Royalty sees U2 The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 at MetLife Stadium!

MetLife Stadium

Last night I got to witness one of my favorite Rock bands, U2, perform live in concert at MetLife Stadium. Let it be known it wasn't the first time I've seen them live. It was my third time, a real charm too. In fact, the very first time I saw them was back on September 14, 1987 at old Giants Stadium when the first did their original Joshua Tree Tour. This was the 30th Anniversary of that legendary album. Where has the time gone. One thing hasn't changed for me during that time frame though, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. For that matter, I'm still searching for Where the Streets Have No Name. However, I'm still in God's Country. In between these tours almost 30 years apart, I did see them do their 360 Tour back on September 24, 2009 which also took place at Giants Stadium. That show was Magnificent.

The Joshua Tree Tour 2017

As for last night's performance, they started the show with one of their many classics from the early days in 1983, Sunday Bloody Sunday. They followed that with another one, New Year's Day. They went on with a version of Bad from 1984 which included a snippet of America by Simon & Garfunkel. After that, they sung Pride (In The Name of Love).

View from Section 327

Waiting for U2 to come out in Section 341 row 3

U2 Doing Sunday Bloody Sunday

After Bono told the massive crowd how they first played the Ritz in NYC in front of 25 people then he changed it to 75, they continued the show by honoring their 30th Anniversary of their earth shattering Joshua Tree album that ultimately put them on the commercial map by playing all the tracks & cassettes which detailed American culture. It was like a trip down memory lane for the U2 faithful & a tribute to our great country.

After a brief break, they came back out for more which included later hits, Beautiful Day or Beautiful Night which Bono sang which indeed it was. When I bought my ticket back in January, I was hoping mother nature would cooperate for me. Did she ever. They continued to arouse the crowd with Elevation & Vertigo. Before the show ended we all came together as "One." It was a touching moment to say the least. They proceeded to close the show with their newest song from their latest LP Songs of Experience, The Little Things That Give You Away.

As you can see, I was thoroughly entertained for just over two hours. If you like U2, I highly recommend you go see them live.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman   

 

Royalty w/o 10/28 in review

After work on Monday I came home to rest up from the exhausting weekend I wound up taking to the Buckeye State. 

Tuesday night after work I met up with my Cousin Andy at Newark Penn Station. We walked through the Gateway Center & we stopped off at Subway to have dinner together. After we ate, we continued walking over to the Prudential Center where we saw the Devils play the Tampa Bay Lightning. We were joined by the King when we got up to our seats in section 226 row 6.  My Cousin was so happy to see us. Unlike us, he doesn't get to go out that often so it's a real treat for him when he meets up with us. We always have a great time together.

As for the game we saw, the Devils beat the Lightning, 2-1. As a result, my Cousin was thrilled. He couldn't thank me enough for getting him the ticket for the game.

Wednesday night after work I went to the completely Transformed Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks open their new season against the Milwaukee Bucks. 

First & foremost, I want to mention all the additions in the final phase of the three year transformation process. Upon entry to the building, you'll notic the newly designed lobby & box office area which is more spacious than it was in the past. They've also added a team store so you can pick up souvenirs before and/or after the game. When you go inside I strongly suggest that you take a ride up to the tenth floor. That way you can check out the new Chase bridges that they've added which are connected to the West Balcony on the 8th avenue end of the building. The seating on the bridges is like the West Balcony. In other words, they have a few rows of seats that are protected by very thick glass as well as a row of bar stool seats behind them that have a ledge for you to put food and/or paperwork like I do when I sit at one of them. As long as you're not afraid of heights, you'll love the aerial view these seats have to offer. The Bridges are made so you feel like you're right on top of the action. They overlook the court for basketball & the ice for hockey. These seats are pricey & they're not sold on a season ticket basis. I recommend that if you have some money to burn that you try to get a seat up there. By doing so, you'll appreciate what they did to transform the building. The other change they made that stands out was they added a new massive HD scoreboard which hangs over the court and/or the ice. If you happen to be sitting on the side on the 200 level in the higher rows, the scoreboard is partially blocked. But they wisely added big screens on the side of the Bridges so you can see whatever you miss. Overall, I think they did a nice job in transforming the building. This may be a short lived process though since I've heard that in ten years they may be forced out of Penn Station which is built below the Garden. If you want to see the building as it is now, you should get there sooner than later.

As for the game I saw that night, the Knicks got off to a fast start. They lead by 25 points at halftime, 56-31. The Bucks fought back in the second half but the Knicks were able to hold them off as they went on to win their first game of the season, 90-83. Carmelo Anthony lead the way as he scored a game high 19 points & he grabbed 10 rebounds. Raymond Felton added 18 points.

Thursday night after work I spent my Halloween night doing my laundry after I made myself dinner.

Friday night after work I met up with the King at the Barclays Center where we saw the new look Brooklyn Nets open their home slate with a nationally televised game against the defending two time World Champion Miami Heat.

As for the game we saw, the Nets wound up beating the Heat in a drawn out game that took nearly three hours to play. The Nets won, 101-100. The Nets got 19 points from former Celtic Paul Pierce while Kevin Garnett aka KG who was also acquired in the same deal had just 6 points. Joe Johnson helped the Nets' cause by scoring 19 points as well. As for the Heat, LeBron James lead the way with 26 points but he didn't do anything exciting on this night as his team came up short.

Saturday afternoon the King & I took a ride via subway, Ferry & bus to see a college football game on Staten Island as the Wagner Seahawks were hosting the Blue Devils of Central Connecticut at Hameline Field. We were joined by our pal Eddie Pelle who met us there.

As for the game we saw, the Blue Devils beat the Seahawks, 52-17. The game actually was 24-17 with 13:09 to go but the Seahawks fell apart as they gave up four unanswered touchdowns as running back Rob Hollomon lead the charge for the Blue Devils. He finished the game with 147 yards rushing & he scored four touchdowns.

After the game, the King & I went out to the Prudential Center to see the Devils take on the Flyers. Eddie couldn't join us since he needed to take care of things at home. It was nice to see him again. 

As for the game we saw, the Flyers scored the only goal of the game in the first period. They held on to beat the Devils, 1-0.

Sunday the King & I went into Midtown Manhattan where we met up with our pal Larry Peim who drove us out to MetLife Stadium where we saw the Jets host the New Orleans Saints.

As for the game we saw, the Jets surprised the Saints as they beat them, 26-20. They were lead by former Saint Chris Ivory who ran for a game high 139 yards on the ground.

After the game, Larry drove us back to into Midtown. I went to see the Knicks play the Timberwolves at the Transformed Garden while the King decided to go home. 

As for the game I saw, the Timberwolves  played well & they beat the Knicks, 109-100. They got a monster performance out of Kevin Love who scored 34 points & he pulled down 15 rebounds. Kevin Martin added 30 points to help lead the charge for the Wolves. As for the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony poured in 22 points & he grabbed 17 boards while Metta World Peace finished with 17 points in the losing effort.

Stay tuned as I continue to attempt to play catch up.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees the Giants play the Vikings on MNF at MetLife Stadium!

After work on Monday night October 21st I went to New York Penn Station where I met up with my pal Eddie Pelle for dinner at Subway. He told me just before I left work that his brother got him a ticket for the Giant game. I told him I was going so we arranged to meet up.

After we ate, we took NJ Transit out to MetLife Stadium as the Giants were hosting the Minnesota Vikings in search of their first win of the season as they started off 0-6. We wound up meeting the King & my pal Sean MacDonald who Eddie met up with when he was on the road a few weeks prior to that game. We all needed tickets except for Eddie who was waiting to meet his brother to get his.

Sean decided to get one for $40 outside shortly after we all met up because he wanted to get in early so he could take pictures & notes for his NFL Stadium Journey  blog as he continues his quest to see all the different gridiron across the country.

As for the King & I, we wound up getting tickets for $20 each just before kick off. Since we've been to MetLife Stadium numerous times, we weren't in a rush to spend more money if we didn't have to. Thankfully we came across a few people who were willing to meet our demands price wise. We wound up staying downstairs on the lower level in section 146 row 48 which is the last row in corner of the end zone.

