Episode 75: Tailgates, Touchdowns, and Total Chaos
- Three Lil Fishes Podcast
- Oct 29
- 5 min read
If fall had a soundtrack, it would be the hum of a crowd outside a college stadium, the crack of a beer can, and someone shouting “Go Blue!” from a parking lot full of grills and folding chairs. This week, we dove headfirst into one of America’s most beloved traditions: tailgating.
Kathy kicked things off with her firsthand report from a Michigan State tailgate — and honestly, she painted a scene that could have been straight out of a commercial. TVs set up under tents. Folding tables stacked with chips and chili. Portable bars built to withstand a full Saturday of celebration. You could practically smell the bratwurst through the microphone.
She also learned a very important lesson the hard way: never show up empty-handed. Even when you’re visiting from out of town and your hosts swear they have everything covered, bringing a small something — a case of beer, some cookies, a dip — is just good manners.
Tailgating, like most social rituals, is as much about the contribution as it is the company.
And then, because it’s us, we couldn’t stop at the snacks. We had to go deeper — straight into the tangled world of college sports and the money machine behind it. Here's a good article to check out The 12 Do's and Don'ts of Tailgating
Here are some of our tailgating must-haves check them out!:
The NIL Era: When College Kids Become Millionaires
If you haven’t been following, NIL stands for Name, Image, and Likeness, and it’s completely changing the landscape of college athletics. What started as a way for student-athletes to profit from their own likeness has turned into a full-blown industry — with some players signing multi-million-dollar contracts before they’ve even played a professional game.
Kathy broke down the basics, from the 2021 rule changes that opened the floodgates to the new rules allowing schools to pay players directly. It’s a staggering shift. Top athletes are now making serious money — as in, seven figures — while others are left figuring out how to compete or even stay on a roster.
It’s exciting and controversial all at once. On one hand, it feels fair that college athletes finally share in the profits they help generate. On the other, the whole system feels like it’s on shaky ground — more professional than amateur, more business than sport. We found ourselves asking: what happens to the players who aren’t in that top tier? What happens to the education part of “student-athlete”?
Leave it to us to turn a tailgating story into a debate on economics, fairness, and the future of college football.
Nobody Wants This, Season 2: Midlife, Marriage, and Mayhem
Before we got too deep into the sports talk, we had to check in on one of our favorite shows — Nobody Wants This, now in its second season. Kathy’s been hanging in there with it, though she admits it’s been a little “blah” lately.
Esther’s unraveling, Noah’s trying to hold it together, and we found ourselves wondering what exactly she’s rebelling against. A good husband? A stable life? A season of motherhood that just feels… off? We’ve all been there — that weird in-between where you can’t tell if you’re restless or just tired.
The conversation took a turn when we started talking about how midlife can sneak up on you. Even when you have a “good life,” there’s this pull to shake things up, test your limits, or rewrite the story you’ve been living for years. But as Kathy reminded us — the grass isn’t always greener. Sometimes it’s just different grass, and it still needs mowing.
It’s funny how a TV show can end up being a mirror. Nobody Wants This might be about fictional characters, but it’s also about real women who hit that stage where everything feels like it’s up for renegotiation — marriage, motherhood, identity, purpose. We didn’t solve anything (do we ever?), but it sparked one of those honest, comforting midlife talks that’s kind of our sweet spot.
Lee Corso and the GameDay Goodbye
Of course, we couldn’t talk football season without paying tribute to Lee Corso. His retirement from ESPN’s College GameDay hit all of us right in the heart. The man’s been putting on mascot heads and making picks for decades, and his send-off was emotional in the best way. Kathy even admitted it made her cry — and she’s not the crying type.
There’s something about those kinds of figures — the ones who’ve been part of the background of your weekends for years — that marks the passage of time in a very real way. We all have our own “Lee Corsos” out there. The people or places that remind us how much has changed, even when the rituals (like watching college football on a Saturday morning) stay the same.
What’s for Dinner: Homemade Noodles Gone Wrong
And because no episode would be complete without food — we ended up in the kitchen for What’s for Dinner?, where Kathy’s attempt at homemade noodles turned into an unexpected science experiment.
It started off promising: flour, eggs, and a little determination. She rolled them out, cut the strips, and even remembered to cover them. Unfortunately, she used plastic wrap, which turned her pasta into a greenhouse for mold. By day three, her noodles were less Italian feast and more biohazard.
The rest of us couldn’t stop laughing. We’ve all had those kitchen moments — where you follow directions (mostly), improvise a little too much, and end up with something the dog won’t even touch. Kathy swears she’s ordering the pasta attachment next time.
There’s something comforting about talking through these little domestic disasters. Whether it’s cooking gone wrong or the ceiling caving in from a plumbing leak (yes, that happened too), it’s proof that no matter how much we plan or prep, life still finds ways to humble us.
From Football Fields to Kitchen Floors
That’s what this episode turned into — an unexpected reflection on how we show up. Whether it’s at a tailgate, in our jobs, our families, or our kitchens, the same truth applies: bring something to the table. Literally or figuratively.
And when things don’t go according to plan — when your noodles mold, your ceiling springs a leak, or your favorite TV character melts down on screen — laugh first, fix it later.
It’s football season, it’s midlife, and it’s a little messy. Just how we like it.
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