Royalty celebrates Thanksgiving and the King's Birthday in Baltimore!

Prince at M & T Bank on Thanksgiving Night

This Thanksgiving was more special than usual because this year it came out on the King's birthday.
With that being said, the most appropriate way to celebrate would be by attending a game live. After all, it's just another day on the calendar.

Four of the last five years on Thanksgiving, we've seen NFL football live on Turkey Day including this one.
Back in 2007, we saw our Jets play in Dallas at old Texas Stadium. The Jets got destroyed but the tradition of being in Big D on Thanksgiving Day made it all worth it.

In 2008, we went to Philadelphia to see the Eagles play the Arizona Cardinals.

In 2010, we were in our backyard if you will as the Jets hosted the Cincinnati Bengals at the New Meadowlands Stadium as it was called then.

This time we got to see history as the Harbaugh Bowl was scheduled in prime time in Baltimore as the Ravens coached by John Harbaugh were taking on his younger brother Jim's San Francisco 49ers. This was the first time two brothers have coached against one another in NFL history.

It wasn't easy to get a ticket for the big game but royalty found a way to make it happen.

We arrived in Baltimore early with intentions of attending a tailgate party courtesy of a guy who's known as "Nib". I met him at the Raven/Cardinal game back on October 30th. He invited me to join in his tailgate party in Lot H.

Unfortunately the King and I needed to find tickets so we could see the game first.

With that being said, we went over to the box office to see if they had anything available. There were 15 people in front of us we were also waiting for a chance to purchase tickets.

While I was on line, the King went to see if he could find something around the stadium.

With my Blackberry in hand, I was able to multi task as I checked Craigslist to see if anybody was heading to the stadium with any extra tickets.

I called and texted a handful of people. Luckily a guy named Julian Toliver who was from Laurel, Maryland contacted me. He said he still had an extra ticket. I told him I'll take it. We worked out a deal and I arranged to meet him in the parking lot at the stadium. True to my word, we eventually met up and did the exchange.
As for getting another ticket, the King had no luck outside. I stayed on the line and my patience paid off as they slowly started selling tickets. I finally got up to the window and I was able to buy another ticket. I got the ticket and gave it to the King so he could go inside.

I waited outside and I met Julian and then I went inside.

Unfortunately we couldn't sit together since it was very crowded.

Before I went to my seat, I went to see Nib to say hello. He told me I missed out on a great tailgate party. He said they had Turkey and Ham. He told me I can come the next time I'm there.

As for the seat I got, I really lucked out because I got to sit next to a young lady named Ally who was a huge Raven fan. I was very impressed with her knowledge of her team. We enjoyed the game and each other's company throughout the night.

As for the game we saw, the Ravens beat the 49ers, 16-6 in the Battle of the Harbaughs, John outcoached his brother Jim.

The Raven defense was ferocious even without their leader Ray Lewis who missed his second straight game as they were in 49ers' quarterback Alex Smith's face all night long. He barely had time to breathe. Terrell Suggs lead the way with three sacks. Cory Redding had a big night as well.

After the game, I met the King and drove back home. This time I got him to work at 3:24AM.

I proceeded to go home to get some sleep before I had to return the car I rented from Avis just before midday.

Stay tuned for the special post that will recap the rest of the long weekend we had.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Ultimate Roadtrippers visit the New Meadowlands Stadium with the help of Royalty!



Peter Farrell, Andrew Kulyk, The King and I













Back on Sunday, November 21st the Ultimate Sports Road Trip made their first visit to the New Meadowlands Stadium to see the Jets play the Texans.

Royalty arranged for them to sit with us in section 312 row 13. In addition, we needed their karma as the Jets blew a lead and they came back with a miracle home win.

I want to thank Andrew and Peter for helping the cause.

As always it was a great time seeing these fellow roadtrippers who like us have set the standard and raised the bar when it comes to attending live sporting events across the country.

I look forward to seeing them again on the road somewhere in 2011.

Thank you for reading .

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is going to Beantown and City of Brotherly Love next weekend!

Here's the game plan:

I'm renting a car Friday afternoon after I work a half day from Avis for the weekend.

I'm going to pick up The King and we'll be heading up to Boston for Friday night and Saturday all day and night. Sunday I'll be in Philadelphia after the Jet game.

Friday, November 19th Thunder at Celtics 7PM

Saturday, November 20th Virginia at Boston College 12 Noon

                                         Kings at Bruins 7PM

Sunday, November 21st  Texans at Jets 1PM

Our roadtrip buddies from Buffalo, Andrew Kulyk and Peter Farrell of the Ultimate Sports Road Trip aka USRT will be visiting the New Meadowlands Stadium for the first time.

