MikeBertha.

Inside The Jets’ Locker Room Series

mreal197 — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:12:26 +0000

From the backwater roads of the boondocks to the bright lights of the Big Apple, a large portion of the United States believes football is America’s national pastime. Any given Sunday, the National Football League’s players are elevated by a fan base that often goes deep (across the country) for an opportunity to support its gridiron gladiators.

At Tonic Times Square on Monday night, however, two New York Jets football players provided their fans with a front-row experience during an evening of fun, food, frosty drink and the Packers-Vikings game on Monday Night Football.

In collaboration with CBS Local, Pepsi and Budweiser, Tonic’s staff suited up for the inaugural installment of the Jets’ locker room series, which allowed Gang Green’s supporters to go “inside the huddle” with Jets fullback John Conner and wideout/kick returner Joe McKnight.

“We wanted to have an event that allows fans to mingle with their favorite players,” said Tonic’s marketing and events director, Randolph Hernandez. “This is a bar where professional athletes come, often unannounced. We are trying to create the world’s neighborhood bar.”

For three-plus hours, Conner, McKnight and many of Gang Green’s loyal followers played trivia, snapped pictures and enjoyed the exciting atmosphere and modern amenities available at the three-floor bar, lounge and restaurant.

“Our fans’ support is very important,” McKnight said. “I love them. They are the greatest fan base in the country, and they live for us. I am here tonight to give back, and to support them like they support us.”

Dan Carr, a Jets season-ticket holder for the past five seasons, enjoyed meeting two men that he has religiously rooted for from afar.

“I was born in New York but moved to San Diego, [Calif.,] a long time ago. I come back twice a season to watch the Jets in person.”

“Both McKnight and Conner were very nice,” added Carr. “I interrupted Conner when he was eating and asked him to take a picture with me, and he didn’t care. He said ‘It is OK. Hey, I am here for you.’”

Conner and McKnight did not block one photo request all evening, smiling with supporters and signing autographs for a group that was predominately positive despite Gang Green’s loss to New England the night before.

“Being with our great fans, at such a great venue, it is a great experience,” said Conner. “I am very happy to be here tonight.”

One fan, however, did not pass on the chance to ask a tough question.

“I asked McKnight how he could fumble the ball [on a botched kickoff return that led to a key New England field goal]. As big as he is, I thought he would kick my ass for asking,” Carr joked. “But he answered me. He said, ‘It’s football, and not everything is going to go your way.’ I respected that.”

When the Packers-Vikings game entered halftime, McKnight and Conner came off the sideline to support fans during a Jets-related trivia session. Sandeep Satish, a diehard member of the Gang Green faithful, bulldozed through the contest en route to earning the first prize bag of the night.

“I was asked which two Jets offensive players went to the same college, how many postseason wins Mark Sanchez has, and when did Rex Ryan start coaching,” Satish said.

“And after answering each question before the other three contestants, I won a football signed by McKnight and Conner, a magazine and some other cool Jets stuff.”

What most satisfied Satish, however, was the event’s fan-friendly setup.

“I really liked how approachable the players seemed,” Satish said. “At a lot of events, they make you wait in long, single-file lines. That was not the case tonight.”

As the Monday Night Football matchup entered the fourth quarter, McKnight, Conner and many of the remaining patrons lined up to pose for photos taken by NYC/NJ Photo Party, a company that has stepped out of the box (or in this case, the photo booth) with an “interactive on-site photo-shoot experience designed to bring a professional level of entertainment to all types of parties and events”.

“We have taken the restrictions off the traditional photo booths of the past by providing an open-style mobile photo shoot that makes everyone feel like they are part of the action,” said Ian McHugh, the company’s owner.

“Tonight was a lot of fun,” said Bronx-native and ardent Jets fan, Roena Williams. “McKnight and Conner seemed really nice, and it was cool how quickly I got my pic.”

