Tailgating - Powers Pet Emergency

Tailgating:
‘The last American
neighborhood’
A look at tailgating
at Johns Hopkins
Hot new tailgating
recipes!
The Hitch-N-View:
A new look at tailgating
Extreme Football
Tailgaters Contest:
Submit your entries today.
jan/feb I 2012 I SAMPLE ISSUE
tailgatingdigest.com
2
jan/feb I 2012 tailgatingdigest.com
contents
5
departments:
4
5
9
14
Letter from the publisher
Hot new tailgating recipes
Beer-Thirty
Product review: The Hitch-N-View
10
features:
6
8
10
15
Johns Hopkins homecoming traditions
Photo Assignment: Calling all entries
Tailgating: The ‘Last American Neighborhood’
Tailgating Games Crossword
jan/feb I 2012
3
publisher’s note
Welcome Fellow
Tailgaters!
www.TailgatingDigest.com
Volume 1, Issue 1
January/February 2012
Publisher
Marc Heyman
T
ailgating is all about having fun, whether it’s at an NFL game,
an NCAA sporting event or a NASCAR race. It’s about spending
time with friends and family. It’s about good food, good times
and supporting your favorite team.
In each issue of Tailgating Digest, we will cover tailgating events,
feature product reviews and showcase recipes, while also offering great
tailgating information and articles. Our goal is to inform and entertain
the avid and the casual tailgater alike. We feel there truly is a lack of
tailgating information, and that’s what Tailgating Digest is aimed at
improving, while enhancing your overall tailgating experience.
A great tailgating magazine, a great tailgating website and a great
media company is built on content, and we understand this point very
well. Nobody wants to read old news; we believe people want fresh,
unbiased and engaging content. That is what we plan on delivering
in every issue and throughout our media platforms.
In addition to great content, everyone wants to have fun while
tailgating or reading about tailgating, so regardless which platform
of ours you are reading, have fun; whether it’s checking out some cool
Assistant Publisher
Bob Schustedt
Managing Editor
Neal Reid
Creative Director
Dean Maurry
Web Editors
Dave Lamm and Neal Reid
Contributing Writers:
Steve Glor, Neal Reid, Kevin Carmody
Bill Eichenberger, Dave Lamm
Brandon Gunning
Publisher’s Office
Tailgating Digest
1720 Glenbar Drive, Suite 100
Finksburg, MD 21048
410-456-8865
Editorial and Advertising Sales
Tailgating Digest
c/o Publishing Support
P.O. Box 2428
Monument, CO 80132
719-484-0280 (phone)
719-487-1859 (fax)
[email protected]
reviews, seeing the latest and greatest team gear or just catching
Tailgating Digest is published
bi-monthly by Tailgating Digest, LLC,
1720 Glenbar Drive, Suite 100,
Finksburg, MD 21048.
Happy Tailgating.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Tailgating Digest,
c/o Publishing Support,
P.O. Box 2428, Monument, CO 80132
tailgating pictures from around the country, reading real product
up on some great tailgating party ideas and happenings, enjoy!
Marc Heyman
Head Tailgater
Copyright © 2012
by Tailgating Digest.
1720 Glenbar Drive, Suite 100
Finksburg, MD 21048
All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
4
jan/feb I 2012 tailgatingdigest.com
Designed, Produced & Printed in the U.S.A.
get cookin’
Recipes to make your tailgating
experience a tasty one...
Chicken Chorizo Burger
What it is: A chicken burger with a nice surprise mixed in the middle.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground chicken
1 egg
Hot sauce
Salt and pepper to season
1/3 lb chorizo
4 slices pepper jack cheese
Hamburger buns
Optional: Sliced onions
Be sure to bring something to wash and sanitize your hands. Some
disposable food handling gloves would be a good idea as well.
Pre-Game Prep: In a large bowl mix chicken, chorizo and egg. Depending on your chorizo,
you may want to try and break that up before you add it. From that mixture, form four patties.
It’s pretty gooey stuff, so for transport, I would recommend a hard-sided container to help them
keep their shape. Since we are dealing with raw chicken and pork, be especially cautious to not
cross contaminate with your other food. Put the meat and cheese in the cooler, and you’re set.
