The Tailgater...

I have a long-time friend, believe it or not. It's been 40 years and counting. Wow! The years just fly by.

His name is Don and he's the ultimate tailgater. We both have a lot of stories to tell...and some we shouldn't. But when it comes to tailgating, Don and his family and friends put on a pregame party in the grassy area, just north of the Arizona stadium,t hat is to die for. Tailgating has been a part of the pregame at Arizona ever since I can remember. And it gets bigger and bigger every season. Thanks mainly to die-hard fans like Don and his family.

The ritual starts early, say about five hours before game time as Don and a select few, lineup their motor home along with many others, awaiting the checkered flag to enter the confines, which will be their home for the next eight hours.The trick is to get that number one, two or three lot space...on second thought by six o'clock they're all good. But I guess it's like the pole position at the Indy 500. Everybody wants it.

Once in position, there is a lot of work to do. Tables, chairs, and television sets. Satellite disks and cables. Barbecues. Tents. And the food. My goodness, everything from potato salad to juicy steaks. You name it, chances are the numero uno chef, Kevin, has the fire crackling for your favorite fare.

And, of course, there are plenty of beverages to keep you cooled down under that hot Arizona sun. The afternoon's in September are plenty warm. Sometimes the monsoon will come a long and put a damper on things, forcing Don and friends to chase down a tent or two. By game time, all is well.

The grassy area is vacant-- except for a few fans that have decided to sit back in their lounge chair and watch the game on television--and you can hear the roar from the stadium as 56,000 fans await the kickoff.

College football on a Saturday night...it is the place to be.