Fans interested in attending Tonic’s next athlete meet-and-greet can follow Tonic’s Twitter account and website.

Zach Finkelstein is a contributing writer for YESNetwork.com and SNY.tv.

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A Show Of Shows: Cirque du Tailgate

mreal197 — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:16:39 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages…or at least all dudes over 21…welcome to a good show…a great show…the GREATEST show on the earth outside of your local stadium! THIS is Cirque du Tailgate!

It comes but 16 times a year (for the most part), exploding into the parking lot wherever your favorite team plays, hoisting tents, setting up shop and getting its three rings ready for an extravaganza that won’t be seen again for quite some time (a week).

Now, for a show of this magnitude to work, it really requires the grandest of figures to guide us all through such a one-of-a-kind attraction. And who better do so than the most vibrant of all Cirque du Tailgate performers—the Grillmaster!

Introducing act after act, the Grillmaster grabs our hands as we parade along through a menu of the unknown, showcasing all kinds of ultra exotic kabobs, steaming links of meats galore and sauce-slathered chicken parts aplenty. Exciting the taste buds of both young and old, this apron-clad magician makes the chugging of ice-cold pilsner more possible than ever before, even in blizzard-like conditions! At the end of the day, you’ll agree that NO ONE works harder to please the Cirque du Tailgate crowd.

However, the Grillmaster is just the beginning! There are tons of other familiar faces to enjoy in this show of shows, so surely keep your eyes peeled for a whole slew of unforgettable performances.

You’ll see the contortionist; aka, the cute and limber sorority throwback that may not know a thing about football, yet still happily accepted the invite of that frattooed loser from the yoga class she bought on Groupon anyway.

Then, be on the lookout for the manic-minded unicyclist, who wobbles back and forth between brown-out and black-out, slurring his words while repeatedly explaining to you how he spent the holidays alone again last year.

And don’t forget about the tightrope walker! You won’t want to miss the tipsy faces he makes while practicing the sobriety tests he knows he’ll be performing for an entirely separate crowd later in the day.

Ready for more? Then step right up and take a peak at the animals! Oh, the animals!

From miniature little monstrosities crudely crammed into homemade mascot costumes to the burliest of grizzly bears moseying around with oddly shape letters painted onto their thickest tufts of chest hair, each of these beasts can be quite frightening, to say the least!

They move from tent to tent, ring to ring, overpowering conversations in the crowd and devouring the contents of every cooler in sight. Check them out before their hibernation ritual begins, as it won’t be long before they fall into a good, old-fashioned food coma.

And what kind of circus would be complete without a couple of clowns?

They come in all shapes and sizes, but none so memorable as the Randy Marsh-esque juggler, who tosses back multiple bottles of booze again and again. Later in his performance, watch as he tries to escape from a pair of real police handcuffs, repeating his mantra of “This is ‘Merica!” to get the support of the audience. Laugh away as he and several other sad-faced clowns get crammed into a police-striped clown car and dumped into the dunk tank, er, drunk tank.

All in all, there’s not a show on Earth like Cirque du Tailgate. Got a few favorite sights and sounds of your own from the pre-grame big top? Then by gum, let’s continue this social conversation in the comment section below!

Elijah Bates leads the creative department at CitizenGlobal, a social media company in Venice Beach. When he’s not working, or contributing Best Of and Mancave articles to CBS, you’ll find him surfing the California coast & evading stingrays like trips to the dentist.

Start Your Party With Tailgate Fan »

Grill Grrrl Recipe: Fire Roasted Key Lime Guacamole

mreal197 — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:08:42 +0000

Fire Roasted Key Lime Guacamole
This recipe puts a tropical spin on traditional guacamole as it uses tart key limes. All ingredients are grilled, including the limes, which adds a nice char and smokiness to the dip. Regular Persian limes can be substituted if key limes are not available.

