It's not only college football that has been the focus of my attention over the past three months. It is also the new American pastime that has taken over the kitchen tables of Southern women and is making its way into tailgates on a weekly basis across the country.
It's not a new recipe, or a new table design. Instead, it's Mahjong.
A simple walk to Tiger Stadium on the campus of Louisiana State University during the opening weekend of the college football season certainly changed my outlook on the newest trend sweeping the the nation, one expensive set at a time.
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It started a few months earlier when I was first introduced to this game, thanks to a friend we'll just call "Sam" for the sake of keeping the wild world of Mahjong between the groups that play it.
I wouldn’t want to give away any secrets, and I would learn over time that this was on the same level as men getting together for a night of poker.
The one thing I did not expect to see while making my way into a college football game was four ladies sitting at a table within a tailgate playing this game while others around them were immersed in your normal pregame activities that included alcohol.
Did I just stumble into a whole new world?
What was it about this game that led to women, and men, finding themselves sitting at a table covered in a 'mat' playing with 'tiles' that were labeled differently and a rule pamphlet that was also used to stir up the same table of 'craks', 'barns' and 'dots'.
Yes, those are different items used to play Mahjong, which I still have no idea how to play.
Also, it had unbeknownst to me, the game had made its way to other tailgates across college football that included Ole Miss, Alabama and Indiana. Yes, I know for a fact it's being played at other tailgates across this country, even if I haven’t been able to see it firsthand just yet.
And why were there so many different colors involved, or why did every playing surface look different?
Turns out, I was on the cusp of being astonished at how much this was actually being played around college athletics.
No, I'm not just talking about the wives of coaches who might get together on a weekly basis to discuss life while playing this game.
I still remember, three or so months ago, when "Sam" told me i'd be surprised to know how many men participate in Mahjong as a way to decompress. More on that later, with a coaching twist.
Now, for full disclosure, I have yet to learn the intricate details of this game, nor have I sat down to play a round.
And, I'm not just talking about a hand of "cards." These were elaborate get togethers, with women hosting game nights usually on a rotating basis, while some outings will take place in a local studio or room that could also be used as a storefront.
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This turned into an investigative mission to find out how deep this whole Mahjong craze goes.
It just so happens that there are actual stores that sell 'tiles'. playing 'mats', sets that include marketing agreements with the 'Grateful Dead'.
Yes, the band.
How would I know about this?
I'm sure by now you are wondering why in the world a sports writer would become so fascinated by a game that is played a majority of the time by women. It probably helps that "Sam" is so into this game that I have been running at system overload for months now, even though I enjoy hearing about these game nights that can most certainly be competitive.
So, what did I do?
This particular weekend had me in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, not far from home. Besides my algorithm on social media steering me toward different social media pages thanks to my curiosity, I needed to see what all the fuss was about.
One google search later I found myself taking a detour on the way to Bryant-Denny Stadium to the Tuscaloosa Mahjong Parlor , just off the boulevard near the University of Alabama campus. The nerves I felt walking into this store were almost as intense as interviewing a head coach following a game, wondering where my brain would take me in the press conference setting.
Luckily, Heather Bikes welcomed me into her store that is also home to a business ran by her husband, Steve, like I was just another friend on a random Friday afternoon.
The colors were something I had never seen before, with boxes of "sets" stacked eloquently throughout the store. There were also 'mats', travel cases and just about anything else one could imagine needed for such a hobby.
The awkward introduction by myself as a sports reporter looking to learn more about this game turned into a 45-minute conversation on nearly every single item for sale in this beautiful area designed just to sell the game known as "Mahjong."
And no, sorry guys, this hobby is not cheap.
I had to do a double-take when I heard that the colorful "Grateful Dead" set that caught my eye would cost over $400, which I immediately texted "Sam" about in full disbelief.
Not because it wasn’t worth it, but more so at how shocked I was to learn how this game had taken on a life of itself over the years, at least in the deep south, and if get caught in the storm it can be pricey. But don't worry, guys
I also didn’t know you could have a Mahjong "hookup" that could get you the same looking game equipment, but for a much cheaper price on what I would normally call the 'black market'.
It was also Heather's husband, Steve, that reaffirmed my thoughts that this game was essentially the same as poker is for men. A way for women to gather within their communities to either let off some steam, congregate to share details of their life, or actually get into the competitive spirit.
Yes, this can also get confrontational at times, with words being traded and attitudes checked at either the tailgate tent or the door to each hosting house.
Turns out, this was more relevant than I had imagined, and not just outside the college football stadium in this case.
For the sake of not giving other coaches ammunition to use within the group texts within the community of each conference, I decided to hold-off on actually naming the coaches who were drawn into this game by their wives or significant others.
Also, there were coaches from six different conferences polled, so it would be hard to pin down a specific school.
Thanks to "Sam" giving me the idea, along with a few sources with insider knowledge, I started randomly communicating with a number of college football head coaches to gauge whether they had been pulled into this lifestyle.
"Dude, who told you I was playing," one Power Four head coach responded to my question on whether they had ever played. "I use it as a way to relax, but unfortunately this damn game is addicting. I get home from the office and play a few rounds with my girls and wife.
"But man, I thought we were competitive on the football field. This is a whole different animal. I did win a round last month, though."
Then, it was another message to an unsuspecting coach within another conference.
"Alright, who gave me up? That's some bulls—," another Power Four coach jokingly replied. "Yea Trey, I probably play at least once every two weeks. When you sit down at the table, and you have all of those darn tiles, I was lost for the first couple weeks.
"I've got my wife over here talking smack, and then I'm getting it from my sister. Then, if I come home and she has friends over, I like to get at least one game in before heading upstairs. Every now and then I'm allowed to sit for a few rounds until it's time for me to leave the room so they can continue their night. If you're going to play, you better lock in, because they don't cut you any slack after a few practice rounds."
For full transparency, I sent inquiries to ten different head coaches over a two-day period asking if they had ever played Mahjong.
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Out of the 10, six of them let me know they had at least played the game, with five of them informing me that they actually partake on a monthly basis.
"I'm so confused most of the time, but it also gives me something that allows me to spend some extra time with my daughters," another head coach told OutKick. "So, if I get an extra hour a week with them over this game, I'll one day figure out a way to beat them.
"They don't know it yet, but I've been watching tutorials online."
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And while I admit that I have not had enough time to sit down and learn the intricate details of this phenomenon that was first brought to my attention through "Sam's" weekly game nights, I can now say that I at least understand the craze that comes with it.
My wandering mind has sent me all across this country investigating stories related to college athletics.
In no way did I expect to see Mahjong intersect with college football. But, I also got to see this game through someone else's eyes, which will make this easier once I finally get the time to learn, I hope.
I guess that's the best part about my job.
You learn something new every day, or at every tailgate.