Sadly the Purdue tailgate season has ended (ended sooner for me as I cannot attend the last home game). Granted Purdue’s football team was terrible this year; and when I say terrible I mean awful! I don’t think I have the vocabulary to express in text just how awful they were this year. Be that as it may, I really enjoyed tailgating with my old tailgating crew and college friends!
A friend and I started the tailgate for our group of friends nine years ago when we encroached in among several other veteran tailgaters and alum. We quickly made friends with all those around us and were soon welcomed into the group and there we stayed for these nine years (and counting). While my friend and I had to stop running the tailgate a couple years after we started it, Mike and Tammy picked up the reins and have done an amazing job to keep in running year after year.
We returned to the tailgate this year and we quickly found out how much we missed West Lafayette and how great it was to hang out with all our friends again. It’s amazing how much has changed on campus. There seemed to be new buildings springing up everywhere, but it still felt like home.
The future is impossible to predict so returning for every home game next year may, or may not, be in the budget. However, returning to a couple of the tailgates and/or a game, or two, may still be manageable. I wish my friends safe and successful tailgating for the remainder of the season and I hope to see them all again next Fall!
Boiler Up!!
Matt Vleaminck on Facebook
Mike Condon and Tammy Frank Condon