Tailgate Like A Pro

College football is among us again! There's nothing like being in The Swamp with a bunch of screaming gator fans watching Tebow work his magic. But what happens outside of the stadium can be as much fun as what goes on inside the stadium....

College football and tailgating go hand-in-hand. As a recent Gator Grad, I have had my share of tailgating. Recently I had an old fashioned road trip back to Gainesville to tailgate. I didn't even have tickets to the game, but I didn't care. It's all about the tailgate!

The first rule about tailgating is don't count on getting a hotel room. They'll be expensive and booked.Either borrow an RV, finda a rich alumnus with an RV, or find an old college roommate to crash at (as I did.) Air mattress: $20. But there's always a couch or floor.

To get the best tailgate spot close to the stadium, you gotta plan ahead. The primo spots are reserved for rich alumni who donate a hefty amount. The rest of the spots are taken early in the morning by hardcore fans. We all know that the night before is going to be a late night, and the last thing you'll want to do is wake up early to claim a spot. So here's how I get around this...

After about 6 PM the day before the game, parking is lifted, and you can start parking on the grass. What I do is park stategically then, finding a place between some trees in a way that I hog a bunch of space so that the next day if I move a little bit I can fit a couple more cars and no one can encroach on my space beforehand. Trust me, they will try! That way I can sleep in but still have a good spot. You might get a few dirty looks the next day, but after your neighbors have a few beers, they'll be your best friends. We're all rooting for the same team, right?

You'll want to bring some basics: food, sunscreen, water, bug spray, baby wipes, chairs, a table, paper towels, garbage bag, ice, a small cheap grill, shade (unless you are in a big tree area) and beer. Do not bring kegs! The police will shut you down. You don't have to worry about open containers on campus, but beware before you step a foot off campus, even just the sidewalk. If you aren't rooting for the hometeam, you will get a violation. If your in Gator clothes, you'll probably just have to dump out your drink, which is a MAJOR party foul. Don't look like a dweeb.

I almost forgot, bring a battery operated fan. Not only is this a life saver on hot days, but also an affective bartering tools. People will be desperate for a few minutes with the fan. If you're really smart, you'll buy a bunch at the dollar store and offer them for sale or trade. People will give you a lots of beers or burgers for a fan that costs you $1. I promise.

To keep you and your friends entertained, try to bring a few things to do while waiting for kick-off. Frisbees, footballs, corn hole sets, a radio (maybe, you might luck out and have a neighbor with a sweet sound system), and my favorite: posterboard and markers to make signs that make fun of the other team to wave at the opposition. It's almost a competition among tailgaters on who can make the most clever. The more games you bring, the more likely that you will be able to mingle with neighbors. This comes in handy for beer, food, large screen TVs, and extra tickets.

If you don't have tickets, don't worry about bringing an elaborate TV set-up so that you can watch the game. That's what the rich alumni are for. Walk around to see who has the best set up and biggest screen and casually ask what the score is. Than ask if you can watch it with them (they'll be glad for the extra comodery, it's usually just the wives and random relatives who don't have tickets). Then bring your beer in your cooler on wheels (a wise investment!) and a folding chair, and you're in business. They'll probably offer you their food too, and they have the best! These alumni wives have tailgating cuisine perfected! Many times the cuisine is better than what you can get at TGI Fridays. We're talking smoked sausage, ribs, nachos, BBQ, margarita makers, etc..

After the game, you'll want to hang around a little longer, because traffic will be so jammed you'll be wishing to be back at your tailgate site, having some more beer. So make sure you bring a lot! And of course, a designated driver. I don't know how you'll bribe them, but a ticket to the game works well. You can't drink in the stadium anyway, so it will give them a chance to sober-up automatically.

I hope you have fun at your next football game! And don't forget to carpool. If I forgot a detail, please post it here. Look for my next post about the best things to do in Gainesville. This will actually be a few posts, as there is a lot of fun to be had in the area...from floating down a river and camping to the awesome nightlife.

Go gators!