Browns Tailgating

With yet another Cleveland Browns game coming up this Sunday, I thought that this post was appropriate...What does "tailgating" mean to you? For 24 years of my life, I thought that it meant throwing burgers and hot dogs on a grill and drinking beer in some parking lot outside a stadium before a game. And to many, this is what tailgating stands for. But then I met "R" and tailgating was elevated to a whole other level that I didn't know existed. I learned one thing very quickly...Browns fans are serious about their tailgating.

My first experience was a December 31st game three years ago (now that's new love, right?!? I mean what girl agrees to go to a game and sit outside for almost 10 hours in late December when she could care less about football? Typically not this one, but I did it anyway. True love.) From that tailgate on, I have been blown away at the quality (and quantity at times) of food that comes out of the tailgate party that "R" and his friends throw each home game. From crab-stuffed peppers, home made Philly cheese steak sandwiches, gyros, the "all fried foods" extravaganza (um yuck, I wanted to puke half way through the game from all the grease), home made corn dogs, pineapple chicken sandwiches, a clambake...the list goes on. While the traditional hamburger and hot dog still have a place at many tailgates...I look around and see amazing food, Browns gear galore, interesting home made contraptions, and over-the-top everything from Browns fans. Tailgating in The Pit (our personal favorite) or Muni Lot is quite a sight to be seen. With the game coming up this weekend, I wanted to share a recent tailgate with you...

Our tailgate meals always have to involve this...
Yes, that is an industrial-size french fry cutter that provides us with fresh cut fries for every tailgate. "R" ordered it online and built the stand (which will be newly painted brown, orange, and white for the next tailgate). This is my favorite part of tailgating. But this time we took the fresh fries and combined it with...
Fresh, thick-cut Italian bread from Micheal's Bakery on Broadview Road, and sliced deli meat (we had our choice between three kinds- I went with roast beef) smothered in Provolone cheese. This, topped with a vinegar-based cole slaw (thanks, Granny for the recipe) became...

HOME MADE PANINI OVERSTUFFED SANDWICHESThey were amazing. "R" outdid himself once again. My mouth is watering just looking at the pictures.

Now we all know that tailgate parties are centered around the food and drink, but I did mention gear and contraptions above. What is the best Browns item that you've seen at a tailgate party? The motorized couch in the Muni Lot is legendary. I love the shaggy orange van decorated with carpet, ears, and googley eyes to look like a dog in The Pit. I'd kill for a motorized cooler- they are so bad a**. And the fan outfits, you can't forget those. "R" and his friends haven't taken their "gear" too far (yet?), but I do have to give a shout out to his newly built corn hole boards...
...that quickly turn into a beer pong/flip cup table with just the small addition of custom legs. Three games in one! Check out the bottle openers on each board- very handy indeed.

So what does tailgating mean to you? How do you celebrate the Browns games? Where's your favorite spot to tailgate? Here's hoping for another W this Sunday!