Ingredients:

4 HAAS avocados, sliced in halves
8 keylimes, sliced in halves
3 tblsp fresh cilantro, chopped
8-10 cherry tomatoes OR 2 small Roma tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
2 jalapenos
sea salt- to taste
ground pepper- to taste
skewers, pre-soak for 20 minutes – for the garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes

Directions:

Heat the grill to medium heat, about 350 degrees. Halve the avocados and remove the seeds. Skewer the garlic cloves and cherry tomatoes (no need to skewer if using Roma tomatoes). Grill the avocado, limes, jalapenos, garlic and tomatoes until char marks form.
Chop the charred avocado into bite-size pieces. Mince the tomatoes, garlic, and jalapeno. Combine all the chopped ingredients in a bowl, next squeeze the juice from the charred limed into the bowl, using your fingers to catch the seeds.
Stir all ingredients together, and add the cilantro and sea salt and pepper to taste. For extra flavor, add a little lime zest.
Chill and serve with tortilla chips. This is also excellent as a topping for fish or chicken and on salads.

Robyn Lindars, aka “The Grill Girl”, writes about BBQ and Grilling on her site grillgrrrl.com and hosts Womens Grilling Clinics to encourage women to learn the art of grilling.

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The LSU vs. Alabama Tailgate Experience

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Home-gate: The Ultimate Home Field Advantage

mreal197 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:22:16 +0000

Tailgate.

The word alone wakes up images of day long parties outside, with barbeque pits, tents, games and drinks flowing. You’re surrounded by rows and rows of cars and folks decked out in the same colors, occupying the space around the stadium which is the weekend’s battleground for their team of choice. However, every one isn’t able to make it out to the game and the ritual festivities that surround it. Whether it’s a road game, living far away from your squad or simply wanting to get some usage out of the massive entertainment center you’ve dropped a month & half worth of your pay on, sometimes the move on game day doesn’t take you far from where you started. Some just as dedicated fans make the space around their TV the place where they take in all of the action on the weekend.

BUT, is this an excuse to not take in on the gameday rite that is tailgating? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

While it’s not the traditional route, the “Homegate” can be arguably more epic than even a plot at the game is. Now I know that may sound blasphemous to some, and it’s understandable that you may feel that way. There’s nothing that matches the atmosphere of game day at the scene of the crime. But does that mean you can’t bring a bit of that home and turn your day around the house into an event that could put even the best tailgate to shame? Once more: ABSOLUTELY NOT.

As a matter of fact, the Homegate has excellent potential to be the most diverse type of game watching event. It can be applied regardless of weather, sport or time. There is no transportation time and when it’s done, no matter what state you may find yourself in, you’re already home. It’s like starting the game in the redzone already.

So what does it take? Is it a matter of just breaking out the BBQ pit in the backyard and bringing a pan of food in? Sure, if you only want for your event to be as exciting as a Monday morning alarm clock. No, it’s about combining the best of both worlds, and putting the kitchen to work just as much as the pit, while creating atmosphere around both. Check it out.

Take it to the Yard
One thing that is not up for change is that BBQ must be at the core of it all, so keep that at the same pace as normal. The advantage of being at home is that there’s not going to be the lurking “Neighbors” who make their way over to the charity of your tent. Hot dogs, brats and hamburgers have to go down first, as they are the appetizers of tailgate eats. Afterwards, kick it up a notch with pork steaks, some fish and beef steaks. If you’re going to cook it up, use the kitchen too. That’s where the bonus of doing it at home pays out.

Take it to the House
Having a kitchen on deck is a major bonus. It brings in a brand new possibility of new eats and drinks. Let your blender be great, and get those fresh margaritas and other frozen delicacies into the mix. Keep a couple of pots on the stove going at all times, including at least one type of chili and some Rotel dip going at all time. Having something come from the kitchen all the time keeps the folks going, whether it’s a big crowd or a small one.