                                      Giants at Eagles 8:20PM

If you're interested in going on this getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join us.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 10/11 in review

Monday after having to work on Columbus Day, it was time to go back to the New Meadowlands Stadium for another Monday night football game.

This one was going to be interesting since we knew for a few months that former Jet quarterback Brett Farve was returning as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. In addition, the Vikings in deseparate need of a wide receiver decided to reacquire Randy Moss from the Patriots.

The addition of Moss added to the MNF matchup.

The game was scheduled to start at 8:30PM but thanks to mother nature the game was delayed 45 minutes due to lightning in the area.

The fans were asked to get out of the seating area and to stay in the concourses for safety reasons.

Royalty came prepared for the possibility of rain by bringing a poncho just in case. That turned out to be a wise decision since the rain let up and they were finally able to play. But as the game and the night wore on, it rained again so I didn't get totally drenched like some other people who didn't plan accordingly.

As for the game, the Jets wound up hanging on for a 29-20 victory.

Brett Farve threw a few touchdown passes. One to Randy Moss and another to Percy Harvin.

In the end, Brett Farve gave the Jet faithful the last laugh when he threw his only interception of the game that Dwight Lowery took to the house for a touchdown that secured the win for the Jets.

Royalty had company on this night as my friend Jack Erbs and his girlfriend Wendy met me near the Port Authority Bus Terminal and we went to and from the game together.

We wound up meeting the King there since he went to the Devil game in Newark that started at 4PM.

Furthermore, I got to see Hans Steiniger, who was visiting the New Meadowlands Stadium for the first time. Hans is a huge football fan and he loves to tailgate before and after every game he attends.

For further details about Hans, please check out his great website, http://www.nflfootballstadiums.com/.

His site is also on my blog list. I strongly suggest that you take a look at his site. He's known for his "Quest for 31".

It was great to see Hans again. I met him for the first time last year at Giants Stadium when he came in for the Jets/Patriots game.

I do plan to see him again in Cleveland and New England when the Jets play in November and December.

After catching up on some much needed rest Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I went to Newark Friday night after work to see the NJ Devils take on the Colorado Avalanche at the Prudential Center.

The Devils fell behind 2-0 in this one and they couldn't catch up, they got within a goal but they fell short and lost to the Av's, 3-2.

Saturday morning I flew out to Denver, Colorado for the weekend to get a Rocky Mountain High on United Airlines.

After a false start, we finally took off from LaGuardia. We were going to be 25 minutes early going to Denver but believe it or not just before we were going to take off we were informed by the pilot that we needed to come back to the gate because there were bags that didn't belong on our flight. That's amazing considering nowadays they charge you to check your bags.

Thanks to that delay, we landed in Denver almost 25 minutes late which was a blessing in disguise for me.
Upon arrival, I rented a car from Alamo at the airport. I got a Toyota Corolla which was perfect for my needs. I didn't leave there until around 12 Noon Mountain time.

I was hoping to do the absolute impossible. I was hoping to stop in Fort Collins, Colorado to see the Colorado State/UNLV game that was starting at Noon. Thankfully I didn't get the opportunity to do so.

Instead I proceeded to drive to Laramie, Wyoming where I was planning to see the University of Wyoming Cowboys play the Utah Utes at 4PM Mountain time.

Sunday I went to the Jets/Broncos game at 2:05PM.

Please check back for all the details from this adventurous weekend.

Please bear with me as I try to play catch up. I've been very busy lately. When I have some free time I plan to go into further detail about this journey.

Stay tuned.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Giants sack the Bears, 17-3!

I'm in the house

Royalty was in the house at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday night for the Giant "sackdown" of the Chicago Bears.

The King was there for the first time.

As for his thoughts of the new digs, he liked it but he said and I quote "there was no need for them to build this stadium." I couldn't agree more but this is life in the 21st century. It's a money first society nowadays and it won't change for the rest of our lives so just accept it and adjust accordingly.

As for the game if you will, the Giants came out swarming. The Bears, known as the Monsters of the Midway, were cut down to size instantly.

The Bears came into the game with a 3-0 record. The King and I were trying to figure out how.
After the Giants treated quarterback Jay Cutler like a rag doll the Bears are now 3-1.

The Giant defense came to play. They set a record in the first half by sacking Cutler 9 times. They wound with 10 sacks for the game and they forced the Bears to use three different quarterbacks.

The Giants were led by Osi Umenyiora who had 3 of the sacks. In addition, he forced fumbles on two of them.Justin Tuck also had 3 sacks and a forced fumble too. Barry Cofield had one and a half, Chris Canty and Aaron Ross each had one and Jonathan Goff had the other half.

