Last Tailgate of the Season Ends With a Win

The last tailgate of the season is somewhat of a sad affair. It means you have to come down from your season-long high of game-day weekends and say goodbye to your Mountaineer family – at least until next year.

You also have to bid farewell to the seniors – like Karl Joseph, Isaiah Bruce, KJ Dillon, Terrell Chestnut, Nick Kwiatkoski and Nick O’Toole.

There’s just nothing quite like Mountaineer football. You see, when you’re in Morgantown on game day, your senses are always alive. You’re plugged in. You feel the constant surges and crackles.

At the tailgate for the Texas game, my old college roommate Steve Besendorfer remarked, “Morgantown isn’t real life. It’s fantasy.”

And he’s right. You do feel like it’s too good to be true, as cliché as that sounds. So even when the atmosphere is low key – like it was this past Saturday with most students still on holiday break – it’s still one of the best Saturdays you could hope for.

And, yes, even when many of the tailgating lots look deserted and the stadium has big, gaping holes of empty seats, it’s still Almost Heaven.

Last tailgate

As usual, tailgating started early. We had convinced our friends Caitlyn and Kevin to stop by our tailgate on their way home to Virginia. They obliged and brought their dog, Jameson.

To take the chill off, we spiced up our fangate with some warm Captain Morgan and apple cider with a stick of cinnamon.

Throughout the morning, we hung out with our friends and enjoyed a delicious smorgasbord of filet, dirty rice with sausage, stuffed peppers and ham-stuffed bread before we folded the tent one last time.

Take Me Home, Country Roads

Under gunmetal skies and drizzling rain, the Mountaineers played with clear eyes and a full heart. They sent the seniors off with a victory, beating Iowa State 30-6. So for the sixth time this season, Mountaineer fans got to stand arm in arm and sing Country Roads in Milan Puskar Stadium one last time this year.

Afterwards, Dave and I headed to Mario’s Fishbowl to celebrate our win. Our friends – Josh, Jonah and Pat Moore – joined us for their first Fishbowl experience.

They learned to cheer for everyone who enters, boo those who leave, and the significance of tossing a quarter in the green vase behind the bar. I made it on the first try for the second time this month. Much like our Mountaineers, I ended the game day in style.