Pass the Mustard

Regular season football is winding down, and thus ends our season of frustration. I’m a Jets fan and my boys are Bills fans, so there is some rivalry between us, but we share a contempt for the New England Patriots.

We went to see the Bills play the Lions on Sunday, taking advantage of the late-season cheap ticket dump. This time of year, even the most loyal fans decide that a pointless game during the third week of December is something they can live without.

But not us!

Bills fans are legendary partiers, and on Sunday we sought out the epicenter of Buffalo pre-game activity: the Red Pinto Tailgate. This is where “Pinto Ron” presides over a bizarre scene where people are drinking shots from a bowling ball, eating meatballs from a bed pan and cooking over a red Ford Pinto that’s been converted into a huge grill.

The celebration peaks when Pinto Ron is doused with mustard and ketchup. I can’t explain why. Some things in life require no explanation.

It was uncommonly mild for Buffalo in December and the Bills won, so overall it was a fine day. A pair of curmudgeons behind me were complaining about the game day tailgating culture, saying it was bad for the game. C’mon, man. Get out in the parking lot and have a sausage and pepper sandwich. Watch some guy being sprayed with condiments. Meet some other fans and share your guacamole. And most certainly, drink a shot out of that bowling ball.

5 thoughts on “Pass the Mustard

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *