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Anonymous
>>132800 i guess it is a bit of an american phenomenon (the name, at least, if not the practice). tailgating comes from the idea of partying around the back of a truck (a 'tailgate') - but it's evolved from that to basically mean lots of grilling and drinking beer in the vicinity of a major sporting event. for smaller schools, it's usually done in the parking lot, and really is still your typical 'tailgate,' with people just packing a bunch of stuff in the back of their cars and then working from there.
see: http://www.pittstategorillas.com/facilities/pics/tailgating-04.jpg
the key is, if you go to a really good event, the tailgating is much more elaborate. there's usually designated areas where people set up tents and the like, and have multiple grills going with a ton of different types of food (though i hate to sound to "amerikkkan" here, don't ask for anything but meat unless you're SURE they're offering an alternative - it's viewed as weak, correct or not). the beer is plentiful, everybody's in a good mood, and you can hop from tent to tent. as long as you've got a spare six pack to offer the cook and (generally) your own food to cook, you're usually welcomed into the party.
sample from espn, about tailgating at auburn (college games are on saturdays):
"How crazy does it get here? A friend recently covered a game on Labor Day weekend. Kickoff was 6:30 and he pulled off the highway from Atlanta at 3:30. He saw the roadside crowded with people tailgating and figured he must be near the stadium. He finally arrived at Jordan-Hare
nine miles later. When he asked the parking attendant at the media lot what time the fans started showing up, the man replied, "Seven in the morning
Thursday morning. And they aren't leaving after the game, either.''"
ole miss tailgating (a bit more sophisticated than the above photo) : http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2007/0927/travel_grove_lsu_590.jpg
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