I walked or rather rushed to Muni lot, with my t-shirts, sign and cameras, but the rest of the fans were heading in and it was tough going against the stream, I felt somewhat like a salmon, going against the current. The spirit was high and the Browns fans made lots of dog noises and whooping!
The Mobile Dawg, had gone into the ground, but there were two of his tailgate friends still there, and I chatted with them and they let me have a look on the bus and take some pictures. Muni lot is quite small, but this is where all the dressed up cars and R.Vs park. I noticed the party was still going strong at another Dawg pound tailgate.
I headed over to what looked like a an actual dog made from a bus school bus. I introduced myself and these were the tailgaters that Karen had put me in touch with. Or rather I emailed, but I'm not sure they got the email,because seemed clueless about my trip. But they soon took me in their arms and a huge steak was put right in front of me. Mark and Scott run this tailgate called “Muni Lot Browns Backers. Adjacent to this wonderful bus was a wooden frame with a huge BBQ grill where Mark was cooking. On top of this wooden structure had the logo “Tailgatedawg” so I'm not sure if this is the same group or not.
Either way people were in and out of both. The bus was rammed full of people and it was an actual party. There were lots of Browns trinkets and merchandise, and pictures of famous players, but there must have been about 15 people on this bus. The bus had been gutted, and facing me right down the aisle is a long breakfast bar that you can sit next to on both sides. Towards the back is where they had actual two pumps for beer hooked up to kegs. Actual working beer pumps in the bus! No wonder it was busy. I met Scott's son, Rocco and he helped me give out t shirts and cards and took some pictures for me.
Back at the wooden structure I got talking Ark and finished off my wonderful steak, and we chatted about . He had a friend there with a huge mane of curly hair. He too recently did a road trip , where he left his job, got on his Harley and drove the whole country. He took his girlfriend who is now moving in with him. He has gone back to work and so has she. I asked him how easy was it for him to just travel and was his girlfriend up for it and he replied: “Well It was an easy decision for her, I'm 45 and she is 24” I cracked up! “It was our second date and she wanted to come with, so she left her job and now she is moving in with me!” Sounds pretty damn awesome to me! The party was still going strong right up until 8:15pm and people started to head to the game.
I raced around the parking and took some more pictures, before returning to Mark. He then told me than Joe Cahn was here ad his R.V was only a few feet away. “Really Joe Cahn is here? I thought he was doing Nascar this year!” “He is, but he is here tonight” I had a tough decision I it is a bout a ten minute walk to the stadium, and I need to pick up my ticket from the media team, and I do not want to mess them around, and miss the kick off. Then again Joe Cahn (I'll explain who he is a second) is right over there, and I know he does not go into the stadiums, and he is likely to leave before I get back.
Hhmmmm. Easy decision! Meet Joe Cahn!
When else am I going to be mere feet away from such an inspiring legend? So I raced over to his huge grand daddy of an R.V. I have tried to get in touch with Joe before via his site (www.tailgating.com) but alas I did not get a response and when I heard he was only doing Nascar games this year, I didn't keep trying, so I was unsure if the great man had heard of me. Click here to read my specific blog about me and commissioner! It was around 9:15 pm when I left the commissioner in his home/R.V on a complete high, that I had actual met the legend himself!
I got to the ticket office and Renia came to meet me to give me the ticket. She was concerned I had not made it to the stadium, but I told her who I met and she more than understood. I got myself a cold drink, that has Browns logos on it, as well as getting myself a game day programme, and today's wacky merchandise is the foam claw, I know it is similar to the foam finger, but it;s claw, and I like it! I signed up for one of those credit cards so I got a Browns blanket, which I will probably have ti use, seeing as it is getting cold. This is also the first time I wore my swanky new "Adams Footballtrip" hoodie, it's a large, but it massive, but if it is anything like the t-shirts, one dry and this puppy will shrink to fit!
I noticed there was a bar and grill attached to the stadium, where people were watching the game on huge screen. I got to my seat, and what a seat, at the corner of the endzone, not far from the Dawg Pound, but I had comfy seats, while they had metal bleachers, but that's the way the Dawg Pound demand, keeping it old skool. I saw amongst some great people, to my right was a husband, wife and their 4 year old son, to my left in front and behind me were guys who were really getting into the game. The boy was getting a little cold so I offered him my blanket for the night, which his parents thanked me for, The father is a soccer coach and plays in goal. His favorite player is Brad Friedel who now plays for Aston Villa, who shares the same owner as the Browns. Now that makes sense, because four or five people at the tailgate asked me about which soccer team in London I follow (Spurs) and all of them supported Aston Villa. I thought'twas a mere coincidence at the time, but now it maes sense,
I missed a little of the start. On the radio today the sports fanatics were saying they really wanted to see Brady Quinn play tonight and they are unhappy with their QB, Derek Anderson, especially as the Browns are sitting with a 1-3 record. They had a bye last week so hopefully we will see another home victory on my trip. The screw was 7-3 Giants when I got to my seat. I saw the Giants touchdown on the screen when I was buying my drink, which by the way, if you are buying a drink for this stadium, be prepared to miss a few touchdowns, they take a long time.
