If You're Going to Make a Dip

Then do it right. No off-the-shelf stuff for us.

Smoked Salmon Dip

Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound (4 ounces) smoked salmon, minced




I salt packed two Alaskan wild caught filets with sugar and cracked peppers for 20 hours.


I watched some football.


Then, I smoked the salmon at 160 degrees for almost four hours in oak and hickory.


The smoke rendered two flavor infused filets.


The finished dip....perfection.

Practice Makes Perfect

Time is running out. College football is here. NFL begins Thursday.

Are you ready?

The Extreme Tailgate Wing Sauce Is Back

Gets yours opening day. Just the right amount of heat, but not too much.

Game One Preview

Wing Eater of the Week

Hands down, the winner is Kevin. Kevin makes it look easy, but don't doubt his skills that come from years of dedication and hard work.

Technical Tailgating

Last night I did a dry run on the smoker with an eight pound pork shoulder. I used a weber smokey mountain with a temperature regulator. At 225 degrees for 12 hours rendered slightly over 5 pounds of BBQ pork.


Serving size is about 4 ounces per person. This alone should yield about 20 servings.

For the lions, depending on the count, I'll decide how many pork shoulders to cook for game day.

It Is All About the Food

Yes, We Did That Too

The perfect thing for a hot day. Take the challenge.



It's good someone took the drinks out of that cooler.

Preseason Week 2 Panthers vs Chiefs

By Daniel Lacy - Well, I am officially back at college after getting everything moved into my dorm room on Thursday. My schedule the past four days has been band, band, and more band. Practice ended at 10 so I didn't get to start watching the game until the end of the third quarter. However, this is my take based on the statistics I looked at and what I saw from the rest of the game.

This was Cam Newton's first game since he had surgery on his ankle over the offseason. He and the rest of the offense started out slowly, but got a spark in the second quarter with help of a few big passes from Newton and a more productive running game, they ended the half leading 14-6. Jonathan Stewart scored both short yardage touchdowns in his first game since who knows how long. Newton ended the game 4/9 with 65 yards.



The Panthers' lone passing touchdown for the night came from Derek Anderson to Brenton Bersin on a 16 yard score. Bersin is fighting for a roster spot as a reserve receiver.

The first play I saw when I walked in the door was a running play in which DE Frank Alexander ran down the running back and brought him down from behind, preventing a big gain. He is suspended the first four games so he won't be able to produce right away, but Ron Rivera named him the training camp MVP after playing more consistently and constantly creating havoc for the offensive line players.

Two plays after that, LB AJ Klein cut in front of the TE to intercept a pass and returned it down to the 8 yard line.

After that, RB Fozzy Whittaker pounded the ball into the endzone to put the Panthers up 28-16, which ended up being the final score of the game. Whittaker had a fantastic night, finishing with 12 carries for 71 yards and added a 22 yard catch. In the first two games, he has shown his speed and versatility not only to catch the ball out of the backfield, but convert in short yardage situations. He has an impressive burst and was constantly eluding defenders and breaking tackles. I didn't see him go down on the first hit all night. If Kenjon Barner doesn't earn the job handling kicks and/or punts, I say that Whittaker played good enough to take his roster spot.

WR Philly Brown muffed a punt in the 4th quarter, which didn't help his cause for a roster spot at all. Based on what I have heard, the guys vying for return spots haven't played well at all, making it more likely that the Panthers will just cut all of them and try to get a guy at the end of roster cuts.

So yeah, after a slow start, the Panthers rallied and won the game 28-16. The next game will be the most important because the starters will likely play through the third quarter. After that, the roster gets cut down to 75, then the fourth game is spent evaluating the players who are fighting to make the final roster. When I get a chance, I will predict what the final roster will be. Time will tell what will actually end up happening.

A Few Videos from Behind the Scenes

Mopping the ribs....oh they smelled so good.

Behind the scenes at ETS kitchen.

Out on the dining and dance floor.

Preseason in the Books

Details to follow.

It Is Tailgate Eve and All Through the Parking Lot

Extreme Technical Tailgating take a tremendous amount of planning.

Tomorrow will be very hot with records crowds. We need fans, shade, and ice, lots of it. Tomorrow's menu is varied and complex. All of it needs refrigeration, more ice. So much ice is needed that we have reinforcements of ice coming in later in the day.


It took three stops to get it all today. Sams club had some items, Costco a few other items, and the final stop was Gmart which has a super seafood counter and hard to get until now, ethnic items. European, Asian, Caribbean, whatever. Gmart is one of my new favorite stops.


The meat, drinks, and groceries are piling up in the back of the van.


