With the football season starting Thursday night is time to get serious in preparation for game day (if you haven't already...the hardcore tailgaters have been planning for Thursday night for a while). A tailgate can make or break a game-day experience for me, so let's draw up a game plan.
Food:
Food is the offensive line of a tailgate. If it's good, it makes up for a lot of shortcomings, and if it's not, you're going to need a lot of booze to make it fun.
My menu changes with the weather. I'll go with brats and my signature burgers in the heat, ribs in the fall, and chili when the cold hits.