As for the game we saw, the Giants found a team that was worse than them on this night. They finally got in the win column as they defeated the Vikings, 23-7 in a sloppy played game.

After the game, I took the bus back to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. I got home at 1:14AM. That wasn't bad all things considered. 

Stay tuned as I try my best to continue to play catch up.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees the Jets play the Patriots at MetLife Stadium!

Back on Sunday October 20th after I went back home after returning the car I rented from Dollar rent a car early in the morning,I went to sleep for a few hours. After I woke up, I made myself breakfast. After I ate, I took a shower. When I got done, the King & I took the subway into Midtown Manhattan & we met up with our pal Larry Peim who drove us out to MetLife Stadium as the Jets were hosting the Patriots that Sunday afternoon. We did see the Red Sox win the American League Pennant at Fenway Park the night before. We were hoping that the Jets could find a way to beat another New England team on this day. Before the game started, we got to meet up with a few friends of ours who were also there. I'm referring to Alan Gimpel who sold me one of his season tickets in section 306 & our buddy Rich Wolber aka Staten Island Rich. Later on during the game we got to see fellow roadtripper & pal of ours, Sean MacDonald who was there as part of his ultimate NFL Stadium Journey. Sean was in the midst of season long excursion to see every NFL Stadium. As always, it was great to catch up with him again. 

As for the game we saw, it was a good one. The Jets hung tough with their division rival. The game wound up going into overtime tied at 27. The Jets emerged victorious as they got a game winning field goal from Nick Folk. Moments before he made that kick, he missed one. The Jets appeared to have caught a break as the Patriots were penalized for trying to get leverage to block the kick by climbing up on another player's back . With a new rule in effect this season, the officials decided to enforce it on this particular play. Controversial or not, the Jets were given a reprieve. As a result, they took full advantage of their second chance as Nick Folk booted the ball through the uprights to give the Jets an improbable 30-27 victory. Being a Jet fan, I was happy with the result. Let it be know I do have the utmost respect for the Patriots. I actually love watching them play. They always give you your money's worth if they win or lose.

Stay tuned for another special post that will recap the Monday Night football game we saw the very next night at Met Life Stadium.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees the Jets play the Steelers at MetLife Stadium!

After I came back to NYC bright & early on Megabus Sunday morning October 13th, I still found a way to have enough energy to go to MetLife Stadium to see the Jets play the Steelers that afternoon.
I got home 7:30AM. I barely slept on the bus because it was hard to get comfortable. I tried to laid down for a little while when I got home. I tossed & turned most of the time. I got up & I went out to meet my pal Larry Peim in Midtown Manhattan who drove me out to the Meadowlands since he had a parking pass that day.

After we parked the car in the lot, I wound up meeting my friend Rich Wolber at the MetLife Central gate who like me needed a ticket for the game. Larry had a ticket already so he went inside. I wound up getting two tickets for $35 each. I decided to stay downstairs with Rich who likes to sit or stand in section 146 which is in the corner of the end zone. It's under the overhang which protects you from the sun & the wind. In addition, you can turn around & see the replays as well as the highlights from other games there.

Prince at MetLife Stadium for Jets & Steelers

As for the game we saw, there were a good number of Steeler fans in attendance despite their awful 0-4 start. The Jets & rookie quarterback Geno Smith had a rough day. Geno threw two interceptions in the red zone that killed a few drives. The Jets managed to hang around at halftime as they trailed, 9-6. In the second half, the Steelers turned it up a notch as they got big games from their receivers Antonio Brown & Emmanuel Sanders as well as tight end Heath Miller as they went on to beat the Jets, 19-6. The Steelers' defense shut down the Jets' offense all day.

After the game, I met Larry at the car & he drove me back to Manhattan. He asked me if I wanted to go out for dinner but I said no because I was exhausted. I wound up going home & I made myself dinner.

I wound up watching ALCS Game 2 on TV for seven innings. The Tigers were ahead when I shut it off. When I got up Monday morning I found out they blew the game as the Red Sox evened the series at one.

Stay tuned for a special post that will recap the great weekend I enjoyed after having nights off after work during the week.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty starts the NFL season at MetLife Stadium as Jets open up with the Buccaneers!

Back on September 8th, I got to go to my first of many NFL games I have planned for this season. Being a big time Jet fan, I went to the MetLife Stadium to see my team open their season against former Jet Darrelle Revis and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During the off season, Revis Island got a new address. He's coming off of a season injury he suffered last season which forced him to miss the majority of the season. In addition, a few years ago he held out before finally signing to come back. I liked Revis but it was a business decision that was made as the Jets and Revis decided to part ways. Time will tell if it was a sound one.

As for me, I was able to meet my pal Larry Peim who was driving out to the game. He met me across the street from Penn Station. It worked out well since he had a parking pass so we didn't have to walk that far to enter the stadium. After the game, I arranged to meet Larry & he gave me a ride back to the Bronx since he lives in Westchester.

As for a ticket, I got one thanks to another friend of mine, Alan Gimpel who has Jet season tickets. He had an extra one that he sold to me at below what he actually paid. I was grateful that he did. I wound up sitting with him in section 306 row 16 which is in the corner of the end zone. I usually prefer to sit on the side but I wasn't going to complain. As a professional observer I adjusted to the different perspective I'm used to having when I go to a football game. Honestly speaking, the view wasn't bad at all.

Before I went to my seat in section 306, I stopped off in section 312 so I could say hello to my buddy & long time Jet fan, Ira Lieberfarb aka Ira from Staten Island as he refers to himself when he calls into the local sports talk shows here in NYC and even other parts of the country. Ira is a class act who quietly watches the game pulling for his team. In matter of fact, he has now gone to all the Jet games home & away that they've played since 2006. That's what you call dedication. The Jets are notorious for being a mediocre bunch since their inception in 1960. Ira being older than me got to see Joe Namath play back in their glory year of 1968 when they won Super Bowl 3. Since then he's seen his share of ups and downs over the years.

After seeing him I went to my seat and I enjoyed Alan's company as well as the game.

As for the game we saw, the Jets decided to start rookie quarterback Geno Smith who they drafted in the second round of this year's draft. He went to college at the University of West Virginia. I did see a game there back in October 2007 before he attended school there. With that being said, this was the first time I actually saw him play a football game. As the game went on, I was impressed with his athletic talent & ability. He showed that he can run when the situation presented itself. I t should be noted that he was tentative about taking too much of a risk when he did. For example, he wound slide a yard or two early so he could avoid taking a big hit. He reminded me of RG3 to a lesser extent. In addition, he showed that he has a strong throwing arm.

The game was close throughout the day. The Jets got on the scoreboard first on a safety of all things. Josh Freeman, the quarterback of the Buccaneers wisely kicked the ball out of the end zone after taking a horrible snap with 8:35 left in the first quarter. By doing so, it only cost his team two points instead of seven if indeed the Jets recovered the ball in the end zone. I thought it was a great heads up play. Later in the first quarter, Freeman connected with wide receiver Mike Williams on a 17 yard touchdown pass to take a 7-2 lead with 1:07 left. The Jets got closer with 11:01 left in the second quarter when kicker Nick Folk booted a 43 yard field goal to make it 7-5. The Buccaneers extended their lead to 14-5 when running back Doug Martin run in from five yards out. The Jets managed to close the gap to two again at 14-12 with 34 seconds to go until halftime. Geno Smith hooked up with tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. for a 7 yard touchdown pass, his first in the NFL. In the second half, the Jets hung tough. The game stayed 14-12 until there was 5:05 left in the fourth quarter. That's when Nick Folk gave the Jets a 15-14 lead by kicking a 30 yard field goal. The Buccaneers answered back with just 34 seconds to go in the game as their kicker, Ryan Lindell, a veteran who played many years for the Buffalo Bills delivered a 37 yard field goal that gave the Buccaneers a 17-15 lead. After a touchback on the ensuing kickoff, the Jets had the ball at their own 20 yard line. Geno Smith went back to work. He hit Kellen Winslow again over the middle for a 25 yard gain to the Jets own 45 yard line. The next play the Jets spiked the ball. Geno Smith then wasn't able to find an open receiver so he took matters into his own hands as he ran for 10 yards to the Buccaneer 45 yard line. It should be noted as he was running out of bounds, linebacker Lavonte David hit him late. He paid for his stupidity as he got called for a personal foul which resulted in a 15 yard penalty that put the ball at the Buccaneer 30 yard line. As a result, it gave the Jets an opportunity to win the game as time was running out. Nick Folk came on & he split the uprights from 48 yards out to give the Jets a 18-17 lead with just two seconds to go. The Jets kicked off and they stopped the Buccaneers after they tried to do some razzle dazzle. The Jets in unbelievable fashion won the game. Christmas came early thanks to Lavonte David & his bone head decision. As for Darrelle Revis he didn't do much as his former team who got the last laugh on this day.

