You may think we have come quietly to the end of the football season with barely a whimper. The Seahawks did not make the playoffs. The Huskies earned a trip to the college playoff championship game, but missed giving the Wolverines of Michigan their comeuppance. There was plenty of partying here in the PNW up to the end of those games. All that is left now are the parties for the four NFL teams from San Francisco, Baltimore, Detroit, and Kansas City, followed by the Super Bowl Game on February 11. Nevertheless, the regular football season provided the best of parties in the form of the tailgate celebrations before, during, and after the games, always outside.

Sporting News says Ole Miss has the “Holy Grail of Tailgating” at The Grove in Oxford, Mississippi. The university’s promotional material even includes tailgating events for student recruitment, and as a reason to visit Oxford as a tourist. The huge parking lots for Kansas City Chiefs home games are adjacent to Interstate 70 and provide ample space for tailgating on game days. When the breeze is right, the smoke from the grilling can actually impede the drive by on I-70. When the breeze is wrong it can be negative-6 degrees, as it was ten days ago. Mud Hollow is an area adjacent to the Wabash College football stadium providing room for tailgating. When I was in college it was in fact a “mud hollow” used for intramural football.

Starting in 1970, there was a monthly potluck dinner held at the Beach Club through the winter months. Covid interfered with that string of years, but it seems time to restart the dinners. Fran Bodman, Nancy Kiesler, and BJ Luce decided it was time to bring back the pot luck evenings with a rousing tailgate party. It seemed the perfect way to get excited again about community pot lucks.

They prevailed upon me to be the MC for the party last Saturday evening. A decision had to be made about which Wabash sweatshirt I would wear. I only have one KC Chiefs hat these days, a condition which will be remedied when they make the Super Bowl this year. My original iPod has a playlist of college fight songs constructed for some long-ago party so it could provide background music. Yes, I even have a megaphone from a college reunion. My friends, we have the all makings of a tailgate party!

After the few people who had never attended one of the potlucks in the past introduced themselves, I asked where they went to college or high school. I then encouraged them to sing their fight song. The responses were predictably tepid. I then asked the folks in the room who went to the University of Washington if they knew that fight song. Dean Morgan led about 10 folks in a rousing version of “Bow Down to Washington,” generating enthusiastic applause from the rest of the room. Most of us wore a hat or shirt from an institution of higher learning. Vic Draper wore his Cal Berkeley jacket, which appeared to have never been worn before. That blue and gold can take over a room!

Thanks to all who attended what may become an annual theme for a party at this time of year. There was energy, fun, and good food. Heck, the party at the Beach Club could get you excited about seeing Taylor Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs versus Buffalo Bills game on Sunday. What a game!

Love a curmudgeon and have a great week. Go Chiefs.