Royalty w/o 11/19 in review

After returning from St. Louis late Sunday night, I got a few much needed nights off after work Monday and Tuesday night. Thankfully it was a short work week but I still had plenty of work to do before the long Thanksgiving weekend kicked in.

Wednesday after work I went up to Manhattan College to see some college basketball. I met up with the King and we took the subway up to Riverdale, NY. It's the last stop on the number one train which is 242nd Street. When we got there, we met up with our pal Al Linderman. We walked over to the Draddy Gymnasium which is where the Manhattan Jaspers play. When we got inside, we had more company. Our friends Frank Anichiarico and Bryan Gilligan who went to school there joined us. In addition, our pal Eddie Pelle was also in attendance. He got out of work early and he knew we were going to be there so he decided to come. It was great to see everybody again. We were one big happy family.

As for the game we saw, the Jaspers played the Hofstra Pride. The game was close in the first half as the Jaspers lead by one, 29-28 at halftime. In the second half, the Jaspers pulled away thanks to guard Michael Alvarado who hit three treys during a stretch to help his team earn their first victory of the young season, 67-56.

After the game, Bryan who drove there, gave us a ride back to Queens. We wound up going to Donovan's Pub where we were celebrating some birthdays. Frank's was on the 16th, the King's is on the 24th and Bryan's is on the 27th. Charlie Casiano, the King's brother met us there too. It turned out to be a very festive occasion for all of us. Eddie also took part in the festivities. In preparation for Thanksgiving, I enjoyed my Turkey dinner early. I knew on Thanksgiving day, I may not have any so I made sure I indulged. We all had a great time gathering together. It was really nice of Charlie to take part. We don't see him too often but it's always a pleasure when we do.

Thanksgiving day the King and I watched football on TV until it was time to go out to MetLife Stadium for the Jets and Patriots game in prime time.

We sat up in section 312 with Ira Lieberfarb aka Ira from Staten Island who was there with his son Robby.
As for the game we saw, it started off slow as it was scoreless after the first quarter. The Patriots got on the board just six seconds into the second quarter as wide receiver Wes Welker caught a 3 yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to give the Patriots' a 7-0 lead.

With 9:43 left in the second quarter, the Patriots took a 14-0 lead on the first play of the drive as Tom Brady connected with Shane Vereen on a pass that turned into a 83 yard touchdown. Shortly thereafter, things started to turn for the worst for the Jets. They got the ball back but they fumbled and it was recovered by free safety Steve Gregory who ran it in for a touchdown from 32 yards out with 9 minutes to go in the half to give the Patriots a 21-0 lead.

The Jets fumbled again on the ensuing kickoff and they lost the ball again as Julian Edelman ran it back for a touchdown from 22 yards out to extend the Patriots lead to 28-0 with 8:51 left.

To recap the Patriots scored 21 unanswered points in a 52 second span. What a turn of events it was.
With 3:08 left until halftime, the Patriots scored another touchdown as Tom Brady and Julian Edelman hooked up on a 56 yard touchdown pass to make it 35-0.

The Jets finally broke the shutout with 2 seconds left in the half as kicker Nick Folk booted a 32 yard field goal to make it 35-3 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Jets added two points when Stevan Ridley of the Patriots was called for a penalty in the end zone which resulted in a safety that made it a 35-5 game with 6:47 left in the quarter.
The Jets continued to make a comeback as running back Bilal Powell scored on a four yard touchdown run to get the Jets within 23 at 35-12 with 4:41 left in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, with 12:02 left in the game, Tom Brady ran in from a yard out to extend the Patriots lead to 42-12. The Patriots added to their lead with 11:07 left as Stevan Ridley scored on a 9 yard touchdown run to make it 49-12. The Jets finished the scoring for the night with 2:21 left when Dustin Keller capped off an 80 yard drive with a 1 yard touchdown pass from Mark Sanchez to make it 49-19 which is how it mercifully ended.

Friday during the day I relaxed and caught up on things around the house. At night, the King and I went to downtown Brooklyn to see the Nets host the Los Angeles Clippers.

We met up with our friend Phil Butleman who was there too.