Stay tuned for a very special post that will go into further detail about my latest encounter with my pal Gio Gonzalez of the Washington Nationals. It will be a must read indeed.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 12/17 in review

Monday morning after returning from Toronto at 4:30AM, I went to sleep for five hours or so. I got up and I went to Avis to return the car I rented. I wound up driving 1,063 miles safely. After I got done, I went to work for the afternoon.

After work, I went to Charley's Subs in Penn Station for my pre game meal before I went upstairs to Madison Square Garden. It was the return of Linsanity to NYC for one night since Jeremy Lin is now a member of the Houston Rockets. The King and I saw him play in Toronto the day before like I mentioned in my previous post. Lin didn't play well north of the border. I thought he was looking ahead to coming to New York to shine on the big stage. Apparently I was right because he reverted to the form he brought to the Knicks when he made a name for himself last season. He scored 22 points and he handed out 8 assists to lead his new team, the Rockets to a easy 109-96 win over the Knicks. The score wasn't totally indicative of the Rocket dominance on this night. They lead by as many as 27 points early in the fourth quarter. It was nice to experience another installment of Linsanity at the World's Most Famous Arena regardless of the outcome.

The Knicks played without Carmelo Anthony who was recovering from an injury. Chris Copeland picked up the slack by scoring 29 points all in the second half in his absence.

Tuesday night after work I met up with our pal Peter Agnew from Baltimore who was visiting NYC for the holidays. He told me he was coming a few months ago and he said he wanted to see the Barclays Center for the Brooklyn Nets. With that being said, I arranged to get him a ticket so he could join the King and I. I wound up meeting Peter at my office when I got out of work at 5:30PM. We both took the subway to downtown Brooklyn where the Barclays Center is located.

When we got outside we went across the street to the Atlantic Center Mall where we had dinner at AppleBee's since we had some spare time before the game started. As a result, we got to take advantage of their two for $20 dinner deals. Peter got a 7 ounce sirloin steak and I had the riblets. We also got mozzarella sticks as an appetizer and we had vegetables too. It was a hearty and worth wild investment.

After we ate, we walked back over to the arena and we went inside. Peter got to take a quick look around the concourse before we went up to our seats where we met up with the King.

As for the game we saw, the Nets were hosting the Utah Jazz. The Nets got off to a good start as they lead the Jazz, 24-20 after the first quarter. They extended their lead to 13 at halftime, 57-44. In the third quarter, the Jazz made a comeback as they closed the gap to 4, 74-70. In the fourth quarter, the Jazz went ahead late in the game. The Nets blew some golden opportunities to tie or take the lead but time ran out as they came up short as they fell to the Jazz, 92-90.

After the game, Peter took the train with us. He got off in Midtown where he was staying. The King and I said our goodbyes and we headed home. It was nice to see Peter again. Hopefully we'll see him again when we go to Baltimore.

Wednesday at work we had a Christmas party in the office in the afternoon. After I left, I went back to the Garden for the Battle of the Boroughs as the Brooklyn Nets were visiting MSG for the first time since they moved to Brooklyn. The two teams have split their first two meetings at the Barclays Center.

This time the Knicks got Carmelo Anthony back after he missed a few games due to injury. He wound up leading the way with 31 points as the Knicks pulled away from the Nets in the second half to come away with a 100-86 victory.

Thursday night after work my boss took our team out for dinner for the holidays. We had a nice get together. It worked out well since no local teams in the area were home so I didn't have to miss a game to go.
Friday night after work, I went back to MSG. On the way there, I met up with the King for dinner at Popeye's. We had some good fried chicken before we headed to the Garden to see the Knicks play the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls were playing without their superstar point guard Derrick Rose who's still recovering from a knee injury. He should be back soon.

As for the game we saw, the Bulls raced out to a big lead. They lead 30-23 after the first quarter. They went into the locker room at halftime with a 54-39 lead. In the third quarter, they added to their bulge as they lead, 83-61 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Knicks lost their cool. J.R. Smith fouled out of the game with 7:09 left. With 6:45 left in the game, Carmelo Anthony picked up his second technical foul which resulted in an automatic rejection. Head coach Mike Woodson followed Anthony to the locker room with 5:22 to go when he got his second technical. It got worse as Tyson. Chandler and Joakim Noah got double technicals as they were also thrown out of the game. It was an ugly night for the Knicks who got whipped by the Bulls. The Knicks made a run down the stretch to make the score appear more respectable than it really was as the Bulls beat the Knicks, 110-106.

Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of the King and I getting to all the venues in all four major sports which included visits to Vanderbilt Stadium in  November 1998 when the Tennessee Oilers played there and as well as Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois when the Bears played there in November 2002.

When I got up in the morning, I did my laundry. The King and I decided to pass up an opportunity to see a bunch of local college basketball games. Instead we decided to take Metro North up to Bridgeport, Connecticut to see some minor league hockey at the Webster Bank Arena as the Sound Tigers were hosting the Adirondack Phantoms, the Philadelphia Flyers farm club. As a result, I got to meet up with my pal Greg Venuto who joined us. It was great to see him again.

As for the game we saw, it was a touching night because the Sound Tigers' players were wearing jerseys that had the names of the victims who were killed in that horrific scene at Newtown Elementary school on December 14th. In addition, they had a moment of silence to remember those who for no good reason are no longer with us. It was a nice tribute for an unfortunate day that occurred unexpectedly.

As for the game we saw, the Phantoms and Sound Tigers came out swinging at each other. Just 51 seconds into the game, the tempers flared & the gloves were dropped. At 2:07 into the period, another fight broke out as Brett Gallant and Zack Fitzgerald went off for five minutes. Things settled down for the rest of the period as far as fighting went. The Phantoms did get the lone goal of the period when Sean Couturier scored on a bad angle but the puck wound up in the net as Sound Tigers' goalie Anders Nilsson failed to make the save.

Matthew Ford of the Phantoms made it a 2-0 lead as he buried one 7:49 into the second period. At 11:37 of the period, another fight took place as Brett Gallant of the Sound Tigers and Zack Fitzgerald went at it again. Zack Fitzgerald continued to throw punches with his jersey over his head, as a result he got an additional ten minute misconduct for doing so.

In th third period, just 38 seconds in Eric Wellwood of the Phantoms scored while both teams were playing four on four to make it a 3-0 game. The Sound Tigers finally scored with 6:21 left in the game to break the shutout. They scored again 27 seconds later with 5:54 left to get within one at 3-2. Unfortunately for them they couldn't get the equalizer as time ran out.

Sunday afternoon the King and I went out to MetLife Stadium to see the Jets host the Chargers in a battle of two disappointing franchises.

As for the game we saw, the Jets' first drive of the game stalled. They punted the ball to the Chargers. Punt returner Micheal Spurlock ran it back 63 yards for a touchdown with 13:01 left to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead. The Jets got the ball back and they marched down the field 83 yards that ended with a one yard touchdown run with 9:20 left by running back Shonn Greene to tie the game at 7. With 4:13 left, Greene scored again as he ran in from a yard out to give the Jets a 14-7 lead.

