Best.Tailgate.Ever at the OSU/Wisc game on Saturday with a PIC

[cyberpvnk]

Let me start by saying that I'm a huge Ohio State Buckeye fan. I'm from Illinios originally but I moved to Columbus when I was 18 with my family. The city is great and after I went to my first OSU game I was hooked. 18 years later I'm a rabid Buckeye fan along with my wife.

I've ALSO started PC'ing James Laurinaitis lately. I'm currently living in STL and he plays for the Rams and he's a great player. In the last few weeks I've been putting together a few rainbows of him.

Fast forward to Saturday and we were in Columbus visiting friends and buying a car. We decided to try and get tickets and lo and behold I secured a pair for $400 around midnight Friday. We had been invited to a tailgate on Saturday at a friend of a friends.

The tailgate was very sweet. Big TV's, Satellite, meat sent in from Cleveland, etc. We were all watching the LSU/Georgia game and we drew quite a crowd because of the TV. I look over at my wife and who's standing next to her?...James Laurinaitis. I casually whispered it to her to not draw attention to him and once the crowd thinned out we went over and talked to him.

I have to say that he was the NICEST pro athlete I've ever met and we talked for a good half hour about everything from his 4 dogs, tattoos, the Buckeyes, Rams and my Bears. We also made plans for him to sign my OSU helmet in STL after the Rams/Bears game.

Got a pic too.

Sorry for rambling like a kid but it was just SO freaking cool how it happened. Made me feel like a starstruck kid again.

Pic below...yes I'm fat, go ahead and make jokes, they don't bother me.




http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc329/kookeytalker/jjk_zpsf37146d3.jpg (http://s524.photobucket.com/user/kookeytalker/media/jjk_zpsf37146d3.jpg.html)

[HOFcollector]

that is so awesome, i couldn't imagine meeting my favorite player so casually!

[smackvay]

That is SO cool hate buckeyes but still a little jealous!!! GO WVU!!!!

[mnvikingstwins]

He went to high school about 5 minutes from my house, nice to see a local guy do well. Shameless plug for this. Have the rest of the rainbow too.
http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/mnvikingstwins/Beckett%20Grading/DSCN3115_zps9943cfcb.jpg (http://s880.photobucket.com/user/mnvikingstwins/media/Beckett%20Grading/DSCN3115_zps9943cfcb.jpg.html)

[Athey49]

Awesome story, glad to hear of the nice players

[jace44]

No! I walked right past you but missed Laurinaitis.

[ilovethelakings]

Nothing cooler for a football fan than to meet and hang out a bit with a player you like only to find out that he is an alright fellow. Very nice story indeed.

[freethrowtommy]

Cool story, bro...

No, really, that is pretty awesome.

[GreatAlbert]

Even though I am a die hard Badger fan, owe the school thousands of dollars after spending four great years there, and OSU would be the last school I would root for, it is always great to see the alums come back and mingle with the fan base. Thanks for the story!

[centereacan06]

That's awesome! Nothing better than a college football tailgate.

[bucknut27]

HELL YEAH!!! Awesome atmosphere on Saturday! The awesome thing in CBUs is you see former Buckeyes mingling all over the place!

[cyberpvnk]

No! I walked right past you but missed Laurinaitis.

Seriously? We were in the East Stadium lot.

[cyberpvnk]

Even though I am a die hard Badger fan, owe the school thousands of dollars after spending four great years there, and OSU would be the last school I would root for, it is always great to see the alums come back and mingle with the fan base. Thanks for the story!

There was another Buckeye with him but I didn't know who it was. I know he was a Buckeye because he had the National Championship ring on and a pair of gold pants around his neck.

[cyberpvnk]

Before Saturday the only other Buckeyes I had met were AJ Hawk and Bobby Carpenter. They were at a St Patty's Day party I was at but they were so mobbed by people I didn't get more than a fuzzy cell pic.

[bs26mohs]

Dang that's super cool.

[packerfan4200]

Screw fat jokes, I want to make OSU/tattoo jokes! Just kidding man, that's awesome!

[jcduncan]

Wow amazing story. Thanks for sharing! My Blazers gave you guys a scare last year ;)

[cyberpvnk]

Here was another Buckeye I met on Saturday. Brian Rolle. He works part time at the Honda dealership where I bought my new car. Super nice guy as well.

