Lobster Tacos at an NFL Tailgate? Inside the Best Pregame at SoFi Stadium | Rick w/ SoFire Tailgating

Lobster tacos. A DJ. 50/50 raffles. Multiple TVs. And more passion for game day food than most chefs put into a restaurant service. Rick with SoFire Tailgating is not a casual tailgater — he's the guy who shows up at SoFi Stadium and turns the parking lot into an experience that makes other tailgates feel like an afterthought.

Rick joins Luke to talk about how he fell in love with the LA Rams as a teenager, why SoFi Stadium's first fan season in 2021 sparked SoFire into existence, and what makes his game day setup one of the most talked-about in the NFL. The lobster taco conversation alone is worth the listen.

What we cover: How SoFire Tailgating started at SoFi Stadium's first fan season · Why lobster tacos belong at a tailgate (and how he makes them) · The full setup — DJ, TVs, 50/50 raffles, lounge area · Cooper Cup's mom showing up at the tailgate · Favorite drink: Uncle Nearest Tennessee whiskey on ice · Favorite beer: stout, always, even in 98-degree heat · Dream tailgate guest: Matt Stafford

Transcript

Intro

Luke 0:00

Welcome back to the Tailgate Connect podcast. I'm your host, Luke Lorick, with Tailgating Challenge. I love all things tailgating. And tonight there might be a guy that's as passionate or maybe even more than I am about tailgating. Rick with SoFire Tailgating joins us this evening on the podcast to talk about Rams Tailgating, lobster tacos, and you will not believe the amount of work, effort, and passion that goes into every single home game that he tailgates for. Stay tuned for more. Let's have a fall across the states from college to NFL. Tailgate Connect's got a story to tell. All right, welcome back to the Tailgate Connect podcast. It's Luke, and our special guest tonight is Rick with So Fire Tailgating. Rick is a big tailgating fan and also an LA Rams fan as well. Thank you, Luke. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it. Excellent. Excellent. So, so Rick, like I I've known you for a few years now. We haven't had the pleasure of meeting you in person. And I know you're going to give me a hard time and be like, Luke, you got to get out to my tailgating. You got to not only are you going to sell me on coming to your tailgate today, you're going to sell all the tailgators out there as to why you're an amazing tailgator. So one of the things I like to ask people like right off the jump is like, why do you love tailgating?

Rick 1:45

Um above above everything else is just getting together with a big group of people that have kind of a common uh a common theme or a common enjoyment to do the tailgate, the pregame stuff before the game. So that's the biggest thing because usually it's it's uh it's a big family, you know. Um you know, you say the same kind of people every you know every game in and game out. So um the biggest thing for me, like I said, is just getting together and seeing everybody and just kind of having a good time and stuff before the game kicks off.

Orange County/LA kid, watched Rams in Anaheim

Luke 2:17

So when did when when did your passion because I I remember as a kid for myself, like I was a young kid going to like South Carolina Game Cot games, and it started to resonate early that I was like, hey, I might be a tailgating guy. When did you have the moment like I fell in love with tailgating?

When was SoFire born and how did the name come about

Rick 2:33

So I can tell you with you know, I I uh I follow the Rams, as you know. Um, and so growing up, I actually watched the Rams. Um, you know, living in Orange County and LA County and stuff, I had grown up watching them and I enjoyed going to the games in Anaheim when they were first there, um, like so many people. But, you know, I'm a you know a teenager and you know that kind of thing back in the mid-90s when they ended up moving to St. Louis. Uh so fast forward to 2016, and I had always liked doing, you know, cooking and stuff outdoors, whether it's camping, whether it's in the backyard, something like that. Um, so we started going to Ram games from the very first preseason game when they came back. Um, and you know, we just started cooking, you know, just little things and you know, just trying to make stuff unique. And um, that's sort of how it started. Um, and then doing that week in and week out, or you know, game in and game out, I should say, um, it sort of just continued to grow um, you know, to what it is right now.

Luke 3:31

So excellent. So so tell me, when when was SoFire, when was it born, and how'd you come up with the name?

When did SoFire officially start? 2021 — first fan season

Rick 3:40

So um when they went to uh, you know, they were playing in the Coliseum when when SoFi Stadium was getting built. And so for the few years that we were there, um, you know, I had a suggestion thrown my way that uh, you know, we should sort of start taking it a little bit bigger. Um, you know, we started throwing some names around, and you know, I'd gotten on Instagram at that point, and so I kind of combined just SoFi Stadium um and into you know fire, I guess. Uh, and that's really just how it came. It's sort of simple. It sort of, you know, showed where it was coming from. Um, but that's really how the name started, you know, to be honest with you. So I was um sort of excited about it when you know we figured something out. Um so we just kind of went with it. So it was it's it's good stuff.

Luke 4:27

And and Roman, what was the year? Like when did SoFire tailgating and you putting on these tailgates, when did it officially start?

Rick 4:35

So it's gonna be the first year after COVID. Um, so COVID is what, 2020? Um if I remember right, and I remember right, the first uh season uh that SoFi Stadium was open, there was no you know, fans allowed, so nobody was tailgating, nobody was going to the game. So it's gonna be 2021, which would be the next season, um, which is you know, I guess when it sort of started. Um, and then the name kind of I want to say halfway through that first season is when this all started going because when uh we got to tailgating, because it's all new for everybody now. It's a new new location, new parking lot, new new everything. Um you know, we we started uh started doing the same kind of things. We like cooking, and you know, that's you know, one thing led to another, sort of got bigger. So I would say, you know, halfway through that first season that fans were able to go to the uh go to the stadium sort of when it when it kicked off.

Luke 5:28

Okay, okay. All right, so if somebody goes on to Tailgate Connect, they get some tickets to come out to the SoFire Tailgate, what can they expect?

Rick 5:39

Fun, right? Um, and that's you know, the best word that we really describe it. I like to call it fun. Others call it the experience, though. Um I'm with uh I'm with a bigger group called World Tour Rams, and so we try to put on an experience. Um, you know, there's usually uh, you know, a DJ there, you know, we have a group of us that are sort of situated right in the center of the parking lot that are able to bring fans in when they're coming through. Now, you know, with the DJ, you know, we've got TV set up, we've got obviously we have bar areas set up, we have a lounge area set up, and of course, right, you know, right on one little corner is uh is kind of our setup for the food. So people will come through if uh you know they go on Tailgate Connect and they can certainly, you know, you know, get their tickets and stuff, but you're getting that full uh experience, guaranteed experience of of just fun, uh great atmosphere, good music, dancing, um, of course, drinking if you know you want to do that kind of thing. And um, but it it it it it is a good time, it really is.

Lobster tacos — the signature dish

Luke 6:43

So, Rick, one thing I feel like I've been following you on social media for a while. I feel like cooking is a big part of the experience there. It is. So tell us a little bit more about like what like what are some of the food dishes? I know it probably varies like game to game, but give people a little bit of that flavor as to what they could potentially expect.

Welcoming atmosphere regardless of team

Rick 7:01

So here's the here's maybe it's not so much of the trade secret anymore. Um, but what I will do is, you know, our season uh schedules come out in what March, April, something like that. Um, so what I'll do is start kind of curating the menus then. And what I do, um, which people started picking up on, um, is that I will find the uh the city that they're coming from, and I will uh pick through kind of what their regional cuisines are. And so I'll take some of those foods and actually make them uh tailgate friendly, right? Um, you know, we rarely will cook a hamburger or a hot dog, but we'll go through and um, you know, for instance, uh, well, Texans was our home opener. So guess what we ended up doing? It was a lot of barbecue. Well, I'm not gonna do barbecue two days in a row unless they're playing the Cowboys the next game. So um, you know, so for every outside division game or outside division opponent, I should say, that's basically what it is. You know, we'll find the um regional cuisines for that city that they're coming from, and we'll basically make a menu off of that. Um, and the divisional games, all of them are gonna be street tacos. So we know that uh, you know, for the Seahawks, the Cardinals, and um I don't know that other teams and I'm gonna do it to me, don't do it to me. Somebody, I don't know. Um, but we're gonna, yes, yes, and your team, Luke, yes. But but we'll do street tacos and people love it. And um, you know, and it sort of gets people thinking about their own menus. And that's kind of what we've always talked about at the very beginning, is is you know, sort of elevate your tailgate, you know, and especially with the food, you do something a little bit different. Um, now you don't have to cook for 75, 80 people like I do, but you want to have your own little um thing, just do stuff maybe you want to try it, something a little bit different, you know. And so that's kind of what sort of my thought process was because it makes it fun, you know, makes it sort of like people were you know looking forward to what the menu's gonna be.

SoFire is a welcoming environment

Luke 8:56

So for sure. So uh again, I always say like I haven't eaten at the time of this episode, but that sounds delicious right now. And again, I love I love tacos, right? So even come in for a 49ers game. I know you didn't want to say that name out loud, but that's like I can expect to have some tacos, it sounds like, which will be amazing. Absolutely, absolutely. So as we as we talk about like some of these opponents, the opposing teams, one of the things that I know that some people are probably like, oh my gosh, like, you know, I might want to go to this tailgate, but if I'm wearing the other team's colors, like are they gonna are they gonna shove me in a corner? Are they like not gonna interact with me? Like, tell people how does that work at your tail? If I show up my 49ers gear, aside from you doing your normal stuff with me, but the average person, how would that how would that work or look for them?

Rick 9:43

So, you know, it truly is a a welcoming atmosphere, regardless if you're you know, uh, you know, a Rams fan or you know an opposing teams fan, because everybody's there, um, you know, generally, especially before the game, is everybody's there to have fun. And so we don't ever exclude anybody. We don't exclude uh anybody if you're not even a football fan, you know, because this may be your first, uh, this may be your first game. You know, I have a countless number of people that come up to me in all kinds of jerseys, right? And they say, um, you know what, this is my first time at the stadium. I'm so excited. I've never expected a tailgate like this. This is not something I'm used to. I've never um, you know, done the whole experience, you know. So um we're certainly welcoming to all fans. Um, you know, we do have our couple of our uh, you know, fans that we're a little uh, you know, you know, a little shy on, but no. So um, no, but like I said, everybody's always welcome. Everybody's always welcome, and I'm always gonna give you a dig on that. But that's just how, you know, we always treat every fan with respect. Um, it doesn't matter, like I said, what team you're you know you're representing there. Um because like I said, we want to people have people to have that experience. When they leave the tailgate and they're gonna go to the game. We want them to, you know, have had a great time, to be fed well if they're gonna eat there, um, to know that, you know, what happens in the stadium is really out of nobody's you know control, or is that it's nobody's in control then, right? We can control the tailgate stuff, but um, that's really what we want. We want everybody, uh anybody to come in. That doesn't matter what team you're with.

Leaving at 1:30am Sunday morning

Luke 11:13

Excellent, excellent. So, like one of the things, Rick, I know about you that I want to spend a little bit of time on. So, again, you're tailgating uh in LA, So Fire Stadium. Uh-huh. You don't live close to there. Is it is it Vegas? Am I I I do, yes. I do live in Las Vegas, yes. So I I want to just like pause for a minute. Vegas to LA every home game? Every home game. Um every home game. What is that like how do you do that? How does one do that every home game? Because that's not like how long is the drive?

Rick 11:49

So it is about a four and a half hour drive, give or take. Um, you know, and what what is kind of crazy and people don't believe me when I tell them is that um I will get up at one in the morning on Sunday morning uh to drive that you know, four and a half hours, whatever it is, uh to get out there to Los Angeles. And you know, you're only talking about 10 minutes from the airport, so I can most certainly fly there, but I can't take all of my equipment. So uh, you know, like I said, then I'll get out there about a quarter after five, give or take. And with the way that SoFi is set up, um, there are some streets that are around it that sort of cars stage on until they can get in. Um, but yeah, every every home game, um, I I rarely miss any. Um, we'll get out there. Like I said, my rule of thumb is I leave about uh you know about 12 hours prior to game time. Okay. So most of the West Coast games, as you know, are one, you know, one, one twenty-five time slot. So I'll leave about one o'clock in the morning every home game and uh uh get out there and uh you know get ready to have a little fun.

Two lots at SoFi — everything else is garages

Luke 12:55

So, like how how early do the parking lots open in SoFi? Or so like is it five hours for game time? What does that look like when you're rocking and rolling?

Rick 13:04

So the tailgate. So if you haven't been to SoFi, um there are only two lots that you can actually tailgate in. All of the other lots, you can't do it. So usually that helps us with people gravitating to the lots. Um, and so that tailgate lot opens up about five and a half hours-ish uh before game time. Uh the opponent obviously is gonna, you know, figure out if it's gonna be a heavily visited game, you know. Uh some of these teams, their fans travel really well. Uh, they may open it earlier than that. But we get into that parking lot, it starts opening up about 7:30. Um, the other lots uh at SoFi open up at nine, you know. So you're talking a four-hour difference to a five and a half hour difference. So that one and a half hours for us is critical, you know, because again, we have set up and food and you know, at least for us. And so uh, but yeah, for for folks coming out, um, it is it is open, it opens at about 7.30.

