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Giants Football & Brotherly Glove
I am just back from a wonderful weekend of New York Giants' football with my brother Goose. Now, unless you spend a few days alone with a guy like Goose, you can't really come to appreciate all the finer things of life.
Months ago Goose told me that he had scored some tickets for the Giants vs. Tampa Bay football game at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. It's odd to begin with that a team from New York plays its home games in New Jersey. But Goose said he'd handle all the arrangements, making it easy on me, because it's "Nothing but the best for my brother."
Our trip to a Giants' football game has become an annual event and it always proves interesting. So, Goose made the hotel accommodations and ordered the AAA Trip-Tick to ensure we wouldn't get lost. He set up a room at the Sheraton right across from Giants Stadium, because it's "Nothing but the best for my brother."
Our weekend began in the rain on Saturday morning. Driving down the Northway while sheets of rain pelted my windshield, Goose and I occupied our time by talking about the game and listening to some great oldies CDs that Goose had brought, because it's "Nothing but the best for my brother."
After we hit Albany the rain stopped and we coasted into East Rutherford, New Jersey, our trip complete in five hours. It was four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and the wind was just beginning to whip up. As conventioneers left the hotel and hats were sailing, Goose entered the hotel to register for our room. He had chosen quite the ritzy hotel and I told him so when he hopped back in my car with the room key. "Nothing but the best for my brother, " he reminded me for the twenty-fifth time.
As nice as the room was we were a bit disappointed that Sheraton had up-scaled their hotel lobby by closing the sports bar and replacing it with a coffee shop and Yahoo Free-Internet room. Nice for me to keep track of my eBay business, but not good for a couple of guys from Plattsburgh who aren't used to paying $8 for a bloody mary or $5 for a beer at the hotel's up-scale restaurant.
On the restaurant menu we found turkey wings for an appetizer and $12 hamburgers for our entree. Have you ever had turkey wings? These were gigantic, crispy and made for a great appetizer while we waited for our expensive burgers and sipped our expensive beverages.
Goose and I turned out the lights early with plans to be early tailgaters at the Meadowlands. We even got an extra hour's sleep since this was the Saturday night to turn our clocks back. Goose even took credit for that, because it's "Nothing but the best for my brother."
By Sunday morning the wind was howling, sometimes with gusts up to 60 miles an hour. We knew the passing game would be shut down and Tiki Barber would get plenty of carries. With game time at 1pm, at 10am we took the 3-minute drive from the hotel across the road to the Meadowlands parking lot. I parked next to a car with Pennsylvania license plates and no sooner were we out of the car than a guy came over and introduced himself and his son to us. They were from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
I put a hoodie on over my hoodie and grabbed a pair of gloves from the trunk of my car. Goose bundled up as well, as we were ready to down a few cold ones to warm up. Soon, the Pennsylvania kid starts complaining that they didn't bring gloves and they were having trouble holding their Coors Light bottles.
This is when Goose went into action. He dug around in his bag full of game goodies and came up with the old raggedy pair of gloves that he used for fishing back in the 1980s. He offered them to the guy with the cold hands and next thing I know Goose is handing me a cold bottle of brew. He managed to trade this old raggedy pair of gloves for a couple bottles of Coors Light. While I laughed about his business skills, Goose reminded me, "Nothing but the best for my brother."
Eventually we did go inside the stadium and watch Giants' football. Sitting with our friends George, Nate and a couple of their friends from Clifton Park, we had a great view of the field and sat in an area where the wind wasn't that bad. The Giants rolled up a 17-3 win, meaning in the last two years Goose and I have seen the Giants win by a total score of 53-3. You wanna know why? "Cuz there's nothing but the best for my brother!"
If you ever want to have an interesting, fun-filled weekend and be entertained by Goose's one-liners let me know. He can put out humorous zingers left and right. As he's told me many times, "Foxy, they just come to me." I'm ready to become his agent and take his show on the road.
And I'll be a good agent for him -- after all, Nothing but the best for my brother!
Comments
Foxy is this guy Randy Vaughn my old drummer, whom I last knew was living in Kansas? If so, would you please pass along my email address to him. Randy was one of the best drummers I ever worked with and great singer. Trust me I've worked with some of the best. I only play for the hell of it now in LA clubs and am currently playing with drummer Keith Lehrer of the punk bank "Circle Jerks." In New York I work with Tony Beard who has played with nothing but A list people. But, Randy Vaughn, if this is the same guy was in the same league. Could you give me a personal headsup?
Gary Snow, BH, CA
Posted by: gary snow | November 4, 2006 5:28 PM
Foxy: Having attended many, many games at the Meadowlands in all kinds of weather (sunny, windy, rain, snow, sleet, you name it) there's still nothing that can damper the excitement of tailgating (both pre and post game) coupled with a Giants win. I'll be attending the Bears game and since the start time has been pushed back to 8:00pm you can bet I'll be dressed in layers and filled with a lot of anti-freeze!!
(Foxy's note: BBbbrrrrrr... will be a cold one outside, but inside I predict Giants 24 - Bears 14.)
Posted by: vin scully | November 1, 2006 11:49 AM
Foxy, I too have been to many a game at Meadowlands and it seems that the wind is always blowing or it may be snowing. One thing is for sure it was always "perfect " football weather. By the way I was in Plattsburgh during Sept. and most of October and was going to look you and Goose up but emergency surgery for diverticulits put the kibash to that. Maybe in the spring. One other thing, While in the hospital for over two weeks I got "The Press" every morning at 6:00 A.M. and frankly I'd rather read it on line. No Foxy blog in the printed version. LOL See you in the spring..Randy
(Foxy's note: Randy, let's be sure we get together in the spring. Hope all is well from your diverticulitis. Maybe the Press can entice more web readers with an occasional blog in the printed version of the newspaper.)
Posted by: Randy Vaughn | November 1, 2006 7:54 AM
As one of the "friends" from Clifton Park (actually George's brother-in-law) I enjoyed meeting you and Goose. Also enjoyed your blog. I can attest to the wind at Giants Stadium as it almost blew a full pot of chili off our grill. Re: top ten characters - Art Carney as Ed Norton definitely should have a spot of his own.
(Foxy's note: Oh, wow, you guys had chili!!! Goose and I started walking the parking lot looking for your group but gave up after a mile or so and we headed back to my car. If I'd known you had chili, I would have kept walking your way! Maybe next year!)
Posted by: Paul L. | October 31, 2006 8:23 PM
Next time head over to the Meadowlands race track. They have a huge sports bar where you can get cheap beer, free wings and munchies plus all the sports on tv you could possibly want.
Will we be seeing a NCCN special "Fox on the Run" looking for Jimmmy Hoffa? He is supposed to be buried in the endzone at Giants Stadium.
(Foxy's note: No, Rick, no "Fox on the Run" show. Goose and I agreed long ago -- What goes on at Giants football stays at Giants football!)
Posted by: Rick K | October 30, 2006 10:00 AM