Week 8 Report - Oklahoma

We've said it before...we'll say it again...

We OWN the tailgating scene in Lawrence, Kansas. Just let the pictures do the talking...

'Nuff said.

Whole Hog is here!

Enjoying the best tailgate ever. Great friends, great food, MTB (mike the bartender).
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Domination

Dylan is here and owning this place.
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Mike's bar is OPEN

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Operation Ice Down... Check

No worries about running out of food tomorrow with a 100 lb hog on the way. Wanted to make sure the coldest beer in the BIG XII was also the most plentiful! 450 deep! Tailgate will be up and ready by 8 am. See you then.
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Week 7 Report - Colorado (Plus Week 8 Preview)

TEAM Tailgate took a road trip for Colorado watch party...can you say Waikiki?

Although we're still dreaming about Briscoe coming down with that ball in the Endzone, you know how the ol' saying goes... "Hop right back on that HOG!"...

WELL...


Here at TEAM Tailgate we're taking that both figuratively, as well as LITERALLY. The fine folks at Fritz's will be delivering a 100 POUND smoked pig to 11th & Mississippi around 11:30 a.m. tomorrow. Please join us for pre-game celebrations prior to stomping all over OU.

1st down is 3rd down...

Update to TEAM TAILGATE Supporters and Open Message to KU Athletic Department

(Pictured Above, "Mike the Bartender" and Tim "Quality Control")

Please let this serve as a message/open letter to all of our new followers at the KUAD. In addition, we will share some pictures so that you can get to know us. Apparently, we ruffled quite a few feathers over there with our mind numbingly awesome RUN DMT t-shirts. At the last tailgate, Paul Vander Tuig -Trademark Licensing Director-, made his way over to the tailgate and asked if we were selling shirts. I said yes, asked him what size and he presented me with his business card. We had a nice and cordial conversation and he let me know at the very least, it was against the rules to sell on University property. He also voiced some concern about DMT (Des, KMagic and Todd's) eligibility being in question because they were featured on the shirt. Long story short, he was super cool about the way he handled the situation. The old, don't shoot the messenger mantra kicked in my head and I told him we would stop selling the shirts at the tailgate immediately, apologized that he had to take time away from his family to deal with us (he brought his son (I'm guessing) with him on this mission) and thanked him for not grabbing campus security to issue me a ticket for selling on campus. In all actuality, for a guy who's job title is Trademark Licensing Director and who was forced into action, family in tow, he couldn't have been cooler.


(Erik "The chef" celebrating Tailgate of the Week!)


(This is me, Jeff Dreiling "audio visual/power equipment", at a Christmas Party with my daughter's namesake (her middle name is Reese)

(The aforementioned Lucy REESE and Dad)

Bottom line here and reason why I'm sharing this with the blog readers is this. We sell the shirts to help make our tailgate better (yes, it is possible, come on Saturday to witness the whole hog roast) and we have been the biggest fans/supporters of the program with tailgates each and every week since 2001. This is the 4th T-shirt we have sold. The last two, I personally presented t-shirts to Lew Perkins and he loved them (never forget the Nebraska Blue Out from 2007). Fast forward 2 years, Orange Bowl Champions, challenging for the North, season tickets at an all time high and NOW our fandom and support of the team is a problem?

After winning tailgate of the week last week, we come to find out that a memo was sent out to the whole athletic department(on the Friday before the game) about our t-shirts/blog/tailgate. The memo was basically, make sure these guys don't win Tailgate of the week. Funny thing is we won and they filmed us and everything was fine. They had no idea we were "the t-shirt guys". That's how side note the tshirt sales are. If people asked, we sold. If not, enjoy a beer and a grilled Krispy Kreme. Obviously, these guys read the blog. My name is right in the top right hand corner. I don't use a funny user name. It is my first and last name (class of 2000). My e-mail address is my work address. I am not getting rich off of any t-shirt or tailgate, in fact I'm losing hundreds of dollars every year. Just trying to be a fan. All of the backroom, middle school whispering could have been stopped with a simple e-mail. We are fans of KU, not trying to cause problems. T-shirt sales have stopped. You won. Relax and focus on the bigger parts of your jobs. Let's focus on the Gridiron Club expansion not taking out our tailgating lot and other important things. I don't envy the job of working in an athletic department for one minute. In large it is thankless headache after thankless headache (see people selling RUN DMT t-shirts). These people are doing what they do because they truly beleive in the University of Kansas and the Jayhawks. So do we! Let's be friends. All KUAD employees are hereby invited to stop by the tailgate and enjoy some of our whole hog this weekend. Let's hug it out and prepare together to stomp OU. That's really what it's all about.