No trailers allowed — everything in the vehicle

Luke 14:05

And I'm so you're saying, so you're leaving what 1.30 in the morning on Sundays, roughly, to get over there to get set up. So tell me, tell me a little bit. I not that you have to go through everything, but like I'm assuming you're probably having to pack a vehicle, maybe a trailer, even the night before that with all your gear?

Rick 14:24

So we are not allowed to have trailers in our lot, so everything has to be uh packed into the back of the vehicle that I've got. Um yeah, and yeah, without getting too much into it, I've got, you know, some drawer slides. I'm sure you've seen it on Instagram. But comes with, you know, drawer slides, I've got a big fridge freezer and that sort of thing. Um, so I'm able to, through the course of me doing this, know what I need to take and what I don't need to take. So I don't necessarily need to overpack. Um, and so, you know, you're talking, you know, you're talking tables and canopies and you know, shaving dishes and all the other stuff that goes with it, not including the food, because now the food is a whole separate, you know, part of it. So um, yeah, we've gotten it down to where it's it's pretty compact and you know, I get exactly what I need in there. I don't because I don't have that ability to take a trailer in there.

Rest time is during the game

Luke 15:11

No, I mean I'm just highlighting this because it's like just just showcasing the amount of passion that has to come with this tailgate, because most people, it's like it could be a struggle for some people, just getting everything set up, like, and they live 30 minutes away. You're coming from out of state, every home game, loading up the night before. Right. Like, do do you do you drive back the same day or do you at least take a moment to rest?

Rick 15:36

No, I yeah, I get well, my rest to be honest with you, is when I get into the game. That's my rest point. But um, yeah, I will uh usually stay out there. Um, you know, just get a hotel and then uh first thing in the morning I'll just drive back to Vegas, which is usually Monday morning. Um so yeah, it's I've done it so many times that you know it's it's like second nature to me now. So um, but yeah, my my rest time is usually at the game, and then you know, by the time that night is done, it's over. I'm done. So it's it's good.

Rare days Rick goes to the game

Luke 16:04

You're probably the opposite of me and some of the others, where it's like my rest time, like teal gating, where I can relax and just do all that stuff, and then it's stress time like during the game, right? With it, if you if your team's playing and getting stressed out a little bit with how the game's going.

Family support question

Rick 16:17

It's it and you know, it's kind of the opposite. I and I see what you're saying because um, you know, those rare days that I don't have to cook, um, I do, I sort of do breathe a little bit because I just want to make sure, you know, if we're cooking, I just want to make sure everybody's fed and you know happy and um, you know, that kind of stuff. So that does have a stressor to it. But um, like I said, one or two games a season, maybe it's a preseason game, maybe it's just maybe a Thursday night game or something I'll pick just to not cook. And um, and I do kind of see the other side of it when that happens because I'm so far from removed from having that every game or every tailgate. Uh, I should say so. Um, it's kind of a nice little change of pace, but yeah, I, you know, the actual uh hustle and bustle of it is is the fun thing for me. But my yeah, my rest time is actually doing the game. So that's when you sit there and cheer and do whatever you're gonna do.

Family has been very supportive

Luke 17:05

Sure. Now, now, Rick, I'm gonna get a little personal with you for me because there's probably some people listening, and I'm thinking it to myself right now. I was like, Rick, Rick, are you married? Do you have a significant other in your life?

Rick 17:16

Uh, you know, I got family, I got significant other. Um uh, you know, everybody's obviously been super supportive of everything I do, and uh um, you know, it's kind of crazy to some people, you know, friends and family can't believe I do what I do and you know, game in and game out. And um uh, but you know, it's it's uh it it's it's fun. You know, it's it's you know, they they they I think they enjoy that I'm enjoying it.

Planning matters — do it for love

Some people say wife won't let them — Rick is grateful

Luke 17:46

So no, that's that's amazing. Because I know there's probably some people like, man, like my wife won't let me go to the game around the corner, much less like just pack up one day, be gone another whole day with it. So it's probably like giving some of those uh tips as to how some of these guys can immerse themselves in football even more. Right.

