Tailgating Ideas – Don't Just Tailgate, Tailgate Better

We’ve all had one too many while tailgating. But I am not sure if we all have tried to take a nap in our tailgating chair. And I highly doubt that any of us have ever been so hammered we have been dumped out of said chair and not been able to figure out if we were pushed rather than figuring we fell out on our own. Or maybe this guy knew Ohio State was going to lose their No. 1 ranking after only having it for a whole week and decided getting blasted was the better option. Links follow the video:

• Join us on our Tailgating Ideas Facebook Fan Page (If we can get 300 fans by Halloween we’ll give away a free Drill Blender to one fan selected randomly.)
• While we’re being all social media, feel free to follow Tailgating Ideas on Twitter too
• This Beer Is Half As Strong As Whiskey
• Tailgating Games: Stump
• Do’s and Don’ts for This Tailgate Season
• Higher attendance for tailgate, few arrests made over Central Michigan Homecoming weekend
• Army truck provides unique draw at Aggie tailgate
• See Donuts Are Good For You
• Tailgating carries responsibilities
• Strongsville students flock to inaugural football tailgate party
• Football Tailgating Menus, Recipes and Food Ideas
• Dairy Council of Arizona has some healthy alternatives to typical tailgating foods
• Putting some green on your tailgate
• The Gentleman’s Tailgate
• USC Tailgating experience in jeopardy?
• Rangers fans start tailgating early
• Easy Breakfasts on the Grill
• Candidates meet voters with pre-game tailgates
• USC Cracks Down on Beer Pong, Loud Music at Tailgates
• In Kansas: For the love of pre-game
• Tailgating Pitt dental student style
• Finding the Perfect Tailgating Food
• Gameday crime changes UTEP tailgating rules
• The Arizona Cardinals Want To Destroy Tailgating In Favor Of Money
• Houston Texans Turn Tailgaters Into Dollars
• Tailgating in style: Far, far beyond hot dogs and beer
• Sweeten your tailgating party with these tips
• MSU vs. U-M: Who tailgates better?
• PTA May Lose $10K If Tailgating Not Allowed
• Family Tailgate Party Raises Money for Flood Victims
• Houston Texans new policy keeps lots free of nonpaying fans — but not gripes
• Testing a timeless tradition of tailgating
• Tailgating Crowds Noticeably Smaller At Texans Game

It was about two years ago when friends of TailgatingIdeas.com were flying the colors of the website in the form of a banner and were kind enough to send us photos of themselves playing beer pong on their portable Port-o-Pong inflatable beer pong table. They are big Arizona Cardinals fans and have since upgraded their tailgating gear to include a Ladder Golf game and a Drill Blender. I convinced them they needed to step their game up to a custom tailgating grill complete with Arizona Cardinals colors and logo. They agreed and we customized a Margaritaville Tailgating Grill to their exact specifications for them. Check out the photos they took of it before it made it’s maiden voyage to the University of Phoenix parking lot. (Click on the images for larger view)

If you want your own Margaritaville Tailgating Grill customized to your team’s colors and theme, visit our tailgating gear store, shop.tailgatingideas.com. To see other grills our readers and I have customized, visit the Custom Tailgating Grills page over there. If you’ve seen enough and just want to get a Margaritaville Tailgating Grill customized to your favorite team’s colors and logo, email us and ask for a quote. (If you do email asking for a quote, please include your zip code so we can better estimate shipping costs to your exact location.)

If you are die-hard NFL fan like me you probably have been busy this weekend checking the Web for free agent signings and updates.  Hopefully your favorite team has been more active than mine!  And for you Bears’ fans, congrats on Peppers and Taylor!

This NFL off-season frenzy got this tailgater to thinking.   We tailgaters too are undergoing an off-season make-over.  Last season is history for your NFL team and for your tailgating team.  Next season will bring new faces for both groups.  Will the 2010 version be better than the 2009 version?  A lot is riding on this off-season.  Just look…

There has been a few signs of a turn around, but as a whole the economy is still in the crapper.  Despite this fact NFL ticket prices continue to rise.  Less disposable income for the fan means the possibility of losing a few key members of your tailgating crew.  As a tailgater you can only hope that those members saying good-bye aren’t the “meat” or “beer” guy.  Otherwise you better hope that you have a few extra bucks to step up or have a well-off replacement waiting in the wings.  Maybe not a Peppers, but at least a Kampman.

Another passing year means the pressure of maintaining relationships and friendships.  Despite your best efforts you are most likely to lose a few friends and a girlfriend or two (hopefully not a wife or two!). With this situation you are again looking for replacements.  More pressure because you have to assure that the newbies can co-exist and flourish with the old gang.  You are hoping for Antrel Rolle and Kenny Phillips.  But at a minimum at least a guy or gal that can get the pong ball in the cup, hold their liquor, and supports the home team.  Thankfully opening day isn’t until September!

After much effort you have either managed to keep the same crew or find viable replacements.  On to the next hurdle.  You know the old saying, “location, location, location.”

