Best Tailgate Gear
I know it's a little early to start talking about this, but as newer season ticket holders, my best buddy and I are pretty much addicted to tailgaiting on the golf course. After 2 years, we are still perfecting our tailgate. He recently got one of those folding Coleman grills, I made some custom painted M cornhole boards, and I'm getting a Michigan beer pong table for my birthday.
So, I'd like to hear about/see the board's best tailgating gear. Links or pictures would be much appreciated.
I always go with black socks, Burkenstocks, my "Michigan F.B.I Agent" half-shirt, and Maize Thong with the M right where it should be.
Give me a bit and I"ll find the picture and download it for all of you (the picture is from the Northwestern game in 2008 - so don't judge)
...images from your desktop. They have to be located on the interwebs somewhere.
was one of those big orange Coleman water coolers with the spigot at the bottom. It was an impulse buy at Meijer for like $15 (on-sale), but having a bigass jug of water is helpful for washing hands, re-hydrating between high-gravity malted beverages, and so on.
Plus if we get a huge win, there's the chance I could talk somebody into pouring it all over my head like I'm a head coach.
That would be awesome.
Getting a heater is always great for the November games.
I recommend a small fire pit for those games.
Just be sure to lock them up to your axle or something. Mine was stolen after the Big Chill.
Booze
Beer. Lots and lots of beer.
You can never have enough.
You can never have enough.
Bass Pro Shop tent- got it really cheap and can easily fit 6 peope with comfort. I use it and it seems like it lessens the chance of rain.
Zing Zang bloody mary mix, cheap vodka, 24 pack of bud light- this is good for me and 4 others...I am alway feeling good pre game, but as soon as kickoff I sober up real fast.
I am trying to find some UM themed nipple tassles for those chilly November games. So, everyone keep an eye out for me and help prevent some seriously dangerous THO. Me nipples thank you in advance.
At the Big Chill we ruined our Dick's blue tailgate tent. I am now in the market for a Michigan version of that tent. Wondering where to find the best prices on this tent with a block M and/or Michigan on it? Thanks.
This website seems to have some tents, and this site has lots of other stuff.
This is where I bought mine, only one I could find under 200 bucks.
My gameday drink of choice, with a brownbag of course,
Cheap and nasty!
real nice
I would love to tailgate every game but getting out of the golf course or pioneer lot sucks. What do u guys usually do? Do u stay until everybody is gone and then leave?
Beer tends to feel appropriate whether you or forlorn or elated.
Refire up the grill, and everyone but the 'driver' can grab a few more brews.
doesn't kick you out until 2 hours after the game, so I usually just stick around till then and let the traffic die down.
all you need is cold beer and a cooler - the rest tends to take care of itself after about an hour
Make sure you have a shotgun champ, always a favorite at my tailgate. Another fan favorite is the Octabong.
you've actually used the shotgun champ, but it's a crock in my opinion
I use it all the time, works great. The trick is to not hammer it all the way on the can, it leaks if you do that.
That's what she said.
I know the guy who invented the shotgun champ!!!
you could always rock one of these
I am in the process of making a giant Jenga game. It includes 69 2 x 4 blocks (10.5'' in length). I had the brilliant idea of painting all the blocks to represent 3 different schools, one of which is Michigan (Illinois and Illinois Chicago are the other two). I painted 22 blocks for UM, 11 blue and 11 maize. I painted the winged helmet and block M on the blue ones so far. I haven't figured out what I am putting on the maize blocks (so if you have any suggestions). The blue ones turned out pretty nice (maybe one day I will upload pics). I also made a case/box that is capable of holding all the blocks for easy carriage. I also painted the case and put a huge block M on one side.
So painting them turned out to be a bad idea for a couple of reasons. (A) really time consuming, especially since I did a design on each block. (B) after I painted them, I realized how sticky they become, so I will have to end up putting polyuerthane on them.
In actuallity though, making the Jenga set without the paint takes about 2 hours and wood is pretty cheap. It would be well worth the time and money to just make a raw set.
The only problem is that the set is very heavy and could cost you a lot of gas if you don't live close to Ann Arbor. Since I live in Chicago, I don't know if I will be bringing it up to Ann Arbor that much.
All in all, with the painting, it has been a fun little project.
EDIT: Another cool little thing I did with the set is I made a game within a game, so to speak. Are you are familiar with the drinking game Circle of Fire (or whatever people call it)? Each block has a rule or task written on the back, similar to how each playing card represents a rule. Once you pull of a block from the jenga stack, you have to do whatever it says. For instance, "Drink Two" or "Sing the Victors" etc.
oversized jenga and drinking.... sign me up
April 27th, 2011 at 10:05 AM ^
Awesome idea, was it difficult to get perfectly straight 2x4s? I would imagine that even a minor bow would cause an issue.
No, wasn't an issue. I think I ended up buying 8ft 2x4's.
DirecTV dish, DVR, flat screen TV and Honda generator. It helps to have an Excursion to haul that stuff, too.
I've been collecting tailgating items for years - grill, tent, heater, suburban, blender, etc. - but this is definitely the missing piece. Hopefully I’ll have something in place by the Notre Dame game.
Agreed, the HD DirectTV dish I bring, generator and flat screen HD TVS rock our tailgate. We also got christmas style while lights to hang down off the tent - makes the early mornings or post 330 games enough light to see. We've also started bringing kegs vs. beer cans - keeps the bums away.
Go Blue!
At the Big Chill, I decided a big pot of chili was in order. My buddy brought one of these along to heat it up, it worked great, and so I requested one of my own for Christmas.
Coleman 2-burner stove (available in a couple different fuel options..this one's propane)
Dude, that is Awesome!
April 26th, 2011 at 10:06 PM ^
......Koleman Kamp Kitchen
never understimate the value a utility table/base kamp alpha at a tailgate
My wife is from the south and outdoor cooking is a love of my in-laws. I just purchased a Bayou Classic Outdoor Burner -- it's amazing. I made some hot Captain w/cider before the Illinois game last year and would be prime for chili, also.