Rick 18:04

Yeah, no, and again, every you know, everything's every everybody's different, I guess. Um, you know, but I think uh, you know, I've been a fan, um, I've been a fan so long. And um, there's obviously a lot of give and take with a lot of stuff we do in life, you know. And so, um, you know, with me doing this, I I have just uh been able to kind of sit back and um you know enjoy for what it is, and uh, you know, because we know it's seasonal. It's not it's not all year long. So um, you know, you have to have your downtime during your off season, but you know, come, you know, come season time, like I said. And then and thankfully it's not every week um because there are those breaks that are definitely needed because there is a lot that goes into each one of these. Um, you know, I call them events, but there's each, you know, that one in um there's so much that go into these tailgates that um you know you do need your rest, you know. So when they have a you know an away game, it's kind of a nice little, hey, I'll just sit back and kind of watch and you know, go to a bar or watch it from the house or something. So who knows?

Schedule and logistics for travel games

Luke 19:03

So Rick, I I know you're doing a lot of back and forth with the home games. Do do you do you travel? Do you go to any other outside of the Rams? Do you tailgate for any other teams or go watch other games?

Bucket list stadium

Rick 19:13

You know, it a lot of it is um, you know, just schedule, um, you know, pending if I can do it. Um, I have gone to other games. Uh, you know, Arizona is not far from us on the other side. It's another four hours the other way. So um I have in the past gone to a couple of those Ram Arizona games. Um, you know, and I was going every year when they were still in St. Louis. Um, and since they came back, I think I've maybe been one or two. Um, but you know, scheduling and that kind of stuff sort of at right now it it's you know it's taking its toll. But um, once you know you kind of retire or something, then you know, obviously I'll be able to do a lot more of that when that happens. So trying to trying to get out there and do a lot more tailgating at some of the away games. Sure.

Luke 19:57

What do you have one stadium that's on your bucket list and you say I would really love to go tailgate and go to a game at blank stadium?

Rick 20:05

We talk in college or we talking professional?

Luke 20:08

Wide open. What NFL, college, whatever, whatever you think.

Rick 20:14

Um you know, for the NFL, um Buffalo for whatever reason always stands out that I need to go try uh try a Bills game.

Luke 20:25

They do it kind of crazy up there.

Has Rick ever questioned if it's worth it?

Rick 20:27

I think that would be fun. Um, you know, I'm a big USC fan. I don't know if you know that, but um, so I've tailgated a bunch out of the Coliseum already. I think for a college, um, gosh, you can pick any one of these big schools. Um I would I would even say maybe something like a Michigan, maybe, or uh heck, maybe even a Tennessee, maybe. I don't know. I mean, it just you know, it's one of these, you know, that I don't have easy access to. I think would be something maybe even cross-country that I would I would love, you know, definitely love to do. So who knows?

Luke 21:02

Now, now Rick, I'm uh again, both of those are really good choices. I think there's a lot of options out there with just amazing like experiences. I've been to Tennessee, I've been to Michigan. Both of those, like I would say put them on your bucket list if you're able to do for sure. Absolutely. All right, let me let me just put let's have some fun here. What what's is there a stadium that you would never go to? Never go to.

Rick 21:30

Oh boy. Well, I think you when you ask me the question, you already know the answer to. No, I don't I don't think so. I I I would I would actually, you know, nothing for the nothing. I would like to go to all NFL stadiums, regardless of um, you know, what team it is, because I think it's the experience. And um, you know, if you haven't been to SoFi, it's probably like nothing you've ever seen. But I've never been to Lambo, right? Or, you know, some of these stadiums where they're just old and you know.

