Tailgate Confessional: Prepping for the Pats!

It’s Sunday morning and football is on the brain! My beloved Patriots don’t play until tomorrow night, but I am still excited about the first Sunday of the NFL season. 

My fantasy football teams are poised for combat. I am trying to nail down logistics for the tailgate tomorrow. You never realize how many people you know that are going to the game. There are Rich, Lynn, Josh, and Mark accompanied by their tailgate tribesmen and women. Who to meet up with?

You can’t meet up with them all because the parking lots are so spread out now. You would need a Tibetan guide to find your way through the deserts of hot top.

Tailgating had a monkey wrench thrown into when my long time tailgating captain, Jeremy moved to Florida for a job. He spoiled us. We just showed up and give him $10 and enjoyed the smorgasbord of tailgate treats. Burgers, chicken, kielbasa, buffalo chicken dip (We will miss it Jess!), and a bevy of chips and snacks. I think I gained a few pounds every Sunday.

Now we have to fend for ourselves. I haven’t done a solo tailgate in about 6 years or 7 years. Damn, the things you need. I bought a table top grill that I broke in at the Patriots preseason game versus the Giants. It worked out well and it looks like I can survive on my own. Man VS Grill.

Ok going to tweak my Fantasy lineups and meet some friends to watch some pigskin at the Skybox. Talk to you after the 1PM games.

Well I stayed for the 4PM games too and my butt fell asleep. My friends and I had a healthy diet of fried ravioli, buffalo tenders, nachos, mozzarella sticks, beer, soda, and insults. A few friends of friends showed up and threw around the cut downs like old times.

Oh it was heaven.

My neck is sore from a case of Fantasy Football whiplash. You try to find the games that impact your team. You kick yourself when you have the Eagles D on your bench as they skinned the Panthers. Jake Delhomme, you should retire and give someone else a shot. You were terrible.

Injuries are part of the game even in Fantasy football. Anthony Gonzalez from the Colts goes down with a knee injury and posts me a big goose egg. Sorry Anthony you are getting cut, nothing personal.

Looks like I am going 1-1 in my two leagues today. With that said, the day was pretty relaxing and entertaining being surrounded by my cavemen like friends.

Okay some Sunday night football then the Patriots Prep begins! Talk to you Monday morning!

Ok the anticipation and excitement is crippling! I just spent the morning painting my shed and running errands. Home Depot, Liquor store, and grocery store were on the agenda. Plus there is a football game going on tonight in a small town called Foxboro!

Opening Night for the Patriots! My friend Joe will be here at 230PM and then off to meet the rest of the tailgate crew!!

Joe arrives late as always. We make our way to Chili’s in Lowell to meet up with the rest of the tailgate tribe. We head down 495 rather than 128 due to the rush hour traffic.

The highway shows signs of football season. Football decals and flags streaming on SUV’s. I love this time of the year!

We turn off onto Rt 1 North and the parking lot begins. Vehicles from CT, MA, NH, ME, RI and yes NY all converge on the yellow brick road in Foxboro.

The smells of grills blitz your nostrils. Your phone is buzzing with the texts of friends that are at the game. It’s the best time of the sports year.

We turn into a grassy knoll of a parking lot for $50. I remember parking used to be $20 “back in the day”. All the cars fit into the lot like a game of Tetris.

Everyone dismounts off their metal steeds and set up their tailgating village. The grill is set, chairs are lined up, coolers are open, and a table with a spread of tantalizing treats is constructed.

It’s time to get your drink and food on. Hamburgers, chicken and steak tips are today’s cuisine. Harpoon UFO is the beverage of choice. The weather is perfect.

Autumn doesn’t get much better than this!

At about 615PM, my friend and I make our crusade to the Football Mecca, Gillette Stadium. People were dressed in their Pat the Patriot throwback gear for this AFL matchup between the Pats and Bills.

Fans of the enemy were getting berated as they walked into the field of combat. Some Pats fans looked like they were extras in the Mel Gibson movie, “Mad Max”. It was quite a spectacle.

We make it to the gate and get frisked. The Promised Land has been reached. My 15^th year as a season ticket holder has begun. Damn time flies when you are winning championships and regarded as one of the elite franchises in all of sports.

Joe and I grab brews then visit my former clients from the Pats and Bills in the camera crow’s nest. I used work for a sports technology company and made a lot of friends. A few weeks ago, I visited with my friend from the Giants and this week is my buddy from the Bills. What a great bunch of guys!

We stayed for a few minutes to shoot the breeze before kickoff. We ran down and grabbed another beer. The National Anthem was sung. The military jets flew overhead with a deafening sound. The season has finally begun!

I made my way to my seats in Section 336. My least favorite fan was sitting on the corner. She is known as the row 16 Bench Wench. She always makes cracks when you walk by her.

I am a considerate fan and try to plan my bathroom and beer breaks during downtime. However, she continues to give me gruff.

I say excuse me and she says, “You know this is section 336 row 16, right?” I reply, “Yes, for 8 years!” There is always one miserable bad apple on the fruit cart.

Well even her actions and the drunken Bills fans behind me won’t ruin my night. It’s Game time! The return of Tom Brady!

It’s so on…..

Joe Gill is a featured blogger for Boston Sports Then and Now and Trufan.com