The Phillies Tailgate

Tailgating is a part of any sporting or concert event. Everyone knows the Philadelphia tailgate is the greatest tailgate in the country. A successful and fun tailgate includes good food and snacks, plenty of soda, water, and beer, good music, and fun games. Also an important part of a good tailgate is to have atleast 5 and no more than 10 people. I've tailgated quite a few times and it's been really fun. Here's a guide of good tailgates for all situations, whether it's people or size of vehicle.

1) Team Spirit: You must be decked out in as much Phillies attire as possible. Hats, jerseys, tshirts, bikini tops (for the ladies), or whatever red you can find. Let the opposing fans know what team you bleed for and show them how a real tailgate is worked. Don't forget to start chants at random times and boo the hell out of some guy, his wife, and children all wearing Mets crap.

2) Food: There are a few reasons why this is important. The best is because you get hungry when drinking beer and you need something to absorb it so you aren't trashed before the game (I actually can't tolerate drunken ass****s at any type of event). Also because the stadium food will cost you an arm, a leg, and your first born son.

Now some great food for the tailgate include simple stuff like nacho chips with salsa, vegetables and dip, and other chips and pretzels. If you have a bigger vehicle with more space, you can bring a tiny grill and make burgers and hot dogs. You can also bring pre-made cold sandwiches and cold subs since they are easier to store in a cooler than a cheese steak.

As far as refreshments, water and soda are fine for the family. Beer is great for the 21+ club. I don't endorse under-aged drinking but if you do, do it at your own risk, be safe, and use plastic cups. You can be a cheap ass and but Keystone or Natural Ice or can get the main stream Bud, Coors, or Miller, or you can even go over the top and drink Heineken, Corona, or Guinness. Make sure you have something for the women as well such as Smirnoff Ice. You can even get creative and bring some vodka or rum to go with the juice or soda you brought. No tequila shots please. You aren't trying to get lucky. You're going to a baseball game.

3) Music: "Good music is good music. Everything else just sucks" - Dave Matthews. He's right. Everyone has their preferences. I love tailgating with Dave Matthews Band or any hard classic or current rock. Rap is good too but nothing terrible like Lil' John or Vanilla Ice. People also rock it hard to metal. It all depends on your atmosphere. No thrash metal with kids around.

Some music don'ts:
-Michael Bolton
-Elton John
-Coldplay
-The Jonas Brothers
-Hannah Montana
-country (Except Tim McGraw. He's got a special place in the hearts of Phillies fans).

4) Games: Tailgate Games LLC has a great site for buying tailgating games. Beer Pong. That's all I have to say on that. You know what it is. There's also the Tailgate Toss which is a game where you toss bean bags onto a board with a hole at the top (kinda like horseshoes). Another great game is Washers, which is similar to Tailgate Toss. And then there is Ladder Golf, which is where you throw a string with a ball on each end at a structure with 3 poles and you have to get it to wrap around one of the poles. If there is a grassy area where you can drive in stakes then Horseshoes is my all-time favorite game. I prefer pong or Tailgate Toss as well.

There you have it guys. A simple and small tailgate guide for those how want to try new things or haven't tailgated before. Have fun this year watching your Fightin's defend their title. And don't forget. Please be safe and courteous of other fellow fans. As for Mets fans... F*** 'em.