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc329/kookeytalker/brianrolle_zps6193c190.jpg (http://s524.photobucket.com/user/kookeytalker/media/brianrolle_zps6193c190.jpg.html)

[cyberpvnk]

Wow amazing story. Thanks for sharing! My Blazers gave you guys a scare last year ;)

Sure did. I think we have a legit shot at a perfect season again this year. It will come down to the Michigan game and how many other unbeaten teams they are.

Our D needs to step up and I sure wish Guiton was playing. Our D was lights out in the first half but they got soft in the 2nd.

[jcduncan]

Sure did. I think we have a legit shot at a perfect season again this year. It will come down to the Michigan game and how many other unbeaten teams they are.

Our D needs to step up and I sure wish Guiton was playing. Our D was lights out in the first half but they got soft in the 2nd.

I'm pulling for you guys. Purdue could be a game to look at also. They always play well against you guys for some reason lol

[bballcollector]

So jealous that you got to meet JL!!!!! Thats awesome man I'm glad you had a great time.

[tajikey]

Dang man, you should lay off the Blue Ash Chili :eek:

I'm a huge Bucks fan as well, but wouldn't have recognized JL if I saw him. AJ Hawk, that's another story.

[ssbledsoe]

Congrats! That's an awesome story!

[cyberpvnk]

Dang man, you should lay off the Blue Ash Chili :eek:

I'm a huge Bucks fan as well, but wouldn't have recognized JL if I saw him. AJ Hawk, that's another story.

What is Blue Ash Chili?

[tajikey]

What is Blue Ash Chili?

It is the most amazing chili I have ever had in my entire existence on Earth. It's in Blue Ash, OH, a suburb of Cincy. I know, 2 hours south of Columbus, but well worth the drive. Skyline ain't got nothin' on that sweet sweet chili.

[cyberpvnk]

It is the most amazing chili I have ever had in my entire existence on Earth. It's in Blue Ash, OH, a suburb of Cincy. I know, 2 hours south of Columbus, but well worth the drive. Skyline ain't got nothin' on that sweet sweet chili.

I love me some Skyline. Gold Star sucks. I had 6 coneys over the weekend, 3x2.

I'll check out Blue Ash, Cincy is about to be in my sales territory so I'll be going there often. I have family there anyway.

[drumstyx89]

That's awesome man! I met Tomlinson at a bar once and that was a great experience! I couldn't imagine meeting both of them!

[0264 roadrunner1964]

From one Buckeye to another, that is freaking awesome....wish I had some Laurinaitis to send your way...Oh wait.....LOL

[asujbl]

I've met JL a few times at various events - but the first time was at the Columbus Zoo (his rookie year) when he was just wandering around on a Saturday with his GF - couldn't have been a nicer guy.

One of the best parts about Ohio State. The former guys are so involved it's insane. I'm biased, and I only have a frame of reference for 2 schools, but I really do believe OSU has the best alumni base of Athletes.

Those guys are always back in Columbus - no matter how long they were there - Mike Conely just built a house in Dublin, and runs a camp there with Oden, and he only played one season at Ohio State (I mention him since he also donated $500K to the OSU Arena Expansion at halftime last weekend)

Great pictures.

[lagalaxyfan23]

OP, hate to break this to you, but I'm pretty sure the only reason James was so friendly to you was because he knew he was going up against Blaine Gabbert the following week :p

Cool story!

[89transam]

that's an awesome story! post pics of helmet when you get it signed

[robertspangler]

Blue ash is the best cinci chilli ever. It was on diners driveins and dives! I live up by toledo ohio and we have drove the 3.5 hours to go to blue ash before lol.

[preakness]

Very cool even though as a U of I guy I hate the buckeyes.
Tailgating rocks.
Even you see JL in STL, tell him to tell Bradford to pass more to cook and Austin and give up on trying to establish the run. Lol.

Also, there's a nice ribs place in East St. Louis, IL called Willies. It doesn't open until after 9pm and you need to park a few blocks away and walk, but its work it

[w8lifter28]

Gold star chili ftw!!!!!