What a defensive effort it was. Furthermore, the Bears threw two interceptions and the lost the ball three times on fumbles.

On the offensive side of the ball, for the first time in 14 games the Giants had a running back run for over 100 yards. Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 129 and a touchdown.

Hakeem Nicks had a big night receiving, he caught 8 passes for 110 yards.

The only bright spot for the Bears was former Carolina Panther Julius Peppers who signed as a free agent. Peppers has been notorious for single handedly beating up the Giants in the past when he played for the Panthers. He had a sack and a forced fumble in this one but it was no where near enough to contain the Giants on this night.

The Giants went on to win, 17-3!

It should be noted that the King and I got to sit by my buddy Jess Geller and his son David in section 319 row 19. Jess has had season tickets for the Giants for 35 years. Fortunately for him and his family they were totally priced out.

Despite the annoying rain that was falling for most of the game from the second quarter on it was a fun experience watching the Bears get cut down to size.

The King and I took the bus to and from the game and it worked out very well this time both ways.

If you're looking to see a game at the new Stadium let me know so I can do my best to help make that a reality.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Titans take advantage of Giants miscues & lack of discipline, pull away and roll on the road, 29-10!

Sunday afternoon at the New Meadowlands Stadium, the Tennessee Titans took advantage of some sloppy plays by the Giants as well as some stupid costly penalties to cruise to victory, 29-10!

The Giants started this game well they were able to move the ball against stingy Titan defense. But Eli Manning had threw a few bad passes that killed the drives. The first was wasn't totally Eli's fault as the ball was deflected on the opening series of the game. The second one was absolutely inexcusable. On third and goal from the 6 yard line, Eli was scrambling to find a receiver, instead he had a brain fart if you will. He made an ill advised decision as he flipped the ball towards the end zone, Will Witherspoon of the Titans tipped the ball and his teammate Jason McCourty who played his college ball at nearby Rutgers intercepted the ball in the end zone for a touchback. So instead of a field goal attempt from a short distance, the Giants came away with no points.

As a result, the Titans jumped out to a early 10-0 lead. Rob Bironas kicked a 48 yard field goal to open the scoring. Chris Johnson who finished the game with 125 yards rushing scored the first of his two touchdowns from a yard out.

The Giants came back to eventually tie the game at the half at 10. Their place kicker, Lawrence Tynes connected on a 50 yard field goal to get them on the board after he missed one from 53 yards out. Ahmad Bradshaw added a 10 yard touchdown run to get the Giants even on the scoreboard despite the almost 2 to 1 margin in total offense.

The second half was the difference in this one. The Titans special teams set them up near midfield to open the third quarter which put them in position to succeed. That drive stalled but it set the stage for the Giant debacle to take place.

The Giants were pinned in at their own 1 yard line thanks to the great Titans special teams play. It appeared that the Giants got a big first down on third and long on a 44 yard pass to Mario Manningham but Ahmad Bradshaw got called for a chop block in the end zone which resulted in a safety for the Titans. The Titans took the lead for good, 12-10!

They got the ball back on the free kick and once again their special teams set them up in great field position at the their 49 yard line. That drive ended with a 13 yard touchdown pass to another former Rutgers player, Kenny Britt which gave the Titans a 19-10 lead.   

The Giants were attempting to get back into the game late in the third quarter but Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled and lost the ball at the 5 yard line killing their golden oppportunity to do so. To add insult to injury, David Diehl was called for a personal foul for unnecessary roughness which brought the ball out to the 20 yard line.

In addition, in the fourth quarter, Kareem McKenzie was whistled for two personal fouls for unnecessary roughness. The Giants had five of them for the game. As professionals, that's totally unacceptable behavior.

Furthermore, the Giants' Lawrence Tynes missed two field goals and Eli Manning threw two interceptions despite his 386 yards passing which proves that statistics don't always tell the true story. These days statistics are a fantasy football fan's dream.

Overall, it was a nightmare of a day  for the hometown Giants.

They play the Bears in prime time Sunday night. For their sake, they better get their act together. The Bears are 3-0. Royalty will be there again so check back for the details of that outcome.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty meets up with fellow road tripper, Sean Rowland at the New Meadowlands Stadium on 9/26!

After escorting my clients Joe & Sam to their lower level seats in the second row, I proceeded to make my way towards my seat in the upper level.

On my way there, I arranged to hook up with a fellow road tripper, Sean Rowland on the lower level concourse.

Sean is a nice young man who I had met back at Citi Field on August 1st when he came to see the new stadium for the first time. He wrote his take on his site too. For more details, please see the link below.

Today he was at the New Meadowlands Stadium for the first time. He told me he had read my blog post so he could have an idea of what to expect before he arrived.

I was so happy to hear that. I helped make a difference in another person's life by giving him a preview. That's an example of someone like myself who wants to know before they go so they can find to the road to success easier than others.

I look forward to getting his views on the building too.

He has a great website as well. It's on my blog list. It's called Stadium and Arena Visits.

Here's the link so you can check it and follow his whereabouts if you choose to do so:

http://www.stadiumandarenavisits.com/

Part of the royalty experience includes running into different people that I know or ones I introduce myself to while I'm attending a live sporting event.

With being said, stay tuned for the next post I do which will be an example of that.

I hope you're enjoying the posts as much as I enjoy writing them.

Thank you for following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royal treatment was given to clients at New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday 9/26!



Sam Kumar & Joe Climenti



The royalty experience was in full effect on Sunday afternoon.

I had the privilege and honor of entertaining a few clients who wanted to see a Giant football game at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

I was able to secure a few tickets that included a parking pass for the Giants/Titans game.

I contacted Joe Climenti late Saturday night and we arranged to work out a deal to make this happen.
I wound up meeting Joe along with his friend Sam Kumar who lives in Queens. As a result, I was very fortunate and grateful to have gotten a ride to the game with them. In addition, on the way back they dropped me off by Yankee Stadium where I was going to see the Yankee/Red Sox game.

With royalty in charge, everything worked to perfection.

Joe & Sam had a great time despite the outcome of the game. They loved the seats they had in section 103 row 2 in the end zone. They were right on top on the action as you can see in the picture I took of them.
They can't wait to go back. That's an example of what happens when you deal with royalty.

If and when you do so, you're always left thirsting for more. Once you get a taste of royal treatment, you realize that it's the only way to go. You've tried the rest now you finally found the best. Why would you settle for less?

Since I was able to get a ride to and from the game with them, I was able to show them some of my tricks of the trade on how to avoid traffic both ways.

When Joe asked Sam who was driving would you remember the way we went. Sam responded no! That's why Gary's here to show us the way.

I was so happy to share my extensive travel knowledge with these guys especially since they were so appreciative and grateful for the opportunity to see the game. As a result, I saved myself a lot of time and aggravation not having to take a bus and/or train either way this time. It was a win-win situation for all of us.

I hope to have many more great times like this to share but I need to be given the opportunity to show you what royalty can and will do for you.

If you need to get a sample for yourself, please feel free to consult me because if you don't you'll be insulting me.

I don't make promises I can't keep, if I say something then you should take me serious because I know for a fact I will deliver for you.

I hope to have many more success stories in the future to write about.

You could be next. Like the lottery, you never know until you try. The worst I can say is no.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Coach USA Bus experience going back from New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday after Jet game

After the nightmare I experienced with the train after the Jet game on Monday against the Ravens, I decided I'll take the bus back like I've done for the last 5 years on a regular basis.

The experience was slightly better than the train mess.

To get the bus you need to walk out of the Pepsi gate and go towards the Timex building to pick up the bus. It's good exercise. In addition, you get to see those who drove and had parking passes sit in bumper to bumper traffic trying to exit the parking lot since they block off some of the exits.

Once I got to the pick up area for the bus, there was a long line but since they had a number of buses lined up it moved quickly. You need to make sure you bring your patience when you go to and from the game.

Once I got on the bus it wasn't that bad. There was traffic leaving the stadium area.

Once we got on the highway to go towards the Lincoln Tunnel I noticed traffic was building up again. I was sitting towards the middle of the bus. I yelled out to the driver to use the service road since I know from my own past driving experiences that is a great way to cut down on some of the Sunday traffic we were heading into. The driver didn't take my advice at first. Luckily shortly thereafter he had a second chance to get off and wisely he did.

Of course the people on the bus get a laugh and they didn't have a clue of how much I knew.

After that we managed to move along. There was a problem with the police on the scene that was causing the added delay.

Finally we got to the Lincoln Tunnel and we went right through.

The bus dropped us off at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. I then proceeded to take the subway back to Queens to pick up my car and I drove myself home.

After all, it worked out well all things considered.

The bottom line is no matter what way you go you have to deal with the consequences. Just prepare yourself mentally and you'll get through it.

When you need sound advice you should consult Royalty so you always know before you go.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Jets turn back and double up the Pats, 28-14!

Royalty was in the building

Sunday afternoon at the New Meadowlands Stadium, the Jets took their first step towards showing the division rivals that the division is going to be theirs when it's all said and done.