I came into the game as the Browns were driving and Anderson threw a deep ball and it looked like the receiver was going to go all the way, but got tackled. Still it was a great pass from a player who I was expecting to not be so great. Within minutes the Browns had scored a touchdown from a Jamal Lewis run. The crowd and the Dawg pound especially went nuts. From then on it was all action. Eli Manning and the Giants could not find their groove and the Browns came back with a long drive for another TD from the arm of Anderson. Making it 17-7, the crowd around could not believe the scoreline and they wanted to run the Browns to run the clock down and go into half time with this big lead against the Champs, especially as there was only just two minutes left.
The guys around me gave me non stop high fives which made my hands sore. One particular man, Josh was very animated and i tooka lot of pictures ogf him getting really into the game. He was enthralled by my trip and kept giving me high fives. He had a gesture for "pull the flag" that is very simialr to the "w**ker" sign back home, it made me laugh that this gesture in two countrys can mean such different things. Then again I'm pretty sure he either interpretation would work in this situation as Josh was angry with the referee.
The Giants got lucky with a call for the referee. It looked like Manning fumbled, but apparently the Browns did something wrong too and the Giants kept the ball and a few plays later Manning threw to Burress for a TD taking the game into the half 17-14 to the Browns. Although the Giants scored quickly, the feeling was that the Browns were still in control and there was a confidence in the air. Especially as Eli had thrown two interceptions already. The Browns looked the world champions out there,everything was clicking, but you can forget about those Giants, they can win and win ugly!
At half time the Browns inducted Eric Metcalf and two other players into their hall of fame.
At half time some people came up to chat to me about my trip. I was unaware but the local news papar the Plain dealer had printed an article about me today and some people had read and relaised who I was! So that was great! " guys behind me chatted with me for a while and were happy to have their picture taken and I managed to shoot quite a bit of video also. Then someone told me that in the boxes behind us was Eli Manning's wife, which I was not too bothered about, but next to her was Emitt Smith and I would love to meet him. But as it was half time he was sheltered in the fancy suite.
Still it was great to say Emitt Smith sat only 5 rows behind me! The game restarted with a tempo and the Dawg pouind were backmaking plenty of noise. I had received a text message asking me t come to the front of the stadium, but I thought it was from the friends of the guy who was suppossed to sell me his ticket and aybe it ws his friends that wanted to meet me. Any way throughout the second half several texts went back and forth to this stranger.
In the 4th quarter Anderson looked more composed than Manning and threw for yet another Browns TD sending us intoa frenzy.
Taking the game to 27-14, now the Browns really were in charge. Eli Manning threw for his third interception and eric Wright for the browns brough it back to house for score. That was my favorite play of the game and it totally killed off the Giants. The game wound down and you could tell this meant the world to the fans!
During the second half there seemed to be lots of sing along songs, maybe it is because the Browns were winning by quite the margin. Hang on Sloppy was played and everyone mimed out the letters of O-H-I-O.
After the game I went down to the front to see this mysterious texter and it was actually someone from the Browns marketing team. He gave me a bag full of Browns merchandise, there was key rings,a t shirt, a flag and all sorts of stuff, how nice is that!
Whilst down I met an elder man and called Jow who had has beena Browns fan for 35 years. I asked him how long he had waited fora win like that and he said the same as before "35 years!" I saw that Emitt Smith had joined the press team on the 20 yard line, that I watched for a little while, before heading back to Muni lot, to see of there was any one still there.
People in the streets were so happy, and everyone was honking their horns, and doing the Dawg chant. At Muni lot I actually saw Scott as he was packing away his tailgate and I had lovely discussion with hima bout his bus and tailgate. He introduced me to the Bone lady, who I had previously taken a picture of her wonderful bone car. Scott told me that every firday he has a party on the bus which he keeps at his house and he has invited me to come along, so hopefully I will, which would be great fun!
A great tailgate crowd a great stadium and a great game. This game makes my record as 10 home wins and 2 away wins!
Pre-game
The Super Bowl Champs will be making their way to Cleveland for this week's Monday Night Football game. I hear the Cleveland Browns have some of the most impressive fans in the NFL and I am really looking forward to being part of the "Dawg Pound" as they take on the Giants.
The New York Giants finished with a 10-6 record last year, the same as the Browns, so the Browns will feel they can beat this team on their home turf. Plus every team will be going out to try and knock the Giants off their pedestal.
It will be interesting how different the Giants are when they play away from home, having already seen them on the opening day of the season at Giants Stadium. I have already seen them play on the road once before, when they played in London, England last season, where they beat the Miami Dolphins 13-10. They did not look like a Super Bowl winning team then, but they managed ana way win, and they are dangerous on the road. They won all of their playoff road games last season to get to the Superbowl, so the Browns will not have it easy.
With home field advantage, the "Dawg Pound" should make just enough noise to knock Eli Manning off course,