Leaving at 1am, setting up, loading night before

Luke 22:00

um in you know entrenched with uh you know tradition kind of a thing and so i want to go to those whether i'm gonna tailgate there or not you know but i i do want to see games at some of these some of these places before they especially before they go away you know on the nfl side um you know and i can't um i i can't think of one i wouldn't necessarily not want to go to um i probably would have one i would go to last of course but that's just to say i've been there but you know other than that um no i again i'm just doing that because i know i know it gets you but um but yeah no i like i said i don't think there's one i wouldn't go to you know i i don't see a reason why not i mean i'd go i go to a legion here every once in a while for you and levy games so um but i want to see other you know obviously i want to see other ones so for sure all right so rick you you've been tailgating a while obviously you got this down to a science i know it's not always easy to do it but for somebody if they were like you know man like i'd really like to like you know step up my tailgate or just like make a really big tailgate in the future what's what's one tip you'd give them that you could have given yourself maybe before you started this whole thing that you wish you knew then patience that is the biggest thing patience well because when I started I wanted to do everything I wanted to have you know three grills and you know you know if I'm cooking for four but you still have food enough for 25 and um you know a lot of that stuff comes over time and kind of figuring out the patience side comes in because you don't necessarily have to be in a rush you know there's a difference between being prepared and being ready for everything um versus being in a rush to go do what's supposedly an you know a relaxing uh time um and that's kind of really what for me it is it's just to just not rush into worrying about everything you know that's that's the thing for me um that would probably be the number that's definitely the number one thing because I've noticed it over the years that you know if I prepare the day before I don't have to stress over it on Sunday you know and I could just get out there and set up and just do the thing. Excellent excellent and and so or you just get up at 130 in the morning right and you have plenty of time to get everything done.

Rick 24:23

Well I gotta leave at one. That means I'm getting up at like midnight. Yeah no yeah it makes for a long day so but yeah I mean like I said everything you know and that's the biggest thing is just uh with what I do a lot of it's prep work on Saturday.

Have what you need — no last-minute store runs

Luke 24:37

Um you know a big chunk of Saturday too isn't it I mean it it's I mean loading all that stuff and making sure you have all your stuff because if not you can turn around and go back and get it.

Rick 24:46

Yeah no that's not happening.

What's in the tailgating cup — whiskey

Luke 24:48

You know there's you know there's a store that's nearby that for the last minute stuff but if I don't have what I'm needing I I'm not gonna have it you know so um I go through in my mind what you know I need and make sure everything's prepped everything's ready to go uh the less the less um I have to worry about on Sunday the better for me so excellent tell me this uh so there's probably a lot of tailgating gear that you have you've seen you've got your hands on what is that one piece of gear that you're like I gotta have this at every tailgate it makes your tailgate better it makes your life easier what's that piece of tailgating gear wow that's a hard one you know because everybody's different especially with that kind of answer um you know I bring out different grills and I bring out different you know um container uh you know all this kind of stuff but I think just for me the number one thing is just a good knife if nothing else um because I do a lot of food stuff and I you know I do a lot of cooking um but it you know really to single it out it's just having the right equipment you know depending on what you're doing just the right equipment you know because there's days I may fry a bunch of stuff there may be days that I'm gonna smoke some stuff there may be days you know it's gonna be on the griddle it's just having the the actual right equipment with you um but like I said for me just a good knife I mean a good knife for me is probably number one and then um everything else is sort of you know secondary after that um but everything together is what makes it a good equipment I guess shout out your favorite brand of knife right now I would probably say it's either well it's either gonna be spaceman I like what he has or Headley and Bennett um I like what they've got too so it'll probably be one of those two um but really it's just you know something that I prefer um certain but a good a good a good knife is for me like I said it's it's number one well that that was just a shameless plug so if anybody ever hears that they should sponsor you one day because like obviously you use their stuff and you love it. Yeah for sure yeah sure yeah no it like I said it's a you know it's um it you know I'm fortunate to get you know get some folks on board with what we're doing and you know they're able to provide it and um but like I say we just uh you know we find what's what's good for us for that tailgate you know especially for the cooking side so um yeah so so Rick now i i'm I'm allowing you in in this dream scenario we're gonna put together right here you get to step away from the grill you get to sit back and just enjoy a tailgate with no work at all that's where I'm going with this part so we're let me think about that okay okay I know it's it's probably hard to actually digest that in real time let me let me get this let me get this bouncing around okay go ahead okay so Rick we're going to a magical dreamland where you don't have to cook or please everyone you get to sit back and enjoy the tailgate with this next line of questioning question one you're sitting back you're enjoying the tailgate what is gonna be on your plate you don't have to cook it you don't have to pay for it what's your favorite tailgate food tacos that's what you have for all the NFC West opponents I don't know so I obviously if if you you know you know me tacos are my number one favorite food um now I would probably do lobster tacos um because it's something a little bit more uh elevated you know um that would be that would be number one it would be some kind of taco would easily build the lobster taco out by build it build it from the ground up to make the perfect lobster taco that you're gonna eat oh this is gonna be easy it's you're gonna obviously uh you know get your lobster boiled I don't want to do any batter on it uh simply boiled um uh seasoned of course um you're gonna get an easy uh street corn tortilla lobster taco and then maybe just a little bit of some sort of green salsa and lime and that's it. Okay. I mean again sound anytime you have lobster to Teo gate I'm already like oh pinkies up that sounds like a really nice thing.