After spending the majority of the first quarter on the bench except for three plays, the Jet offense led by Mark Sanchez was ready to take flight once and for all.

Finally the "training wheels" were off for Mark. On the first offensive play from scrimmage, he aired it out. The pass he threw was intended for tight end Dustin Keller over the middle down the field. Keller missed it as it went through his outstretched hands. After that, Mark Sanchez settled in nicely.

The offense moved the ball well the rest of the afternoon without making any mistakes. They looked like the offense that got to the AFC Championship Game in January.

Mark in his second year hopefully proved that he's for real. When I saw him play in Houston for the very first time and in person I thought he was the real deal.

He looked good against the Giants in the first preseason game for the time he played.

Since then all I've heard is Mark is no good. I beg to differ.

He's in his second year, this was only the second game of the young season. He deserves a second chance.
On Monday night, he was restricted due to the awful play calling.

Sunday was a different story and Mark showed the nay sayers he's better than they think. Time will tell.
On this day the offense was impressive to say the least. Mark spread the wealth and he utilized all his weapons. I can't wait until week 5 when Santonio Holmes returns.

Dustin Keller had a monster game and Braylon Edwards used his height to reel in a touchdown pass as well a 2 point conversion which was pivotal in this victory.

LaDainlian Tomlinson aka the L Train was running like the wind. He didn't show his age on this day.

He was another guy that Jet fans had their doubts about. Not me I like veterans who have the experience to help the younger players succeed.

The L Train isn't going to derail. He's a welcome addition and it's only a matter of time that he proves to the fan base that it was a sound decision.

On the defensive side of the ball, with Darrelle Revis coming up lame on the play of the game when Patriots wide receiver reeled in a touchdown pass from Tom Brady with his right hand. I was left in amazement by the spectacular grab he made.

After that the Jet defense clamped down and rallied to shut down the Patriots the rest of the game.

Antonio Cromartie aka "Cro" made of for the loss of Revis. He stepped up his game and he picked off another pass.

Special teams were great again. They limited the kickoff and punt returns to minimal damage.

The kicking game was solid thanks to Nick Folk who made 2 more field goals and punter Steve Weatherford who punted the ball very well all day long.

Overall, it was a great team effort in all facets of the game.

More importantly, the team showed much better discipline. They didn't take costly penalties to hurt themselves.

The bottom line is the season was saved.

Next up Sunday night in Miami in prime time. This is a huge game that can go a step further in helping the Jets as they try to put a straggle hold on the division title.

Please note that Ira from Staten Island who calls the local sports radio stations on a regular basis will be there.

I have the privilege of sitting with Ira at the Jet home games in section 312 row 13 on the 30 yard line. In addition, I do plan to hook up with him on the road as well since he's going to all the road games too.

If you bleed green then I strongly suggest that you talk to me.

Royalty strives to make the impossible possible. If you want to find out how then contact me.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Video of change over from Giants to Jets at New Meadowlands Stadium!

Here's an interesting video of how they change the field setup from the Giants to the Jets at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Here's the link:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Time-lapse-video-of-Giants-to-Jets-change-at-New?urn=nfl-270269

Enjoy!

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Ravens make a "Bold"in statement in first Monday Night Football game at New Meadowlands Stadium!

I'm in the house

After the Giants played the "first game"  at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Sunday afternoon, the Jets opened their regular season by playing the first MNF game there.

The Jets started this game well on defense they brought the pressure early and often but it was Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens who in the end came out on top in this one, 10-9!

The Jets forced turnovers but even when they had great field position they wound up settling for 3 Nick Folk field goals.

That's disappointing for a team with Super Bowl expectations.

The offensive game plan was horrible and way too conservative. I personally think Mark Sanchez is a good quarterback but that's when he's allowed to attempt to succeed. Monday night the Jets forgot to take the training wheels off.

Sanchez wasn't allowed to stretch the field. He threw too many short dink and dunk passes. He has a strong arm unlike Chad Pennington. Let him air it out. He has a potential big playmaker in wide receiver Bralyon Edwards. They need to utilize him. The one time they did, they committed an untimely penalty which nullified the big play.

The "L Train" LaDainlian Tomlinson was running well when he was given the chance to do so. Shonn Greene on the hand, fumbled a few times and they kept him on the sidelines too long. He finally came back in the game ice cold and he proceeded to drop a pass that was thrown to him.

The defense played well for the most part but they were forced to be on the field way too long since the offense couldn't stop sputtering.

I hope this was an aberration and the real Jets will show up to play as a team against the Patriots. We'll wait and see about that.

