Old Story Of The Day For Italian Pat Patriot

[NoCal Patriot]

The time machine takes Us back to October 18,1976 back in The Wild West Days of Shaeffer Stadium.It was Monday Night Football back when Monday Night Football was like the circus coming to town.What a cast of characters,Frank Gifford,Howard Cossell, and Don Meridith,after seven years on the air finally made it to Foxboro.Back in those days ,The ABC Guys wore bright yellow blazers.To make their entrance Howard Cossell and Don Meridith walked from the field up the aisle on the 50 yard line to the Press Box.This was a tragic mistake.People starting yelling,cursing, and throwing debris from the moment Howard came into view.The yellow blazers were ruined before they hit the middle tier of the stadium.
The opponent that night was The hated New York Jets.Lou Holtz was the Jets Coach and Frankly He was out matched by Chuck Fairbanks.The Jets were still living off of their Super Bowl III Victory but The Foxboro faithful had little use for Them.The rivalry was as heated then as it is now.
Game time was 9:00 PM. I was in College at the time and We left for the game at around 3:00 PM. We arrived at Foxboro around 4:00 PM and the party was well underway.It was a cool evening but nice football weather.
Back then ther were always some Jets Fans at the game so the pleasantries began early.Fights broke out in the parking lot and carried into the Stadium.
I would estimate that 90% of the crowd that night was at the Stadium by 4:30 PM.This night was a "Big Deal" and everyone was there early to make the most of it.Booze flowed like water and almost everyone was participating.
I had season tickets since 1970 and this was the wildest crowd I had seen until that point.They were locked and loaded and ready for action.
It's hard to put into words the magnitude of the event that Monday Night Football was back then.When the schedule came out that was the FIRST thing You looked for.Howard Cossell was bigger than life.Most everyone hated Him thus he was a show unto Himself.
There was an "Urban Myth" started that night that someone got thrown over the top of the Stadium.It never happened although anyone who was there that night could envision that happening.There was a story that someone Urinated on a guy who was being worked on by an EMT.I don't know the validity of that story but again anyone who was there that night could have envisioned that happening.Ther was the story told often by Lou Holtz that a Drunk threatened Him after the game.I put this story in the "Highly Probable" catagory.
Tha Patriots played great that night and killed the Jets 41-7 .The 1976 Patriots rolled a lot of Teams in Foxboro.Steve Grogan,Russ Francis,Sam Bam Cunningham and Company were fun to watch.It was seeing a Dominant Team and a CIRCUS all in one night.For a 21 year old guy does it get any better than that?

 

[fgssand]

The time machine takes Us back to October 18,1976 back in The Wild West Days of Shaeffer Stadium.It was Monday Night Football back when Monday Night Football was like the circus coming to town.What a cast of characters,Frank Gifford,Howard Cossell, and Don Meridith,after seven years on the air finally made it to Foxboro.Back in those days ,The ABC Guys wore bright yellow blazers.To make their entrance Howard Cossell and Don Meridith walked from the field up the aisle on the 50 yard line to the Press Box.This was a tragic mistake.People starting yelling,cursing, and throwing debris from the moment Howard came into view.The yellow blazers were ruined before they hit the middle tier of the stadium.
The opponent that night was The hated New York Jets.Lou Holtz was the Jets Coach and Frankly He was out matched by Chuck Fairbanks.The Jets were still living off of their Super Bowl III Victory but The Foxboro faithful had little use for Them.The rivalry was as heated then as it is now.
Game time was 9:00 PM. I was in College at the time and We left for the game at around 3:00 PM. We arrived at Foxboro around 4:00 PM and the party was well underway.It was a cool evening but nice football weather.
Back then ther were always some Jets Fans at the game so the pleasantries began early.Fights broke out in the parking lot and carried into the Stadium.
I would estimate that 90% of the crowd that night was at the Stadium by 4:30 PM.This night was a "Big Deal" and everyone was there early to make the most of it.Booze flowed like water and almost everyone was participating.
I had season tickets since 1970 and this was the wildest crowd I had seen until that point.They were locked and loaded and ready for action.
It's hard to put into words the magnitude of the event that Monday Night Football was back then.When the schedule came out that was the FIRST thing You looked for.Howard Cossell was bigger than life.Most everyone hated Him thus he was a show unto Himself.
There was an "Urban Myth" started that night that someone got thrown over the top of the Stadium.It never happened although anyone who was there that night could envision that happening.There was a story that someone Urinated on a guy who was being worked on by an EMT.I don't know the validity of that story but again anyone who was there that night could have envisioned that happening.Ther was the story told often by Lou Holtz that a Drunk threatened Him before the game.I put this story in the "Highly Probable" catagory.
Tha Patriots played great that night and killed the Jets 41-7 .The 1976 Patriots rolled a lot of Teams in Foxboro.Steve Grogan,Russ Francis,Sam Bam Cunningham and Company were fun to watch.It was seeing a Dominant Team and a RIOT all in one night.For a 21 year old guy does it get any better than that?