I hope and trust you will accept this offer of friendship and hope once and for all we can put an end to Hawk on Hawk crime.

Sincerely,

Jeff Dreiling (not to be confused with Joe College)

Caption Contest, anyone?

Well...
It appears TEAM Tailgate has taken home yet another honor. We've been awarded the prestigious "Caption Contest" photo from Homecoming slide show last Saturday.

Let your creative juices run wild.

Rock Chalk!

Week 6 Report - Iowa State

It's hard work for TEAM Tailgate to make this look so freaking easy...the tailgating dynasty continues!

Visitor #1 - KU camera crew...yep, "Tailgate of the Week"...again!




Go ahead and multiply how money these pics are x 10 when the corresponding video was played on the JUMBOTRON during the first quarter of the game. Yep, 50,000+ introduced to grilled Krispy Kremes...this thing is spreading like a virus.

Visitors #2 & #3 - Kansas City star camera crew + KU spirit squad


Click here for full slide show...pic #78 really looks as if they are taking it to an entirely different level of good times!

Ladies and gentlemen...The hardest working bartender in Lawrence!!!


Grill cam!


Follow the dial...

12 o'clock - Potato/Mexican cheese/green chile/onion morsels for tailgate breakfast tacos
3 o'clock - Wrapped biscuit sammys with bacon & Colby-Jack cheese
6 o'clock - Wrapped croissant sammys with Canadian bacon & Swiss
9 o'clock - An attempt to melt ice and warm bottle for hungry baby girl...as we've said since day 1, TEAM Tailgate is very family friendly!

Just another day at the office for RUN...

D - 12 receptions, 186 yards, 2 TDs


M - 16 receptions, 142 yards, 2 TDs


T - 75.5% completion percentage, 442 yards, 4 TDs (1 rush TD)


Undefeated lives here...

3 walls, ceiling, heater

Don't let the cold scare you off. 70 and toasty inside. Let's go!
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What did the MVP of the tailgate do on bye week?

We took the SatGo for a little voyage last weekend. She made her maiden voyage so to speak down at the lake of the Ozarks. We spent many a hour on the water testing out new cocktails and enjoying college football on the water. She is back safe, sound and dry and looking forward to her first cold weather game on Saturday. Don't forget, we have 3 walls, a roof and a heater so no worries about the weather. See you on Saturday. Tailgate will be up a running by 7 am.
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Week 5 Report - BYE Week

TEAM Tailgate hardly knows what to do with ourselves during this whole BYE week situation...well, how about recipe testing?!? Yes please!

Let's just say this...if KU coaches are breaking down film and players are crushing the weight room with as much tenacity as TEAM Tailgate exhibits during their BYE week, than the season is on the up and up...

We call these tasty morsels...Tex-Mex Tijuana Tailgate Nuggets. As always, the play-by-play!

Get yourself a nice blend of spices...quite a line-up, yes?


Prepare the jalapeno boats


Mix-up spices with shredded rotisserie chicken and cream cheese. Add chicken goodness to the jalapenos. Then...wait for it...yep, wrap in BACON. Add a small drizzle of honey. Bake.

BEFORE


AFTER


These little bad boys will send your taste buds to a whole new dimension. However, it never hurts to take it up, yet another notch. The devil is in the details and going the extra step is what wins championships! Take a plunge in the chipotle ranch dressing!


Come one, come all....Homecoming tailgate fires up bright & early this coming Saturday. Pop by for a beer, breakfast, and bloody! You take care of Mike the Bartender...we take care of you!