My first game at Gillette Stadium, by OEP, age 37 1/3

[OldEnglandPatriot]

Well, that was some experience! Loved it, loved it, loved it - apart from the screw-up where the person who was supposed to leave our tickets at the will-call didn't do so and was unreachable. I got very lucky to get a pair in section 109 from the ticket office instead, bang on the halfway line, directly opposite Madden and Michaels.

Thoughts/observations:

- I was previously unaware that the stadium was surrounded by a building site
- I actually got a little misty-eyed as the team ran out. I spent my first 20 years as a Patriots fan never imagining I would ever get to experience a home game
- General level of crowd noise did disappoint me a little, but was pretty loud at times in the fourth quarter
- Good facilities etc (beer predictably expensive). Couldn't believe there was no heating built into my seat, though
- Fascinating listening to BB on WEEI radio shortly after the game. He sounded like a different guy to the one the national press talks with. Is he always like this on WEEI, the hometown station? I'll have to start visiting their site, if so.
- Er, that's it

 

[pats1]

- Fascinating listening to BB on WEEI radio shortly after the game. He sounded like a different guy to the one the national press talks with. Is he always like this on WEEI, the hometown station? I'll have to start visiting their site, if so.

That was his post-game press conference...to the national press.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Hope you enjoyed it... :rocker:

 

[IndyKen]

Great story - thanks for sharing...

I went to the Razor for the first time in September, I share your
sentiments - it's great to actually be there.

 

[LurkingLinebacker]

I think he might have called into WEEI after the national press conference.

 

[pats1]

I think he might have called into WEEI after the national press conference.

Somehow I doubt that. He's only done that once or twice, usually in the summer.

He does his Patriots Monday interview on WEEI too.

 

[Mogamedogz]

That was his post-game press conference...to the national press.

Nope. That was his call in to the REal post game show with Glen, Steve, Fred, and Pete.

Belichick tends to let his guard down with those guys a little more than with anyone else.

You can also hear him every monday between 3-6pm on The Big Show. Just visit WEEI.com and you can listen live on your PC.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Well, that was some experience! Loved it, loved it, loved it - apart from the screw-up where the person who was supposed to leave our tickets at the will-call didn't do so and was unreachable. I got very lucky to get a pair in section 109 from the ticket office instead, bang on the halfway line, directly opposite Madden and Michaels.

Thoughts/observations:

- I was previously unaware that the stadium was surrounded by a building site
- I actually got a little misty-eyed as the team ran out. I spent my first 20 years as a Patriots fan never imagining I would ever get to experience a home game
- General level of crowd noise did disappoint me a little, but was pretty loud at times in the fourth quarter
- Good facilities etc (beer predictably expensive). Couldn't believe there was no heating built into my seat, though
- Fascinating listening to BB on WEEI radio shortly after the game. He sounded like a different guy to the one the national press talks with. Is he always like this on WEEI, the hometown station? I'll have to start visiting their site, if so.
- Er, that's it

Glad you had a good time. There was a little blurb in Reiss's column today that 25 fans from England were in attendance.

A couple of helpful corrections.

1. It's called the 50 yard line, not "halfway line".
2. I don't believe there is a stadium outdoors in the USA that has heated seats.

 

[BelichickFan]

- Fascinating listening to BB on WEEI radio shortly after the game. He sounded like a different guy to the one the national press talks with. Is he always like this on WEEI, the hometown station? I'll have to start visiting their site, if so.

OEP, just go to the Audio Vault : http://www.weei.com/pages/268228.php

and go to the "Patriots Monday" link, 3rd from the top on the right. Belichick's weekly interview + Patriots players, Boomer Esiason, etc, every week. I listen to them all from there on my own "Patriots Tuesday". Great stuff.

 

[Flying Fungi]

Well, that was some experience! Loved it, loved it, loved it - apart from the screw-up where the person who was supposed to leave our tickets at the will-call didn't do so and was unreachable. I got very lucky to get a pair in section 109 from the ticket office instead, bang on the halfway line, directly opposite Madden and Michaels.

Thoughts/observations:

- I was previously unaware that the stadium was surrounded by a building site that would be the Patriot Place being built out--retail facilities, hotel and pro shop and the like
- I actually got a little misty-eyed as the team ran out. I spent my first 20 years as a Patriots fan never imagining I would ever get to experience a home game
- General level of crowd noise did disappoint me a little, but was pretty loud at times in the fourth quarter Sullivan Stadium/Foxboro Stadium was louder, but I'd trade that sh|thole for Gillette every time
- Good facilities etc (beer predictably expensive). Couldn't believe there was no heating built into my seat, though the seats are warmed intravenously pre-game
- Fascinating listening to BB on WEEI radio shortly after the game. He sounded like a different guy to the one the national press talks with. Is he always like this on WEEI, the hometown station? I'll have to start visiting their site, if so. Patriots All Access is another great show if you want to actually see him interact in a casual milieu
- Er, that's it

Did you tailgate at all?

 

[OldEnglandPatriot]

Glad you had a good time. There was a little blurb in Reiss's column today that 25 fans from England were in attendance.

2. It don't believe there is a stadium outdoors in the USA that has heated seats.

:-D I wondered if anyone would bite on that, thank you!!

And yes, in answer to previous comments, what I heard was BB talking directly to the WEEI guys, not a press conference. He sounded engaged and friendly, even when he got asked the same question twice. It was excellent.

 

[OldEnglandPatriot]

In reply to fungi, no we didn't tailgate. My wife and I are just not that organised - we even forgot to set the DVR to record the game before we left home.

However, just like when I went to Buffalo a couple of years ago, walking through the carparks and seeing everyone tailgating was a highlight that I forgot to mention. It's a great thing to see, the dedication you guys put in to the whole day. We don't really have anything comparable in England for soccer, just pub->stadium->pub. Then again, it would be a bit much to do the whole tailgating thing 25 or so times a year.

 

[waspie (UK)]

There was a little blurb in Reiss's column today that 25 fans from England were in attendance.

That was the third annual UK Patriots road trip (and they're not all English - there was at least one Welshman and a Scot in the party).

Unfortunately, I missed this years trip - I was moving house last weekend, but I will be in Baltimore on Monday.

There were gatherings in the Pour House on Friday night and the Braintree Rock Bottom on Saturday, and then a big tailgate - organised by a handful of local season ticket holders who do all the work for these weekends - at the stadium. The whole group would have done their bit for the US economy in the Pro Shop as well.

I'm kicking myself for not being there since the tailgate was visited by my all time favourite Pat - John Hannah - as well as Andre Tippett.

We're mainly old school fans who became fans around the Super Bowl XX appearance and who have stuck with the team ever since, together with some younger members, who think that losing an AFCCG is the definition of a bad year!

 

[ironwasp]

There were at least 27 of us, because a friend and I were there also, not part of the UK fan club group. I did see their banner there.