Keep the Atmosphere Right
Just because you’re not at the game doesn’t mean it can’t look like it. Get dressed up in the colors still. If you can afford it (and have an oddly high dedication to your squad…I’m definitely not judging) even throw one of your buddies into a mascot outfit. Make it look like the block party is at your house, and it’s the place to be.

Bring It All Together
In the end, it’s about having fun, so spare no expense and don’t slack on any front. The Homegate can work as easily for a football game, as it does a pay-per-view fight, as it does even for the Westminister Dog Show (once again, not judging). It’s about atmosphere, people, food and doing your part to get into the spirit of the win. No matter whether it’s on the road or an actual home game for YOU.

Matt Whitener is a contributing writer and manager for StLouisSports360.com.

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5 Ways To Class-Up Your Tailgate

mreal197 — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:02:42 +0000

While it doesn’t take a MENSA candidate to throw a solid tailgate, too often people settle for the mediocrity of burgers, dogs and light beer. You’re better than that and your tailgate should reflect it. Anyone can run to the grocery store to pick up a package of franks and some buns and park a truck in a grass lot. Tailgating is more than that. It’s a celebration of the fall season, quality American cuisine and the coming together of friends—and day-drinking. Don’t migrate toward the middle with complacent menus and generic staples. Use these five easy pointers to throw a tailgate like you mean it.

Show the Other Games. Is there anything more frustrating than being in a field or parking lot tailgating while tracking a game on your cell phone? Don’t be the guy that missed Cal/Stanford or Michigan State/Wisconsin because you didn’t splurge on a generator. Get one and tune into the games. If you’ve got an RV, use a satellite. If you’re roughing it like the rest of us, use a generator to power the TV and hook it up to a laptop to stream games. Oh, the spoils of modern technology.

Craft Beer. Miller Lite would like you to think that drinking a beer that isn’t Miller Lite makes you less of a man. Fact is, Miller Lite is light beer. It tastes and feels like light beer. Serve your fellow tailgaters something crafty and seasonal that goes with what you’re offering. Personally, you can’t go wrong with a strong pumpkin ale. It’s warm and filling—it just tastes right when you’re outside and the leaves are Rutgers scarlet and Bama crimson.

Fresh Guacamole and Bruschetta. Guests at your tailgate wouldn’t be the first group of people in the world to judge a party based on the dip spread. Swinging through a super market for some store-bought sour cream & onion dip just isn’t going to cut it if you want your tailgate to upstage your constituents. Serving homemade guac and bruschetta is a subtle and delicious way to eclipse expectations. For an added bonus, buy local produce. Prep the ingredients the night before and mix ‘em at the tailgate. Freshly made [dips] can make or break a tailgate meal.

Pay Attention to the Time. Burgers and dogs are all well and good, y’know, except for when it’s 7:30 a.m. and you’ve got four hours of eating, drinking and nursing Friday night’s hangover before heading to the gate for a noon game. If you’re tailgating in the morning, offer your guests Bloody Mary’s, mimosas and Irish coffees. Eggs, bacon and breakfast burritos grill just as easily as the dogs and burgers you’d have for lunch. If you’re tailgating for a night game, offer something more substantial than finger foods. Marinated london broil, smoked turkey legs and barbeque chicken sound much better than franks and patties.

Anything in a Crockpot. Winter is coming which means days are shorter, nights are longer, people break out the gloves and scarves and start to rethink how long they’d like to stand outside of a stadium or dome eating and drinking before a game. Anything that cooks in a Crockpot is a perfect adaptation to the changing tailgate climate. Buffalo chicken dip, chili, beef stew and anything else that slow cooks and stays at a high temperature will warm your tailgaters up and require very little maintenance on your part. Put the ingredients in the pot, turn it on, and check it very sporadically. You could even set it up to cook while you’re at the office on Friday. Warm tailgaters are happy tailgaters.

Mike Bertha is a Penn State grad from Philadelphia. You can read him daily on the Philly Post and follow him on Twitter at @MikeBertha.

