Meeting Bama at the airport

After just a couple hours of sleep, the Cardoza’s departed for the airport for the 7th annual Miami trek.  We departed from Providence on Friday, December 4th  and enjoyed a bumpy but uneventful flight. When we arrived, we hooked up with Bama, secured the car and stopped off for provisions at the local Publix. After enjoying a delicious and much needed lunch buffet, Big Al assisted Louie and MJ with obtaining their car.

Much of the afternoon was spent in the lounge and outside enjoying the balmy South Florida air while waiting for our room to be ready. The boys smoked many a cigar and shared more than a few laughs. Once check in was complete, I set my sights on securing tickets for Louie, MJ and their kids for Sunday’s game. Thankfully, I grabbed four on Ticketmaster thus removing the stress of having to worry about getting tickets  and freeing them up to enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Louie's Muffler-sized Calzone!

After getting our full of Italian take out and killing a couple of bottles of wine, Steve and I plugged in the laptops and surfed a bit, looking for the latest Patriots info. We all goofed on Louie’s muffler sized calzone and the stranger in the lobby that offered to take a few pieces off his hands to help him eat it! We shared some laughs, some stories of old and looked forward to this year’s edition of Pats/Dolphins.

We rose early and got our workout in,  then had a nice buffet breakfast. Later, Big Al, Steve, and I went for our pedicures. The two boys loved the experience and Steve was so enamored he proposed! Looks like it may be an annual experience from here on out!  We headed back to the hotel for a quiet afternoon while Louie and MJ and crew headed down to Aruba for lunch. We awaited the team’s arrival in the lobby and took in the sights. And man, there certainly were some!  I held my breath and couldn’t look

Vacation Couple!

when one woman was so tipsy she almost knocked over the Christmas tree and a couple of girls with very short dresses caused more whiplash than I’ve seen in a long time.

Once again, we hung in the lobby while the team came in then sent for takeout while sipping some wine.  As always, we chatted with B-Lowe and David Silverman then Stacey James came by to say hi. Various players headed out to meet with family and friends and even BB headed out in his Hawaiian shirt and flip flops. A few guys came and went and Jarvis Green spotted us and came by to say hi.  MJ and Louie were psyched to take a picture with him and we all wished him well. Steve’s earlier proposal was soon forgotten when he met his dream girl, Lindsay

Game day dawned overcast like the rest of the weekend then started to clear a bit. We ran the path once again, showered then headed down for the breakfast buffet while the team and staff headed out to the buses. Once the boys

MJ and Louie with Jarvis Green

pulled away we got ready to go and the whole crew headed out.  We had to take the turnpike due to 95 being closed for a Bike Run and Big Al was glued to a tailgate bus in front of us. The thing was so big that he couldn’t read the signs at the tolls and followed it into the Sunpass lane.  Unfortunately, we didn’t have a Sunpass and couldn’t back up because of the cars behind us so he went through. Hopefully his 75 cent toll doesn’t end up rolling into a  $100 ticket!

The weather was decent during the game, partly cloudy and comfortable.. The Pats started off strong but unfortunately didn’t play a full 60 minutes and ended up losing by a single point. 22-21.    What a bummer!   After sitting in traffic for awhile, we got on the road, headed home and then went out for a nice dinner at the Bonefish Grill. Afterwards, MJ and I finished the bottle of wine and relaxed in the lobby while the boys smoked,  then we sat around rehashing the game and talking about the weekend. We said our goodbyes to MJ and Louie and called it an early night.

Monday dawned bright and sunny and looked to be a beach day but alas, we had an early flight to catch. We said goodbye to Steve, headed to the airport with Bama and parted ways. During our first flight, we sat next to a real bizarre character who was frantically writing down everything the stewardesses and captain said and was taking pictures of the seatback pocket literature  throughout the flight. He practically filled up a notebook by the time we landed in Baltimore and I was quite relieved when he deplaned and didn’t continue on to Providence!  We got home and was hit with the winter cold, but there’s no place like home.  Despite the not so great weather and the Pats loss, it was still great to get away and spend a nice weekend with friends. Go Pats!!

Check out the full album here.

Post from: The Razor's Edge Tailgate

Miami Trek 2009

Big Al and Monty quickly took off to head down to the cigar shop, while I took advantage of some quality Zip Time.    The house quickly filled with fans and friends alike and food was set out in multiple rooms.  Many fine folk brought dishes to share and there was a variety to suit every pallet. Naturally, we started off with our usual pre-game toast and jello shot.

