Tiger Pride: What’s Up

After beginning the season ranked 12th, the Tigers are just getting started on one of the nation’s toughest schedules this month with two SEC road games and a home contest against Florida before the year’s final cupcake: Furman for Homecoming. In this edition of Tiger Pride, meet linebacker Lamin Barrow, celebrate the 25th anniversary of Everybody’s All-American, get inspired to Instagram your tailgate looks, and more. Tag your photos #225gameday for a chance to be in 225. Check out user-submitted #225gameday photos here.

Ten years ago this month, LSU honored the football team’s longtime equipment manager Jeff Boss by naming the Tiger Stadium locker room after him. Less than a month later, Boss died from complications related to a brain tumor.

The Louisiana native was renowned for his work, having earned the Glenn Sharp Award for outstanding equipment managing in 1990 then aiding in the development of Nike’s “Boss Shark” football cleat. —Jeff Roedel

You’ve been drinking in the heat since 9 a.m. Now, hours later, you just want to text your ex how much you miss him. But the text won’t send. Perhaps for the better. But what if it had been an emergency?

Poor cell phone reception during LSU games seems to be the stuff of legend in Baton Rouge. In 2011, AT&T updated the towers around LSU to 3G, but complaints still rumble through like Kenny Hilliard out of the backfield.

But fans can be smart about cell reception. RootMetrics’ CoverageMap app allows users to see where coverage is best and worst. If reception fails completely, it’s a good idea to revert to the age-old “emergency meeting place” and make sure everyone knows where it is.—Sydney Blanchard

Buying local doesn’t have to mean only sipping Tin Roof and Abita beers or grilling Louisiana andouille sausage. It can also be about keeping your beverages cold.

Lafayette’s K-2 Coolers specializes in creating rugged, professional-grade coolers and ice chests designed for hunting, fishing, camping, and of course, tailgating.

One K-2 cooler can hold up to 86 cans. Prices start at $139. Available in Baton Rouge at The Backpacker and online at k2-coolers.com. —Sydney Blanchard

1 Chill your cooler by placing ice in it several hours before packing it with food or drinks.
2 The volume of ice should be twice the volume of the items in the cooler.
3 Block ice lasts longer, but cubed or crushed ice cools items down faster.