Football tailgating from a different viewpoint……

Football is truly America’s game. Whether you are a fan of high school, college or NFL. It wasn’t always my game. Growing up everyone told me I was going to be a football player. I wasn’t so sure. I love playing backyard football with my friends, but every time I thought about playing organized football, something for in my way. And the one year that everything seems to line up, my age matched my weight category, I broke my wrist skateboarding! Finally the day came when I would play my first season of football. it was My freshman year in high school. Shockingly, I actually hated playing football. So all those people were wrong. At the end of that season, I swore off football forever. But isn’t it funny how things can change quickly? My high school got a new Varsity head football coach and he noticed me working my summer job as a janitor. He bugged me all summer to come play football. In the end he made me this deal, try it for 2 weeks and if I wasn’t having fun he would leave me alone. Well, two week later I had earned the starting defensive tackle position on the Varsity football team and my love affair with game of football began.

From that point I went on to be an All-state OT/DT and earn a football scholarship to Iowa State. After starting there for four years, the HOF Coach Don Shula drafted me in the 2nd round of the NFL draft. After 11 year battling in the trenches of the NFL and earning 3 Pro Bowl berths, injuries forced me to retire from the game I love. Whether it was Saturdays before college games or Sunday mornings in the NFL, gameday was an intoxicating time. I have never experienced the same feelings that game-day delivers. I know a part of the football experience that millions will never get to experience, but I also found out that I was missing out on another part of the football experience; football tailgating.

Football tailgating is the way 99% of the football fans have been enjoying this great game. I am in that 1% that had not enjoyed the entire tailgating experience. That had to change.

High school tailgating experience…

My oldest son was a good football player on a pretty good private school team. I did my best never to miss a game. Yes, I was that nervous Dad in the stands. I watched everything he did, each play. Of course I had to arrive early, no way would I miss even a single snap. His junior season, his team made it all the way to the conference championship game. It was held at FAU football stadium.

What a great time to drive my RV into the parking lot and try some high school football tailgating! The RV was the perfect complement for the championship game. We grilled and enjoyed the pregame events for hours until kickoff. Seeing my son win the game and capture the championship was a priceless moment. I was totally hooked on football tailgating after that!

College tailgating – The Cyclone way…

Moving from high school to college football, you would expect another level in tailgating right? Well, College tailgating certainly didn’t disappointment me. I know each college has its own pre-football game rituals that makes their home games special. Let me tell you at Iowa State University, the Cyclones take pride in their tailgating.

It’s a 2-3 day event, with most of the RV’s arriving in the RV lot on Friday afternoon. When I played there our coach has us players walk through the large tailgating area before heading to the locker-room. I had no idea as a player, how much that simple tradition meant to the fans. It be that up-close and personal with the players before they take the field is pretty cool. When I tailgated in this area for the first time, I was completely blown away.

I had so much fun! The fans were so great and welcoming to me as a former player. I went from tailgate party to party getting plates of food and drinks handed to me. Talking with fans about the upcoming game and signing autographs. I even met someone whose parents had purchased my practice jersey at an action, He says he has worn that jersey to every home game since I turned pro.

When he asked me to sign it for him I was honored. Talk about an incredible humbling experience. I can’t wait to do more college tailgating.

Pro football tailgating

Going back to tailgate at my home pro football stadium in Miami may have be the most humbling experience of my life. I was blessed to have spent 8 great seasons protecting a HOF QB, Dan Marino ,and making Pro Bowls for that performance.

Miami fans just don’t not forget their great players of the past. I have been blessed to have been inducted into the Miami Dolphins Walk of Fame and to recently be voted to their 50th university Top 50 players of All-time teams.

So going back to the now named Hard Rock stadium is truly a homecoming. Miami tailgate food is on a completely new level . You will find stone crabs, steak, every type of seafood, to simple triple stuffed hamburgers. Seeing fans all decked out in teams jerseys, singing the fight song definitely gets you pumped up for kickoff. I even ran into a few that wore my Dolphins jersey.

What I have learned about football tailgating is it’s not just about the game. Football is basically the excuse to get out and party. Sharing great food and fun with old friends or new who support the same team that you do.

Even in these split allegiance parking lots where wearing the wrong jersey can get you a ton of grief, there still in a kinship. Heck, a respect for those who support their teams. I’m a big fan of RV football tailgating. Time to check he schedules and see what games I’ll be tailgating at this season.

Special thanks to Road and Home for sponsoring this post. Whether you planning a RV football tailgate or just a simple weekend getaway, check out Road and home website for all your RV basic needs. Well, I hope you enjoyed my inside look at football tailgating from a new prospective. And if you know of a great football tailgate for me to visit, please let me know in the comments.

Keith Sims – Soulful RV Family

Retired NFL OL – Dolphins and Redskins

Iowa State Alumni – Cyclones!