In the second quarter, the Chargers got a 51 yard field goal from kicker Nick Novak to pull the Chargers within four at 14-10 with 8:32 left. The score stayed that way at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Chargers took the opening kickoff and they drove 81 yards that culminated with a 37 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Phillip Rivers to wide receiver Danario Alexander with 11:11 left to give the Chargers the lead, 17-14. Phillip Rivers hooked up with tight end Antonio Gates on a 34 yard touchdown pass with 1:34 left to extend the Charger lead to 24-14.

In the fourth quarter, the Chargers got a 27 yard field goal with 14:07 to go from Nick Novak to make it a 27-14 game. The Jets got a 40 yard field goal from kicker Nick Folk to get the Jets within ten, 27-17 with 11:08 left. Unfortunately for the Jets, that's the way it ended as their disappointing season took another step in the wrong direction.

It was a long day for quarterback Greg McElroy who made his first NFL start in place of Mark Sanchez who was benched. He got sacked 11 times which made it difficult for him to succeed.

After witnessing the Jet debacle, I went to the Garden to see the Knicks play the Minnesota Timberwolves.
As for the game I saw, the Knicks trailed the Timberwolves, 29-22 after the first quarter. They were behind at halftime, 55-46. In the third quarter, they sliced into the Timberwolves' lead as they got within two, 73-71 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Knicks hung tough. They finally took a lead late in the game and they held off the Timberwolves, 94-91 when it was all said and done.

Carmelo Anthony led the way again for the Knicks with 33 points while J.R. Smith added 19 to carry them to the victory.

As for the Timberwolves, Nikola Pekovic had 21 points and he ripped down 17 rebounds in the losing effort.

With that another week of sports travel is in the books.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 10/8 in review

Yankees win, 3-1 to advance to ALCS 

Monday night after work yes I had to work on Columbus Day. If I didn't maybe I would have considered seriously about going to Baltimore for the first game of the ALDS as the Orioles played the Yankees Sunday night and Monday night.

Instead I went out to MetLife Stadium for Monday Night football as the Jets hosted the Houston Texans. It was a personal milestone for me as I witnessed my 400th NFL football game. On my way there, I stopped off at Charley's Subs for my pre game meal in Penn Station. Then I took the NJ Transit train from there to Secaucus where I connected for the train to the Meadowlands and MetLife Stadium.

I was joined by the King who decided to pass up the baseball game in Baltimore too. We also met up with our friend Al Linderman who was out there as well our pals Larry Peim and the legendary sports radio caller Ira Liberfarb aka Ira from Staten Island. We also saw our friend Dennis Barbera who was kind enough to drive us home so we got back relatively fast.

As for the game we saw, the Jets fell behind early as the Texans scored on their first drive of the game as they got the opening kickoff. They proceeded to drive 85 yards in just under four minutes to take a 7-0 lead. The Jets came back later in the first quarter thanks to a turnover. Cornerback Antonio Croatia of the Jets intercepted a pass in Jet territory. The Jets took advantage as they drove down the field and the drive culminated with a 27 yard touchdown pass to Jeff Cumberland that evened the score at seven.

In the second quarter, the Texans' regained the lead as running back Arian Foster ran in a touchdown from 13 yards out to make it a 14-7 game. Shayne Graham booted a 27 yard field goal as the Texans' padded their lead to ten at 17-7 as they headed into the locker room.

During halftime, the Jets had a ceremony to honor a few players who played back in the 1980's. I'm referring to wide receiver Wesley Walker and defensive end Mark Gastineau who were the latest inductees to the Jets Ring of Honor. It was nice to see them get recognized by the organization. They were two of my favorites back in the day.

In the third quarter, Shayne Graham extended the Texans lead to 20-7 as he kicked a 42 yard field goal. The Jets' got a much needed boost on special teams as their kick returner Joe McKnight took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards from one goal line to the other to bring the Jets back within six at 20-14. The Texans' tacked on another field goal from 22 yards out just before the quarter ended to take a 23-14 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Jets got a field goal from 21 yards out to get back within six at 23-17.

Unfortunately for the Jets, they couldn't get closer as the Texans remained unbeaten on the young season at 5-0. They also finally beat the Jets for the first time in their ten year history. The Jets played hard but they fell short against one of the best teams in the NFL right now.

Tuesday night I came home after work and I got to rest up and relax which was nice after being out so late Monday night.

Wednesday night after work I went up to the Bronx to see some postseason baseball which seems to reside there this time of year. Before I headed up there, I went out with some co-workers for some drinks and appetizers. It worked out well as we said goodbye to one of our co-workers who was moving on.

I got off the train in the Bronx just before game time. Luckily I saw a familiar face when I got to the Stadium so I was able to get in with relative ease. With that being said, I was able to get up to my seat with the King in section 420B just before the first pitch was going to be delivered. It came at 7:39PM as Yankees' starter Hiroki Kuroda threw it to Orioles' left fielder Nate McLouth.

In the third inning, the Orioles drew first blood as second baseman Ryan Flaherty hit a home run to give the Orioles an early 1-0 lead. The Yankees answered right back as Derek Jeter hit a ball to right center field that took off it wound up being a run scoring triple. It appeared that center fielder Adam Jones may have been able to catch it but he missed it.

In the fifth inning, the Orioles regained the lead as rookie third baseman Manny Machado hit a homer to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead.

The score stayed that way until the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out and nobody on base, Yankee manager Joe Girardi decided to pinch hit for Alex Rodriguez who's been in s slump. It was a bold move. He sent up Raul Ibanez who proceeded to make him look like a genius as he hit a home run into the seats in right center field to tie the game at two.

The game went into extra innings. Both teams failed to score in the tenth and eleventh innings. In the twelveth, the Yankees held the Orioles again. In the bottom half of the inning, Raul Ibanez lead off and he did it again. It was amazing how he hit another homer this time to right field which ended it as the Yankees won, 3-2. The crowd went into a frenzy as the Bronx Bombers took a 2-1 lead in games in this best of five series.

Thursday night after work I went back to the Bronx for game 4 of the ALDS with the Orioles. I stopped off at the Court Deli Restaurant first so I could pick up a sandwich for dinner that I brought inside. On my way in I had the privilege and honor of meeting up with another sports traveler named Doug Fischer who was there with his friend John. John was running late so while Doug was waiting for him we got to chat. It was great to exchange road trip stories with him. While we were talking, my friends Phil Butleman and Rich Wolber aka Staten Island Rich passed by. I introduced them to Doug. I plan to stay in touch with Doug so we can meet up again in the future. After we said our goodbyes, I proceeded to go into the Stadium.
I went up to my seat and I ate my dinner. I had a corned beef sandwich and it was so good. After I finished eating, I got ready for the game to start.

As for the game we saw, it was scoreless until the fifth inning when Nate McLouth of the Orioles hit a homer to give his team a 1-0 lead off of Yankees' Phil Hughes who pitched well. The Yankees evened the score in the bottom of the sixth as Derek Jeter lead off with a double. Ichiro sacrificed him to third. After Mark Teixeira was walked, Robinson Cano grounded out to second but It allowed Derek Jeter to come home to tie the game at one.

For the second night in a row, we got some bonus baseball as they played thirteen innings this time. The result was different too. The Orioles wound up breaking the tie as J.J. Hardy delivered a game winning double that drove in Manny Machado who lead off with a double as the Orioles forced a decisive game five. Since the Nationals forced a game five earlier the Yankees and Orioles were going to meet up at 5:07PM Friday afternoon.

With that being said, in order for me to have a chance to get to the game on time I needed to leave work early.

When I got to work on Friday morning I arranged to get out an hour early. Thanks to the lousy MTA, I didn't get to the game on time. I wound up missing the top of the first inning which went fast. CC Sabathia retired the Orioles in order.

