A Legacy of Greatness: The Michigan State Spartans have a storied athletic history, with notable achievements across multiple sports. The football program has been a consistent force, boasting numerous conference championships, bowl game victories, and memorable moments etched in college football lore. Led by legendary coaches such as Duffy Daugherty and Mark Dantonio, the Spartans have showcased their strength, determination, and unwavering spirit on the gridiron.
Traditions That Inspire: The Michigan State Spartans embrace a range of traditions that evoke a sense of pride and unity among players, alumni, and fans. These traditions serve as a testament to the university's history and values:
The Sparty Statue: One cannot visit the Michigan State campus without paying homage to the iconic Sparty statue. Standing tall and exuding strength, this bronze statue symbolizes the indomitable spirit of the Spartans. Capturing the essence of the university's athletic prowess, the Sparty statue is a must-see for any fan.
The Spartan Marching Band: On game days, the air resonates with the electrifying sound of the Spartan Marching Band. This renowned ensemble, clad in green and white, delivers powerful performances that ignite the crowd and create an atmosphere brimming with school spirit. Their spirited halftime shows and pre-game performances are traditions deeply rooted in Spartan history.
The "Go Green! Go White!" Chant: When the stadium roars with the chant of "Go Green! Go White!", the entire campus comes alive. This rallying cry echoes throughout Spartan Stadium, unifying the fans in a display of unwavering support for their beloved team. Joining in this spirited chant is an essential part of the game day experience.
The Ultimate Saturday Game Day Experience: To truly immerse yourself in the excitement of a Michigan State Spartans game day, here are the essential activities and experiences you should partake in:
Tailgating: Arrive early to witness the transformation of the campus into a sea of green and white. Join fellow fans for a pre-game tailgate party filled with camaraderie, delicious food, and spirited conversations. Engage in games of cornhole or Fozzy Football - a shuffle-style game of football on a custom Michigan State game mat. Grill up mouthwatering treats, and revel in the electric atmosphere that permeates the air.
The Spartan Walk: Get up close and personal with the team during the Spartan Walk. As the players make their way to the stadium, fans line the path, cheering them on and providing an inspiring send-off. This is your chance to show your support and offer words of encouragement to the athletes who proudly wear the green and white.
The Drumline Performance: Before entering the stadium, make sure to catch the drumline's energetic performance. Known as the "Series Champions," these skilled percussionists create an infectious rhythm that sets the tone for the game. Don't miss this captivating display of talent and school pride.
The Game: Take your seat in the sea of green and white, as Spartan Stadium becomes a cauldron of passion and intensity. Watch as the players battle it out on the field, fueled by the unwavering support of the crowd. Experience the thrill of touchdowns, bone-crushing tackles, and the undeniable camaraderie that unites Spartan fans from all walks of life.
The Fight Song and Alma Mater: As the band strikes up the fight song and alma mater, join in with fellow fans to proudly sing the lyrics that resonate with the Spartan spirit. These timeless melodies evoke a sense of tradition and unity, serving as a reminder of the strong bonds that tie the Spartan community together.
Conclusion: The Michigan State Spartans embody a rich history, passionate traditions, and an undying spirit that ignites game day experiences like no other. From the revered Sparty statue to the thunderous chants in the stands, the Spartans' legacy is felt throughout the campus and beyond. Immerse yourself in the green and white fervor, embrace the traditions, and witness the magic that unfolds during a Michigan State Spartans game day. Go Green! Go White!
]]>A tailgate is the type of place you’ll see that friend who normally can never get to work or class on time out at 5 AM on the dot, peacefully drinking a pre-coffee Miller Lite in his coveted parking space. It’s the place where your lot neighbors might be the same family who has missed births, funerals, family gatherings and dentist appointments but never once missed a home game in 25 years. The palpable excitement builds as the game gets closer, and win or lose I think we can all agree that the tailgate is usually as memorable and fun as the game itself. It’s where lifelong friends are made, and families become closer (well, unless Dad gets a little out of hand at the grill).
One of the most necessary ingredients any tailgate needs is at least one game. Just because we didn’t make it to the big leagues like the athletes we gather to watch that day doesn’t mean we don’t deserve a little healthy competition. Besides, we need games you can play with frequent beer and hot dog breaks, games you can play even if you’re a bit more than a few pounds past your optimal weight. A tailgate ain’t a tailgate unless you’re rubbing victory in mom’s face over a game involving bean bags. At worst, these games distract from the bone chilling morning from a December game, at best they bring together new friends to make lifelong memories. So we decided to rank these classic games, some old and others fresh faces, to keep making your tailgates as fun as possible.