Rick 29:14

Yeah for sure it's just it's just uh you know it's something clean it's easy um but I know that not a lot has to go into it so that would actually end up relaxing me to be honest with you it's just you know what something nice and nice and easy to easy to eat. So and I'll probably eat I don't know a dozen of those things maybe I don't know so we'll see.

Maybe two — you have all day

Luke 29:33

Wait what what's the most lobster tacos you've personally eaten in one city?

Uncle Nearest Tennessee whiskey — how he discovered it

Rick 29:37

Maybe two I no I would I mean that you know if you're a tailgate I mean you got all day to eat right I mean so but if you're at a restaurant maybe a couple of them um but yeah no that I think that would be the that would be the that would be the meal that I would want just to sit back relax um and just kind of enjoy it so it'd be a taco of course.

Luke 29:55

All right so you got your plate with your lobster tacos what's going to be in your tailgating cup whiskey. Whiskey like do you have a favorite brand like tell me a little bit more about what is that because whiskey could be a lot of different things.

One little cube — don't dilute it

Rick 30:10

So right now probably my favorite is going to be Uncle Nearest um uncle nearest is a Tennessee uh whiskey um I actually took that and a uh and an Uncle Nearest representative to a tailgate one time and uh everybody loved it and when I was able to finally relax and drink it and I was like oh that's actually pretty good so um again something simple um I'm a big big craft beer guy um but I think if I was going to sit and relax just those couple of things I think would just set me just right.

Two-three fingers, that's perfect

Luke 30:42

All right so with your whiskey are you is it just on iced need anything else in there to make it perfect or what does that look like?

Craft beer — stout 100%, even in 98-degree heat

Goose Island or Bottle Logic — the favorites

Rick 30:49

Just one little cube and that's just enough to cool it down a little bit. I don't want to uh I don't want to deliver too much but yeah just you know two or three fingers and then uh that'll that'll be that's perfect for me.

Luke 31:00

And since you brought up craft beer being that I'm a big craft beer guy I just want to hear what is your favorite style style of beer to have at a tailgate stout 100% okay yeah 100% I think even when it's hot even if it's 98 degrees you're drinking a stout weather weather should not determine what you're drinking when it comes with craft beers. It does for this guy no i if I will drink yeah I'll drink uh stouts all year long um you know some of the other ones are great you know some of the Pilsners and the um you know some of the IPAs if that's your thing you know I'll drink whatever but yeah if if you know answering your question 100% it's gonna be a stout and uh and just like you called out your favorite whiskey do you have a favorite maker of stouts there's gonna be one of two um Goose Island uh whether Bourbon County um uh or bottle logic which is actually in Anaheim and both of them you know you know goose island's out of Chicago of course um but bottle logic um i I that's the that's the stout if I was gonna grab from refrigerator or from the wherever that would that would be the one again okay all right so you got your food you got your drink if you want to have a little bit of fun what's your favorite tailgating game to play oh gosh um I know one time and I think I've got it somewhere in the garage we we bought a big uh Rams uh decorated like connect four game you know it's the one we drop the chips in yeah but we got a big one it's I don't know four feet wide or three feet wide um which we had fun playing um with uh all of the uh excuse me with all of the um god that with all the games core hole I know is a b is a pretty big one um but no I think that first one I said I think for me that that was pretty fun because uh um it's just less uh you know all kind of people jump jump into that game so excellent excellent all right so we talk about some of the positive some of the nice foods some of the games but there's there's the term and I always say I don't know if I coined this term but I use it a lot now instead of tailgating failgating where something like somebody just did something just like crazy silly fell over whatever the case may be have you seen whether you were part of it or you saw somebody else be a part of it have you seen a failgating experience at a so fire tailgate not you know not really too bad.