At the Tailgate Party: Start your grill, and get it nice and hot. It would also be a good idea to
brush that grate off while you’re at it. When the grill is ready, reduce the heat to medium and oil
the grates to reduce sticking. Just before you put the burgers on, season them with the salt and
pepper. Do this on the side that will go down first. I also find it helpful to spread the meat out so
it doesn’t ball up on you. Go ahead and season the other side before you close the lid.
You’ll want to grill the patties until an internal temperature of 180. The cooking time will vary
based on the grill and temperature, but I had good luck with 10 minutes per side. The chorizo
has a lot of fat, so be sure to watch for flare-ups. Keeping the lid closed will help with that. Also
resist the urge to flip these a lot, as once is enough. If you brought the onions, toast those up around five minutes from the
end. When your meat is done, put your cheese on, and toss the buns on the grill. If you brought butter, you can use it, but I
just did mine dry. To serve, I just squirt some hot sauce on top. Enjoy!
--Brandon Gunning
Bacon Wrapped Garlic Cream Cheese Jalapeño Poppers
No matter what you are serving for your main tailgating menu item, you always need some sort of a warm-up appetizer. Although I would love to claim this recipe has great tradition in my family, I cannot tell a lie. I actually discovered this recipe last
October while serving as a tailgating spokesperson on behalf of Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. Allison, the PR gal that
was coordinating the media campaign, showed me this recipe. Since then, it has been a regular on my tailgating grill because
it is so simple and easy, yet tastes so good. Also, because these are “finger foods,” your tailgate party
Tailgating tip
guests can just pick up a popper using the toothpick and still walk around and socialize.
: Th
What you’ll need:
12-14 fresh jalapeño peppers, 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 table spoons minced garlic
(garlic powder works as a substitution) 1 lb. sliced bacon and moistened toothpicks.
ese can
easily be pu
t together th
e night
prior to the ta
ilgating party
and
frozen overni
ght. Take them
out of the fre
ezer on your
way
out the door
and let them
defrost on yo
ur way to the
parking lot.
What to do:
Slice each jalapeño in half length-wise. Remove all the seeds and inner membranes, leaving just the
outer portion of the pepper. Mix the cream cheese and garlic together in a bowl, making sure all the
garlic is thoroughly distributed in the cream cheese. Fill each pepper until the cream cheese fills the cavity
where the seeds once were. Wrap the filled peppers with one slice of bacon and hold together with toothpick.
(Tip: Soak toothpicks in water for 30 minutes to prevent the grill from igniting the wood.)
Place the peppers on a medium heat grill so as to not sear and burn the bacon. Turn frequently to ensure
all sides are cooked. When the bacon is crispy, remove and serve immediately.
--Dave Lamm
Serves: 4-6 tailgaters
jan/feb I 2012
5
tailgating
A tradition all its own
Johns Hopkins
BY KEVIN CARMODY
homecoming celebration like
none other in college realm
If homecoming conjures thoughts of an early fall morning
with friendly folks sharing years of memories with a hot cup
of their favorite beverage, perhaps with a chill in the air, they
probably share sentiments with most people.
They just won’t duplicate that same experience at Johns
Hopkins University.
At the Baltimore university of some 5,000 undergraduates, homecoming is traditionally held in the late spring to
coincide with lacrosse season. That’s because at Johns Hopkins, lacrosse stands alone. It’s the school’s only NCAA Division I sport, and if you know anything about college lacrosse,
JHU is the standard for which all others strive.
Mark May 4-5, 2012, on your calendar for this year’s
festivities, with the obvious highlight being the JHU-Army
lacrosse contest
Just look at the numbers: 44 national championships
and more than 900 victories in a storied 121-year history,
with its home games at legendary Homewood Field. It’s here,
at this century-old institution, where scores of students,
friends and alumni pack the “Nest,” its student section, and
the rest of the facility to cheer the Blue Jays to victory – and
for good reason. More than 85 percent of the home games
have resulted in Blue Jays wins since 1980.
At JHU, homecoming expands well beyond the athletic
arena and how many goals the Blue Jays score. With its
place well secure as a world leader in teaching and research,
homecoming assemblies are warm gatherings of students
and alumni from through the years.
So, while the topic of ground balls and extra-man advantages certainly will be talked about, so will lectures on medicine and ground-breaking technology, as well as beer tasting
and a battle of a cappella groups for the musically inclined.