After two days of chopping and prepping food, washing and cleaning equipment, the tailgate bar and truck are loaded and ready for the road.


First thing in the morning, we will descend on the hallowed tailgate grounds.

Did I I say it was going to be hot tomorrow?

Final Menu Announcement Carolina vs Chiefs

Smoked Bloody Marys
BBQ pork
BBQ baby back ribs
Korean BBQ
Beer steamed brats
Dry rubbed wings
Parmesan corn on the cob
Steamed mussels with Sourdough bread
Creamy cole slaw
Sausage baked pork and beans
There could be some chicken or whatever gets in the cart.

Early risers will have eggs, bacon and whatever comes off the grill. It will all be good.

You bring your beer, drinks, and a side. See you there.

Capacity Added To the Fleet

We can't seem to have enough chaffing dishes sometimes so we added a third roll top dish to the fleet.


Four and a half dishes in all. That'll do.

The Tailgate Plates Are In

They will know who we are by our dedication. - Me

Development of The Extreme Tailgate Logo

Back around 2003, when we still just a small group, the idea of an official logo was tossed around.

One in our group had access to a graphic artist and he committed to developing a logo for our group. We called our effort Extreme Tailgate.

What we wanted was a name that was generic, not necessarily associated with any team or city. We wanted a name that sounded civilized and cultured to absurdity. And we wanted a logo that looked vintage and resembled an old school Ivey League feel, much like the Harvard Rowing team.



What came from this was Extreme Tailgate Society. The name sounded snooty enough and silly enough to meet the goals. The emblem came out dead on. I could see the emblem embroidered on a patch, mounted on the front pocket of a blazer.....hey that's an idea.

The logo was great, we went by the name, but the graphic was shelved for almost a decade.

In recent years the logo was resurrected by branding wing sauce, koozies, the Facebook and Twitter account, several flags, and the big new tent.

We have had a few enquirers about franchising the club so to speak. This year we will flag the flag over Charlotte 49ers Football along with our original group at Carolina Panthers.

Inventory Day at Extreme Tailgate

It was time to get my ducks in a row. It is just seven days and we will be tailgating. Time to toss last years mustard, don't you think?


The new coolers are ready along with the old standby since day one. I find it easier on my back to have multiple coolers vs one giant cooler. A few smaller coolers walked away last season so I decided to label them this year.


The new 55 gallon garbage can is ready for duty. I am always changing out garbage. This should slow it down.


The bar stools are dusted for the mahogany lounge. It looks like we will have a full house at the lounge for the game.


The lucky eggs were awakened from their winter sleep. They look and smelled exactly as I remember.....latex with a hint of kerosene.


Next, the shopping list.

Preseason Week 1 Recap: Panthers vs Bills

By Daniel Lacy - After a hard fought game, the Panthers lost to the Bills, 20-18. The Bills were clearly the better team in the first half, but the Panthers, led by Joe Webb, looked much better in the second half and were almost able to stage a comeback. In the end, it came down to a missed PAT and two failed two point conversions. They unexpectedly recovered an onside kick and looked as if they had a chance to win the game, but rookie WR Marcus Lucas lost control of a pass and Buffalo CB Jonathan Meeks intercepted it and ultimately ended the game.

It started off with Buffalo making an impressive drive down the field led by EJ Manuel and a few big runs from CJ Spiller. However, they failed a fourth down conversion near the goal line after LB Chase Blackburn tackled RB Fred Jackson in the backfield. Pushed against their own goal line, the Panthers went three and out after a pair of short runs and an overthrown pass intended for first round WR Kelvin Benjamin.

Buffalo started the next drive with great field position. A pair of passes to first round WR Sammy Watkins got the Bills in field goal range as the put the first points on the board. In the ensuing drive, QB Derek Anderson impressively converted a pair of third down conversions with his legs as the Panthers drove down the field. The drive concluded with probably the most eye opening play of the night, when Anderson threw it down the sideline and Benjamin made the diving TD catch despite tripping while the ball was in the air. It was his only catch of the night, but plays like that solidify his status as the no. 1 wideout on this team. Backup K/P Jordan Gay missed the PAT.

The next two drives ultimately ended in punts, then each team proceeded to put in their second team players. The Bills, led by former Duke QB Thad Lewis, drove down the field to set up a score, but K Dan Carpenter's attempt at a 45 yd field goal bounced off of the left upright. QB Matt Blanchard, who was on the team's practice squad last season, got sacked and fumbled on his first dropback and Buffalo recovered on the Panthers' 28 yd line. RB Bryce Brown proceeded to run twice for 25 yds, and it took RB Anthony Dixon two attempts to plow it into the endzone to put Buffalo up 10-6.

