Week 8: Tampa Bay vs. Giants

The most important thing that happened today (on the field):
The Giants defensive line stayed in Gradkowski's grill all day. The rookie didn't look bad, but large men with long last names and Michael Strahan were on him crazily and he seemed to be running for his health all afternoon.

For me:
Consistent tipping from Giants fans. thank you. $80. killer. serious ups that was nice.

Most crucial thing today:
The wind there were gusts of up to 50mph at the stadium today. Once my hair and twice my empty case gusted out of my control when stepping into the tunnel from the stands.

Plaxico Burrus made a touchdown grab in the first quarter that snaps a lot of fans back into realizing why they would agree to pay those millions to a guy that can seemingly zone out of the most basic plays at times. 17 stabbed the pass from Eli Manning with his left hand to end what might have been a competative play in the back corner of the end zone and score 6 points. This was a play most guys even in the NFL cannot make and what helps to make Plax special - to the extent that he has been during his career.

Giants football is not particularly exciting. They led 14-0 after the first quarter. 14-3 at half, and won 17-3. Lots of quiet in the crowd moments good for hollering things like, "hot dogs! pretzels! Crrack-ah Jacks!!"
which i did a lot to some profit.

However, every 3rd down for the defense they'd get rowdy, and then so would the defense (blitzes from all over plus a strong rush from the front four) and then it was over punt, commercial quiet again. And the offense really just protected the lead mostly.

There was less than 500 yards total offense combined in this game so it was not like the G-men were doing things on offense worth hooting about. (and thank you beer for helping grown men not need a reason to hoot at ...)

Some really old guys who won the 1956 championship and are still alive were honored at halftime. Some members had to be carted both on and off the field. Only 12 minutes in the nfl halftime - there is not time for the oldtimers or the average Dan/Jan in the stands to get any where and back. So get a cart or let me come to you. Message to home fans everywhere... the early 3rd quRTER there is no NO NO 12th man not in new jersey.

Week 7: Detroit vs. Jets

While waiting for the freight elevator to come take me to the 3rd floor for the beginning of the 3rd quarter I saw the guy I was seated next to on the front row of the bus for the ride over to the game. Our initital encounter was at 11:09am.

How is a parking lot so full hours before the game and the stadium be so empty for the beginning of the game?

I had hustled around the lower level of the stadium with the camera trying to get an action shot of Roy Williams the NFL's leader in receiving before I went upstairs to make money for serious. Most of the the candy vendors dont service the lower level this early in the afternoon, but it was a little too good down there. Every time I tried to stop and snap a picture someone wanted some overpriced candy too bad to let me silently have my moment.

The Jets dominated the play on the field from the early going. Even when the fans got in the stadium they were (suprise) sedated in their football team's success. Perhaps the Jets' fans themselves are noticibly less than impressed by victories over the Titans, Bills, Dolphins, now Lions - combined record: 5-21.

Maybe actually making the playoffs will get the Jets fans' to the ballpark in time for kickoff. Of coarse, I still think the Jets will get squeezed out in the numbers game of the AFC playoff picture, and catching New England to win the division/host a post-season game is not likely. So even in that event the Jets fan will just have to make sure to stumble into the bar on time a much easier proposition since moter skills are not required for as long to get there.

Week 6 Miami vs. Jetshttp://beta.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

The traffic becomes excruciatingly slow when tyring to enter the Meadowlands complex from the expressway, but only when the stadium is vizable. Tantalizing.

What perfect autumn day for football. I got to sell candy on the sunny side of the top deck. I didnt even mind that Joey Harrington was there. This is why God invented football americano.

Jets fans are notoriously late to the game. Furthermore, known inside the stadium for drinking a lot they stay out in the parking lot to drink more before the game. Guys with 2 $7 bottles of domestic beer then find it ridiculous that candy would sell for $3. Once the crowd got into this game - about 7 minutes into the 1st quarter - they immediatly continued drinking. The first report of a drunken passing out came in the 2nd quarter and for the rest of the game, in the upper deck at least, there were more people droppinh than there were crews to assist them.

The guy pictured this week is Laverneous Coles. He was easily the player of the game. He broke it wide open in the 3rd quarter with 2 huge touchdowns that put the Jets up by enough to hold on and win in the 4th quarter.

I did not have him on either of my fantasy teams; however I did have a great deal of interest in this game when it came to fantasy stats.
Chris Chambers
Randy McMichael
Jets Defense (twice)

Week 5: Washington vs. Giants

I have never see a football game ruin such a fine day. Sure, I am biased, I am a Cowboys fan, but who cares, look it took me 2 days to force myself to write about this for this blog.

Personally, it was frustrating. The day was gorgeous and I forgot my camera. They had no candy to sell. I was doing great still selling lemon ice. but then, they sold out of that as well. I left with 14:00 left to play in the 4th quarter and sold under $400 worth of product.

The game whatever, Washington scored a feild goal with the opening kickoff and then remembered they were the redskins offense (they had forgotten for 2 weeks) and the Giants scored a very boring and unimpressive 19 points in the last 55 minutes of the game.

Boring and i was only kinda watching.

Week 4: Indianapolis vs. Jets

This may well have been the best experience possible to have at this job. Personally, the day was great. Good sales - going over $800 in sales got me the $20 bonus - a great game and magnificent weather.

I hustled around the lower level of the stadium for about 45 minutes (11:45-12:30) trying to snap a picture of peyton manning. I got antsy and started rolling around even took the freight elevator to the 3rd floor just to get a burlap sack originally intended for peanuts. It worked out I had time.

As you can see from the picture here the Jets have a late arriving crowd; this picture is taken less than 20 minutes before kickoff. It is very difficult to sell at Jet games in the 7 minutes before and after kickoff. That's the 14 minutes 70% of the crowd chooses to come in.

This isn't a chiq thing like a Friday night regular season Laker game at Staples Center. This is a Jersey middle class desire to get as loaded as possible in the parking lot built on a swamp in the shadow of Manhattan thing, and the guy that runs the frieght elevator informed me of this today, uncolicited. The stadium was still half empty for the national anthem.

I guit cheering for UT with my heart in late september of 1997 after another drilling in the swamp. Peyton got smashed again. Charles Woodson only made that easier by and when archie's boy couldnt even show up for the 2nd half against nebraska to help michigan out I was fussy and quit thinking knoxville orange in the same way. for more on my college football ideas please chack out this

It was easier to watch the game today for some reason. i saw most of the plays... I was behind the wall counting and securing money when the Jets successfully executed an onside kick

I was happy when my morning decision to take dante stallworth off my starting team and bring Dominic Rhodes off my bench paid off before I had made it through the shady south end of the stadium. manning's numbers were not huge because the colts ran the ball 35 times. They were a more physical team and they made the plays on defense. Oddly, they won like New England today.
Stats from nfl.com

The most indelible play of the game to me is an incomplete pass from manning to marvin harrison in the back of the end zone near the end of the 2nd quarter. They have another level of timing and rythym so impressive. It didnt work only because the Jets had a guy wait specifically to bat down a ball lobbed just outside the back of the endzone, a play you have seen 18 and 88 make many times in the last 9 years. They new it was coming and still the guy has to make a spectacular play to.

also i think about how I remember watching the Jets lose to the Colts at Giants stadium on september 9, 2001. only i was on a couch.

Indy star report
From the jets team site