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jan/feb I 2012 tailgatingdigest.com
“We obviously have a strong history in lacrosse, so that’s why
we have homecoming in lacrosse season in the spring,” said
Steven Walsh, a JHU alumnus and assistant director of the
Homewood Reunion Program. “We have probably in the ballpark of 90 to 100 events in a span of 48 hours. We’ll usually
have a couple of prominent professors come back to school
to give a lecture.”
And that’s just the start.
Baltimore is just a little famous for its crabs, so its traditional crab cake luncheon undoubtedly is a can’t-miss event
prior to the homecoming game.
“We had 1,500 people come back just for the luncheon,” Walsh said. “It’s our biggest event, other than the
game, of course.”
An attendance of 5,727 watched the Blue Jays hold off
Loyola in the 2011 homecoming game, with obviously many
more on campus and in the Baltimore area enjoying the
plethora of activities.
This, of course, meant many tailgaters also soaked up
the opportunity for fellowship and good times, no matter the
result.
Enter Chris Dax, also known as the leader of the “party
folks.”
“My role is to work on the development and fundraising
aspects for the athletic program, and how to organize things
for our culture and how to do a traditional tailgate,” said Dax,
the director of development of Blue Jays Unlimited, a group
comprised of volunteer alumni, friends and staff dedicated
to support and promote all JHU athletics program. “We’re
a little different in that we provide a location and typically
provide a sort of refreshment or food item. They come and
enjoy. It’s simple and hands free.”
While homecoming indeed is aimed at bringing students back to their alma mater, its football team, one of the
school’s 21 Division III sports, is hoping the start of a new tradition soon will become its “other” homecoming.
By switching one of its traditional Saturday afternoon games to Friday night, Dax and his athletic department
comrades think they’ve tapped into a new audience, giving the game quite a different feel under the bright lights of
Homewood Field.
“We thought it was a way to get more students to the game, and it’s neat to see the whole family out the whole
evening at the game,” Dax said. “We’ve found that for the kids on the team, that game means most to them, being
on center stage. It’s one special game to look forward to. It also attracts a different group of students that wouldn’t
normally get out for a noon game. At Hopkins, our students are at the library more than they’re tailgating.”
The efforts are working; while the four matinee games drew between 600-1,500 fans, the Friday evening contest was attended by nearly 2,000 fans.
So, maybe a few blanket-wrapped fans did reminisce about the good-old days with a hot cup of joe. At Johns
Hopkins, homecoming still is king of the spring, but a fall counterpart is keeping the old feeling alive.
jan/feb I 2012
7
photo assignment
Show Your
True Tailgating
Colors
8
jan/feb I 2012 tailgatingdigest.com
Have a great photo from one of your recent tailgates
you’d like to share? Send it our way, and we’ll enter it
into our Photo Contest and give you a chance to win
prizes and bragging rights. Simply go to www.TailgatingDigest.com and submit your photo for the Photo
Contest and see what happens! Happy tailgating!
BEER-
THIRTY
TailGate Beer now available in cans
BY DAVE LAMM
We have been a big fan of San Diego-based craft brewery TailGate Beer for a while now. Not only because they put
out great craft beer, but they also fully embrace the tailgate
party lifestyle.
They understand tailgating and the integral role good
beer plays. The brand name “TailGate Beer” wasn’t arrived
upon by a bunch of focus group idiots who thought it would
be a great way to appeal to a target demographic. The name
was derived because the founder of the brewery is a tailgater
himself.
It is this passion and understanding of the unique needs
of tailgaters that pushed Wesley Keegan, the founder of TailGate Beer, to put his craft beer in an aluminum can. TailGate
Beer became available in a can in late March and tastes just
as good as if it was out of a bottle.
Over a year ago, our designated beer reviewer Mike “the
Beer Guy” did a review on TailGate’s Blacktop Blonde. That
particular brew was the first to be placed in cans, and we
had the chance to sample it. As expected, it was quite good.
Whether it is marketing and advertising or just plain old
stereotyping, many of us hold onto the belief that beer tastes
better out of a bottle compared to a can. Maybe it is because
many cheaper, low-quality beers are exclusively offered in
cans, and that fact skews our perception of how good beer is
supposed to be packaged.
