By Cameron Tillett

You can feel it in the air. Football season is right around the corner. With it comes the tradition of tailgating. Even people who do not like football can enjoy a good tailgate. Granted, you should still like football. It is not exactly something that needs a whole lot of explaining, but this column will serve as a guide to those inexperienced tailgaters out there.

A majority of you will probably go to the old Cardinal Stadium parking lot, and for good reason. There is a great amount of explosive tailgating fun to be had there. However, here are a few rules and suggestions to tailgate by:
Be friendly to opposing fans. They are there to have a good time as well, and at the end of the day, you are just watching a game. I am not saying do not talk a little trash, but there is no reason to completely ostracize another group of human beings simply because of the allegiances they hold.

Be aware of the ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control). Now I would never imply that underage U of L students would drink at a tailgate, but if for some reason you, as an underage individual, decide to imbibe alcoholic beverages, you should be notified that the ABC is out in full force to crack down on such persons.
Keep it under control. Regardless of your state of mind, realize that tailgates are known for getting out of hand. There is no need for any fights to break out, especially between fans of the same school. In addition, a lot of senseless and purposeless things happen. And if you find yourself in a situation where you are about to do a front flip into a makeshift truck bed pool, just think to yourself, “is there any part of this that seems like a bad idea?”

Socialize! This one should pretty much be a given. Tailgating is about people getting together to celebrate one of the great American pastimes. Surely you will be able to find something to talk about with these people. However if you’re struggling for a conversation topic maybe you could…

Talk football! Talking sports is a pastime spawned out of a pastime. After all, ESPN has plenty of shows dedicated to simply talking sports. It is a strange thing but many, including myself, love talking about something that they had absolutely no effect on them.

Toss the ole pigskin around. Play a few games of two-hand touch. This will just help solidify the overall tailgate experience.
Follow these guidelines and I am sure you will have a fantastic tailgate. In addition to the old Cardinal Stadium lot, there are a number of other places to check out on game day. The Parrish House on South Floyd Street offers a great time as does Rick and Jeff’s tailgate. In addition, an Alumni Tailgate will be held at Jim Patterson stadium for the Murray State game on Sept. t, so make sure to check that out and talk to some alumni about their experiences at U of L.