The game remained scoreless again until the bottom of the fifth inning. Mark Teixeira lead off with a single he then stole second base which turned out to be a huge play as Raul Ibanez, the game three hero, got another big hit. This time he singled to right center to make it 1-0 Yankees.

In the sixth inning, the Yankees tacked on another run as Ichiro Suzuki got a run scoring double to make it 2-0. In the seventh inning, they added more insurance as Curtis Granderson hit a fly ball that landed on the porch in right field to make it 3-0.

The Orioles finally broke the shutout in the eighth inning as Lew Ford got a run scoring single. CC Sabathia managed to wiggle out of further trouble as the Yankees held on to win the game, 3-1. By doing so, they moved on to face the Tigers in American League Championship Series after the Tigers eliminated the Oakland Athletics in five games.

Saturday night the King and I went back up to the Bronx to see game one of the ALCS. We took it easy during the day since we didn't know until the last minute that the Yankees would be home.

As for the game we saw, like the games against the Orioles, runs were hard to come by early on. This game was scoreless until the Tigers got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning. They got a few run scoring singles from Prince Fielder and Delmon Young to take a 2-0 lead. In the eighth inning, Delmon Young hit a homer to make it 3-0. Avisail Garcia extended the lead to 4-0 with a clutch two out single.

It should be noted that a good number of Yankee fans were long gone by this time. If you've seen Yankee games over the last 17 years you know that no game is over in the Bronx. Even though the odds were stacked against them, the Yankees chipped away in the bottom of the ninth. Russell Martin lead off with a single, Derek Jeter surprisingly struck out in a big spot. Ichiro Suzuki picked up the Captain as he hit his first ever postseason home run to slice the lead in half at 4-2. After Robinson Cano struck out swinging, Mark Teixeira drew a walk after it appeared he was struck out but home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg said a close pitch was a ball in the sequence. As a result, the stage was set again for Raul Ibanez who did it yet again. He hit another game tying two run homer to right center to even the score at four. We went to extra innings for the third time in four games in the Bronx.

This time it took twelve innings to determine a winner. It was a nightmare of an inning in the top of the twelveth. Delmon Young victimized the Yankees again as he drove in his third run of the game with a double that gave the Tigers a 5-4 lead. The worst followed as Jhonny Peralta hit a ball to Derek Jeter at shortstop who went down awkwardly. He wound up fracturing his ankle on the play. As a result, he's done for the postseason. Peralta wound up with a single which advanced Delmon Young to third base. The next batter Andy Dirks got a hit off of reliever David Phelps which plated another run. The Tigers lead 6-4. In the bottom half of the twelveth inning, the Yankees ran out of miracles. They went down in order as the Tigers took game one.

Sunday afternoon the King and I decided to go to see the Jets play Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. We met up with our pal Larry Peim who was leaving early so he could get to the Yankee game too which was starting at 4:07PM. Larry wound up driving the King and I over to the upper East side of Manhattan where we caught the subway to the Stadium. We were very grateful for Larry's kindness.

As for the Jet game, we departed with 10:37 left in the third quarter with the Jets comfortably ahead 21-6. The Jets played well especially running back Shonn Greene who ran wild for a change. The Jets went on and they cruised to a 35-9 victory when it was all said and done.

As for the Yankee game, we wound up missing the top of the first inning. It was another game that remained scoreless until the top of the seventh inning when the Tigers got the game's first run on a fielder's choice by Delmon Young to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Starter Anibal Sanchez threw seven stellar shutout innings for the Tigers. The Tigers gave reliever Phil Coke who used to pitch for the Yankees some insurance runs as they added two more in the top of the eighth inning as Avisail Garcia and Miguel Cabrera both delivered clutch two out run scoring singles. The Yankees failed to touch Coke who retired them in order to seal the deal as they took a commanding two games to none lead heading back to Motown.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees the Giants play the Browns at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon!

View from Section 146 at MetLife Stadium

Sunday afternoon I went out to MetLife Stadium where I met up with my pal Rich Wolber aka Staten Island Rich. We went to see the Super Bowl XXXVI Champion Giants play the Cleveland Browns.

It was a cool day with a light rain falling. Thankfully Rich and I sit in section 146 in the back of the section which is under the over hang in the corner of the end zone.

As for the game we saw, the Giants won the toss as they elected to receive. The first play from scrimmage, running back Ahmad Bradshaw carried for two yards then he fumbled and he lost the ball. As a result, the Browns got the ball deep in Giants' territory. Two plays later, rookie Trent Richardson, the third overall pick in the 2012 draft out of Alabama scored on a 15 yard touchdown run to give the Browns' a 7-0 lead. The Browns held the Giants then they got the ball back and they scored again to take a 14-0 lead. This time rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden hooked up with rookie Josh Gordon from Baylor on a 62 yard touchdown pass.

The Giants fought back as they got on the score board as Eli Manning found Victor Cruz for a 3 yard pass to get the Giants within a touchdown at 14-7.

In the second quarter, the Browns extended their lead to ten, 17-7 as kicker Phil Dawson split the uprights from 32 yards out. The Giants responded with a field goal of their own as Lawrence Tynes hit a 29 yard field goal to make it 17-10. The Giants came back again as they tied the score at 17 thanks to a 4 yard run by Ahmad Bradshaw. The Giants continued to exploit the young Browns as they scored another touchdown to go ahead 24-17 as Eli Manning and Victor Cruz connected again from 7 yards. Just before the half, the Giants got a 40 yard field goal from Tynes with just four seconds to go as they headed into the locker room with an improbable ten point lead, 27-17.

After the Browns failed to score on the opening kick off in the second half, the Giants went back to work. Victor Cruz caught his third touchdown pass of the day to give the Giants' a commanding 34-17 lead with 5:14 left in the third quarter. The Browns managed to get a 41 yard field goal from Phil Dawson to pull within two touchdowns at 34-20 shortly thereafter.

In the fourth quarter, with 5:49 left in the game, rookie David Wilson from Virginia Tech exploded as he ran in a touchdown from 40 yards out to make the score 41-20 Giants. The Browns added another touchdown as Weeden found Josh Gordon for a 20 yard touchdown pass to make it 41-27. That's the way it ended as the Browns stayed winless after five games.

It should be noted after fumbling on the first play from scrimmage, Ahmad Bradshaw rebounded nicely as he wound up rushing for 200 yards on 30 carries.

As a football fan, it was another exciting game to see live.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Prince sees a thriller at MetLife Stadium with more royal company!

Giants and Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium

On Sunday September 16th, I decided to pass up the Yankee game against the Rays in the Bronx. I wasn't alone. My pal, Rich Wolber aka Staten Island Rich did the same. We arranged to meet up outside MetLife Stadium instead to see the Giants play the other team from the Tampa area, the Buccaneers as they were also in town to play football.

Rich and I didn't have tickets but we were able to round up a few outside. I wound up paying $40 for a ticket and I helped him get one for $50. We both paid a lot less than the face value. With that being said, we did real good.

We wound up sitting in section 146 on the lower level which is in corner of the end zone which gave us some great views of the action. In addition, we had a giant screen behind us which keep us abreast of all the other games that were being played at the same time. I felt like I was at a sports bar. It was amazing to be able to watch a live game and when we went to a commercial break I got to see the other action from around the league.

As for the game we saw, the Giants won the field goal battle in the first quarter as they lead 6-3. In the second quarter, the Buccaneers took the lead as they scored two touchdowns to go up, 17-6. The Giants answered back as Eli Manning found Hakeem Nicks for a touchdown to slice into the lead as they made it 17-13. Just before the half ended, Manning threw an interception and to add insult to injury thanks to shoddy tackling, Eric Wright of the Buccaneers ran it back 60 yards to extend the Buccaneers' lead to 24-13 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Buccaneers tacked three more thanks to a 52 yard field goal by Connor Barth to go up by a score of 27-13. The Giants added a few field goals to cut the deficit to eight points at 27-19 early in the fourth quarter.