Another Blanchard drive, another three and out. Buffalo muffed the punt but recovered and they had a chance to extend the lead, but they too went three and out, giving the Panthers a chance to put up points with just under two minutes left in the half. However, on second down, Blanchard overthrew WR Tiquan Underwood and DB DaNorris Searcy came up with the interception. Buffalo ended the half with a 42 yd field goal from Carpenter.

Fortunately, QB Joe Webb started off the second half in an attempt to stage a comeback. Unfortunately, the Panthers had been unable to get anything going on the ground all night, and despite the lineup change, they still weren't able to. The first drive consisted of a completion to WR Brenton Bersin and an impressive 3rd down conversion in which Webb scrambled and fought his way through three defenders to pick up a first down. However, the drive stalled around midfield and the Panthers were forced to punt. Brown looked impressive for the Bills all night, picking up a pair of first downs for them on their next drive. However, they were forced to punt, but ended up pinning the Panthers on their own 5. Once again having little room to work with, the Panthers went three and out.

The Bills were already in field goal range after gaining just one first down, but on the next play, QB Jeff Tuel overthrew the receiver and last year's preseason All-Pro CB Josh Norman came down with the interception in the endzone. Webb threw a pass deep down field that was caught by WR Tavarres King and ended up being a 52 yd completion but was called back because of a holding penalty by Canadian LT David Foucault. However, the Panthers were able to drive down the field with a few nice catches in traffic from King as they looked to tie the game. The drive ended with a 6 yd TD run from UDFA RB Darin Reaves, where he outran some players and flat out ran over a couple others. They could've tied the game, but decided to go for two and failed. 13-12 Buffalo early in the 4th.

A good kickoff return from former NC State WR TJ Graham put the Bills in good field position. Brown again gained the majority of the Bills' yards as the drove into the redzone. Dixon attempted to finish it, but the Panthers' run defense wasn't going to let him through this time. The drive ended with a 1 yd pass from Tuel to WR Chris Summers,

Down 20-12 with just under six minutes left, the Panthers had a shot to tie the game. They impressively were able to drive down the field, having to convert on third and fourth down a few times. Struggling to find a rhythm with the wideouts, Webb found TE Brandon Williams open deep in the middle of the field for the 31 yd TD. The went for the two point conversion to attempt to tie the game, but Webb threw it at the feet of UDFA WR Philly Brown. 20-18, Buffalo with about 1:30 left.

The Panthers were forced to attempt an onside kick if they wanted any chance to win the game. Webb completed a pass to RB Fozzy Whittaker then to WR Marcus Lucas. However, Lucas dropped the next pass and Bills' CB Jonathan Meeks caught it out of the air, allowing the Bills to kneel out the rest of the clock.

Preseason games are all about the coaches and front office affiliates observing and evaluating the players on the roster so they can decide who makes the final cut and set the depth chart for the upcoming season. Here are some of my observations:

LB Chase Blackburn has faced some competition for the starting job from second year LB AJ Klein, but played very well this game and looked to have solidified his job. He made a few tackles in the backfield, including one in the beginning of the game near the goal line on fourth down that prevented the Bills from getting points despite an impressive drive.
With RB Kenjon Barner starting, the Panthers weren't able to get their running attack going all night. However, that wasn't entirely his fault. The first team offensive line had a lot of trouble blocking and failed to open up holes for the RBs. They were a little better in pass protection, but Anderson was obviously having to scramble more than he usually does.

Despite having a rough camp, second round DE Kony Ealy played well, logging a few pressures and tackles in the backfield, showing constant effort and hustling whenever he was on the field.

Of the receivers, King looked the best. He finished with 4 catches for 50 yds and would have eclipsed 100 yds had his 52 yd reception not been negated by the penalty. No other WR had more than 3 catches for 23 yds (Philly Brown, who made a few special teams plays but I would've liked to have seen more from him on offense).

TE Brandon Williams was somewhat quiet until the end of the game when he caught the 31 yd TD that almost tied the game. He finished with 3 catches for 50 yds and did a decent job blocking as well. He has great size and speed with a ton of potential, and word is that he improved a lot over the offseason. Given these facts, he has a better chance to make the roster but will have to beat out free agent pickup Ed Dickson for a role in the offense, which is easier said than done.

QB Matt Blanchard, who was on the practice squad last year, struggled mightily for the short amount of time he played. He was in three drives and they ended with a fumble, a three and out, then an interception. If he continues to play that poorly, he might not even make the practice squad.

