Entries by Scott Free

When it comes to tailgating, most of us tailgate within the confines of our home team’s stadium parking areas. The main reason we don’t travel too far from home is numerous whether it be the costs of gas or finding a place to stay or maybe, just being in a “hostile” environment at a rival’s stadium. Lots of tailgaters cite unfamiliarity with another team’s stadium as reason alone to not take their tailgating show on the road.

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Just within the past few months a website was created that is a lot like Wikipedia where users can add in information based on their own experiences and knowledge. TailgateWiki.com launched a few months ago and within that short amount of time a wealth of information has been added by tailgaters just like you. This is the grassroots, insider information submitted by those that know tailgating the best. Sharing their knowledge on the best places to park, which areas of the parking lot are family oriented and do not allow alcohol and which direction to park so that you can get a clear shot of the sky to set up your satellite dish are just a few pieces of information you’ll find at TailgateWiki.com. Just take a look at the San Diego Chargers tailgating page for a great example of information you would only get had you had a friend that was a season ticket holder and tailgated there regularly.

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Although there is some really great information already on TailgateWiki.com, some team pages are completely bare. Apparently fans of those teams have not discovered Tailgate Wiki yet. With football season fast approaching these team pages may become invaluable sources of information for not only the out of town tailgater but for those locals looking for a few hints and secrets to improve their own tailgating experience. Some may have reservations about revealing their secret entrance gate that allows them in the parking lot early or letting people know the section of the parking lot that has the shortest lines for the portable toilets. Think of this information as “paying it forward” to those tailgaters that share your same love and passion for the parking lot. After all, Joe Cahn, the Commissioner of tailgating, calls tailgating, “the last great American neighborhood where no one locks their doors and people share everything”. So why should that attitude stop when it comes to sharing insider information on improving the tailgating experience?

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To see if your team’s information needs updating, visit: TailgateWiki.com.

The commercials are done - the promotions are set - the media buys are in - and the winner is Tailgating! When major advertisers try to connect with consumers they often try to associate their brand with a top athlete/model/actor/singer etc… whom the consumer aspires to be – or that gives the consumer a good, warm, well hell… happy feeling. The advertiser tries to get that “happy feeling” transferred to their brand. It’s been that way since the beginning of advertising time. Well the advertiser’s votes are in, and this season the clear choice to connect with the consumer is through Tailgating. You heard me Tailgating is prime time! Let’s look at some of the majors who are hanging their brands on Tailgating this season.

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Kingsford Charcoal – Tailgate at Home

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Bud Light – Tailgate Approved

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Margaritaville – Tailgate Grill

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Pepsi Max – Maximum Tailgating

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Bush Beans – Tailgate U

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Allstate Insurance – Bergwood Tailgate

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Johnsonville – “Tailgateville”

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Chili’s – Tailgate Tour

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Walmart – Game Time

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Publix – “Bigger Savings – Better Tailgating”

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Skinit Tailgate Packs – “Get in the Game”

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Even Ocean Spray Cranberry is doing a regional promo with the New England Patriots

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This is already a solid list and we haven't even gotten around to the hundreds of corporate sponsors of tailgate parties in NCAA and NFL lots across the country or the thousands of small businesses running local ads.  Tailgating is Prime Time and more and more anytime a group of people get together to eat, drink, and enjoy an event, that's called Tailgating.  Drinks, food, friends, and fun is what tailgating is all about and the big brands know it.  "Stay Hungry My Friends."

OK so I took some crap from some of my more contemporary music buddies (and readers) about my classic rock recommendation.  Listen fellas, if it wasn’t for old school there wouldn’t be any new skool! 

But I do agree it’s not the best tune to get the ladies shak'n that thang.  So if you want to get the ladies bumping at your next tailgate then I suggest Flo Rida’s  “Right Round” - which samples Dead or Alive’s 1985 hit “You Spin Me ‘Round (Like a Record).

Stay Hungry my Friends.

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Mr. President we salute you.

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One beautiful flag for each day of the week. Old Glory indeed.

This is going to be a regular feature on Tailgating Times  - Rule #3 for a great Tailgate Party - gotta have kicking tunes for your Tailgate.  #1 and #2 are Beer and BBQ respectively.

In case anyone needed to be reminded what Rock-n-Roll is supposed to sound like - this is it. 

“Stay with Me” – The Faces.

 I put this 1971 classic on my I-pod recently and now have to hear it every day.  Really what a kick ass band – some call it one of the first Super Groups.  Formed after Steve Marriott left the band The Small Faces to start Humble Pie, The Faces were Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, Ron Wood, Rod Stewart, and Ian McLagan killing it on the Hammond .   "Stay with Me" is the definition of swagger.  long-legged rhythm, raucous drums, jangly lead guitar, awesome keys,  The bass lines alone could deflower a virgin at 100 paces.  And of course the great one on vocals with one of the classic verses in rock-n-roll:

Won’t need to much persuading

I don’t mean to sound degrading
But with a face like that
You got nothing to laugh about

It’s a must have on any rock’n play list!  Get it.

OK here at Tailgating Times we like to pride ourselves on bringing unique grilling ideas to our readers but I can assure you of this - you won't find this on a Freedom Grill anytime soon.  Enjoy -- I dare you.

http://www.babelgum.com/browser.php#play|SEARCH,channelID:179855,order:FEATURED,hint_editorial:home%2Fshuffle|3,131496

These are the dog days for serious Tailgaters. Sure there’s plenty of Baseball, but sadly with the burgeoning popularity of the “Downtown Ballpark it’s just not the same.  Let’s face it, pub crawling before (and during) a baseball game has its advantages.  Heresy?  Perhaps.  So shoot me.

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The reality is we’re dying here waiting for football season to start.  So I’ve decided to survey some of my tailgating bretheren for the ultimate list of guy movies, or dare I say "Dick" Flicks?  OK that just happened. Either way we've polled hundreds of men to find the top 50 movies that guys just can't resist.  It must be the y chromosome that simply will not allow us to change the channel or leave the room when one of these movies are on TV. 

This list does come with a warning.  While some of these movies are legitimately well acted, extraordinary movies, some of them are exceptional for being exceptionally terrible. The last 5 minutes of Point Break alone are enough to make anyone crack up.  "He's not comin back." So here it is, the ultimate list of guilty pleasure guy movies.  Movies every man must see before they die –or before football season starts -  whichever comes first.

Ranking these would have been far too subjective so they are in alphabetical order. As we wait for football season to commence -  enjoy, and remember the operative words here are “Guilty Pleasure”.  These are the movies that pop up on the cable channels that you just can’t stop watching - no matter how many times you’ve already seen it.  You won’t find “the Notebook” here, or any movies with Ann Hathaway in it.  Sorry ladies.  I welcome any and all suggested additions.

50 Movies guys watch over and over.

Animal House
Apocalypse Now
Austin Powers
Back to School
Blue Velvet
Braveheart
Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eight Dimension
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Caddyshack
Cool Hand Luke
Dances with Wolves
Dazed and Confused
Die Hard
Dirty Harry
Dog Day Afternoon
Dr Strangelove
Easy Rider
Enter the Dragon
Escape From New York.
Falling Down
Fast Times
Glengarry Glen ross
Ground Hog Day
High Plains Drifter
Jeremiah Johnson
Kingpin
O' Brother Where Art Though?
Office Space
Old School
Pale Rider
Papillon
Point Break
Pulp fiction
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Road House
Scarface
Stripes
Talledega Nights
The Big Lebowski
The Godfather
The Godfather 2
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Hunt for Red October (one ping only)
The Natural
The Outlaw Jose Wales
The Terminator
The Warriors
Three Amigos
Unforgiven

Just missing the list were the following movies that are great for nights you just can't sleep or long weekends when you have a fridge full of beer and nothing better to do...

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