Your First New England Patriots Game (Live)

[patriotsdynasty12189]

2006 Wild Card playoff game vs Jacksonville. McGinnest was a beast in that game...these last few years have lacked those clutch, role players...

 

[italian pat patriot]

this is an awesome thread !

 

[nepatz11]

Also I was at the Hugh Millen to Greg Mcmurty game what a GREAT GAME!

 

[bobgeorge]

My first live game at Foxborough was September 10, 1972, a preseason game with Detroit. Back then the season was only 14 weeks so preseason went later. The Patriots won, 34-30, but I don't remember much about the game except it was the only time I approached Foxborough from the north instead of from the south, as my dad and I came from dinner in Winchester with the gantlemen who were taking us to the game. Every subsequent trip we came from home in western Mass., so we came off of I-495.

We went later that year to see Miami beat us, 37-21 during their 17-0 campaign. Some other live highlights of mine:

1975 -- San Francisco, saw Grogan's first start.

1978 -- Buffalo, clinched AFC East title and ran on the field after the game.

1986 -- Preseason game vs. Washington, Patrick Sullivan sat in front us, still with the black eye Matt Millen gave him in January.

Haven't been back since that last game. Teachers in California can't exactly be back east in the fall.

Bob G

 

[Seymour93]

The first game I went to also happens to be the only game I've ever been to. It was in week 6 of the '99 season against Miami. The Pats went in 4-1 and were looking great early on. Marino was knocked out of the game early and Ty Law & Andy Katzenmoyer ran picks back to the house in the first quarter. Damon Huard took over for Marino, Mare kicked 6 or 7 field goals, and the Dolphins ended up winning in the final minutes on a Stanley Pritchett TD catch. It was a really disappointing game as the Pats were in control almost the entire way.

That game was a good representation of that entire '99 season; a great start but overall just really disappointing.

Wow, that's also the only game in Foxboro I've been to. I had to go to Boston for a wedding and while we were there I convinced my dad to buy two nosebleed tickets. The Red Sox were playing the Yankees in the playoffs that same weekend and I remember a bunch of "Yankees Suck" chants. But the old stadium was really loud and rocking and it just had a good atmosphere. The game was awesome too although the outcome was crappy. After we knocked out Marino I was convinced it was going to be a blowout. Got to give credit where credit is due though and Huard was on fire that day.

I haven't been to any other games in Foxboro so I haven't seen the new stadium. I have low expectations from reading about the pink hats/red seaters on here.

I've been to two Pats away games, both in Texas, at Houston in 2003 and Dallas in 2007. Both games were great. We're scheduled to play in Houston next season and I'll definitely be going to that one.

 

[JoePats]

I've been to two Pats away games, both in Texas, at Houston in 2003 and Dallas in 2007. Both games were great. We're scheduled to play in Houston next season and I'll definitely be going to that one.

Nice. You got 2 vintage Patriot performances for each respective season, though the 2003 Houston game was probably a little to nauseating for comfort. The Dallas game last year was one of the best games the team played all season.

 

[jagkho]

Dont remember the exact year, perhaps 74 or 75? Rams at Patriots. The Rams were a very strong team in the early 70's and were heavily favored over the Pats, but we won the game. Dont remember the exact score, but I do remember that Andy Johnson had a breakout game, running for over 100 yds (I think) and it was one of his first years as a Patriot.

 

[CrazyDave]

1990 versus the jets. Got there late, pats won big.I think it was one of only 2 or 3 they won that year.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

1978 (? I think), at Baltimore Colts. Big sign made out of a bedsheet that said "Grogan's Heroes." Got followed for about 6 blocks on the way home because we were psyched the Pats won the game.

 

[TrueBeliever]

The first Pats game I went to was also the first NFL game I went to - a 1986 preseason game in Green Bay. I was only 10 at the time and don't remember much about it, which is unfortunate because now I know that guys like Tippett, Tatupu, Morgan, Lippett, etc., probably played in that game (though not much, being preseason). Being a kid, most of the time I was more interested in the scoreboard - I remember they had this one graphic where the Packers' "G" opened and close like it was Pac-Man and chased Pat Patriot off the screen. I know the Patriots won (the Packers were awful in those days), but I'd have to look in a media guide to find the score.