Player visits — Cooper Cup's mom came

Favorite Rams player — Eric Dickerson

Rick 33:51

You know you know I'll take this a little bit different than maybe the general uh public I think would my failgating would be if somebody doesn't like what I make or somebody is you know maybe even get sick of what I make but um you know every once in a while I mean it and it's very very uh rare but um you know you'll have somebody that's already been drinking too much that kind of thing but sort of have to be asked out of the area but really there's nothing you know with ours um there's really nothing that really happens I would say at least that I am aware of um that's really a fail. Um I know people forget stuff all the time and you know they may they you know you know they failed at bringing the propane or something you know but um you know but it like for ours it's it's like I said it's a good time and we don't have too many of those kind of um you know kind of things happen. I at least I like I said I don't see it. So if they happen they happen I don't know fair enough. All right shout out your favorite Rams player of all time Eric Eggerson probably will be Eric Eckerson um I'm going back obviously to the LA you know the old LA Rams days watched him a bunch of times you know I can list a dozen guys right now just uh right off the top but he's always been somebody who you know obviously he's been attacking a lot and uh that would be my that would be my number one guy have any former or current Rams ever come by your tailgate players no but families yes um last year Cooper Cup's mom um and some of her friends came when Cooper was with us um and we actually had a great time had a great conversation um I I actually I know he went to the Seahawks this year but I actually invited her back to the tailgate uh when they uh you can still be friends yeah she talked about having some vibes and I was like yeah come by but um I'm trying to think I'm trying to think no we've had we have had a couple guys now think about it Leroy Urban there's a few guys that come through now that I'm now that I'm like just rethinking about it.

Final pitch — come to SoFire for the experience

Luke 36:07

Um but oh god that was a good question I should have been thinking about that already you're gonna like my next one then a couple a couple a couple play okay go ahead all right obviously this probably can happen because players are getting ready for games and all that stuff right now but so tailgate is usually not part of their like normal repertoire before they they go but current Rams player that would be the most fun to tailgate with you believe in your opinion oh jeez um the most fun fun for who fun for me or fun for him fun i think I guess fun like just hanging out with the pride for you right for being a part of the tailgate and just being like a fun yeah I think uh I think Matt Stafford would be fun um I think he sort of passed the you know the younger side of things may not be there to party but I think it'd be still the actual fun though to hang out with you know and that's the that's the side of it I I think I don't think he's there to get drunk you know or whatever but you know but I think he'd I think he for me I think that would be fun to fun to hang out with him. Sure. All right Matt Staff or anybody that knows him if you listen to this episode we got to get him to the SoFire tailgame that would be epic epic love to see it. Yeah all right so so Rick as we wind the show down and we and we talk about like people that might be like oh man Rick seems like he is super dedicated sounds like amazing food out there and a great experience sell them one more time on why they should go to tailgateconnect.com and come get some tickets for the SoFire Rams tailgating experience.

Rick 37:49

It is and it is the experience you know you you come for a good time that's what you want to get you know you want to get fed uh you want to maybe watch the morning games because like I said we have a couple TVs out there um you know we've got a DJ that we always bring in uh we will do 50-50 raffles you know we we have a lot of those sort of things happening um we do have a lounge area and again with the amount of people that we have in our group um there's a little bit uh something for everyone you know uh like I said people people love coming through and they love to hang out there's no questions asked if you're there to have a good time and you know want to have that great experience this is definitely what you want to do. Again it's the food the drinking the the dancing the TV you know all of it it's it like I said it's all all everything that comes with it.

Luke 38:37

No again I I've seen it online and I know I've got to make my plans to come out to one of your TL gates probably for one of the games that involves tacos maybe lobster.com of course absolutely yeah I'll bring I'll bring that we'll we'll make that happen. Excellent excellent well hey uh everybody that's been listening to the episode thank you for tuning in to the end of the episode we always appreciate that and just like Rick you've been awesome like to get to know a little bit better. Like I felt like I knew you a little bit before the episode but like really understanding how passionate you take this tailgating craft is something that's not lost on me. So thank you for sharing a little bit of your story and experiences with us today. If you're wanting to have that easy budding tailgating experience check out tailgateconnect.com. We have hosts for NFL and for college football that we can hook you up with just like people like Rick. And that's the cool part about it is that every host is different. Every tailgate is different and they're all going to be amazing and fun people just like Rick today. So Rick, thanks for being here thanks everybody for tuning in and our motto is we hope to see you at a tailgate soon. Have a good day everybody look all right guys thank you appreciate it for you