It’s Sunday and the football games are getting started for the afternoon. If you’re at home you’re probably settling in for an afternoon in front of the TV. Here in the lounge we’ve all claimed our stools, the drinks are poured and the bowls of chips and pretzels are spread out on the bar.

But if you’re lucky enough to actually be at the game you’re either craning your neck for the overpriced beer guy or standing in line for the overpriced hot dog guy. Or, if you’re smart, you’re checking out the tailgaters; better yet, you’re tailgating yourself.

Tailgating is the perfect marriage of two of American’s great loves – sports and eating. Joe Cahn, the self described Commissioner of Tailgating, describes it as the “last great American neighborhood.”

Recently the Food Network aired Tailgate Warriors, a judged cook off between tailgating fans of the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Bears when the teams met in Buffalo, NY earlier this year. The show was hosted by one of our favorite bowling shirt wearing celebrities, Guy Fieri.

Most of us probably think of tailgating as a combination of clever cooler packing and grill mastery. But after watching these two cooking teams face off, I now know these hardcore tailgaters are both gadget-heads and alfresco-gourmands. From motorized spits and spinning beer-can chicken cookers on the Chicago side to the over seven foot long, custom built, charcoal fired combination grill, griddle and oven – yes, oven – on the Buffalo side, these were some serious outdoor kitchens.

But it wasn’t all about the gadgets. There were some really great looking recipes, seared scallops, pork loin stuffed with Buffalo style chicken, and even a sundae. Check out the show page for links to the recipes themselves.

There are still plenty of excuses for tailgating coming up this year so keep your coals hot and grill on, baby!

On Monday I promised to tell you the greatest football movie of all time. This was after the unfortunateness that occurred here in the Lounge. Here are a few of the films that we “discussed” on Sunday.

Jerry Macquire
I only mention this one because the guy who broke the mirror during the brawl on Sunday was trying to convince us that JM is the greatest football movie ever. No. Simply no. It might be the greatest chick flick that involves football ever – even the women were saying, “Dude, it’s a chick flick!” – but it barely even ranks as a football movie. I mean, when the most memorable line is “you had me at hello?” C’mon!

Rudy
Who doesn’t love a movie about the underdog making good? I definitely recommend this one to anyone who likes football. It’s a good one, just not the greatest.

The Waterboy
Now, I’ll admit that there’s a soft place in my heart for any movie with Henry Winkler in it. But why did they have to give so much screen time to that mouth-breather, Adam Sandler?

Brian’s Song
Okay, this movie has its place on the list. Who doesn’t tear up just a little at this one? But it’s not really a football movie, is it? I mean football is certainly integral to the main character but it just doesn’t really cut it as a sports film.

The Longest Yard
Football movie, prison movie and Burt Reynolds movie – what, are you kidding me? It simply does get any better. (And if you think I’m talking about the Adam Sandler remake then you are hereby banned from the Lounge!) This is the greatest football movie of all time, hands down, end of discussion.

Last week some jackass wandered into the Lounge and suggested that perhaps we spend a little too much time on Two and a Half Men and not enough on sports, this being a sports bar and all. Naturally, I had him thrown out. This was all made especially traumatic by the fact that that Lounge doesn’t actually exist except as a fictitious bar in my head. I’m still trying to figure out how he got in.

Nevertheless, we – yes, all of us here in the Lounge, and you can stop looking at me like that – are excited that once again we’re getting a new episode of the greatest sitcom in the history of man tonight. (Preview below.) But, for those of you without the taste and sophistication for the comedy stylings of Charlie Sheen and Co. and who might be looking for some sport, we definitely do football here in the Lounge.

Right after THM, the Washington Redskins will be playing the Philadelphia Eagles on ESPN. The TV over the bar will be promptly switched over at 8:30 ET.

Now, when you get to the Lounge tonight you might find the place a bit of a mess. During the games yesterday afternoon someone brought up the topic of football movies. This turned into a conversation about which is the greatest football movie of all time and, naturally, that turned into an all out brawl as everyone each defended his or her choice. A few tables and the mirror behind the bar were broken and I won’t have time to fix everything before tonight.

But there’s no need for further “discussion.” I’ve already decided what the greatest football movie of all time is and I’ll be revealing that on Wednesday. In the meantime, if you think you have a worthy candidate, let us know in the comments section. I’ll consider your choice then I’ll go ahead and post the movie I’ve already picked here on Wednesday.