America's most popular sports broadcaster and the author of three best-selling books takes a witty and tasteful look at two of America's greatest obsessions--sports and food--and how they meet in the purely American phenomenon of the tailgate party. Although John Madden did not invent the tailgate party, he has been an enthusiastic team member at countless such gatherings in his travels to football stadiums across the country. He also has done more than anyone else to celebrate this exuberant American pastime in his weekly television commentaries.Madden has spent 18 years criss-crossing the country by bus and train. He knows roadfood and tailgates as well as he does defensive line strategies. His book includes over 80 recipes for tailgating, sorted by region. All recipes will be easy-to-make and require no special skills or equipment. Each page will include sidebars explaining their regional history, origins, or Madden's humorous observations. This is vintage Madden. A lot to eat. Preferably ribs and chicken and sausages with good barbecue sauce. A good barbecue sauce makes everything taste better. No tablecloths or candles. This merits immediate suspension from the team. A station wagon tailgate draped with paper towels is fancy enough. The quality of the food in in inverse proportion to the altitude of the restaurant (this includes concession stands and broadcast booths). No brie. It just doesn't go with football.