Erik Manassy from Jets Twit Featured in ‘Tailgate Fan’

I was asked by our good friend Angel @namedangel for some quotes about tailgating for a piece he was doing for Tailgate Fan on CBS.  The topic was how to you keep warm on a cold blistery day.  I had to go back to the memory banks and think for a while as I’ve been to about 100 games and every single one I was tailgating.

The coldest I decided was the 2009 game at “Giants Stadium” against the Bengals for the last game in that stadium.  Let’s just say I was chilled to the bone.

NamedAngel “Keeping your tail warm at your tailgate” – Special thanks to @e_man, Erik Manassy, for speaking with me to… http://t.co/fnqzpaQU 11/28/11 7:03 PM

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IT’S LIKE CAMPING

Heat is Great but the Smoke

There’s no such thing as a brief tailgate. You’re going to be there for a while, so you might as well set up camp and make sure your party is as comfortable as possible.

Erik Manassy, a New York Jets season-ticket holder and avid tailgater since 1998, is no stranger to dressing in layers. But when the temperatures really get crazy, so does his party’s preparation.

“During the cold tailgates, we bring a tent with walls,” Manassy said. “Inside the tent, we have a space heater that uses propane and there are about four to five people hovering around it. On the really cold days, we bring the firewood and fire pit.”

Who wouldn’t want to add some roasted marshmallows to the tailgate menu?

ADMITTING DEFEAT

It’s easy to convince people of your unflappable will as a super fan, but your health and well being have to be a priority. The three hours to burn before kickoff can feel inhumane in unbearable temperatures – no matter how well prepared you believe you are.

Conditions are really unforgiving if your team plays outdoors. When there isn’t a climate-controlled dome for the game, it’s your job to know how much your body can handle for the next three to six hours.

Me on that Cold Day

“The coldest tailgate I can remember was the Jets’ [Week 17] game against the Cincinnati Bengals to close out Giants Stadium [on Jan. 3, 2010],” Manassy recalled. “I was chilled to the bone. I hate to admit it, but I retreated to the car and stuffed those heaters in my socks, arms, you name it.”

There’s no shame in that, at all.