Rooms filled, and fans viewed the game from whatever vantage point they found most comfortable,  whether it be couch, floor, leaning or standing, Most everyone was glued to the sets and shouts of DE-FENSE could be heard coming from each room. Likewise, groans echoed as opportunities came and went.

Poor Zip was relegated to the Sea Porch since his presence in the main room brought bad luck. However, in the end, it didn’t really matter where he was,  since despite our mojo, the boys fell short  16-9. The lone Jets fan in the house was the only happy camper as the clock wound down, especially seeing our host donning the green and white in payment of the pre-game wager.

Despite the loss, the sharing of good food, libations, and time spent with friends made the trip well worth it. A great time was had by all, and the half-time charity raffle netted $221 for this week’s recipient  Ben Watson’s, One More.

Check out the rest of the pictures here.

Post from: The Razor's Edge Tailgate

Jets @ Zip’s House 09/20/09

With much Patriotic enthusiasm, the Razor’s Edgers looked forward to the season opener and getting back to Real Football!  Set to open at Gillette on a national stage on Monday Night Football, the crew was there to support not just the current team of players but the All Time Team Members in celebration of the 50 Year Anniversary of the AFL.

While many of the crew rendezvoused at last year’s successful meeting spot off Exit 9 of  Route 95 at Wicked Bistro, the Cardozas were late arrivals due to the fact that it was a school day. The group secured the perimeter in Lot P10 and was  easy to locate once we finally made our way through the traffic on Rt. 1.  There’s much to be said for arriving very early and awaiting the opening of the gates!  It took an hour to travel the 3 miles from the exit to the lot.  Along the way, the smells and sounds of taligating in full swing wafted in through open windows in bumper to bumper traffic en route to our destination.

Once inside, offerings of Buffalo Chili and Buffalo Wings were mostly met with already full bellies but there were some takers to feast upon our opponent. Zip adorned his tent with the familiar FTFT54 blue banner and also a special edition thank-you banner for Tedy which later hung proudly in the stadium, proclaiming, “Full Tilt, Full Time, Fulfilled! Thanks, Tedy!”

A VISA camera crew was also on hand, filming REAL fans in their element, just doing what we do naturally. This was in accompaniment to Zip and Tedy’s  filming in Boston on the previous day. Looking forward to seeing the finished commercial throughout the season!

Naturally, there were jello shot toasts, Bruschi Brew, Sam’s Octoberfest and a variety of food and drink provided by the regulars. It was nice to catch up with the crew which included (but not limited to….) Zip, Tracy, Jose and Quinn,  Mike, Robin and Geoff, Monty with Dave, Darren, Mark  with his boys, Don and Karen, Robin and Rich, Joyce and Chris. Jim from NY who got Buddy Love to join our group this week as well. Bob swung by later too as did lots of drop in guests including one couple from Indiana who were there for a birthday surprise and happened upon our Patriotic crew.

Ironically, we brought  with us a magazine  to give to Zip, because the publisher asked to use one of my creative commons photos for an article on tailgating and I agreed.  It just so happened to be  a picture of him with two Buffalo fans adorned in 54 jerseys after last year’s Buffalo game, paying back a pregame wager over the outcome of the game. One of the fans in the photo was once again with us for the tailgate and was ecstatic to see herself in print. (No doubt, she looked just as nice in a Pats 54 this year at the post game tailgate too!)

Many of the crew headed in early to take in the Pregame 50th Celebrations and hoped to get some Tedy Time, who was  participating both in his role of ESPN NFL Analyst and All-Time Team Defensive Captain.  There certainly was excitement in the air and anticipation of opening the season at home against a division rival. (Unfortunately, the camera battery died mid-tailgate so there’s no photographic evidence on hand…)

The game started off flat, the half-time events drew thunderous applause, the PSAs that Zip, Quinn, and Karen filmed this summer played on the jumbotrons, and the Pats pulled off an incredible come from behind, last minute win to start the season off 1-0 .. such is life at Gillette!

While it was a day of celebration and excitement, it also came with mixed emotions as some of our group paid tribute and toasted a missing member of our crew who was lost during the offseason. Here’s to you, Harry, a dedicated Pats fan and friend…. Go Pats!!

Post from: The Razor's Edge Tailgate

Season Opener: Buffalo Bills 09/14/09