Dear Branden,

Thanks for the question, it's always good to see people have a respect for the tradition known as tailgating. 

Some people say tailgating started at LSU in the early 1900s, some people claim is started in 1869 in New Jersey, and some people claim it started when the first two-lane highway opened up and the jerk behind them followed too close.  To be honest, I don't really know the true origins of tailgating, but I do have my opinion. 

My guess is it all started shortly after the civil war--a time when brothers no longer had to fight brothers and neighbors could be friends again.  I'm picturing a fall day and two neighbors, both farmers living close together, one barely north and one barely south of the mason-dixon line, and both looking at their freshly harvested fields.  As they relaxed after a hard week's worth of work, and anxiously anticipated spending time with friends and family, they both decided to crack a beverage of choice, snack on some homemade foods, and relax in the back of their mule-pulled wagons.  While each sat and enjoyed their time, they both looked over and saw what the other was doing and noticed it wasn't so far from what they themselves were doing.  At that moment, both farmers, previously enemies in a ferocious war, walked towards each other.  Once they were just feet from each other, one extended his hand.  The other stood there, motionless, wondering what was this man was up to.  Was it a trick, or did he truly want to bury the hatchet in the new found light of having something in common?  Slowly, the other hand was raised and grasped the already extended hand.  Shortly thereafter, each farmer realized, they weren't all that different, and although they had different teams, they both shared the same passion for relaxation after hard week of work and in anticipation of an event.  Thus my friends the first tailgate.

Is this a true story?  Probably not, but it sure is a better story than than some crap about a group of people randomly getting together before a football game in the 1800's.  Right? 

Here's to you,

Tony