7) Stump
Ah, Stump. No doubt there will be several readers who have never heard of this game. The main problem with Stump is that it is based around a literal stump. Unless your hick friend is pulling up every weekend with the same stained hunk of wood in his pickup, someone will need to go searching and digging for a tree trunk in some nearby forest. Yes, the games that appear on this list also require equipment, but Stump is a game that fits more at a bonfire than a tailgate.
The game requires each player stick a nail into said central stump, then in a circle players take turns flipping and catching a hammer and slamming it down onto someone’s nail. Once your nail is fully hammered down. Last man standing wins. One of the other big problems with the game is that it’s a bit (okay a lot) less family-friendly than most games. You probably shouldn’t be giving your 8 year old kid a hammer to flip while encircled by rowdy and drinking sports fans, though we won’t judge. The final issue with Stump is that it actually is a little too easy, which can sound crazy if you’ve never actually played the game. Sure, in the beginning you might be putting your fingers on the line trying to catch a hammer, but once you get the hang of it, it’s actually quite easy. Skill goes out the window once you have the technique down, making this a relatively simple game after a round. Plus, if you ever run out of nails you’re screwed!
6) Ladder Golf
Look, ladder golf is objectively the least fun game on this list (yes, worse than Stump). It’s more entertaining to swing the balls connected via string like a weapon than it can be to play the game. Ladder Golf plays very similar to Cornhole, nothing like golf. Players aim to net their balls/string (called “bolas”) onto the rungs of a ladder, canceling out opponent’s throws if they land on the same rung. The game itself is much easier than Cornhole, much more forgiving as the bolas will almost always wrap around the rungs if the throw is halfway decent, and that doesn’t make it very skillful. A big downside is if one of the bolas decides to snap mid-game, then you’re out of luck, Ladder Golf session over for good. Plus, if one of your friends aim really is that bad, a spinning missile could be coming straight in for a shin or groin shot. The game gets a few points for being very simple to learn and easy to play for anyone, just enough merit to keep it from the bottom “rung”.
5) Cornhole
I can hear the boos already. “How can Cornhole be this low? This is the greatest tailgate game ever, the king, a classic that was the prototype for all games to follow!” And I get it, Cornhole is a true staple of the tailgate. I’m sure you or your friend have a set of boards painted with intricate designs that you whip out every weekend in the fall. But is the game really that much better than Ladder Golf, a game I just spent a paragraph ripping apart?
Cornhole is such a foundational tradition of the tailgate there is an entire governing body to the “sport”. In that sense, it’s almost as important as the football itself. But when you get down to it, there are just more exciting tailgate games to be played. It’s a fine game, if not a very involved one. Being able to casually throw around the bean bags with beer in the other hand make Cornhole a relaxing way to have a friendly competition. And yes, there is skill involved, I’m sure we all have that one friend who seems to have a magnet across from them, a certified bean bag sniper who always talk about how they’d be a three time gold medalist if only this yard game was in the Olympics. Cornhole is a tailgate classic, always will be, but for me it is overshadowed by some newer games making appearances further down this list.
4) Fozzy Football
A total newcomer to the scene, Fozzy Football is a modern update to paper football, made hybrid with shuffleboard. For everyone out there who “would’ve played at State if only coach had put me in the game more”, now you can live out your football dreams with nothing but finger precision. The game mimics a normal football game, advancing the ball on offense, stops and sacks on defense, keeping track of drive yardage, points, and a running clock. Sound complicated? It’s not, so long as you already have the convoluted rules of American Football down. Everything I just listed is taken care of by an app, a smart update to tailgating games for a phone-addicted audience.
Players take turns sliding a metal puck across a gorgeously finished board, aiming to land on their opponent’s side, but not too far just as in shuffleboard (then it would be an “incomplete”). Wherever the puck has landed, that’s how your play just ended! The space underneath your puck (easily visible with its glass bottom) will indicate things results like 6 yard pass, sack, 10 yard run, incomplete, even penalties that will move your drive back! It truly is a complete version of the paper football you used to play when you were bored in class.
