Tailgating: Party on the pavement

Weekends in the autumn are fine and dandy if you’re raking leaves, taking brisk bike rides along the Centennial Trail or going on scavenger hunts in the countryside’s vast orchard terrain.

However, impulses must be catered to during football season… also known as tailgating season.

We at HomeTeam Sports are experienced and knowledgeable in the art of fine tailgating, with five degrees and 21 years of being a college student between us. Sit back and take notes on what the must-haves for your Saturday afternoon parking lot fiesta are, creating an enjoyable experience for all, and making the rival fans jealous of your tailgate mastery.

Football
The whole point of spending your entire day on campus is to live, breathe and eat football. You should have a quality pigskin of your own in the trunk or back seat at all times. The urge for an impromptu three-on-three may break out, and you do not want to be caught without the essential ingredient. Nike’s 705 All-Field composite leather football (approx. $15) should do the trick. Inexpensive, yet durable enough to accrue the dozens of likely parking lot skid marks.

Team Flags
Before the tailgate is the commute. Tell everyone where your allegiance lies. Then, upon your arrival, the colors should be displayed with pride, rain or shine. Full size flags of your team are usually available at local sporting goods stores or online; also the window attachment flags are prevalent in dozens of locations throughout (from $10 to $20, depending on size and quality).

Propane Heater
The weekends in the Inland Northwest get a tad chilly. Ask those that were at the Pine Bowl last Saturday. The 80 degree days are behind us, and with most of the games during the rest of the season being in the early afternoon, tailgating will commence in the early a.m. hours. Frostbite is for the unprepared, don’t let this be you. A plethora of propane heaters are available at camping and outdoor stores, from REI to Joe’s, ranging from $60 to $90, depending on the breadth of heat necessary and how many are in your tailgating party.

Propane Stove
Like the above necessity, a quality heating device for the chow is a must to appease the growing crowds as kickoff approaches. Quite frankly, the variety of food is not as relevant as is the ability to make it hot and tasty: dogs and burgers will do the trick. Personally, I like the Coleman Two-Burner Grill Stove composite (about $120). It’s flexibility for grilling meats and the stove top for sauerkraut or chili is the coup de grâce for the parking lot chef.

Cooler
While the key to the tailgate spread is the hot food, the best complements are beverages which require constant chilling. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Not that we condone illicit beverages for certain demographics, but it happens. Coleman and Igloo are likely the big dogs to hold adequate amounts of liquid refreshments, and leftover condiments or unused meats. Look for the 50-quart containers to be sufficient for your journey ($35 to $50).

Folding Table
How stupid would you look if you had all the great gear and grub, but nowhere to serve it? Don’t be that fan. North X Northwest makes a conveniently collapsible 48-inch table, available for about $40. Convenience outweighs quality, as not too many heavy items will be on the table anyway, except for the grill, which is quite light for its quality. The versatility of this item will tuck nicely into your trunk or truck bed.

Camping Chairs
Here, style over substance reigns. Cup holders are a requisite, but from there it’s all about aesthetics. Team logos, gaudy colors, footrests, collapsibility and comfort are the qualities which produce numerous potential combinations of attributes. Choose your seat wisely and never let anyone talk you into loaning it out. Great tailgating/camping chairs find a way to get borrowed and never returned. Trust me. Comfortable chairs with cup holders and style range anywhere from $15 to $40 to however much you want to spend to bling out on your chair.

Last, but not least, don’t forget the propane.

Story written by Darren Shimp. You can reach him at darren@htsports.org.