With the game coming to a close, it was time for Eli Manning to step up and work his fourth quarter magic. He didn't disappoint the crowd as he hit Victor Cruz on a bomb that covered 80 yards that got the Giants within two with 6:48 left in the fourth quarter. With that being said, they decided to go for the tie. Andre Brown who was having a monster day due to an injury to Ahmad Bradshaw took over the spotlight as he ran in the two point conversion to tie the game at 27. As a result, the crowd at MetLife Stadium erupted.
A few minutes later with 3:59 left in the fourth quarter, Manning hit Martellus Bennett for a 33 yard touchdown pass that gave the Giants the lead, 34-27. The Buccaneers weren't done yet. Josh Freeman awoke from the dead as he connected with wide receiver Mike Williams who made a great over the shoulder catch in the corner of the end zone that we were sitting in. What a view we had of it. That tied the game up at 34 with 1:58 left in regulation.

Rich and I were thinking about a possible overtime. Eli Manning and the Giants had other ideas. They got the ball back and they marched down the field again. This time they found the end zone again after Andre Brown purposely went down at the two yard line so they could kill more time. The next play Andre Brown ran in for the go ahead score to give the Giants a 41-34 lead. That's the way it ended but it appeared from my point of view that the Buccaneers got screwed on an apparent great catch by Mike Williams again. This time he made what looked like an amazing catch at the Giants' 16 yard line. He got hit hard by Antrel Rolle who knocked the ball loose while he was out of bounds. In my eyes, it was a catch and fumble out of bounds. They reviewed and they claimed he didn't have control of the ball and he lost it so it was ruled an incomplete pass. I was furious with the decision being an astute football fan. The next play Josh Freeman threw an interception which preserved the victory for the Giants. The Buccaneers blew the lead so they didn't deserve to win but it seemed like a bad call to me. What a game we saw despite that so called non catch.

With five seconds to go, Rich and I raced out of the Stadium so we could catch the bus back to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan. By doing so, I got home in no time for a change.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is joined by USRT for Jets/Bills football on Curtis Martin Day at MetLife Stadium!

Curtis Martin Day #28 

When the NFL schedule came out back in April, I circled September 9th on my calendar to be at MetLife Stadium for the Jets Opener with division rival, the Buffalo Bills. Apparently I wasn't alone. Shortly thereafter, I was contacted by my pals from Buffalo. I'm referring to Andrew Kulyk and Peter Farrell aka USRT who also wanted to be there to see their Bills open the season.

When they informed me, I told them you're welcome here with open hands. Like Bob Barker used to say on the Price is Right, come on down.

I'm glad they did. Unfortunately they didn't get the outcome they were hoping for.

The Bills picked up Mario Williams as a free agent in the off season. On this day, he was non existent as the Jets shut him down all afternoon.

I felt bad for them. We met up before the game and we caught up on our recent travels. I told them I don't know who's going to win but I hope it's competitive. It turned out to be anything but.

For them, it was a disaster. For me, it was just what the doctor ordered.

As for the game we saw, the Jets shined bright for two and half quarters as they build a 41-7 lead. They slacked off the rest of the way knowing they had the game won. It turned out they did as they won, 48-28.
Mark Sanchez looked like the quarterback of the future we all hoped he would be. He played great thanks to his offensive line who give his great protection all day long. As a Jet fan, I hope this wasn't an aberration. Time will tell.

I got to enjoy the festivities on the field with my pals Larry Peim and Ira Lieberfarb aka Ira from Staten Island in section 312.

At halftime, the Jet organization honored a recent Hall of Famer as they retired the #28 jersey that was worn by Curtis Martin when he played for the Jets starting in the late 1990's. Curtis was a consummate professional and a class act on and off the field. He was a fan favorite. CM as he was called by my pal Jimmy Lieberfarb who's also Ira's Cousin always worked well in the PM. Curtis was a legendary football player and he finally got his just due. The speech he gave to the crowd was so touching. He told us how hard work pays off. He said he never made excuses for failing. He always planned to succeed and he certainly did in his football career. My most memorable moment was back on November 22, 1998 when I saw the Jets play the then Tennessee Oilers at Vanderbilt Stadium. The Jets won and Curtis Martin was the star of the game. He got interviewed after the game and when he was done he threw me his elbow pad. I was so elated. I loved watching Curtis run. He will always have a special place in my heart of hearts.

Thank you Curtis for all the memories you gave to me and the Jet organization.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty officially starts the 2012 NFL season at MetLife Stadium watching the Super Bowl XLVI Champions play the Cowboys!

Opening Kickoff of the 2012 NFL Season

After returning from Washington DC early Wednesday morning, I got a few hours sleep before I went back to work.

After work, I decided to take a train ride out to MetLife Stadium in hopes of finding a reasonably priced ticket so I could go inside to see the game.

After seeing a record number of NFL games again in 2011, my withdrawal from football needed to end sooner than later.

With that being said, I managed to get a ticket outside the stadium. I checked Stub Hub before I left my office so I had an idea of what tickets were going for. I did see some in the corner of the end zone for $154 and others in the end zone for $195. Mind you that doesn't include the extra fees that they tack on.
Since I only needed a single ticket for myself, I thought I had a good chance of finding something that I could afford. Upon arrival I walked around the stadium. I wanted to position myself in front of a gate so if somebody happened to have an extra ticket they couldn't use, I was hoping to make a deal with them. I did notice some scalpers but I try to avoid them since they're trying to do the same as me. The only difference is they plan to resell any tickets they get and I just wanted to get one so I could see the game.

After a short time, I came across a few people who had an extra ticket. The first guy wanted $200. I told him that's too high. He asked me what I wanted to pay. I told him $100 so he walked away. Another guy came by shortly thereafter he had a ticket and he was demanding $150. I told him I'll give him $100. He said $150. So I let him walk away. Moments later, a guy heard me say I needed a ticket. He said he had two. I told him I just need one. He walked away and a few minutes later he came back and he offered me one of his tickets. I asked him what he wanted. He said $100 so I gladly reached into my pocket and gave him the money he asked for. We shook hands and I told him I'll see him up at the seat which wound up being in the end zone section 302 row 25 which was the second row from the top. I'm a professional fan so I adjust accordingly. In reality, I saw the game well. I was happy just to be there so the location on this night was acceptable given the magnitude of the event. After all, it was Opening Night for World Champion Giants.
It turned out that apparently the guy I bought the ticket from had other seats because he never came up and the seat next to me stayed empty so I had some extra room for myself which was perfect. So I paid slightly more than face value which was $85 and I had more room. In addition, I got a nice souvenir hard ticket stub not a lousy sheet of paper with a bar code. With that being said, it turned out to be a real bargain for me.

As for the game I saw, the World Champions looked sluggish. They didn't play well. Rookie David Wilson from Virginia Tech who I saw play in college a few years a go fumbled as the Giants were driving early in the game. That was a bad sign for them and it set the tone for the night. In addition, Victor Cruz who I also saw play in college at UMASS made a few catches early then he dropped three balls that were thrown his way.
As for the Cowboys, Tony Romo he had a great night as he threw for 307 yards. Running back DeMarco Murray finished the game with 131 yards rushing including a 48 yard run where he should have lost yardage but the Giants failed to wrap him up on numerous occasions. Furthermore, wide receiver Kevin Olgetree caught eight passes for 114 yards including two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to a 24-17 victory.

As a football fan, I had a blast. I saw a relatively competitive game between two division rivals who don't like each other.

More importantly, I was happy for a few people I know because they're big Cowboy fans. I'm referring to Paul Derrick aka Sporting Puma and Steve Fekete aka the Padre Punk. They were there with me in spirit.

Overall, it turned out to be a royal night out for me.

Stay tuned as the rest of the week is recapped.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Are you ready for some football? Royalty is!

With baseball season upon us, it's never too early to plan ahead for the future.

For openers, please see the link below:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d827e809a/article/giants-to-host-rival-cowboys-in-2012-season-opener?module=HP11_headline_stack 

As always, if you need my sports travel expertise please feel free to ask for it.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty witnesses history at MetLife Stadium!