I think I will wait a week to predict the final roster for the Panthers. I would like to see more from the players on the roster bubble, most notably the receivers, so I can make an estimate on where each player stands. Thanks!

Impressive Upgrades

Beyond our tailgate upgrades.....we were impressed with the Big Cats efforts. Nice jobs Carolina!

Technical Tailgating

Technical Tailgating....a new frontier.

The other day someone tried to rain on my parade about tailgating when they said sarcastically, "Boy, you really love tailgating". To which I replied, "Why yes".

But it took me aback by the way he said it, and I was disappointed my weak defense of my beloved activity.

I got to thinking about how I love football, and how I love to entertain. I love to grill, and I'm a big show off of "over the top" antics. I love camping, so tailgating is a natural marriage of all these desires, satisfied into one activity.

Still, I knew something deeper drives my passion for tailgating.



I thought back to my casual, recreational days of tailgating. Back then, we simply bought a box of chicken, filled a cooler with beer, and unfolded a few chairs. Life was simple, and one glove fit all.

But as our numbers grew I realized that one glove does not fit all. That is when I had a break through and realized, I love technical tailgating.

Technical tailgating is a thinking mans tailgate. It takes into account the weather, the opponent, the crowd, the theme, the music, the equipment, the prep work, the clean up, the food, the time allowed, the temperature, a whole host of things.

Planning is essential to technical tailgating. Planning makes for a huge coolness factor that wows visitors with the successful tailgate outcome.

For example, throughout the off season we have been recruiting talented like minded tailgaters to join our cause. Second, strategically, all of said tailgate leaders have been working to improve the equipment and tailgate experience. Third, once the schedule is released, then the tactical planning begins.

The focus then is individual games, times, menus, etc.

Example: Carolina vs Chiefs Sunday August 17th at 8 PM. It's going to be hot (fans and generators), it will be a long all day affair (DJ, staggered servings of food), very likely there will be a thunderstorm ( multiple shelters anchored down) TV feed (multiple TVs), refrigeration of food (banks of coolers), cooking all day ( grill, griddle, propane stove) and all day serving ( chafing dishes and steamers).

This just scratches the surface of planning. But this is technical tailgating.

There will be more on this subject as the season progresses.

Panthers Training Camp Recap

By Daniel Lacy - With training camp wrapping up and their first preseason game against Buffalo on Friday night, here are some of the things that have happened over the last week and a half:

Fan Fest was held on Friday, July 25th, and that marked the first practice of the season and allowed fans into the stadium to watch the practice and admire the new stadium upgrades.

6th round draft pick RB Tyler Gaffney tore his meniscus during Fan Fest and will be out for the season. However, it is too early to send a player directly to IR, so the Panthers were going to have to put Gaffney on waivers then re-sign him to the waived/injured list so they could put him on IR. However, when a team waives a player, it gives any other team the opportunity to claim them, although it is an unwritten moral rule in the NFL not to do that when waiving an injured player. Since it is not illegal, the Patriots claimed Gaffney off waivers and is short-lived career with the Panthers is over. Obviously he is still injured and will not play this season, but will fight for a roster spot in a reserve role for the Patriots next season. The Patriots did the same thing to the Giants with TE Jake Ballard just two years ago, while GM Dave Gettleman was working as the director of player personnel for New York.



G Edmund Kugblia, a 4th round pick last year who missed his rookie season because of knee issues, will miss the entirety of this season because of back issues. He will fight for a roster spot next season, if he can stay healthy.

QB Cam Newton has looked well after having ankle surgery in March and looks as if he is close to 100% health-wise, but he most likely will not play in the preseason opener against Buffalo on Friday.

DE Charles Johnson suffered a minor shoulder in practice a few days ago. Coach Rivera said that if he is unable to practice tomorrow, he will sit out against the Bills on Friday. However, it sounds as if he will be ready by the second preseason game, let alone the regular season.

DE Greg Hardy's new trial date is set for November 17th after appealing the trial from last month.

DT Colin Cole said earlier today that the Panthers are going to try to break the single season sack record this season. That record in currently held by the 1984 Chicago Bears, who racked up 72. The Panthers led the NFL with 60 sacks last season.

The most intriguing position battles coming into camp were at WR, OT, and CB. Here is a rundown of those battles:

Offensive Tackle
Candidates to start: Byron Bell, Nate Chandler, Garry Williams
Most likely to make the roster: Andrew McDonald, David Foucault

Byron Bell and Nate Chandler have pretty much been splitting reps at the first team left tackle spot, and they have both been doing well, but it looks as if Bell is the leading candidate to start at the spot that was previously held by Jordan Gross. Chandler will likely start at RT. Chandler missed practice due to a sore knee yesterday and Williams, who can play guard or tackle, did a very good job, but likely will not take the job away from Chandler. He will act as the top reserve at both guard and tackle. I see it highly unlikely that the Panthers keep five tackles, so McDonald and the UDFA Canadian Foucault are the leading candidates for the last spot.