This was back in the days before the Packers made the season-ticket holders buy the preseason tickets, so my dad's National Guard unit bought a bunch of seats at a group rate and chartered a coach bus.

Ironically, the second time I went to a game in Green Bay was also a preseason game against the Pats, this time in 1996. At that time I was still trying to be a fan of both teams so I wore a Packers shirt and a Patriots hat. I got a few odd looks but for the most part no one cared. (The third game I went to in Green Bay was also a preseason game against New England the following year.)

Further, the first Pats regular season game I went to was also the first regular season NFL game I ever went to - 1997 at Minnesota.

 

[Michael]

Still waiting

 

[TrueBeliever]

I'd like to add a little something I was just reminded of...

When I was in college I used to dream of the day I would attend my first Pats home game. It wasn't until 2001, though, that I decided it was time to actually do it, because I learned that that coming season would be the last at Foxboro Stadium, and even with how awful "the Fox" was supposed to be, I wanted to see at least one game there - to see the field where so many great Patriots like Capalletti (albeit briefly), Hannah, Tippett, Sam Cunningham, etc., had played. So I looked at the schedule and decided to buy two tickets to the game against the Jesters. I conned a friend of mine into going (mainly on the promise of doing some other sightseeing) and we bought the plane tickets, etc.

Then 9/11 happened...

That night I called my friend and said I wasn't going, and he said he was going to tell me the same thing. As it got closer to when I was supposed to leave I was thinking about it more and more, and almost changed my mind. Thing was I didn't know anyone out there well enough at the time to stay at their house, except one woman who said I could stay at her place but she wouldn't drive into Boston to pick me up at the airport. Granted I could have rented a car (I had just turned 25, the minimum age) but decided that I shouldn't try to drive through a strange city by myself, especially Boston.

I still have those tickets somewhere. Looking back now of course it seems wimpy, but back then, in the days after that day, it was pretty frightening. Not to mention my mom got really antsy about it and all but begged me not to go - she even gave me the same amount of money I had paid for the plane and game tickets saying, "Well now you haven't even lost any money."

This same friend who offered to let me stay at her house actually had season tickets for that 2001 season, and offered to take me to the game against the Chargers. But by that time I had just started a new job and the b***ards didn't want to give me the time off even if it was unpaid. Plus there were all the other logistics problems I mentioned before.

Anyway, my first live Pats home game was against the Dolphins in 2004. It was a long time coming.

 

[dalero]

1967 against the Jets. I remember they lost and I sat with the right field foul pole blocking alot of my view at Fenway.

 

[Lifer]

The first one was when they clinched a playoff berth by upsetting the 49ers at home in 1998 with Scott Zolak playing QB. I remember he connected on one bomb to Jefferson and that Greg Spires had a big sack at the end. Robert Edwards played a good game. And Adam, of course, kicked the game winner at the end.

The first one i had a CHANCE to go and didnt was in 1978. A friend of mine had a ticket for me to see the Chargers. BUT..it was the last day of the baseball season, i couldnt miss Luis Tiant pitching the Red Sox to a tie that extended the season for the incredible 1 game playoff with the Yankees.

To me, that was still the most exciting 24 hours I ever felt as a sports fan, the anticipation of the playoff game. Remember, no wild card back then. winner take all, and it was the Yankees.

oh well.........Adams kick against the Rams finally made it all better on 2/3/02

 

[The Boston Patriot]

I believe they were the Boston Patriots at the time. It was a game against
the SD Chargers in Harvard Stadium. I sat directly behind the Chargers Bench.
Worst seats I ever had since it was at the bench level and the players were
impeding my view for the most part. Forget the year but it was a while ago.

 

[Thirdbasekid24]

This sunday!! I can't wait! Finally a west coast trip.