1st Ever Playoff Game at MetLife Stadium

Sunday afternoon the NY Giants who won the NFC East Division got to host a playoff game at MetLife Stadium. It was the first ever playoff game played there as the Giants played the fifth seeded Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card game.

This time the King and I avoided any hassles by buying tickets which were available during the week on Ticketmaster. Our friend Rich Wolber aka Staten Island Rich was there as well. I arranged to get all the tickets for us.

Our friend Andrew Van Cleve came up from Philadelphia so he could be part of history too. Since he moved to the Northeast at the beginning of December, we've seen each numerous times. It's always a pleasure to see him.

As for the game we saw, the Giants fell behind 2-0 as the Falcons forced Giant quarterback Eli Manning into an intentional grounding in the end zone as he was trying to avoid the sack which gave the Falcons a safety. That's the only points the Falcons got the rest of the afternoon as the Giants defense totally shut them down.

The Giants' offense was slow to get started as they led by a score of  7-2 at halftime. In the second half, the offense got into high gear as they ran the ball well with their running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. In addition, their three wide receivers emerged. Victor Cruz was double covered most of the time so that gave his teammates Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham a chance to shine and they did.
Nicks scored a touchdown that covered 86 yards in the third quarter that for all intent and purposes put the game away. As a result, the crowd went crazy. The building felt like it was shaking literally. What a moment it was to be a Giant fan.

The Giants went on to win the game, 24-2. They go to Green Bay this weekend to play the Packers in the Divisional Round at Lambeau Field. It won't be an easy task but they won there on their way to winning the Super Bowl back in 2007. We'll wait and see what happens this time.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 1/2 in review

Rangers Win, 3-2 in OT!

After starting the week at the Winter Classic on Monday, I got a much needed night off on Tuesday after work. Not really I came home and I did my wash in the freezing cold.

Wednesday after work, I went out to Newark, NJ to see the Devils take on the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.

As for the game, it was an impressive performance by the Bruins as they overpowered the Devils, 6-1.
Thursday night after work, I went to Madison Square Garden to see the Rangers play the Florida Panthers. It was their first game after the Winter Classic.

The Rangers and the Panthers battled it out on the ice as they took turns scoring goals. After regulation time, the game was tied at two. In overtime, Marian Gaborik lit the lamp with 1:31 left to give the Rangers a 3-2 sudden death victory.

Friday night after work I went back to Newark, NJ to see the Devils host the Florida Panthers at the Prudential Center. Patrik Elias of the Devils played in his 1,000th NHL game on this night.

As for the game, the Devils beat the Panthers by a score of 5-2. The score is deceiving because the Devils scored two empty net goals in the last minute. One of them was while they were shorthanded. It was a good competitive game until that point.

Saturday night after resting up during the day and catching up on my necessities, the King and I went out to Newark, NJ again. This time to see the Nets play basketball against the Miami Heat. We had some company as our friends Ralph and Vincent Ascanio were there too. It was nice to see them again. We got to catch up and enjoy each other's company.

As for the game we saw, LeBron James aka LeFraud as I call him, was exciting to watch as he scored 22 points in the first quarter alone. He helped the Heat raced out to a early 10-0 lead. The Nets cut the lead to 2 at 12-10 then the Heat pulled away for good as they cruised to a 101-90 win. LeFraud finished with a game high 32 points. It should be noted that Dwayne Wade didn't play due to an injury.

Stay tuned as I'm going to do a special post about the first ever playoff game at MetLife Stadium that I saw that Sunday.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty starts the New Year with a bang!

After finishing 2011 strong, 2012 got off to a flying start for me.

The King and I took a bus from Chinatown to Philadelphia early Sunday morning to get the New Year started.
We went to Lincoln Financial Field where we met up with Andrew Van Cleve and his son Dylan aka the Ultimate Sports Baby. We rounded up cheap tickets outside the stadium and we went in to see the Eagles close out their season with the Washington Redskins.

When we got inside we met up with our friend Frankie Centola who was with his son, Frank the third. Frankie gave the King and I a nice upgrade to the club level. Andrew couldn't join us because he had the baby in a stroller. He decided to watch the game from the ramps instead. It worked out well for all of us.
As for the game we saw, the Eagles dismantled the Redskins, 34-10.

After the game, the King took the bus back to Chinatown. We then took the subway to the Port Authority Bus Terminal when we got back to NYC just after seven o'clock.

We decided to brave the weather since it was raining to try and get into the Giants game against the Cowboys at 8:20PM.

We got out to MetLife Stadium with no problem. The problem we had was we didn't have tickets for the game. We knew it wasn't going to be easy.

As expected, a number of people were looking too. There were scalpers with tickets but they were too pricey for our liking.

We waited awhile. The game started and the prices were still too high. Shortly thereafter, we were wandering around the stadium and I found a ticket on the floor. The King told me to go ahead and try it. I did and I got in. He continued to look but he couldn't get anything so he decided to go home.

I walked into the stadium with 5:54 left in the first quarter. The game was still scoreless.

Less than a minute later, Victor Cruz turned a short gain for a first down into a 74 yard touchdown pass to give the Giants a 7-0 lead.

They continued to build their lead to 21-0 before the Cowboys came back to get within a touchdown at 21-14. The Giants managed to extend their lead. They eventually won the game, 31-14. As a result, they won the NFC East division.

Stay tuned for my latest visit to the Winter Classic. I will do a special post recapping the whole experience which will include the past ones I've been to.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Official review of MetLife Stadium - Home of the Jets and Giants

Here's my official review of MetLife Stadium,  home of the Jets and Giants. If you happen to be going to see the Giants play the Cowboys Sunday night, I strongly suggest you read what I wrote. It will be beneficial for you to do so.

http://www.stadiumjourney.com/stadiums/metlife-stadium-s63/

I officially joined forces with my buddy Paul Swaney as a Special Correspondent by doing reviews for him when time allows me to do so. I also plan to contribute to great team of writers who cover different sports venues in the United States and other parts of the World.

His website, Stadium Journey is on my blog list. Here's the link: www.stadiumjourney.com/

Please feel free to check out his amazing site which will educate you greatly if and when you decide to take a road trip to see a new venue or if you're just curious how life is in other parts of the country and/or the world.

When it comes to sports travel knowledge, I have plenty but I don't have the time to go in depth like his site does. Regardless you can always feel free to e-mail me and pick my brain.

I'm a team player so whenever I can help somebody else, I indirectly help myself too. I think if you follow my blog, you should do the same.

Life is short. Play hard. I do, I believe you should too.

I hope you enjoy my evaluation.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty makes the most of the long Thanksgiving weekend!

Me on the Zamboni 

After I returned the car I rented at Avis, I took a few buses out to the Nassau Coliseum where I met up with the King and our friend Bryan Gilligan who drove out there.

We saw the Islanders take on their cross river rival the NJ Devils in a mid afternoon tilt on Black Friday.
Apparently the game started too early for the players because goals were few and far between. In matter of fact, there was only one goal scored in this game. The Devils were the team that found the net as they beat the Islanders, 1-0.

After the game, we all went back to Donovan's Pub and we had a nice post game dinner.

Saturday afternoon the King and I went to Newark, NJ to see the rematch of the Islanders and Devils in the back end of their home and home series.

We were joined by my Cousin Andy who wanted to get another sample of royal treatment. He always enjoys our company and this day was no different.

This time he got to see me ride the Zamboni before the game as they resurfaced the ice. I got to do so because I renewed my Devil season tickets early so I was given this special perk. It was really cool being able to take a joy ride around the ice. I would like to personally thank Josh Morozowski who is my ticket representative for arranging to make this happen.

As for the game we saw, this time more goals were scored but the Devils came up short as they lost, 3-2. With 2.1 seconds left, a goal was disallowed because it was directed in by Zach Parise's skate in front of the net.

After the game, the King and I said goodbye to my Cousin Andy who went home and we took a NJ Transit train down to Trenton, NJ to see a minor league hockey game in the ECHL. We saw the Trenton Titans play the Chicago Express.