A quality craft beer can’t possibly taste good when it
comes in the same metal can that could be holding Pabst Blue
Ribbon or Keystone Light, right? That’s simply not true, and
I can assure you that TailGate Beer in a can does not have a
metallic taste or taste “cheap.”
The main reason for putting craft beer in a can is that TailGate Beer is meant to be consumed outdoors and hopefully in
the confines of a parking lot. Many lots around the country are
moving away from allowing glass bottles. Qualcomm Stadium,
for example, has a strict no-glass policy, and tailgaters who
have even a glass jar of salsa can receive tickets written by the
patrolling police.
Fears of broken glass popping tires or shards of glass cutting someone have prompted these glass bans. Even worse,
a glass bottle could potentially be used as a weapon to hit
someone over the head. It’s pretty difficult to hurt someone by
hitting them with an empty aluminum can. That’s the reason
why TailGate Beer has chosen to put its beer in a can. To be
the official beer of tailgating, it needs to be packaged in a way
that makes it welcomed at all parking lots.
Another benefit of Tailgate Beer in a can is that it comes
packaged with six cans in a cardboard box. TailGate Beer does
not sell their canned beer in those plastic six-pack holders you
need to cut with scissors in order to prevent wildlife from getting their heads stuck in them. The cardboard box is a lot like
those boxes other beers come in when packaged in 12-packs
or by the case.
Two benefits of TailGate Beer coming in a cardboard box
is the box can be recycled, thus cutting down on waste. The
second benefit is that the box acts as a mini-cooler that helps
to insulate the cans from getting warm. It stands to reason that
a regular six-pack held together by the plastic rings would get
warmer sitting out, exposed to the open air, while the TailGate
Beer box would help keep the beers colder, longer.
Of course, the box does not substitute for putting the cans
in an ice chest, but if you are bringing the beer to the tailgate
and your friend is there and has the cooler, your beers won’t
be warm by the time you arrive.
Distribution of TailGate Beer is initially focused on the
West Coast and the Midwest, so be on the lookout for TailGate
Beer in stores in your area. For more information about TailGate Beer, visit: TailGateBeer.com.
jan/feb I 2012 9
feature: tailgating
The Last American
BY STEVE GLOR
10 jan/feb I 2012 tailgatingdigest.com
tailgating
Nearly every published list of top cities for tailgating includes Columbus, Ohio,
in the top tier of places to visit. In 2008, Scarborough Sports Marketing named
Columbus the No. 1 sports city in America, and in 2011 it was reported that
Columbus’ viewership of Super Bowl XLV was the third-highest in the country
[following only Pittsburgh and Green Bay, the teams on the field].
Neighborhood
Tailgating creates community,
camaraderie and income across the country.
Home to the NHL Blue Jackets,
the MLS Crew and AAA baseball team
the Columbus Clippers, sporting events
abound in this town. Above all else, of
course, is Buckeye football.
Buckeye football draws some of
the biggest crowds in the country. With
seven national championships and 43
bowl game appearances, it’s no wonder
they draw the crowds. This year’s Gator
Bowl will mark the 44th trip to a bowl
game for the Buckeyes.
Last year’s average attendance of
105,278 put Ohio State behind only
Michigan for highest average attendance.
Game days transform the entire area
into a sea of scarlet and gray. RV parking
permits are by pre-sell only, go on sale
over the summer and typically sell out.
Parking lots open at 5 a.m. on game days
and fill up well before game time.
Many of the houses near Lane Avenue offer lawn parking, and pre-game
festivities take place all over campus.
Tailgating at Ohio State is a big deal.
E-mails start going out Monday morning to confirm details for the upcoming
game, and many people start setting
up the day before the game, with some
going so far as to walk in their supplies
and chain tents to trees in the grassy
sections of the parking lots. All of this
takes place regardless of kickoff time,
so an afternoon game just means a
longer tailgate party.
“Buckeye Football offers a great
sense of spirit and community with
people of all ages going to elaborate
lengths to show their support for the
team,” stated OSU alumnus, Craig Little
‘84. “You can see by their setups and
even their vehicle that they have a lot
invested in the team.”
“Game days transform the entire
area into a sea of
scarlet and gray.”
He went on to say that this spirit
drives everything in the city. Buckeye
culture is everywhere, and every grocery store and department store has a
huge section devoted to anything and
everything with the “Block O” logo for
showing Buckeye pride. Even restaurants get in on supporting the team.
Tim Hortons’ Cafe & Bake Shop offers
the Buckeye bloom donut with a peanut
butter center, and Donatos Pizza arranges the pepperoni into the shape of
a Block O.
In addition to the individual tailgate
parties spread out all around Ohio
Stadium, there are several large tailgate
parties hosted by various venues,
including Riverwatch Towers and The
Varsity Club. The Varsity Club is a
restaurant and bar founded in 1959
situated less than 500 yards from the
stadium and hosts an outdoor party
before, during and after every OSU
football game. One of the more famous
tailgate parties at OSU and perhaps
the biggest tailgate party of its kind,
“Hineygate” closed the gates for good
in 2009 when the University took over
the property that had hosted the party
since 1984.
Many of the larger tailgate parties
donate a portion of their proceeds to
charity. It’s estimated that Hineygate
donated more than $650,000 to central
Ohio charities over the course of the 25
years it was in operation. Individuals
also raise money for charities through
their tailgate parties.
In 2009, Buckeye fan Travis Van
Ness bought a fire truck on eBay to
convert into the “Fire Buck,” a rolling
tribute to OSU football. The fire engine,
a Ford C-8000 Sanford Pumper, is now
jan/feb I 2012
11
feature: tailgating
fully equipped for tailgating with two
51-inch Samsung plasma televisions,
HD satellite reception through DirecTV,
a Playstation 3 with NCAA video games,
a 4000-watt generator and storage for
four ez-up tents and 15 folding chairs.
Van Ness even converted the water
tank into storage. This space holds
two full-size patio heaters, two custom
TV mounting brackets made from the
original ladder racks, both televisions,
a folding step ladder and three folding
tables. Plans for 2012 include adding a
hot tub on a trailer.
Van Ness couldn’t be happier with
the truck.
“I absolutely love
my team, but I love
bringing everyone
together even more.”
“Tailgating, for me, is more about
making others happy,” he said. “I absolutely love my team, but I love bringing
everyone together even more. This past
year, we have finally grown enough that
we decided to have a ‘Thanksgiving with
the Fire Buck’ the week before Thanksgiving and deep fried two 15-pound turkeys on the spot! Making sure everyone
stays nice and cozy; we have added a
total of 400 square feet of covered area
with two full-size patio heaters to keep
everyone out of the weather.”
With all of the comforts of home and
then some, Fire Buck tailgaters don’t
12 jan/feb I 2012 tailgatingdigest.com
even make the journey into the stadium.
Travis commented, “Our tailgate is a
little different than most. Not only do we
set up at 6:30 in the morning, regardless of the game time, we also stay
during the game and watch with friends
on the televisions, as well as ‘tablegate’
during away games at a local Buffalo
Wild Wings in Grandview, Ohio.”
The Fire Buck joins at least a half
dozen converted school busses in the
tailgate lots, all specifically built for tailgating. The Fire Buck crew’s ultimate
goal is to make the truck a part of OSU
fan history.
A lot of the tailgate parking is
across the Woody Hayes Drive Bridge
on the opposite side of the Olentangy
River. For those wearing scarlet and
gray, there are plenty of friends to be
made on the walk across the bridge to
the stadium. With average temperatures in the 50s and 40s in October
and November, dressing for the game
also means dressing for warmth.
An interesting aspect of tailgating at
Ohio State is the fact that Ohio’s open
container laws prohibiting possession of
open alcoholic beverages are enforced,
even on game day, and there is no
alcohol permitted inside the stadium.
In fact, the web page for the Office of
Legal Affairs at OSU specifically states,
“The University generally will not grant
permission for alcohol to be served at
any campus ‘tailgate’ type function during a home football weekend, except at
those University facilities permanently
licensed to serve alcohol (e.g. the Faculty Club, the Blackwell, etc.) or those
events for which a temporary alcohol
permit is obtained through the Ohio
Department of Liquor Control.”