There has to be others out there like me doing the year-to-year plan with tickets.  I used to be a season ticket holder with the Eagles, but the prices became a bit too pricey for this fan’s wallet.  Every off-season my buddies and I scour the wire for the best deal on season tickets (ebay).  New tickets means new seats.  New seats means adjusting to new fans in the stadium or even a new tailgating spot to ensure easier access to and from the stadium.

You pray that the off-season trade-in of tickets works like Flacco to Boldin.  The alternative is a parking spot near annoying, too loud chicks or the Al Bundy like guy who needs to relive his high school football glory by going constantly too long in the parking lot for passes that end up hitting your car and grill.  Even worse, once inside the stadium it could mean constant interruptions from a man with the bladder of a 2 year old or a family more concerned with the latest concession stand goodies than the action on the field.

And lastly and probably most importantly, you have to think about the transportation to the tailgate.  Will the old paint colored van start-up for another season?  Will you need to go the route of Giants stadium and bring in a flashier model?  But will the new ride be as forgiving and comfortable as the old one?  Will you get in trouble for a dropped saucy rib?  Will the wife flip her lid when she goes to start the car the next morning and is overcome with the smell of cigar smoke?  Did the crap economy force you to downsize?  Can you tailgate in a Yaris or a Civic?  And what about that newborn?  Can you possibily tailgate in a van that screams more soccer mom than manly man?

So as you can see A LOT is riding on these upcoming months.  Will your tailgating crew go the way of  the Chicago Bears or the Arizona Cardinals this off-season?  You are the one playing GM…pick wisely!

Because we are on the verge of the Super Bowl and because this picture is so damn awesome, we are deviating from the norm for the Mid-Week Eye Candy Wrapper. Normally we would have some hot girl, cheerleader preferably, as the lead into the rest of the week’s links. But this week we give you the The Greatest Snack Food Stadium Ever Built from Holy Taco. Seeing this makes my pants just as tight as looking at Lucy Pinder in lingerie. Links to follow…

• Alcohol can prevent erectile dysfunction
• Texas State University sees tailgating as a winning gameplan
• Seven Animals That Would Make Awesome Frat House Pets
• Tailgate without breaking the bank or your waistline
• Super Bowl Prop Bets Explained
• Beer Pong Coupons for All!
• Don Chavez asks, “When Did Britney Spears Get Hot Again?“
• When did Jessica Simpson get fat?
• Ross Twp. Couple Who Met Tailgating Among Early Arrivals In Tampa
• Top 5 Dumbest Things People Do To Their Trucks
• A Gallery of Girls In Attendance at Mud Festivals
• Meet the 2008-09 Toronto Raptors Dance Pak
• That’s So Fetch has The Top 5 Most Depressing Things About Graduating From College
• 60 Sexy Steelers Girls
• Football – Ultimate Tailgaters Supply List

So the No. 1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners were beaten by Texas in the Red River Rivalry all but ensuring we will see a fourth team ranked No. 1 this season in NCAA football. (By the way, who made the decision to rename the game from Red River Shootout to Red River Rivalry?) I am sure the folks down in Alabama will claim they should be No. 1 because they were No. 2 heading into the weekend but did not play today. Texas made a nice case for itself to move to No. 1. No. 3 Missouri got bounced by Oklahoma State and Florida pounded No. 4 LSU. I would predict that Alabama will move to the No. 1 spot but it would not surprise me if Texas or even Penn State moved into the No. 1 spot. All I do know is I have compiled some links for you regarding tailgating and the tailgating lifestyle. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

• Skinny-dipping tailgater accused of kneeing cop
• The tailgating pastime of champions: Cornhole
• The Top 10 Worst SkyMall Products Ever. (What, an indoor doggy poop mat is not a good idea?)
• With Halloween approaching, HolyTaco has a Tribute To The Naughty Nurse
• Tailgate with class with grilled strip steaks
• Americans drink more beer than the Columbian Gross Domestic Product
• Fan loyalty, tailgating fuel success of Southern Heritage
• Tony Gonzalez could be catching passes for your team.
• Bolt Pride gatherings not the typical tailgate
• A photo essay of College Gameday’s visit to the Cotton Bowl.
• Green Bay Part 4 – Tailgate Party
• Thefts of Tailgating Items on the Rise at Aloha Stadium
• Now that Tony Romo is out for four weeks, ever wonder what kind of rehab he will be doing?
• Is the USC Tailgate Party an Environment for Everyone?
• Adventures in Tailgating, Part 2: Beer Braised Sausage Hoagies
• Football Season Brings Tailgating Fun!
• 8 reasons to start tailgating at University of Texas football games
• Students at the Tulane Homecoming football tailgating events discovered that a minor in possession citation can quickly kill a buzz.
• ESPN cameramen are pervs.
• Tailgate parties are a place for tradition, cuisine, boozing and fueling the USC-UCLA cross-town rivalry
• 10 tips for making Cards-Cowboys game a family affair
• Uncoached has the real highlights of OU/Texas weekend. Poon and cheerleader pics.