The Tailgate Toolbox

The first tailgate of 2010 is just a few days away - time to dust off the tailgate gear, and maybe even toss a few new items in the truck.  So what, exactly, do you need for the perfect tailgate?  Here's the recipe for a Hot Mess of a Tailgate:

• Sweet Tebow.  Sweet tea + bourbon + ice = heaven in a cup.  Try it.  If you don't like it, I don't like you.  The specs: tea must be Publix diet sweet tea; bourbon must be Beam.  No exceptions.  You're going to drink too much of it to make the fancy bourbon worthwhile.  Half tea, half bourbon.  Drink up.  For the FSU fans, rename if you must - Sweet F'ing Tebow has a nice ring...just don't try to pretend it isn't delicious.  (OG, if it makes you feel better, the General says the name of the drink is spelled TeaBo - but I don't take spelling advice from the General.)
• ICE.  Put it in a good cooler, too - it's hot out there, and if you're going to make it to game time, you're going to need ice that can survive the heat along with you! 
• Coolers.  Note the plural.  If you're really doing it right, you've got to have one cooler for drink ice, one cooler for all the pre-game tailgate stuff, and probably one for the post-game.  You could put the post-game stuff in the pre-game cooler, but if it's really hot out, you might just end up with a cooler full of cool-ish water by the time the game's over.  A separate cooler that doesn't get opened until after the game is the best bet.  If you're packing up the coolers the night before the tailgate, or if you're just into really amazing coolers, check out the Yeti coolers.  I'm pretty sure they'll keep stuff frozen for an entire football season.  Incredible.  As an added bonus, they're bear-proof.  I don't know how they hold up to fraternity boys or drunk adult male tailgaters...but my brother has one, and it's still intact, so I imagine they'd survive both of those tests pretty well, too.
• A tent (or two).  If you're tailgating in the South, you're entirely too close to the surface of the sun to tailgate without a tent.  The shade is essential to keep you from bursting into flames before the team takes the field, and it's also key if you intend to be able to see whatever is happening on your TV (you DO have a TV at your tailgate, right?  Just checking...).  Even if it's a night game, you'll need a tent - obviously, the tailgate will start while the sun is still up.  And depending on the time of day (and the angle of the sun), you might need more than one so you can line 'em up and huddle in whatever shade you've managed to create at the far end.  Tents are also super-handy for staking out your territory - particularly if you're in a primo location.
• Tervis tumblers.  Preferably with lids.  If you aren't using Tervis, I'm not sure we can be friends (unless, of course, you're using a flashing plastic wine glass - I mean, that's classy!).  Ok, so there are other exceptions, but they mainly revolve around beer - i.e., beer from a can or bottle, or from a Solo cup.  Heyyo, beer pong!
• Games.  Speaking of beer pong...you need tailgate games, and you need a table for your food, so you might as well get one that does double duty.  Our beer pong table has a custom top designed after Florida Field.  No need for a tablecloth, and a great way to entertain the masses during a long tailgate!   Other super-fun tailgate games: cornhole (the MD13s bring theirs to every game, and I'm never any good at it - but it's still a blast), or a good old football.  If you go for a game that involves throwing (or catching) anything of substance, just make sure you don't invite me to play.  It could will get ugly. 
• Grill.  Hello.  My name is Captain Obvious.  Really, though, I should mention that the type of grill makes a big difference (by that, I mean good grill = happier General = happier tailgate!).  For the last couple of years, we've been using a grill that mounts on the tailgate of the truck and sits at waist height.  No more leaning over and into the heat to tend the food, and no more trying to find a place to put the grill that won't melt or catch fire.  Downside: if the truck is parked on a hill, so is the grill.  Great way to lose some potato skins and a few Sweet Tebows (call it a sacrifice to the tailgating gods?).
• TV.  With Satellite.  Our tailgate crew pitched in for a tailgate dish last season, and it greatly improved the pre-game amusement.  If your school is hosting ESPN Gameday and you're not tailgating close enough to see the madness, it's always fun to see the hoopla...and how are you going to text-harass your non-tailgating-friends about their teams' lackluster play if you can't see the games that are on before yours?  Note: TV & Satellite also double as a fun tailgate game, which consists of attempting to keep people from knocking over the satellite & TV, triipping over the extension cord, or otherwise wreaking havoc with this inevitably delicate setup. 
• Chairs.  Again, way obvious, but it is one of those things you'll be miserable without.  Make sure they're sturdy enough to support you when you've lost the ability to hold yourself upright and flop down into the chair with gusto.  I think we lose one chair at every tailgate from that sort of flopping.

Everything above is fun and makes for a great tailgate, but here's the super secret to tailgating bliss: Iced hand towels.  The. Best. Thing. Ever.  Count the number of people in your tailgate crew.  Get that many hand towels or washcloths (plus a few extras, just for good measure) wet, put them in a Ziploc bag, and drop them in the bottom of one of your coolers.  Forget about them, until you're about 20 seconds from melting because you're tailgating on the face of the sun.  Stick your hand in the cooler to get some refreshment, and notice the cold, wet towels.  Pull one out, wring it out, and wipe down your face, arms, neck, legs, whatever.  It's amazing.  Rally for more tailgating!  (Also incredible for post-game refreshing.)

That covers the gear from last year's tailgate...but what's new in the tailgate toolbox for you?  Drop me a line and let me know what I'm missing!