There has never been alcohol
inside the stadium, and despite the
massive revenue potential alcohol sales
represent, that policy is unlikely to
change. With so many people packed
into the stadium on game day, there
is concern that adding alcohol to the
mix would just give fuel to the fire and
give wind to unruly fans and unsportsmanlike conduct. This just won’t do
for a school that has a Sportsmanship
Council devoted to promoting a better
fan experience at OSU home games.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that
people don’t drink alcohol at their tailgates; it just means there are a lot more
red solo cups in hand than bottles or
cans. Most fans actually don’t mind, as
this keeps people on their best behavior to avoid drawing unwanted attention
to their party (and their drinks). While
the official stance is zero tolerance
for open container violations, off the
record, most admit that in practice it
comes down to discretion and behavior.
Tailgating isn’t just about drinking
though; it’s also about the food. One
thing you’ll find at nearly every tailgate
party is Buckeye candy. Peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate are said
to resemble the buckeye nut, which is
poisonous and not nearly as tasty as
the candy version. Craig Little describes
the typical Ohio State tailgate menu
as “Hearty Midwest” with staples like
hamburgers and brats along with chips
and dips and M&Ms mixed with peanuts common throughout the tailgating
scene.
tailgating
Another common factor is the
friendliness of the fans. Many tailgaters
have new neighbors every week, so
they are constantly meeting new people
and just walking through the tailgate
areas will garner a number of invites to
stop, hang out and grab a bite. This is
what Joe Cahn, “The Commissioner of
Tailgating” calls “the last great American neighborhood, where everyone is a
neighbor, and there are no fences.”
“Tailgating gets bigger every year
because of the sense of community,”
Cahn said. “It’s become the ‘New
American Social,’ the last great neighborhood. More people are participating
and learning ways to tailgate better.
With rising prices for gas and tickets,
it’s great to know that no matter what
you put on the grill – from hamburgers to lobsters – you’re going to have a
great time.”
And Cahn would know. For the past
15 years, he has traveled the country
visiting every NFL stadium and more
than 125 college stadiums, exploring
tailgate parties and cheering on the
home team wherever he goes. Along
the way, he has sampled nearly every
cuisine and seen all sorts of pre-game
festivities.
One not-to-be-missed pre-game
tradition before every Ohio State game
is the famous OSU Marching Band’s
“Skull Sessions.” Two hours before
game time, 13,000-plus dedicated
fans gather in St. John Arena to watch
the band warm up before the game.
The band performs the pre-game and
halftime shows and runs through each
program twice. This is a great opportunity for all fans to see an amazing performance by what has been called the
largest all brass and percussion band
in the world.
The Skull Session tradition dates
back to 1932, and the band has a
whole host of its own famous traditions.
Visiting bands are invited to perform
as well, and high school bands from
around the state now warm up the
crowd before the arrival of the Ohio
State Marching Band. Along with being
a practice session for the band, the
Skull Sessions function as a pep rally.
Under former Coach Jim Tressel, the
football team even made an appearance before heading to the locker
rooms.
After the Skull Sessions, excitement
continues to build as the band makes
their entrance down the ramp and the
pre-game show begins. The sold-out
crowd goes crazy when the Buckeye football team takes the field and stays intense
throughout the game. After the game,
many fans continue to celebrate (or commiserate) in one of the many bars in the
downtown Brewery District Columbus has
to offer. Tailgaters like Van Ness just keep
right on tailgating, and then the whole
thing starts over again on Monday morning when e-mails start flowing with plans
for the next home game.
The sense of pride and community that Ohio State football brings
to Columbus, Ohio, is very evident
throughout the city. Along with those
intangible benefits, Buckeye football
brings revenue.
OSU ranks ninth among top
revenue-producing teams, according
to the Memphis Business Journal, with
2010 revenues of $63.7 million from
football. The economic benefits extend
beyond the University as well. In 2004,
the OSU Department of Athletics cosponsored a report with the Columbus
Chamber of Commerce by Paul Werth
and Associates titled, “An Analysis of
Economic Impact of OSU Athletics on
the Greater Columbus Region,” that put
the benefits of the program at roughly
$8 million in visitor spending for every
home game.
Certainly those figures have risen
since then. Add in $7.7 million in
licensing revenues (The Daily Iowan,
“UI trademark revenue increases,
goes to athletics,” April 18, 2011), and
Buckeye football is indeed a major contributor to the Columbus economy and
adds to sports’ fanatical culture.
With Urban Meyer coming on as
head coach there is already huge anticipation building for the 2012 season.
Go Buckeyes!
jan/feb I 2012
13
product review
The Hitch-N-View: A new look at tailgating
BY DAVE LAMM
A
few years ago, having a TV in the parking lot while tail-
gating was only reserved for those high-end tailgaters
or those with an RV. Now, with the price of flat screen TVs
extremely affordable and a multitude of portable satellite TV
options out there, having a TV while tailgating is not reserved
for the super rich. But despite the proliferation of TVs in the
parking lot, the same problem remains no matter what kind of
a tailgater you happen to be. Where to put it so that it is safe,
but visible for everyone? If only you could mount your TV off
the back of your car, much like your home TV is mounted to
your wall. Now you can. Introducing the Hitch-N-View.
As you can see from the photos, the Hitch-N-View is a
portable TV mount that attaches to the rear of your vehicle
via the 2-inch tow hitch receiver. We were sent a sample of
the Hitch-N-View to test out to see if it could withstand the
rigors of a real tailgating environment. Not to get too ahead
of ourselves, but we found the Hitch-N-View to be
“Tailgate Approved.”
When we first got the Hitch-N-View and opened up the
box, my first impression was how few pieces there were that
needed assembly. Obviously right out the gate, little assembly
needed is always a huge plus in my book. The next thing I
noticed was that it was lightweight, but I could tell by picking
it up that the craftsmanship was of a quality that would withstand the stresses of tailgating.
and once my satellite programming was downloaded, I was
watching college football off the back of my SUV.
One of the great features of the Hitch-N-View is that it
places your TV in a highly visible viewing area. If people are
seated in tailgating chairs behind your car, the TV is at perfect eye level. Because you typically will have a pop-up tent
or some sort of shade back there, the TV will also be shaded
and not subject to glare. The mounting brackets hold the
TV on the Hitch-N-View well, and even if the TV is bumped
by someone walking by or, God forbid, an errant football is
thrown into it, the TV will not tip over as if it had been on a
stand on a table.
The Hitch-N-View is designed to be transported to the
tailgate party inside your vehicle and then attached once you
are parked. It is recommended that you do not place a TV
more than 200 pounds on the Hitch-N-View and to always
use a hitch pin when in use. The Hitch-N-View will accommodate flat screen TVs up to 40 inches. This is not because
the Hitch-N-View could not hold that size and weight of TV,
but more because of the screw pattern on the back of the
TVs larger than 40 inches. If you have a larger TV, it will
require a special order to use the Hitch-n-View.
Overall, we liked the Hitch-N-View and think this is a
great accessory to add to anyone’s tailgating kit. Not only did
we give it the “Tailgate Approved” stamp, but because we
I started assembling the Hitch-N-View, and it took me
feel it is a quality product designed specifically for tailgating,
only about five to 10 minutes to set up and get ready to put on we have chosen to offer it in our online tailgating gear store.
the back of my SUV. I placed the mounting brackets on the
The Hitch-N-View sells for $79.95, plus $10 shipping.
back of my flat-screen TV and was ready to go. I just slid the
You can order your Hitch-N-View by logging on to
Hitch-N-View into my tow hitch receiver and placed my own
www.tailgatingideas.com.
hitch pin through the holes to hold it steady. I then unfolded
the lower tray and placed my DVR on there and then ran the
cables to the back of the TV. Once the cables were connected,
Dave Lamm is the web editor and part owner
I powered up the TV and DVR and then started looking for
of www.TailgatingDigest.com website.
a satellite signal. The total setup took less than five minutes,
14 jan/feb I 2012 tailgatingdigest.com
Sports Cities
1
2
3
4
The teams listed in each clue
5
come from the NHL, NFL, NBA
10
and MLB. Write the name of
7
8
thecity in which each team
9
is located into the crossword
10
11
12
puzzle.
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
ACROSS
1. Canucks
5. Colts
6. Giants
8. Ravens
10. Sharks
14. Bengals
17. Redskins
21. Buccaneers
22. Predators
23. Broncos
24. Angels
25. Oilers
Down
2. Blackhawks
3. Pistons
4. Pirates
7. Rams
9. Patriots
11. Senators
12. Falcons
13. Expos
15. Browns
16. Nets
18. Mariners
19. Cowboys
20. Athletics
www.word-game-world.com
jan/feb I 2012
15
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