It’s game day in Calgary; it’s a new season, the sun is shining, and you’ve got five hours until kick-off. What do you do? You tailgate.
Sure, you can sit in your own back yard with a few friends or head over to a pub close to McMahon, but wouldn’t you want to go to “Our House”, as the flags flying in the parking lot proudly announce? It’s a safe haven for all Stampeder fans, and yes, a few enemies wearing another team’s jersey. I joke; all CFL fans are welcome because that’s what the league is about.
What’s There to Talk About – CFL Tailgate Parties
For those owning that elusive and coveted parking pass to McMahon Stadium, tailgating is as much of a game-day tradition as the game itself. First, the car or truck needs to be decked out with Stampeder flags and horse stickers. Everyone needs to know you’re a fan. You pack up your BBQ, a cooler full of drinks, a menu that has been planned for the past week and a tent and parka in case the weather turns (insert Calgary weather joke here).
You invite all your friends, even those with opposing jerseys, and you enjoy good friends and food before the game. You arrive at the stadium and see the familiar faces that are there every game too. You wave and yell, “Go Stamps Go”. A simple hello simply won’t do.
You find your spot; for all regulars there’s an unwritten reserved parking sign in your designated spot. You set up the BBQ, the chairs, and you set out your food for display and enjoyment. For all the foodies out there, walking past all the tailgates is enough to make your mouth water. There’s everything from smokies, burgers, beef on a bun (AAA Alberta beef of course), and chili or soup on those cold November days. Oh, and yes, you tailgate in -20C weather. For those early afternoon games, it’s not unusual to see breakfast burritos or eggs benedict. After all, this is what serious tailgating is about.
But with five hours before kick-off, what’s there to talk about? It’s the CFL; there is always plenty to talk about.
Last year, the talk around the tailgates encompassed everything from whether Coach John Hufnagel made the right decision in starting Bo Levi Mitchell over Drew Tate to the controversy of whether the guns on the signature uniforms promoted gun violence or not. Towards the end of the year, the obvious concern was the ever-growing injury list.
This year, the Calgary Stampeder team looks a little different from last. The offensive line lost many key players to trades and NFL contracts. In February, Hufnagel stood his ground on wanting to grow the players he has rather than shop during free agency. Coach Huff is known to spend his money wisely, looking only for players that fill gaps. It makes sense that the Stampeders signed seven new players to the roster; five of those acquisitions are linemen that can hopefully fill the gap of players like Stanley Bryant and Brett Jones.
If debate is your preferred conversation, there’s always some lively trash-talk to participate in. There’s no shortage of off-season talk, but the best part of tailgating is exchanging the “who said what” this week. Every team can go back and forth ad nauseam as to why their team is the best. I’m sure your “friend” in the opposing team’s jersey sitting at your tailgate would be more than happy to talk about Jon Cornish, MOP and Most Outstanding Canadian – you know he’s after a loftier goal. He wants to top what he did in 2013 and 2014. Go ahead, discuss.
No matter what the discussion, the tailgate is an important part of game-day ritual. Sun, rain, sleet or snow, fans fill McMahon Stadium parking lot every game to be a part of the pre-game experience with friends and family. Isn’t this how it should be? Isn’t this what it means to be a fan? So what’s there to talk about at a tailgate? Everything CFL.
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