The team needs to be more disciplined going forward. They committed too many foolish penalities at inopportune times. The were flagged 14 different times for 125 yards. That's inexcusable and totally unacceptable. Rex needs to crack the whip.

The team took many dumb penalites on defense such as defensive holding and pass interference which were critical and gave the Ravens first downs when the defense could have been getting off the field.

Even with Darrelle Revis back on his island, his teammates were exposed all night. In particular, rookie Kyle Wilson and newcomer Antonio Cromartie who had a big interception that he returned for 66 yards to put the Jets in great shape to overcome their deficiencies on this night.

The Ravens in the off season made a bold statement when they traded for Anquan Boldin who played for the Arizona Cardinals. By adding Boldin they now have the depth on offense to spread the field for quarterback Joe Flacco.

Boldin in his Raven debut made his presence felt all night. He wound up with 7 receptions for 110 yards. In the process, he made life miserable for the Jets secondary and he forced them to have to pay close attention to his supporting cast too. It proved too much even for this great Jet defense to handle.

The Ravens now have many weapons in their arsenal. In addition, they recently picked up wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh who was released by the Seattle Seahawks. They join veterans Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap who looked like the Todd Heap of 5 years ago according to my friend and Raven fan Peter Agnew who joined me for this game. Heap was a beast. He finished the game with 6 catches of 72 yards.

When the Jets made a last gasp effort to try to overcome their mistakes,  Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis delivered a thunderous hit on Dustin Keller over the middle helping to seal the deal for the Ravens.

Lewis talked a big game beforehand and he backed it up as his team came out with the narrow victory.

Stay tuned all season to see if the Jets can rebound from this false start.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman             

Post game nightmare for those like me who took the NJ Transit train to the Jet game!

Mob of people attempting to get on the train after the Jet game

Everybody in the media will tell you how great it is to see a game at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

I can agree with that to a point.

Let it be know that the media won't tell you the real facts about going to and from the game. When you go to the Meadowlands be prepared for an adventure regardless of your mode of transportation.

That's where yours truly comes in.

I was fortunate to be able to attend the Giant game on Sunday afternoon as well as the Jet game on Monday night.

I decided to take the train to the game for the first time on Sunday. I normally take the bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal since I don't have a parking pass and driving there and back is no bargain anyway. In addition, you still have to pay for gas and the ridiculous tolls tool. The train was $10.50 round trip. The bus is $10 round trip. Driving unless that's your only option costs a small fortune plus plenty of aggravation sitting behind the wheel in traffic.

All things considered it wasn't a really bad experience. I managed to get on the train with a minimal delay. I only waited around 20 minutes give or take. The ride from the Stadium to Secauscus Junction was 15 minutes then I had to walk around in a maze and wait to connect with another train that would get me  back to New York Penn Station. After that, I took the NYC subway back to Queens to my car which was parked on the street to get home. It took me around 2 hours from the time I got on line to wait for the train from the stadium to get home.

Monday night was a totally different story as you can see in the picture I took when I was still inside the stadium looking outside.

Yes, I took my time leaving the building. I hate to always be in a rush. After all, I was only going home.

Mind you I still had to wake up early to go to work.

When I saw the mob of people waiting for the train I was absolutely beside myself. I was with my friend Peter Agnew who came up for the weekend from Baltimore. He decided to join me at the game. I wound up meeting him at the seats. He told me he'll go with me after the game since he needed to get back to Secaucus Junction also. Thankfully he did  that way we kept each other company while we waited on line. He's a great guy and we got to talk during and after the game. He said after seeing the hell we had to go through here in the Meadowlands he's very grateful to have the Ravens play next to Camden Yards in downtown Baltimore where the accessibility is night and day. Peter has season tickets for the Ravens on the Club Level.

We finally got outside the stadium and we managed to join the mob scene. Fortunately for us we were able to join the line somewhere in the middle before the barricades were set up. We just kept following people until we were lined up properly. It was a free for all. Once we got in line things seemed to move along. It should be noted a number of people who were behind the barricades started jumping over to cut the line. Some did get stopped but they couldn't possibly have enough security to hold everybody back. There were literally thousands and thousands of people trying to get on the train.

As for the train setup, they have 3 tracks it appears but they weren't that organized to handle this incredible overflow of people. There were people on top of people it was unreal. As the picture tries to show, I wasn't making this up.

Peter and I finally got on the train around 11:25PM after waiting probably 45 minutes or so on the line that we got on. Please note we were able to pass thousands of others in the process. If not, god only knows what time we would have got back to Secaucus Junction where we had to connect with another train. Peter was going to Metropark, NJ where he was spending the night at a hotel with his wife. I was going to New York Penn Station to get the NYC subway back to Queens to get my car so I could  drive myself home. I wound getting home at 1:25AM.

Just think if it's possible to do so, that behind us were thousands of others that needed to get where they had to go. I can only imagine how long it took those people to finally get to their destinations.       

I'm sure nobody in the media was paid to write about this mess.

Their job is sell newspapers and shed a positive light on all situations.

My blog is here to educate, inform and entertain everyday people like myself who have to endure this type of transportation on a daily and nightly basis to go to work and/or play.

Welcome to the 21st century.

If you like to suffer, good for you.

I don't so I'm trying my best to clue you in if you decide to take the train to the game.

Do like I do always know before you go.

I hope you will listen and take my advice.

Remember don't always listen to the media.

When royalty speaks, I strongly suggest you listen.

If you do, I guarantee you'll be forever grateful.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees Giants play "First Game" at New Meadowlands Stadium

Giants vs. Panthers

Royalty was in the House

Today was the "First Game" at the New Meadowlands Stadium between the Giants and the Carolina Panthers.

Ironically these two teams played against each other in "Last" Giant game that was played at

Giants Stadium back on December 27, 2009.

Yours truly had the privilege of seeing that game as well. In matter of fact, that was the third time I saw the Carolina Panthers finish the home schedule at Giants Stadium. The Giants lost all three of those games as follows:

On December 28, 2003 the Panthers beat the Giants, 37-24!

On January 8, 2006 the Panthers shut out the Giants in the Wild Card game, 23-0! 

On December 27, 2009 the Panthers closed Giants Stadium for the Giants by embarrassing them, 41-9!

 Was today going to be different with me in the house? 

The answer is yes. A new building and a different result. The Giants opened their new digs in victorious fashion though it wasn't pretty, 31-18!

This was a very sloppy turnover and penalty filled game. The bottom line the Giants defense rose up as the game wore on. As a result, the Giants overcame Eli Manning's 3 interceptions and they lost their tight end Kevin Boss on the first drive of the game shortly after he caught the first pass of the season on the Giants first play from scrimmage for 11 yards and a first down. He wound up being carted off the field a few plays later and he didn't return to the game.

On the bright side for the Giants, their wide receiver Hakeem Nicks caught 3 touchdown passes of 26, 19 and 5 yards respectatively.  

As for the Carolina Panthers, quarterback Matt Moore threw 3 interceptions of his own. All of them were caught in the end zone for touchbacks. Deon Grant, Terrell Thomas and Kenny Phillips got credit for those INT's.

In addition, in the second half of the game he was running for his life as the Giant defense forced him into a number of sacks and pressures. 

Furthermore, both punters had a rough day in this game too.

Jason Baker of the Panthers couldn't even punt the ball thanks to a botched snap that resulted in the Giants getting the ball back with great field position with 4:30 left in the 3rd quarter when the Panthers were still hanging around only down by one point, 17-16. That drive ended with the Giants scoring another touchdown that put the game out of reach for the Panthers. 

Matt Dodge of the Giants had a punt blocked that wound up going through the end zone resulting in a safety for the Panthers late in the game to cut the lead from 15 to 13. That's the way it remained as the Giants won ugly, 31-18!

As for the game experience, I always prefer to see a sporting event live. In the past, I've taken the bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan to the Meadowlands for $10 round trip.

Today I decided to give the NJ Transit train service a try. By doing so, that way was $10.50 round trip to go from New York Penn Station to Secaucus Junction where you need to transfer to the train to the game which leaves from track H and takes you right to the Met Life gate where I needed to enter today to get to my seat. 

My seat was located in section 225B row 5 seat 23 which was in the end zone as you can see in the picture above. So by taking the train to the game everything worked out well for me.

I saw my co-worker Brian LaMotta who was at the game a few sections away in 224B. It was nice to see a familar face in the crowd.

In addition, I did get to go upstairs before the game to visit a friend, Jess Geller, whose a long time Giant season ticket holder. Jess sits in section 319 row 21. He said he loves going to the game because of the crowd and more importantly he gets to reunited with his family and friends that sit in his section. 

I told him that's the best part of going these days. In this day and age, it's all about the money. Real fans are being priced out. That's where royalty comes in and I try my very best to make sure that I'm not left out in the street. The same goes for those who want to deal with me.

If you have the will, royalty will help you find the way.

If and when you need my assistance, please let me know.

Thank you for reading. 

Yours truly,

Gary Herman  

New Meadowlands Stadium in Review

Opening Kickoff at New Meadowlands Stadium 

The Jets and the Giants have a new home.

Being a Jet fan, it's about time. I only wish they were back in Queens where they really belong.

As for the Giants, they had arguably the best football stadium in the NFL in Giants Stadium.

Instead of the Giants staying in Giants Stadium and the Jets moving to a new stadium on their own, they decided to join forces and build one stadium for both teams.

Every time I passed by the new stadium which is now called the New Meadowlands Stadium, I would cringe.

I thought things would never be the same going to see a football game in the Meadowlands now that Giants Stadium is completely gone.

I honestly must say I was proven wrong to a point.

I went to see the first football game in the new stadium last night.

In the end, I was pleasantly surprised.

I took the bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan for $10 round trip.

I could have taken the train from Penn Station and changed in Secaucus Junction for the train that drops you off right at the stadium. That would have cost $10.50 round trip.

Since I didn't have a parking pass, I didn't think driving and dealing with the traffic was going to be the right option for me.

In the end, I'm happy I took the bus. The next time I'll probably try the train.

As for the stadium experience, once I got off the bus I had to walk towards the new stadium.

In the process, I had to walk on the newly created parking area where Giants Stadium once stood.

It was depressing to say the least.

A perfectly usable Stadium was knocked down for no good logical reason.

It was time to officially move on. So I proceeded to walk into the West Gate of the new stadium.

Upon entry, I instantly noticed a dramatic change. You are now allowed to bring a bag into the stadium. It can't be more than a certain size but that's a major improvement over years passed in Giants Stadium.

I got my ticket scanned and I continued into the stadium.

I was amazed by all the open space there was for people to hang out.

I finally got to the concourse area. It was rather plain and bland. I did notice a gigantic team store nearby.
I went inside and it was massive. People were shopping like it was Christmas looking to buy up their new Jets apparel and other souvenirs from the inaugural season at the new stadium.

I decided to walk around the concourse and see the different food they had to offer.

They had a variety of local specialties that consisted of a New York Delicatessen, a New York style Pizza stand, Barbeque, Hot Dogs and Cheesesteaks.

As a whole, it wasn't an impressive food selection compared to many of the new venues that have opened in the last decade.

I peaked in at the different vantage points on the lower level to get a feel for the game action.

I wasn't impressed with most of the views. When I thought of the price structure, I said to myself you've got to be kidding plus a PSL i.e. Personal Seat License fee too.

I continued up to the next level after climbing the steps to get there. I looked in and once again I didn't see what was so special. The seats were pushed back and far from the game action.

Finally, I found an escalator that took me to the top level.

I wasn't expecting things to get better but thankfully I was actually proven wrong.

Unlike the lower level, where the concourse is very spread out, the upper level was narrower.

Once I finally arrived at my seat in section 312 row 13 seat 21 right on the 30 yard line which was very similar to my Giants Stadium view in section 310, I realized I was in heaven for a mere $105 a game and thankfully no PSL.

Yes, it was a lot higher up than Giants Stadium but being that I've been to all the other NFL venues so I knew what to expect before I got to the stadium.

With that being said, I'm very happy to call the New Meadowlands Stadium my new fall/winter home.

As for the architecture, I'm always a big critic. I remember years ago when buildings were made to last a lifetime. Nowadays everything looks so cheaply made especially when you look up close.

As for the seats, they were different shades of grey and they were made of thick hard plastic just like Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

It was quite the contrary from the "Palace in Dallas" where the seat I sat in with a $129 face value in the corner of the end zone was razor thin plastic.

As for the total experience, I was somewhat impressed overall. It's a very big and bland building with no real identity. They have the ability to change the lighting so it can look like a home for both teams. My main concern is to watch the game from a good vantage point. Luckily for me, I got that. So I'm a satisfied customer but I know they screwed a lot of people when they decided to build this new cash cow.

Welcome to the greedy 21st century.

As for the game itself, check back for my special post regarding that.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

9/11 Remembrance Weekend in NYC

This September 11th will be the nine year anniversary of that tragic day.

You can pay respects to those who innocently lost their lives that day, if you live in NYC or plan to visit that weekend.

You can take a ride over to Ground Zero.

In addition, you can also take in some sporting events as well.

Here are some options for you:

9/10 Phillies at Mets 7:10PM

9/11 Phillies at Mets 4:10PM

9/12 Panthers at Giants 1PM First official game at New Meadowlands Stadium which is in the picture above.

Phillies at Mets 1:10PM

9/13 Ravens at Jets 7PM First regular season Jet game in prime time on Monday Night Football.

Pirates at Mets 7:10PM that night as well at Citi Field.

If you want to come to NYC that weekend, please feel free to consult me for advice on getting around.