Tailgater's Guide to the Crimson and Gray Game

Tomorrow's Crimson & Gray game is a chance for our Cougars to play against some live competition and simulate in-game environments as a final preparation before heading into the offseason. Our coaches and athletes aren't the only ones who should be prepping for the fall tomorrow, as Joe Albi Stadium is a great location for tailgating and provides an excellent opportunity to work out some kinks before September gets here and we get serious about the grill.

If you're looking for ideas on how to play this out, CougCenter has you covered.

Where: Joe Albi Stadium, Spokane, WA. The entrance to the tailgating lots are long Wellesly Ave and lead to a giant grass field parking/tailgating area. The stadium holds 26,000 fans. Most of whom will be in the beer garden.

Price: FREE-NINETY-NINE

Hours: "Kickoff" (is there a kickoff?) is at 2pm. Let the weather decide how long you want to stay outside by your grill. I suggest four hours, but if you need to ease in to things, that's ok too.

Weather: Probably rain, but let Bill Moos tell you himself.

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What to Grill: You aren't in your regular Pullman surroundings and you aren't in midseason form, so I recommend sticking to the basics. This isn't the game to show up at 6 AM to roast a pig. Save that for Oregon State, or whichever event you've invited me to attend. I've had great success in the past with bacon wrapped hot dogs, only I use cream cheese instead of mayo and mustard. If Nusser shows up to your tailgate, make sure he brings his own ketchup. If you insist on prepping tonight, soak your brats in a bag filled with PBR, or marinate some chicken wings in your favorite hot sauce.

What to Drink: All of it. Spring games are, by nature, a little bit boring, so feel free to use tomorrow as a reason to get really socialized off your drink of choice. My recommendation is to not buy beer until tomorrow morning when you know whether or not it's going to rain. Weather is a big deal when it comes to beer. I remember last season during one of the 100 degree games in September, a friend of mine brought a couple six-packs of Jolly Roger he had been saving for the occasion in honor of our new Pirate Coach. Jolly Roger is a great beer. But it's a nightmare to get down when it's that hot. By the same token, recommending a Saison or something Summer-y isn't going to help you if it's 48 degrees and pouring. The beer garden in the stadium serves all your favorite macro-brews, so if you are one of those people (like me) who hates drinking craft beer and later switching to Miller Lite, it may be in your best interest to stick with that all day.

TL; DR: You're a damn Coug. Act like it. Find something to pour down your throat and swallow it.

Pro Tip: If you're planning on watching the game from the beer garden, don't bother tailgating. Think of the Centerfield Beer Garden in Safeco Field and how there is room for maybe 40 people to actually watch the game and the other 300 people in there are there for the garlic fries. If you want to tailgate, bring your flask and find a seat where you can actually see what's going on.

Any other tips from our community can be found in the comment section below.