TAILGATERS CARRY ON
From parking lots to patios: Ohio State Buckeyes tailgaters ready for football season ... at home
F“It will be a bittersweet moment. It’s fantastic the Buckeyes get to play, but we’re disappointed we’re not able to tailgate.”
or the past 52 years, Joe Chinnici knew where he’d be each fall Saturday when there was a football game at Ohio Stadium. The 77-year-old hasn’t missed attending an Ohio State home game in person since he was in his 20s. But not this year. h While much of Buckeye Nation is celebrating the return of college football to Columbus this weekend, something will be missing: the fans. h “It’s going to be strange,” said Chinnici, who typically travels to games from his home in Westlake, near Cleveland, with his wife, Karen. h After the Big Ten conference canceled the season in the summer because of the ongoing pandemic, it voted last month to start the season Saturday, but with no fans allowed inside or outside the stadium.
Brian Hodges Ohio State football fan
“It’s all about the experience of hanging out with friends and talking about the build up to the game. It’s about getting excited to go in the stadium and seeing kickoff and the band. It’s those subtle things that you’ve come to expect from the game day experience.” David Deiley Ohio State football fan
For the Chinnicis, that means no Friday-night hotel stays to ensure they’re at the stadium by 6 a.m. to set up their tailgate. No high-fives or “O-H-I-O!” chants with familiar faces in the parking lot. No 9 a.m. Bloody Mary to toast with Powell friends Brian Hodges and David Deiley, next to whom the couple has parked in the East Stadium lot for nearly two decades.
Saturday marks the first game in years that the three families won’t be hosting a massive tailgate for family, friends, coworkers and pretty much any stranger passing by.
While Chinnici will be watching the noon kickoff against Nebraska from his home – on a brand-new television bought just for the occasion – Hodges and Deiley will be some 150 miles away watching with friends outside Hodges’ home in Powell. (Morning Bloody Marys still will be consumed.)
Though many aspects of life are different this year because of COVID-19, Buckeye faithful are still trying to keep up with some traditions – whether it be pregame rituals or lucky attire – and finding reason to cheer on their team from home, in a bar or at small gatherings, despite not being able to do it in person.
“It will be a bittersweet moment,” said Hodges, 52, who attends games with wife, Sharon. “It’s fantastic the Buckeyes get to play, but we’re disappointed we’re not able to tailgate.”
However, that’s not stopping the 1993 OSU graduate from pulling out all his game day staples for the watch party at his house, which he said will have plenty of outdoor seating and viewing space.
Ohio State University officials are encouraging all fans to watch the games from home in small groups to stay safe.
As Hodges typically does for key matchups each season – and certainly the first game of a season that almost didn’t happen counts as a pretty big
game – he will smoke pork and other meats for hungry fans. One of the silver linings of taking in the game from home, he said, is that he can provide more of his beloved barbecue and serve it hot.
“The beauty is I’ll be able to smoke on the smoker all day, non-stop,” Hodges said. “It will be this slow trickle of food.”
Though he started preparation for the food on Thursday, planning a patio party requires nowhere near the amount of effort as the logistical feat of tailgating at Ohio Stadium.
Generally, 50 to 70 people might pass through Hodges’ and Deiley’s joint stadium parking lot tailgate. Plus, if it’s a night game, they still start at dawn and provide multiple meals throughout the day until kickoff.
“It’s really a passion for Brian and I,” said Deiley, 49, who has been a Buckeye football fan since he was a child and is married to Ohio State graduate, Sue Ellen. “I always say that I have the logistics
and (Brian) has the game-day operations.”
During a typical season, the crew has its tailgating plan down almost to a science, with Deiley or Hodges heading down Thursday evening to reserve all three spots, including the Chinnicis’.
“It’s all about the experience of hanging out with friends and talking about the build up to the game,” Deiley said. “It’s about getting excited to go in the stadium and seeing kickoff and the band. It’s those subtle things that you’ve come to expect from the game day experience.”
On Saturday, Joe and Karen Chinnici will tailgate in their driveway.
“The only time we did that was at my daughter’s wedding,” Joe Chinnici said with a chuckle.
It’s definitely not the norm for Chinnici, a 1964 OSU graduate, who test drove his current car by taking it home to see if it could fit all his tailgating supplies.
“With the noon kickoff, we’ll be out there early, but not at 6 a.m.,” said Chinnici, who also travels to most away games. “It’ll be weird to get ready in the driveway, grill and then go in the house.”
Neighbors with whom they’ve “quarantined” and had sidewalk parties throughout the pandemic will join them for some pregame fun, as will their children and grandchildren.
The event will be a far cry from the weekend-long extravaganza that is tailgating and attending a game at Ohio Stadium, but both Chinnicis said they still will relish the chance to see their favorite team take the field — even if it’s from afar.
“He’s been warming up by watching other games – like ones that are 20, 30 years old,” Karen Chinnici said.
And with expectations for the team so high and it being so long since he’s seen a live Buckeye game, Joe Chinnici is excited.
“There have been no preliminary games and the opening game is against a conference opponent,” he said. “It’s time to win every game.”
That’s all that matters whether he’s at the Horseshoe or not. award@dispatch.com @Allisonaward