Sports junkies, music lovers, washed up athletes, part-time foodies and full-time boozers; all descriptions used to describe myself and most of my degenerate friends. However, most of us share one common bond: Tailgating. NFL, NCAA sports, soccer games, concerts, shit, even a little league game or two. You name it, I have tailgated it and will probably do it again very soon.
Tailgating is unique in its own sense; it is used as a way to enhance something we are already looking forward to attending. All week I look forward to plans with my friends on the weekends, but the thought of adding tailgating to the plans makes me even more pumped up. And yes, I have tailgated multiple Kenny Chesney concerts without ever buying a ticket to the show.
I struggle to acknowledge my 7:30am alarm Monday-Friday. On the other hand, snooze is not even a thought on a Sunday Morning when the Eagles play the Giants at the Linc. I’ll be up before my 6am alarm with a shower-beer and a smile. People always ask what my favorite season is, and tailgate season is always the answer. No matter the weather April through January, there is always a tailgate in sight.
The first tailgating experience I can remember was when I was 13 years old. My uncle took me to a Giants game and said we would be meeting up with a few of his friends for a few beers before the game. In my head I picture 3 guys in their mid forty’s sipping on bud heavies with a little 18 inch charcoal grill. Damn was I wrong. It ended up being my Uncle and 30 of his closest friends, full-sized grills, tables, speakers, sausage, steak, burgers, hotdogs and any other food I could have asked for. The thing that impressed me the most was the amount of alcohol, cooler after cooler filled with every beer on the market, and enough to kill an adult heavyweight champs liver. I remember eating like a king, peeing in a port-a-potty, tossing the pig skin and of course stealing a Heineken out of the cooler while no one was looking. From that day forward I knew tailgating would be something I would love for an eternity.
I wanted to start this blog to share my story, my friends stories, and give our unwanted expert opinions. Here’s to helping people share in a love for a great American past time: tailgating. Cheers!
The Tailgate 