When Good Tailgating Goes Bad

mreal197 — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:02:33 +0000

As anybody whose watched “Chappelle’s Show” can attest, keeping it real can, in fact, go wrong. And there’s nothing quite more real than a honest-to-goodness tailgate. Good friends gathered around a meat-cooking apparatus with libations in-hand, fully committed to devoting the next eight-to-10 hours to their football team of choice, mother nature or alcohol poisoning be damned.

However, similar to the case of Mr. Chapelle, there are times when the tailgate Gods laugh in the face of this decidedly real activity, resulting in unfortunate situations, which can quickly turn a joyous bunch of tailgaters into an angry mob of ‘tailhaters’.

The aforementioned mother nature can play a significant role in a tailgate’s demise. For example, east coast tailgaters have become accustomed to (and occasionally welcome) cold, windy and generally uncomfortable temperatures during their experience as the season reaches the winter months. This is more of a rite of passage than anything else. “We’re mildly uncomfortable and/or can’t feel our fingers – all for the sake of our beloved (insert east coast team name here),” hardcore tailgater number one attests. Hardcore tailgaters numbers two through six also nod (and shiver) in agreement. However, in the rocks-paper-scissors game of life, rain beats fire pretty much ever time. And without fire, there’s no grilling, and thus, no meat to be consumed. Heavy snow, tropical storms, natural disasters or any other precipitous liquid that falls from the sky would also have the same effect.

If two’s company and three’s a crowd, what do you call a hoard of angry, shirtless, face-painted fans who bypassed the legal alcohol limit before 10 a.m.? Aside from a great people-watching opportunity, it’s also a tailgate killer. Unruly fans – for example, everybody in this Oakland Raiders pregame compilation where the parking lot generally resembles an oversized back alley in the part of town you don’t walk through at night – can quickly kill the buzz of an otherwise enjoyable experience. There’s no secret here, just avoid, avoid, avoid (especially the guy at the 6:22 mark).

Beer generally comes with the territory at your standard-issue tailgate. The tasteless yet effective triumvirate of the leading light beers are all acceptable and affordable choices here (and a six-pack of O’Doul’s for any “non-conformists”), but a variety of factors must fall into place to ensure a healthy, long-lasting buzz. Who’s responsible for the beer? Is it BYOB or will one person be buying for the group? How reliable is this person? Is he known to purchase copious amounts of Smirnoff Ice on a whim? These questions merely scratch the surface of the booze coordination puzzle. Coolers must be brought, enough beer must be purchased to satisfy the projected amount of hours spent in the parking lot and if someone forgets the ice, well, then everybody loses.

Assuming your tailgate hasn’t already been ruined by an overly boisterous fan with a case of Mike’s Hard Iced Tea who performs shockingly effective rain dances, there is the issue of music. No, a soundtrack isn’t required nor is it even necessary for an enjoyable tailgate. But then again, when was the last time Jock Jams didn’t make everything 110 percent better? Using Tailgate Fan’s Top Tailgate Songs as a benchmark, songs should be upbeat, probably sung by males, and evoke images of victory whenever possible. Tracks like “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Black Betty” are aces in the hole, while feel-good beats such as Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Only Want to be With You” or Third Eye Blind’s “Never Let You Go” are sing-a-long gold for a buzzed-to-quite-buzzed crowd. The job of creating a tailgate playlist should be left up to a professional – someone who’s musical taste the group trusts and who has proven his (or her) worth with lauded mixes in the past. Left in the wrong hands, you could end up with something too heavy (think: Insane Clown Posse) or too light (think: “Leaving on a Jet Plane”), which may provoke all of your friends to leave your tailgate for one that’s less lame.