We saw a good battle as the Titans built a 2-0 lead which they held going into the third period. The Express managed to comeback and they forced an overtime session. Just past the midway point of the overtime, the Titans lit the lamp as they came away with a 3-2 victory.

After the game, we took a NJ Transit train back to NYC.

Sunday the King and I wrapped our busy sports weekend by going to MetLife Stadium where we saw the Jets take on division rival, the Buffalo Bills.

As for the game, it wasn't a pretty one but I was satisfied with the end result as the Jets squeaked by the Bills, 28-24. Luck once again was on their side. As a result, they kept their playoff hopes alive.

After the game, we went home and rested up after running around all weekend.

We had a great time but it did take its toll on our bodies so the needed rest came in handy.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 10/17 in review

Legendary Franklin Field

Monday I worked a half a day because I had to go to the doctor for my annual exam in the afternoon. Thankfully I got a clean bill of health. I took off some weight too. Even with my rigorous lifestyle, I still find time to take care of my body. I avoid eating at ballparks and arenas at all cost. I rather save money on the outside and eat well whenever possible. In addition, when I drive to a game I always try to park on the street that way I can cut cost and get exercise to burn off the junk food that I eat on a regular basis like ice cream and cake.

My doctor is a great guy. I told him I was going to the Jet game, he said and I quote "we have to get you out of here so you can get to the game." I have a good rapport with him so it's nice to fill him in on my whereabouts. In matter of fact, he had a young man training to become a doctor there with him. He told him when he introduced us that I go to more live sporting events than anybody. I told him my friend goes to more but he neglects eating well and seeing a doctor. Word to the wise, don't abuse your body. Make sure you get checked out once a year like I do.

After the doctor told me I'm in good shape, I went on my way to MetLife Stadium to see Monday Night Football as the Jets were hosting their hated division rival Miami Dolphins.

Back on October 23, 2000, the Jets fell behind the Fish 30-7 early in the fourth quarter. They wound up coming back and they forced overtime and they beat the Dolphins that night, 40-37. That particular game is referred to as the Monday Night Miracle. Offensive lineman Jumbo Elliott, who was an eligible receiver caught the touchdown pass that tied the game at 37 forcing overtime. John Hall added a 40 yard field goal to complete the improbable comeback. What a memorable ending that was.

This time around it wasn't quite as dramatic. The Jets did get off to a slow start as the Dolphins drew first blood as they kicked a field goal to lead 3-0. They were looking for more when Brandon Marshall ran the wrong way as Darrelle Revis intercepted a pass at the goal line. He took it back 100 yards for a touchdown to give the Jets a 7-3 lead. The Dolphins kicked another field goal to pull within one at 7-6. The Jets behind Mark Sanchez stepped up and took over from there. They added another touchdown as Sanchez ran one in himself to give the Jets a 14-6 lead at the half.

During halftime, the Jets got more inspired as the team welcomed back four former players by inducting them into their Ring of Honor. The class of 2011 consisted of running back Freeman McNeil who played for the Jets from 1981-1992. He was one of my favorite Jets when I was growing up. He was a class act I might add. Another one was wide receiver Al Toon who had his career cut short due to too many concussions. He played for the Jets from 1985-1992. There were two others who played before my time. They were linebacker Larry Grantham who played from 1960-1972 and Gerry Philbin, a defensive end who played from 1964-1972.

After the ceremony honoring these special people the 2011 Jets went back to work and they made sure they were no miracles needed on this night. The Jets cruised to a 24-6 victory over the winless Dolphins.

After resting up Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night it was back to Newark, NJ after work Friday night for me. The Devils were entertaining the San Jose Sharks who were visiting the East coast.

The Sharks gave the Devils all they could handle as they scored late in regulation with 33 seconds left to tie the game at three. After a scoreless overtime session, the Sharks outlasted the Devils in a shootout as they left the Prudential Center with a 4-3 win.

Saturday morning the King and I and our friend Frank Anichiarico decided to take a bus from Chinatown here in NYC to Philadelphia for the day.

We had a football/hockey doubleheader in the City of Brotherly Love.

First we went to Franklin Field, which opened in 1895 and is the oldest venue still in use today. The Philadelphia Eagles called this home from 1958-1970. In the early 1980's, the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL played there.

We saw the University of Pennsylvania play there back in 2007. This time we went back in time again. What a great place to see a game. Things have changed dramatically here in the 21st century but going back in time is a good thing. It's a reminder of how life was back in the day. I strongly suggest and highly recommend if you haven't gotten to experience football at Franklin Field that you make time to do so before it's too late. I don't foresee this legendary venue closing its doors anytime soon but you never know for sure.
As for the game we saw, the Penn Quakers came back to beat the Yale Bulldogs, 37-25. The Quakers trailed 20-10 in the third quarter but they rallied to come back and snatch the victory.

After the game, we met up with our friend Frankie Centola for dinner at the Landmark Bar & Grill which is a favorite of his. It was my first time there. After enjoying a good meal and his company we parted ways as he went home and we headed to the Wells Fargo Center for the second game of our doubleheader.

We saw the Philadelphia Flyers take on the St. Louis Blues. Just like in baseball, the Blues followed the Cardinals lead by beating up the Flyers, 4-2.

After the game we hopped on the subway and we went back to Center City where we caught the Chinese bus back to NYC.

Sunday the King and I went back to MetLife Stadium to see the Jets play the San Diego Chargers. The last time we saw these two teams play was back in January 2010 in the Divisional Playoffs out in San Diego. The Jets emerged victorious that day, 17-14. This time the Jets needed to win so hopefully they can play well in January and beyond.

After a sluggish start, they were able to storm back to overtake the Chargers again. They trailed 21-10 in the third quarter but Mark Sanchez made key decisions and plays unlike his counterpart Phillip Rivers who didn't as the Jets came away with a big 27-21 triumph. The Jets were very lucky as they seemed to get some breaks on different penalty calls that appeared to go their way.

Regardless I'll take the W. They need to play a full 60 minute game on a regular basis in order to achieve their ultimate goal.

Stay tuned as the season progresses because I'll be seeing them a number of times in the near future.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty meets up with USRT at MetLife Stadium!

Peter Farrell and Andrew Kulyk

The King and I have been to all the current venues in the four major sports in this country. Those being baseball, football, basketball and hockey.

That will become official again in December when we have a return trip to Winnipeg planned to see the new Jets team that has relocated there from Atlanta in the off season.

We found out back in January 2003 that we weren't alone in that department.

We met up with two other guys from Buffalo. They were Andrew Kulyk and Peter Farrell aka USRT. In other words, the Ultimate Sports Road Trip as they refer to themselves. Since then, we've met up with them a number of times over the years.

These guys were in town over the weekend because last year they weren't able to go the new Stadium in the Meadowlands twice. They did come to see the Jets but technically speaking they needed to return to see the Giants play a "home" game too. By doing so, they got to see the Stadium with its new corporate name. It's now called MetLife Stadium.

Well when the schedule came out in April they decided that this past Sunday would be the perfect time to do so since their hometown Buffalo Bills were making a rare appearance against the Giants.

Thankfully the lockout was resolved and these guys were finally able to take the asterisk off their list.

As for the game we saw, the surprising Bills gave the Giants all they could handle as they tied the game at 24 with 8:57 left in the fourth quarter. The Bills eventually succumbed as Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes booted a 23 yard field goal with 1:32 left to lift the Giants to a 27-24 victory. It appeared the USRT karma was going to work its magic again. In addition, Peter had his lucky scarf that he bought in London last October when they were there. Unfortunately their luck ran out as did the clock on the Bills as they came up short in this one.

As always it was great to see Andrew and Peter again. They just came back from Germany and Finland where they opened the hockey season watching their Buffalo Sabres play. They said and I quote "it was the best trip they've ever taken." I can imagine what a unique experience it must have been. For all the details and highlights, please check out their website which is on my blog list.

The King and I are planning to see them next month when we take a ride up to Buffalo to see the Sabres play.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman