Irish NFL fan in America Year 2 Preview!

One of the few upsides to the NFL off season is that I can spend time planning my trips for next season, which is in itself quite exciting. There are lots of factors to consider when you’re picking these trips. Namely:

Ease of access.
Teams of priority.
Getting time off work.
Costs.
Twinning cities.
Choosing competitive games
Choosing opportune game times.
Weather/time of year.

I fell down in a lot of those categories last year unbeknownst. But that’s okay you live and learn. And with that it should mean this year is even better.

And with that! I can now exclusively reveal that the eight teams I’m going to see next season are as follows:

New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Minnesota Vikings
Green Bay Packers
LA Rams
LA Chargers

One of the few downsides to last year’s trips was some of the games were uncompetitive. Or involved teams that had basically nothing to play for. This will almost certainly not be the case this year. For starters the last game week I’m going to is week 11 where pretty much everyone will still have something to play for. With the exception of the two Florida teams all of these look like they’re going to be competitive next season anyway and who’s to say they can’t improve either. I’d be shocked if I sit in an empty stadium this year.

One of my priorities last year was to see the Raiders before they move. I did that. One of my priorities this year is to see both the Saints and the Patriots. And any NFL fans worth their salt will spot the link. I would be shocked if both Tom Brady and Drew Brees both step on to the field at the start of the 2020 season. At 43 and 41 they would be getting on a bit for a head coaching role in the NFL let alone a starter’s berth. It would be foolish of me to expect I could wait another year before seeing these two future first ballot hall of fame stars take to the pitch in the jerseys that made them historic. 

I’m planning on going to my first college game this year. I don’t follow college football but it’s one of those things I feel I must do anyway just to see what it’s like. I have the opportunity to see both Boston College and Florida Gators play at home this season during my trips and I plan on going to one if not both of those.

Another thing I’m planning on doing next season which I missed out on last year is to go to some of the casinos along the way. I’ve been told the poker games in the local casinos are very good in the United States so that’s something else I wouldn’t want to be missing out on.

I don’t really like the idea of renting a car. I’ve never done it before. I’ve never driven in another country before. I don’t like the expense of it. I don’t like the hassle of it. I don’t want to have to think about parking it. Having said all that it could be for the best. It is possible to do all next year’s trips without a car but there are definitely times when it would be quite beneficial. I’ll have to consider it.

With the exception of the weekend where both the Chargers and the Rams both play in L.A., none of these trips were obvious picks. And that was with three quarters of the teams to choose from! I fear for the next two years but hopefully I can make it work. I’m quite determined.

If anyone has any suggestions whatsoever for Boston, New Orleans, Florida area, Minneapolis, Green Bay or LA please get in touch. I have never been to any of these places and am very much open for suggestions.

With the exception of Houston all of the places left are places that I’ve never been to. That to me is the best part about all of this. I get to go to places I may not otherwise have been to. I’m actually looking forward to going back to Houston too.

I’ll do a preview of my first trip closer to the time but for now it’s time to start saving up dollars, ironing my Brady number 12 jersey and watch pro football talk weeknights on Sky Sports in anticipation for the new season.

Less than 100 days to go.

Irish NFL fan in America Trip 4 Review (New York City).

I’m going to be honest, this was my least favourite trip of the year.

I suppose one of the dangers when your pre-booking a trip to NFL games six months in advance is that you could end up in a position where the teams you’re going to see have essentially nothing to play for which was exactly the case last weekend for both the Giants and the Jets.

It affected the atmosphere. It affected the experience. It wasn’t the same as opening game of the season that’s for sure.

Plus the Giants game especially was an absolute washout. Torrential rain throughout and no roof. There were more people in the bars than in the stands. I might as well have watched it at home.

Speaking of the bars even that didn’t go well. At the Jets game on Saturday I was refused alcohol because I “looked” under 40. Luckily I had my driver’s licence with me to prove I was over 21 but even that wasn’t acceptable because it was a “foreign” licence. I asked to speak to a manager but again no compromise, no common sense. She was however very apologetic about it and I actually felt more sorry for her for having to police this ridiculous rule than myself for being the victim of it. In a state that prides itself so much on liberty, fairness, equality and democracy it all seemed a bit absurd. As one fan put it to me “it was bureaucracy beyond gone mad.”

And of course it achieved nothing. I just got somebody else to buy me drinks. Like a 16 year old kid outside Centra.

For the Giants game on Sunday I decided to bring my passport with me despite it being a “foreign” one and although it did suffice not before I was ordered to fill out a disclaimer form stating that my passport did in fact say I was over 21.

Don’t they want tourists at their games? Why are they treating us like Aliens? It all felt a bit much.

But what about the games themselves? Weren’t they at least enjoyable?

Both games were poorly attended. The weather didn’t help but most likely the varying fortunes of the teams this season affected turnout the most.

The Jets game was a good contest in which they were unlucky to lose against a Texans team that can’t stop winning at the moment. The game was enjoyable despite a dull enough first half.

The Giants game was an absolute shutout, they couldn’t even put a point on the board. There was short field goals missed. Eli Manning had a bad game. They couldn’t get any run game going. Receivers were dropping passes from 3 yards. The Titans didn’t play particularly well themselves either but their two touchdowns was more than enough in a game that could have been won with a solitary field goal.

New York City itself was good I got to see the Radio City Rockettes play a Christmas show right in the heart of the city followed by a bit of sightseeing in Times Square where I even witnessed a proposal.

I stayed in the Lower East Side for most of the trip which was nice as I wasn’t stuck in the madness of Times Square for the entirety of the trip. I preferred it downtown.

Would I recommend going to see these two teams? Definitely not. For starters they’re not even in New York they’re in New Jersey which is about an hour away. If you do go, I'd recommend seeing the Jets instead of the Giants. The Giants had the worst support I’ve seen all season. The hassle and nuisance to get a drink at both games, the awkwardness of getting to them from New York, the lack of a decent atmosphere and above all else the expense of actually going to see them play was really just not worth it.

One of the things I did enjoy was getting to wear the blazer I received from Mark at Shinesty. It was really cool and I received a lot of comments and compliments at the stadium. It was fun getting to wear it at the game. Here’s a link to their website https://www.shinesty.com/ if you are interesting in buying one.

I will end on another positive note by saying that overall I have really enjoyed this year’s trips and getting to see eight different NFL organisations play at home has been a really nice achievement.

I am looking forward to hopefully doing it all again next year and sharing my experiences once again.

Thanks for reading.

Happy Christmas. Happy Holidays. Here's to a wonderful 2019.

New York - City 7.5/10

New York- Jets Gameday experience 5.9/10 

New York - Giants Gameday experience 1.4/10

Irish NFL fan in America Trip 4 Preview.

Start spreading the news. I’m leaving tomorrow.

My last trip of 2018 is upon me and it’s just as well as I can’t afford any more! 

I’m not sure if doing four Stateside jaunts a year was a good idea. Mainly as the season is so short. Just 17 weeks. But I am happy I’ve seen 8 NFL teams play this year. Probably not too many have done that this season. Certainly not in Ireland! 

And to be fair I have enjoyed each and every one of them. I’d say the Buffalo Bills game was probably my highlight of the entire year. 

So it certainly has all been worth it.

Also I must admit, I kind of can’t wait for next year either. I keep changing my mind which teams I’d like to see in year two. My mind is naturally drawn to the teams I can get direct flights to and so it should be as all of that can change too.

I would however like to go to some of the more far-flung places next season. Kansas City anyone? It would also be nice to go see the Super Bowl winners play the curtain-opener again next year. 

(Mahomie)

No. No of course there’s no link there.

But that’s next year and I’ve still yet to finish this year. New York awaits along with two teams that have failed to wake up the city this year. Eli Manning is surely nearing retirement and it will certainly be nice to see him play at home before he does. A real life Manning. Mind you I did see him play a few weeks ago against the 49ers (and he was in imperious form too that night). I’ve also seen the Jets but hey now it’s all about seeing them play at home, not on the road. 

It’s actually quite hard to believe I will be in the States again tomorrow but there you go. Sure I’m practically a local now. 

Expect a trip report and vlog sometime late next week. The final trip of 2018 is upon me.

Irish NFL fan in America Trip 3 Review (Oakland & San Francisco).

Best Game?

By all accounts it could well be. The Giants win over the 49ers in Levi Stadium on Monday night could be the best game I’ve ever been to, all things considered. The game was exciting the whole way through culminating in a last second game on the line win or lose throw. The stadium was the best I’ve ever been to. The pregame party was awesome. Getting on the pitch after the game was an experience of a lifetime.

Having said all that the atmosphere, overall, wasn’t as memorable as the Bills.

The San Francisco 49ers was a great experience. The Bills was an unbelievable experience, if that makes any sense.

When they built Levi Stadium in Santa Clara some 40 odd miles from downtown San Francisco they done it right. The stadium itself is just tremendous. It’s ultra modern. It has a patio at the top which probably hosts the best bar in all of sports. The inside of it is like club areas throughout. The stadium itself is a joy to behold. It is fresh, it is ultramodern, it is really just very impressive. Despite it being a few years old now everything about it seems brand new.

It’s the best stadium I’ve been to in my lifetime anyway.

I don’t think I can ever remember up until this year a game truly being on the line with one second left on the play-clock and yet there I was only my 6th game in and I had just seen it happen for the second time. It brought me right back to Philly as I looked up at that 0.01 on the screen. And it wasn’t just a Hail Mary left either, it was a genuine red zone opportunity, both times. This time it was the home team driving, last time it was the away team, ultimately neither of them would get the touchdown.

So what about the Raiders? I had high hopes for the Oakland Raiders. I was giddy the day I got a ticket in the black hole because I thought it was going to be an experience to remember for life getting in there. It wasn’t. It was good, it was memorable but it just wasn’t as good as I had thought it was going to be.

I suppose the big difference between the two games I went to last weekend were the kick off times. I think if you reverse the schedules I have two completely different experiences.

Monday night football is the nuts, plain and simple. I don’t know what it is about it but it seems like the crowd have waited all year for this fixture and are just so much more up for it than a daytime kick off. I’m sure the full day’s drinking probably helps.

I don’t think there’s any doubt about it that the Raiders are San Francisco’s team. That is, until they move to Vegas! They are so much closer to San Fran than the 49ers. Hell the 9ers aren’t even in San Francisco they’re in Santa Clara. I often wonder how the fan base of teams like that is made up. Who are these people in the stadium? Are they the Candlestick Park brigade? Are they new Silicon Valley blow ins that now have a team on their doorstep? Are they tourists like me? Who knows. Maybe a combination of all three. The Oakland Coliseum certainly had a more distinguished crowd. It had much more of hometown feel to it.

San Francisco itself was a good city without me actually loving it. I can’t really put my finger on why but it was my second time there and although there’s plenty on offer with the bridge and Alcatraz and tramcars going up big hills to me it was just not my type of city. North beach which I only passed through very briefly on Sunday night looked more like my kind of place but the city itself of San Francisco in and around Union Square was a bit humdrum, a bit lacking in atmosphere. It was more Chicago Bears than Buffalo Bills. I think I’m looking forward to getting out of the cities and in to the sticks with this tour.

Which brings me nicely on to my next trip, New York!

I’ll be back next month with my takings from the big apple just before Christmas where I’m going to see you guessed it, the Giants and the Jets.

Those vagabond shoes, they’re longing to stray.

Oakland - City (N/A)
Oakland - Raiders Gameday experience 6.8/10.

San Francisco - City 6.9/10
San Francisco - 49ers Gameday experience 8.1/10 

Irish NFL fan in America Trip 3 Preview.

Man, these NFL seasons are short.

My plan from the start with this has been to get four trips in a year and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. The problem what that is you really need to squeeze them in as you only have four months of regular season.

Although next year I might roll the dice and go to a playoff game with my fourth trip. Surely there’ll be some teams in there I haven’t seen!

All this means is that I’m away again this weekend for NFL trip three, this time to San Francisco.

It’s the 9ers and the Raiders this time and they take on the Giants and the Chargers respectfully. Should be two good games. With the exception of the first game in Philly all of the games I’ve been to have been pretty one sided affairs with long odds on favourites getting it done. The Raiders Chargers game could be more of the same but the 49ers Giants game should certainly be more of a contest with two teams that have only managed three wins between them from a possible 17.

I’ve got some nice tickets for both games. Section 105 of the Oakland Coliseum is considered the black hole by Raiders fans and that is exactly where I’ll be on Sunday. This should make for an amazing experience and it’s just as well after my trip to Buffalo. Standards are high!

For the San Francisco game I managed to get postgame field access, premium game seating and pregame party tickets as part of a 49ers fan deal. This should also provide a cool experience and it’s important as the last thing I want is any two games being similar or the same. I want each and every one to be distinctive in some way or another come the end.

I’ll be in San Francisco for six days without any travelling bar the short trip to Oakland (20 mins driving) which means this trip should be a lot less hectic that the last two.

It’s a privilege to be able to do this and I’m really glad I’ve followed through with the idea. The vlog has been well received and like I keep saying I think it will get better as I go along.

Other than that not much else to say other than time to tackle San Francisco! Expect a review and vlog from trip three sometime late next week.

Irish NFL fan in America Trip 2 Review (Chicago & Buffalo).

A tale of two cities.

Chicago and Buffalo. Two very different cities. Bills and the Bears. Two very different teams.

I didn’t spend a lot of time in Buffalo (only 17 hours) but I’ve seen livelier places. It was a ghost town. Chicago on the other hand was absolutely vibrant.

However, their teams did not match their cities. The Bears game was entirely forgettable. Soldier field subdued. The brand of football unexciting. Even their jerseys are dull. I left with almost no love for the Bears.

It probably didn't help that the Jets are one of the weakest teams in the NFL this year and really struggled in this game on both sides of the ball. The Bears were certainly too good for them on this occasion, not that they really needed to be.

And then I went to Buffalo.

I said at the end of my last blog that Chicago and Buffalo would have to bring the party to me as I hadn’t got much planned and by Jesus did Buffalo oblige.

I don’t know what a frat party is but I’m guessing I walked in on one in New Era field on Monday night. 

I knew within 5 miles of the stadium that it was going to be good. Parties bopping, stereos pumping, say what you want about Buffalo they know how to party.

You know when you’re driving up to a stadium or a concert or whatever and you get within a mile or two of the stadium and you just think “this is going to be good.” That was exactly what driving up to New Era field was like.

It may have been because it was Monday night football. It may have been because it was the Patriots, but I have a good feeling you could go to any Bills game against any opponent at anytime and be almost guaranteed a good time.

They are going to be hard beaten. I literally sprinted into the club store soon as I got there to buy a hat and jersey and believe you me I ain’t rich enough to be doing that each time. I felt physically compelled, drawn to their merchandise like a magnet. Only then could I possibly feel comfortable. Only then could I settle in. It was almost tribe-like.

I’ll put it like this. The idea crossed my mind to drop the whole tour and just buy a Bills season ticket instead. It was that good.
The area in and around New Era Field was absolutely bouncing. It was like a rock concert. It was raw, it was loud, it was wild, it was totally compelling. I didn’t want to go to the game it was so good outside! But I did and that was great too. There is just such a great party atmosphere at Bills’ games. It’s a sight to behold.

I don’t know if I’m going to see a more exciting team than them to be honest. I know I’m only 4 games in and 28 to go but I will be very surprised if any team tops it. It was that good.

Chicago itself was a marvellous city with lots to do and see I’d say you could spend a year there and still not have seen a lot of it. The lake running through the middle of it makes it very beautiful. I would recommend it to anyone for a holiday vacation.

Buffalo not so much. But for game-day, there might be no better.

Buffalo - City (Didn't see one! N/A).

Buffalo - Bills Gameday experience 9.5/10.

Chicago - City 8/10.
Chicago - Bears Gameday experience 3/10.

Irish NFL fan in America Trip 2 Preview.

First off I’d like to thank each and every person who watched, commented and liked my first video blog from trip one. It was quite an effort putting it together as it was all completely new to me but I was happy with how it turned out. I think the vlogs will get much better as I go along.

I’m looking forward to getting on the road again and making another one which I hope will be better this time around. That’s the aim, improve each time.

I’m going to see Tom Brady play this weekend. 

Not for the first time and hopefully not for the last either as I plan on catching a Patriots home game in 2019. This time he’ll be away from home in what should be a hostile atmosphere against the Buffalo Bills.

Unfortunately for the Bills they won’t equal their playoff birth of last year and getting within a touchdown or two of the Patriots this weekend would probably be a good result.

Quite amazing that despite only being two games in to my NFL adventure I’m already about to see the same team twice!

The Bills barely put a score on the board in week one in my game in Baltimore but hopefully with home field advantage and a grudge match feel against the Patriots they can put on some kind of a performance for me this time around.

I’ll also hopefully get to see one of the most exciting players on the defensive side of the ball in Chicago Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack. He has simply exploded onto our screens this year in the Bear’s uniform and has been one of the stand out players in the early parts of this season.

I’m only going to be in Buffalo for one day which is probably the least amount of time any Irishman has spent in one US city. I haven’t got high hopes for Buffalo as a tourist destination so it may be just as well. Hopefully I’m wrong and I leave rueing the fact that I only spent 24 hours in the best city in America.

I have no idea what the best city in America is but I’d imagine Chicago would certainly be a contender. I’ll get three whole days in the windiest of cities to see if that’s the case and I am most certainly looking forward to finding out.

I’ve no real plans for this trip just going to take it as it comes. I’m hoping Chicago and Buffalo will bring the party to me this time.

Fill you all in next week!