Matt Gelfand works in Boston’s Financial District as a business news writer, and is also a columnist at BaseballHQ.com. You can follow him on Twitter @BaseballHQ_Gelf

The Tail-Date: Making It Happen

mreal197 — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:02:26 +0000

Football Fact #805: there’s a right kind of person to take to a tailgate party, and then there’s a wrong kind. Let’s just tranquilize the elephant in the room right now by stating, in a roundabout way, that women are undeniably almost always in the “wrong” category. The right kind? Any one of those reckless chicks you partied with in college (whose Facebook photos still scream “I’m single, crazy and not at all sad!”). And the wrong kind? Your special lady/lady friend, man.

Unless your girl is either an actual football fan (in which case you should propose immediately), incredibly fat, a secret WNBA season subscriber, or grew up with older brothers, getting her to come to the game (much less pre-game) will be a day-long battle, one you should avoid like the plague. HOWEVER, if you find yourself in a jam and can’t go unless she goes, here are a few two-pronged plans of attack to ensure that she both takes a trip into your slovenly life of fandom and that the day doesn’t turn into a sad story about last time you ever saw your friends:

3-for-1 Blue Plate Special
Any guy who’s ever dated a girl for an extended period (i.e. more than three weeks) knows that the quickest way to get her to go along with what you want is to give the blanket promise of three dates of her choosing in return. My friends, the tailgate is no different, regardless of how much fun she ends up having. And while turning over a three-for-one pass like that might seem as though you’re giving up a helluva lot for just a little, this plan will be your best bet; you’re really only losing time that you were definitely destined to lose anyways. Take it in stride, chief.

Invite 1: Bring Her Friends
Getting your girl’s pals to tagalong might seem like a great way to ruin a tailgate, but it’s not. For starters, it’ll be instant smile material when she sees her BFFs there. Likewise, the entire day will be Sunday funday debauchery as usual, since the two groups will soon split like a middle school dance and allow you to party alone with your buds. Best of all, one of her friends will hopefully hit it off with one of yours and get married, leaving you with a friend for life that your special lady can’t publicly hate…that is, until she hates said BFF, which is unfortunate, but inevitable.

Invite 2: Bring Her Dad
So, let’s say her friends won’t fall for the trap; you can rest assured her old man will. This idea can’t fail, unless you’re of the variety who typically falls into an aggressive blackout early Sunday morning and time travels to Monday, waking up for work with a mind full of regrets. Although, even this harmful character trait could come in handy, as long as her dad is of a similar variety (aka a drunk). Not only will you hit it off with him, but you’ll have plenty of argument fodder the next time she explains how her dad would have handled a certain situation differently than you.

Invite 3: Bring Her Cat
Seriously. I realize this probably sounds like a joke, and it should absolutely be delivered as one too. Handle this just right and she’ll be so moved on a cute, cuddly comedic level that the invite can’t be refused…for her, at least. If she’s a crazy enough cat lady, however, refrain from this, as she’ll likely bring the cat on a leash. And given the level of pre-game intoxication outside the stadium, it can only take so long before the cat loses a little fur to the smoldering coals of some dude’s Webber BBQ. Side note: what are you doing with crazy cat people anyways?

Guilt Trip Her into Coming
Warning: while guilt-tripping is a bona fide way to get her to go to any NFL or NCAA game, it’s also guaranteed to come back and haunt you, courtesy of spite…lots and lots of spite. As such, feel free to spin it any way you like: “I just want you to experience the important parts of MY life too.” “Don’t you want to know the REAL me?” “Honestly, we don’t have to go; I should get used to saying goodbye to all the parts of myself you fell in love with.” Once again, keep in mind that this will bite you in the ass and should only be used as a last resort…well, second to last, at least.

Lie About Where You’re Going
If you don’t value your relationship, and you’re looking for a memorable outing, there’s a simple way to end to it AND make it to the tailgate in time: lie. Tell her you’re going to the ballet or an overpriced wine bar or to her mom’s house. Better yet, don’t just tell her; blindfold her too. OH! And plug her ears! Then, when she unknowingly gets to the game, tear the blindfold off right as she’s facing a host of your already sloshed bros. Sure, you’ll get an earful for it later when she’s throwing all your belongings in a box, but at least your buds will really get a kick out of it, right?