Wide Receiver
Candidates to start: Jerricho Cotchery, Kelvin Benjamin, Jason Avant
Candidates to make the roster: Tavarres King, Marvin McNutt, Brenton Bersin, Tiquan Underwood, Marcus Lucas, Philly Brown

This is probably the most crowded of the three position battles, with so many talented young players with so much potential, but limited spots. Cotchery and Avant are locks simply because they are the veterans of the group and have been the most consistent. Benjamin is obviously a lock because they spent a first round pick on him and despite getting injured, he has looked the most impressive among the group, catching just about every pass within reach. Among the others, King and Bersin have looked the best with limited drops and each having their fair share of big plays and spectacular catches in traffic. King and McNutt are the only players returning from last season, but McNutt has struggled while King hasn't, and it looks as if that will play into King's favor. If Bersin makes the roster, which he most likely will depending on his preseason performance, he will be the first Wofford football player to make an NFL roster since, guess who, Panthers' owner and former Baltimore Colts' TE Jerry Richardson back in 1957. They added Underwood in free agency because they loved his speed and potential as a slot receiver and return man, but he has been sub-par in each category. He will need a strong preseason if he wants to make the roster. UDFAs Marcus Lucas and Philly Brown have each had their moments, but will likely end up on the practice squad when it is all said and done. There is a chance Brown makes it as a returner, but chances of that are slim at this point.

Cornerback
Candidates to start: Antoine Cason, Melvin White
Candidates to make the roster: Charles Godfrey, Bene' Benwikere, Josh Norman, Josh Thomas, James Dockery

This is such a talented position group that they might make room for six players here, especially since Godfrey has experience at either safety position as well. Cason and White have been playing well and it doesn't look as if anyone is going to take their starting jobs unless their play goes south. Godfrey has struggled, but his talent, versatility, and leadership will make it extremely tough to release him. He is going through a difficult transition and hasn't lost his job as the nickel corner, yet. 5th round rookie Bene' Benwikere has made a ton of big plays and has looked very impressive throughout camp. He is excellent in coverage and is making a strong push for playing time. Norman and Thomas have each shown potential in the past, each starting their fair share of games, but might not get a roster spot when it is all said and done. Thomas is a physical player who plays with sheer intensity and Norman is a talented cover corner who plays with confidence. However, each of their traits have landed them in and out of Rivera's doghouse and might not be able to make the team because of how crowded the position is. Dockery has shown potential in the past, but was injured all last season and is probably the least likely to be on the roster when the final cuts happen.

Other Performance Reviews
DE Mario Addison has been impressive and will likely be the top reserve behind Pro Bowl caliber starters Hardy and Johnson. 2nd round pick Kony Ealy has struggled against the starters but has made an impact against lesser competition. He will have to get better against the starters if he wants playing time. Frank Alexander has also had a good camp, but he is in the doghouse after getting ejected from last years' season opener against Seattle and getting suspended for the first four games for PED usage.

FS Colin Jones was originally acquired because of his stellar special teams play, but has been playing well at safety. 4th round pick Tre Boston might not end up with a roster spot after the final cuts, especially since he hasn't been able to prove himself due to a hernia injury.

3rd round pick G Trai Turner has all but locked down the starting job at RG. Garry Williams, Chris Scott, and Fernando Velasco have all been making pushes for the job, but Turner will most likely stay there with Amini Silatolu starting on the left side. Backup center Brian Folkerts has also played well as he fights for a roster spot.The addition of Velasco makes him more expendable because of Velasco's ability to play center (he started 12 games for the Steelers last season), but if Folkerts keeps up the strong play, he can beat out one of the reserve guards for a roster spot.

UDFA RB Darrin Reaves has shown flashes of potential and will probably end up on the practice squad. Slim to no chance of him making the roster because of how crowded the running back position is and always has been, but he has potential.

That is my two cents of training camp. Check back here in a few days for a recap of the first preseason game against Buffalo followed by a final roster prediction. Thanks!

We've Got It Covered

It's not always about a grill or smoker. Sometimes only a griddle will do.


Look for great things this fall.


Extreme Tailgate Society. The finest in Technical Tailgating.

This is Getting Damn Serious

The embroidery tape is made.


We can customize our gear.