I was there.......what a game, what an event, what a crowd - yes, it was rather unruly - BUT - no where near as violent, threatening and unsafe as most people like to imply.

My Dad took me to every single Patriot game ever played - from BU Field> Fenway park>harvard>BC and finally in Foxboro until he passed the tickets to me in the 80's. In turn, I have taken my three sons to every game since they were 3 years old (they are now in their 20's).

Section 209 - first row was where we all grew up, loving these Pats through good and bad.

NEVER once did we get in fights, have a bad experience or feel intimidated or uncomfortable in an way.

Sure, you might not wanted to have taken your daughters or wives in those days when the alcohol flowed a little too freely and it was truly "boys night out", but it was not as bad as some make it out to have been.

 

[Tunescribe]

I'm still having trouble buying your Ben Dreith story.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

I was there.......what a game, what an event, what a crowd - yes, it was rather unruly - BUT - no where near as violent, threatening and unsafe as most people like to imply.

My Dad took me to every single Patriot game ever played - from BU Field> Fenway park>harvard>BC and finally in Foxboro until he passed the tickets to me in the 80's. In turn, I have taken my three sons to every game since they were 3 years old (they are now in their 20's).

Section 209 - first row was where we all grew up, loving these Pats through good and bad.

NEVER once did we get in fights, have a bad experience or feel intimidated or uncomfortable in an way.

Sure, you might not wanted to have taken your daughters or wives in those days when the alcohol flowed a little too freely and it was truly "boys night out", but it was not as bad as some make it out to have been.

I edited my RIOT comment out and You're right that was unfair. It was unruly however as there were 40 arrests that night.
My ringside seat was in Section 210. Row 18. Boys Night Out is the proper way to phrase it.Were there fights? Sure, but were most involved? Absolutely not ! I never felt threatened or intimidated either but then again I was there with 3 other guys.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Schaefer beer exist still today's or not more ?

 

[NoCal Patriot]

Schaefer beer exist still today's or not more ?

Sadly, it appears to be gone. I just looked it up on Beer History .com and it appears that Pabst Brewing purchased the label from Stroh's Brewing in 1999 and stopped selling it under the Schaefer Label.You didn't miss much however!

 

[italian pat patriot]

The time machine takes Us back to October 18,1976 back in The Wild West Days of Shaeffer Stadium.It was Monday Night Football back when Monday Night Football was like the circus coming to town.What a cast of characters,Frank Gifford,Howard Cossell, and Don Meridith,after seven years on the air finally made it to Foxboro.Back in those days ,The ABC Guys wore bright yellow blazers.To make their entrance Howard Cossell and Don Meridith walked from the field up the aisle on the 50 yard line to the Press Box.This was a tragic mistake.People starting yelling,cursing, and throwing debris from the moment Howard came into view.The yellow blazers were ruined before they hit the middle tier of the stadium.
The opponent that night was The hated New York Jets.Lou Holtz was the Jets Coach and Frankly He was out matched by Chuck Fairbanks.The Jets were still living off of their Super Bowl III Victory but The Foxboro faithful had little use for Them.The rivalry was as heated then as it is now.
Game time was 9:00 PM. I was in College at the time and We left for the game at around 3:00 PM. We arrived at Foxboro around 4:00 PM and the party was well underway.It was a cool evening but nice football weather.
Back then ther were always some Jets Fans at the game so the pleasantries began early.Fights broke out in the parking lot and carried into the Stadium.
I would estimate that 90% of the crowd that night was at the Stadium by 4:30 PM.This night was a "Big Deal" and everyone was there early to make the most of it.Booze flowed like water and almost everyone was participating.
I had season tickets since 1970 and this was the wildest crowd I had seen until that point.They were locked and loaded and ready for action.
It's hard to put into words the magnitude of the event that Monday Night Football was back then.When the schedule came out that was the FIRST thing You looked for.Howard Cossell was bigger than life.Most everyone hated Him thus he was a show unto Himself.
There was an "Urban Myth" started that night that someone got thrown over the top of the Stadium.It never happened although anyone who was there that night could envision that happening.There was a story that someone Urinated on a guy who was being worked on by an EMT.I don't know the validity of that story but again anyone who was there that night could have envisioned that happening.Ther was the story told often by Lou Holtz that a Drunk threatened Him after the game.I put this story in the "Highly Probable" catagory.
Tha Patriots played great that night and killed the Jets 41-7 .The 1976 Patriots rolled a lot of Teams in Foxboro.Steve Grogan,Russ Francis,Sam Bam Cunningham and Company were fun to watch.It was seeing a Dominant Team and a CIRCUS all in one night.For a 21 year old guy does it get any better than that?