Elijah Bates leads the creative department at CitizenGlobal, a social media company in Venice Beach. When he’s not working, or contributing Best Of and Mancave articles to CBS, you’ll find him surfing the California coast & evading stingrays like trips to the dentist.

Virginia Is For Tailgate Lovers

mreal197 — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 21:02:19 +0000

You likely won’t find the University of Virginia among any lists of top tailgating schools. That’s understandable, as my alma mater has historically considered football as an afterthought. The Cavaliers had a run in the mid 1980s and early 1990s even reaching # 1 in ‘90 under head coach George Welsh. Yet, basketball is in its ACC blood. The school does dominate in sports like lacrosse and soccer and is a rising power in baseball. But like crying, there’s no tailgating in baseball.

However, don’t let that and or the fact that some students wear a shirt and tie to Scott Stadium fool you about the jovial atmosphere at Virginia football games. There is plenty of other tradition that reflects the rousing and gregarious gentlemen of UVa’s DNA.

Students known as Wahoo’s, which is a fish that legend has it can drink twice its weight, are quickly indoctrinated to the ways of Thomas Jefferson’s University. Mr. Jefferson, who was the primary writer of some document called the United States Declaration of Independence, fully endorsed the pursuit of happiness.

Although 228 years after TJ penned those famous words that are the modern equivalent of “Let’s get this party started,” the UVa administration in 2004 went mainstream by replacing the infamous Pep Band with the Cavalier Marching Band. The Pep Band was true to the school’s core beliefs as it was the antithesis to the military structured marching bands but a whimsical scrambling array of musicians satirizing and spoofing with humor.
But the school spirit lives on.

One end of the stadium, long considered one of the most beautiful football stadiums anywhere with Monticello Mountain as a backdrop and the Blue Ridge Mountains, there remains a nod to the old school with a grassy hill for students to sit and enjoy the game. And after a PAT, the student body sways in unison to a rendition of the Good Old Song, a slow tune set to the music of Auld Lang Syne. Just like the New Year’s theme song, it captures the cheer of nostalgia and spirits.

Before the game, tailgating takes place all over the grounds (not campus). First year students (not freshman) live and tailgate primarily within the areas of the old dorms or new dorms. There’s also the laid-back tailgating on the Lawn, which is the epicenter of the University with sparse but prestigious housing for a few select fourth-year students.
Even on the Lawn though, there is plenty of adult beverages in the form of whiskey. Virginia Gentleman might be the bourbon drink of choice. Although some may not consider it a bourbon as it is not distilled in that Kentucky county, whiskey was first distilled in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Other favorites are Wild Turkey as well as Jack (Daniel’s) and Jim (Beam).

Then there is the rugged tailgating experience on Rugby Road where the row of fraternity homes lines the thoroughfare. This area once was the site of what Playboy magazine called “the best party in America,” which was the school’s Easters celebration that drew upwards to 15,000 students from around the country. And although the party got too wild and crazy forcing its end, the chi remains.

The historically black Greek organizations get in on the fun as well. Tailgating is more than a place to gather to eat and drink. With brothers still in college, bonding with alumni brothers who may have graduated decades earlier, it’s a mini-reunion that all look forward to for their rest of their lives.

The brothers reminisce on the stories from their pledge period and sing songs of devotion to the fraternity. But unique to the black fraternities will be the impromptu stepping where brothers set out choreographed dance maneuvers and chants while leaving room for creativity with freelanced moves.

And although UVa, like many other schools across the country, recently hosted its homecoming weekend, 100 years after the first “come home” celebration was held in 1911 on the campus of the University of Missouri, every home game is like homecoming for Wahoos.

Martin Sumners is an NBA columnist for IamaGM.com. Find out more about Martin at sumsoul.com and follow him on Twitter @sumsoul.

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