Fozzy Football lets you be the complete coach of your game, opting for punts vs going for it, kicking field goals and even taking time outs to stop the clock if the guy across from you is taking his sweet time at the end of the game. All results from the plays are easily kept track of in the app, with individual buttons for every outcome. The score and time is constantly being displayed so you don’t have to remember. While the game is challenging to learn at first, as you and your friends improve you can even place down up to three defender figurines to strategically block the path of the puck! A few pitfalls, however, might include constantly having to teach the rules to new players. And just be careful not to spill beer on your phone, you’ll need that app!
It’s a new game that will hopefully rise up the ranks and become a tailgating staple. Based on freshness lone, we can’t put the game any higher up this list, but Fozzy Football is a fun addition to any gathering.
For more info on this new game: https://www.omnibron.com/
3) Beer Pong
Another classic, beer pong starts our top three tailgating games. A college education will have (hopefully) taught you how to properly play, making it easy for anyone to meet and play, hopefully forming new friendships in the process. With house rules, of course. For fun for the whole family, play with and drink water, trust us you’ll still get that rush out of successfully throwing a ping pong ball into a plastic cup.
What keeps beer pong from rising to the top, though, is that it’s not strictly a tailgating game. No, when you think of beer pong usually your mind conjures images of parties in basements or living rooms, the integrity of the game held away from outdoor elements like the wind. And yes, Cornhole fans, we understand that this is also a relatively simple game with few rules. But beer pong we rate higher for its ability to get people a little bit rowdier, for the versatility to be played anywhere, and the quickness of its games. A true classic, it might rank a little higher if not for these next top tier games.
2) Kan Jam
Kan Jam, a relative newcomer, burst onto the scene around 15 years ago and now you’d be hard pressed to walk around a tailgate without seeing a few games taking place. More likely, the game comes to you in the form of a badly tossed Frisbee careening past someone’s head. Kan Jam reigns supreme over all the games listed previously because you have keep you head on a swivel, so to speak. Yes, the rules are simple (as any tailgate game should be), but aiming a Frisbee tactfully within swatting reach of your partner requires finesse. Cornhole defenders, I’m sorry but you can’t just spend a Kan Jam game casually milling around with your buddies, drinking beer and tossing bean bags at your own slow place (should we stop with the Cornhole slander?). It’s my argument that the best tailgating games are the ones that keep your attention hyper focused on what’s at stake: bragging rights over your friends and the chance to defend your seat at the next game.
Just like real football (remember the game you’ve gathered to watch later?), Kan Jam requires skill, teamwork, a bit of strategy (remember you can’t score over without going back down in points), and occasionally selling out your body and clothing to make a diving play. Worth it though. A bit of basic addition ability is required to keep score, so drunk players watch out. The game can occasionally be frustrating if your partner aims so bad you’d think they have an astigmatism, or if your opponents are so good the game feels over after two turns. But Kan Jam is for many considered the ultimate tailgating game, and it’s hard to disagree with those who would put it at number one.
1) Beer Die
Perhaps to some an interesting choice for number one. For others, they may not have even heard of the game. But if you’ve played beer die and enjoyed even one game, you are probably hooked like we are. In my eyes, it's the ultimate tailgating game.
So simple to set up, requiring only cups on a long enough table and a single die (maybe extras when one inevitably gets lost). Placing the cups in the four corners, teams of two alternate throwing a die on their opponent’s half of the table, trying to either bounce the die off the side of the table without the other team catching it, or landing it directly into the opposing cup for my points. If the die doesn’t leave the table or is caught, no points. Teams have to drink and refill their cups once their opponents reach various point numbers, and I’m sure people have individual rules but the heart of the game remains the same.
What makes this game the best of the field is that it incorporates the best elements of every game thus far listed. Simple rules with an easy set-up, easy to learn but able to be mastered, with a bit of athletics mixed in with the competition. Plus, it’s a drinking game which I’m sure many tailgaters will be happy to hear. Once you’ve started playing, you won’t want to stop. After the game you and your partner will reminisce on tip of the table bounces and last second catches, almost as if you’re real athletes! While each of the games we’ve listed has their merits, and I’m sure you have your own best game we failed to mention, beer die remains king.