what an evening it must have been...i think you are still 'excited' today's

 

[NoCal Patriot]

what an evening it must have been...i think you are still 'excited' today's

IPP,it's one of those events that if You were there You'd never forget it.I do not want to relive those days but I'm glad that I experienced them at the time that I did.It was a 14 year absense from Monday Night Football at Foxboro. 1981 to 1995

 

[fgssand]

I edited my RIOT comment out and You're right that was unfair. It was unruly however as there were 40 arrests that night.
My ringside seat was in Section 210. Row 18. Boys Night Out is the proper way to phrase it.Were there fights? Sure, but were most involved? Absolutely not ! I never felt threatened or intimidated either but then again I was there with 3 other guys.

This is amazing - our original seats for the first 6 years were sec 210 and I swear it was row 18!!

I will have to try to confirm somehow - I lost my dad last year (he left happy with three Superbowl rings and one World Series), so I cannot ask him, but I will do some checking.

We upgraded one time only to the first row in sec 209 (which was actually called row 3) - as you came up the steps from level one to go up to the 200's - 210 was on your right (as you faced the pressbox) and a small part of 209 was to your left - there were only 8 seats in that first row and we had the middle four.

You may recall someone bringing an iron milk crate so his son could see over the wall there in the first row - that was ME lugging that crate for my son (as if security would allow today??)!!

I see you remember the Randy Vataha guy...he was the one that used to pop the bottles of Champagne every time Randy scored and lead that Randy chant.

We are now in Sec 134 and I still see some of the originals from old 210 & 209.......they weer great sections and never ever were there the kinds of trouble that was prevalent in other areas.

 

[Patriotic]

Wasn't there but I remember the game. Grogan had a touchdown which set a franchise record for longest TD run by a QB. The NFL was not kind to Lou Holtz.

 

[NoCal Patriot]

This is amazing - our original seats for the first 6 years were sec 210 and I swear it was row 18!!

I will have to try to confirm somehow - I lost my dad last year (he left happy with three Superbowl rings and one World Series), so I cannot ask him, but I will do some checking.

We upgraded one time only to the first row in sec 209 (which was actually called row 3) - as you came up the steps from level one to go up to the 200's - 210 was on your right (as you faced the pressbox) and a small part of 209 was to your left - there were only 8 seats in that first row and we had the middle four.

You may recall someone bringing an iron milk crate so his son could see over the wall there in the first row - that was ME lugging that crate for my son (as if security would allow today??)!!

I see you remember the Randy Vataha guy...he was the one that used to pop the bottles of Champagne every time Randy scored and lead that Randy chant.

We are now in Sec 134 and I still see some of the originals from old 210 & 209.......they weer great sections and never ever were there the kinds of trouble that was prevalent in other areas.

It's a small world.We stayed in Section 210 for 10 years and then I was transferred to California.Section 210 was wild but not at all violent.I had a great time with my three buddies and We recall many of these stories whenever We get together. Those were some very fun times.
That Randy Vataha Guy was amazing.His name was Ricky and He and his friend would drive down from Buffalo,NY for every home game.I can't imagine what shape they were in upon their return to Buffalo!

 

[fgssand]

It's a small world.We stayed in Section 210 for 10 years and then I was transferred to California.Section 210 was wild but not at all violent.I had a great time with my three buddies and We recall many of these stories whenever We get together. Those were some very fun times.
That Randy Vataha Guy was amazing.His name was Ricky and He and his friend would drive down from Buffalo,NY for every home game.I can't imagine what shape they were in upon their return to Buffalo!

If it's the same RICKY....he stayed around Sec 210/209 for a long time, used to attend the games with his dad and a close friend of his who later ended up doing time.

Last time I saw Ricky - NO LIE...was drunk on our asses - on Bourbon street celebrating SB 36. I kid you not!!!!

 

[NoCal Patriot]

If it's the same RICKY....he stayed around Sec 210/209 for a long time, used to attend the games with his dad and a close friend of his who later ended up doing time.

Last time I saw Ricky - NO LIE...was drunk on our asses - on Bourbon street celebrating SB 36. I kid you not!!!!

That Could be Him ! That guy knew how to party.Those were wild days! Doing Time? Somehow I'm not surprised. It's amazing those guys lived until the turn of the century! I have alway tried to imagine what the party would have been like if The Patriots had ever won a Super bowl in The 1970's or 1980's. It might still be going on now or We might all be dead now. Those would have been the only two options!

 

[italian pat patriot]

NoCal Patriot, i know the Pats used the red jerseys and white trousers at home and totally white on the road

but in some photos i hv seen them playing with white jerseys and RED trousers

when they used the red trousers ? was it normal or ... ?

 

[NoCal Patriot]

NoCal Patriot, i know the Pats used the red jerseys and white trousers at home and totally white on the road

but in some photos i hv seen them playing with white jerseys and RED trousers

when they used the red trousers ? was it normal or ... ?

They never wore the Red Pants in The 1970's .I think they used those in the 1980's and early 1990's.

 

[italian pat patriot]

They never wore the Red Pants in The 1970's .I think they used those in the Late 1980's and 1990's.

on the road ?

ps = the next one, and the last story, do not worry, it has to be 'The Snow Plow Game' - have you seen that game ? 3-0...1982...

 

[NoCal Patriot]

on the road ?

ps = the next one, and the last story, do not worry, it has to be 'The Snow Plow Game' - have you seen that game ? 3-0...1982...

Yes IPP,they mostly wore the Red pants on the road but occasionally they wore them at Home.
I was living in California when 'The Snow Plow Game "happened. It was a day that turned Mark Henderson into a New England Legend.One of the All Time Highlights in Patriots History was when The Patriots played their last "Regular Season" Game at the Old Foxboro Stadium. The Pats had a ceremony when they brought back to the Stadium many Old Patriots.Towards the end of the announcements of Patriot's Greats ,They Annnounced "Mark Henderson" and He drove his tractor out onto the Field.When everyone saw Him driving out ,one of the loadest "ROARS" in the history of the " Old Stadium" went up.It was a very "Special" Foxboro Moment.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Yes IPP,they mostly wore the Red pants on the road but occasionally they wore them at Home.
I was living in California when 'The Snow Plow Game "happened. It was a day that turned Mark Henderson into a New England Legend.One of the All Time Highlights in Patriots History was when The Patriots played their last "Regular Season" Game at the Old Foxboro Stadium. The Pats had a ceremony when they brought back to the Stadium many Old Patriots.Towards the end of the announcements of Patriot's Greats ,They Annnounced "Mark Henderson" and He drove his tractor out onto the Field.When everyone saw Him driving out ,one of the loadest "ROARS" in the history of the " Old Stadium" went up.It was a very "Special" Foxboro Moment.

and i met J.Smith at Gillette Stadium 15 months ago - he asked to me a lot about Italy more then my questions to him...

at the 'old days' there were selling NE Patriots merchandising ? the people used like today's ? i think not...

 

[NoCal Patriot]

and i met J.Smith at Gillette Stadium 15 months ago - he asked to me a lot about Italy more then my questions to him...

at the 'old days' there were selling NE Patriots merchandising ? the people used like today's ? i think not...

Not really,They had some stuff but The Patriots were never into Marketing and Merchandising the way they are now until The Krafts came on board.I did have a Gino Cappaletti Jersey however! Gino,another Son of Italy, just like YOU!

 

[italian pat patriot]

Not really,They had some stuff but The Patriots were never into Marketing and Merchandising the way they are now until The Krafts came on board.

were they selling something at Schaefer Stadium or zero ? and nothing outside stadium from 'private' small companies ?