]]>The Components
The game comes very well boxed and is a sight to behold once opened. The field is made of solid wood and Plexi-glass with red and blue throughout to give it that classic football feel. It comes with a level to help with setup, a ball that is made of metal with a clear bull's-eye in the middle to help see where it landed, and six sculpted minis to play defense if you want a tougher challenge. This is not your grand-dad’s paper football game. The copy I reviewed also came with a phone stand to keep the scoreboard app visible for all…yes, there is a scoreboard.
The board itself will be the object you spend the most time focusing on. You will set up on either the home (Red) or visitor (Blue) side, and this will affect who gets the ball first. Other than color, these sides are identical and where all the scoring is done. You will slide the ball from your side to your opponent’s in an attempt to gain yards or score a TD. The ball must make it to the end zone in order to gain yards or score a TD—if it doesn’t not, you will lose yards on the play. There is a bull's-eye in the middle for kicking plays, while the left side of the end zone is set up for run plays and the right is for pass plays. Each area inside the end zone, about an 8-inch field of play, corresponds to yards gained or lost, with the possibility of a turnover on each side. It seems a little intimidating at first but there is an app to keep track of everything for you while you play.
The App
Fozzy Football has a free companion app that does just about everything for you besides sliding the football. Each spot of the board has a corresponding option on the app. Did you run for 6 yards? Click that and the down and distance will advance. Sacked on the play? Throw an interception? These all have a button to click and the app will take care of the rest. The game is played just like real football, with four downs to gain 10 yards and make a new 1st down, small runs, big passes, turnovers, and long TDs. The app keeps track of all of that for you, plus the time remaining and the score.
While this could have easily been a basic calculator, Fozzy Football took it to the next level with commentary, too. Every time a play is made, a voice breaks down for you what just happened. He sounds crushed when an interception or fumble occurs and elated when you finally score a TD.
The Objective
Much like in paper football, the goal is to score touchdowns. You can hit the long bomb at any time by stopping your ball on the edge of the board without falling off but you can also play old-school ball and work your way up the field to manufacture points. Every yard counts as you try to score on your opponent. There are no kick-offs, so you start with the ball on your 25 yard line and a “1st and 10”, and you have 4 tries to achieve 10 yards to reset the downs back to 1st—just like regular football. You can slide the ball towards the right side of the end zone to go for bigger pass plays, but with a larger chance to fail. Or you can slide towards the left side run plays for a safer outcome but less yardage. Regardless of which side you choose, if you can make the ball stop on the back edge without falling off, you just scored a TD and the crowd goes wild!
Kicking is handled much the same way as the rest of the game, but you will use the bull's-eye in the center of the end zone. The farther you need to kick, the closer to the center you will need the ball to stop. This method is used for field goals, extra points, and punts.
If you fail to convert for a 1st down, the app will automatically choose punt or field goal for you based on your field position, but you always have the option to go for it on 4th, as well. The app will track time for you, and you play for 15 minutes. The team that scores the most points wins. It sounds simple; however, until you master your slide, it is anything but.
After you get the hang of playing the basic mode, you can then start setting up defenders on the field to add to the challenge. The defenders look awesome, but they will drive you crazy when you are attempting to score. They are the perfect twist to keep the game competitive once you start sliding the ball like a pro.
My Play Experience
I have not had a boring game yet! I will say that almost every time I play someone, it is their first time playing it, but everyone has loved it and is always ready to play again. First and foremost, the creator Steve Braun, sends a great “Thank You” note and some instructions…read them. Before you start, slide the ball quite a few times to get the hang of the board. If you do not, your first game could be challenging and low scoring. Once you find your sweet spot for sliding the ball, then you start challenging yourself and start a game within the game. You will try different strategies between running and passing and you will want to hit that bull's-eye every time you kick. All of this is made even better as you are racing the clock. It was two games in before I realized I had timeouts I could use to keep my friend from milking the clock and I used that to my advantage to kick a game-winning field goal on my third game. All in all, it is a game that you will want to play again and again, and your friends will be itching to get the next match after they see their first game played.
The Conclusion
FOZZY FOOTBALL IS JUST PLAIN FUN. Unlike some other party games, just about everyone can play it and will enjoy themselves, whether they like football or not. It is a great game for a family get together and your next football tailgate. It is easy to transport and set up and an immediate eye-catcher for everyone around you. I have taken to fantasy football drafts, birthday parties, and just over to a friend’s house to hang out…it takes over every time. Everybody who sees it wants to try to slide the ball a few times, and before you know it, you are playing another game and having an absolute blast.
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