As for the game we saw, the game was tied at 25 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Clippers outscored the Nets by seven to lead, 47-40 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Nets came back and they evened the score at 63. In the fourth quarter, the Nets pulled away as they went on to beat the Clippers, 86-76.

Brook Lopez lead all scorers with 26 points. Joe Johnson finished with 19 to carry the Nets to the victory. As for the Clippers, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul had 14 points each in the losing effort.

Saturday was the King's 60th birthday. We went to Philadelphia with Vincent Ascanio on Megabus to see the Philadelphia 76ers as they hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Upon arrival, the King decided he wanted to have a gourmet meal at Popeye's. So that's where we went. After we got done, we took the subway over to the Sports Complex.

We got to the Wells Fargo Center home of the 76ers when the gates opened. We walked around the building before the game started.

As for the game we saw, the Thunder got off to a fast start. They lead, 29-21 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the 76ers came back to cut the lead to one, 50-49 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Thunder padded their lead to six, 85-79. In the fourth quarter, the 76ers came back and they tied the game at 98 after regulation time. In overtime, the Thunder pulled away to beat the 76ers, 116-109.

Kevin Durant of the Thunder lead the way with 37 points including many down the stretch with the game on the line. He's a special player and a joy to watch play live. His teammate Russell Westbrook added 30 points. The Thunders' dynamic duo outscored the 76ers' tandem of Thaddeus Young who had 29 points and he grabbed 15 rebounds while his teammate Evan Turner contributed 26 points in the losing performance.

Sunday afternoon the King and I went back to downtown Brooklyn to see the Nets play the Portland Trailblazers at the Barclays Center.

As for the game we saw, the Trailblazers lead 27-25 after the first quarter. They extended their lead to four, 50-46 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Nets came back to even the score at 70 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Nets turned it up a notch as they pulled away from the Trailblazers as they escaped with a 98-85 victory. Joe Johnson scored 21 points to pace the Nets to the win. Deron Williams had 15 points and he handed a dozen assists to help the cause. Wesley Matthews had 20 points for the Trailblazers in the defeat.

After the game, the King and I went to Penn Station where we got the NJ Transit train to Secaucus and then we changed for the train to MetLife Stadium so we could go out to see the Giants play the Packers in Sunday night football.

We didn't have tickets yet. Shortly after we got out there, we ran into a few young guys who had an extra pair of tickets. We wound up giving them $70 for the pair. It worked out well as we were able to go right inside and we saw the end of the late games.

It was a cold, windy night. We decided to stay downstairs instead of going up to our seats in the upper level.
As for the game we saw, the Giants scored on their first drive of the game which set the tone. Running back Andre Brown ran in from two yards out to give the Giants a 7-0 lead with 12:38 to go. The Packers came right back as they got a 61 yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers who found wide receiver Jordy Nelson with 10:44 left to tie the game at 7. With 2:38 left, wide receiver Rueben Randle caught his first career touchdown pass from 16 yards out to give the Giants a 14-7 lead. With 23 seconds left, Lawrence Tynes extended the Giants' lead to 17-7.

In the second quarter, the Giants added to their lead as Eli Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 9 yard touchdown pass to make it a 24-7 game. The Packers got a 28 yard field goal from kicker Mason Crosby with 3:37 left to make the score 24-10. The Giants found the end zone again with 44 seconds left as running back Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a 13 yard touchdown run to make it 31-10 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Giants' Eli Manning entered the record books as he threw his 200th touchdown pass as a Giant to Hakeem Nicks, a 13 yard pass with 3:36 to go to make it 38-10. Manning passed Phil Simms in the process. That's the way it ended as the Giants dominated.

With that, another week of sports travel was in the books.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees Yankees play Red Sox on Sunday Night with fellow roadtripper Dave Block!

Me and Dave Block outside Yankee Stadium

After we saw a minor league baseball game in Wilmington, Delaware on Sunday afternoon, I drove us back to NYC so we could see the Yankees wrap up their series with the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night in the Bronx.

I originally planned to drive straight to the Bronx where I was going to park the car in the neighborhood like I usually do if and when I drive there.

This time there was a change in plans. Since Mike Carroll decided he wanted to go home I needed to drop him off by Grand Central Station so he could catch a Metro North train. Since it was around 7:20PM, I decided that I would just leave the car on the street in Manhattan and we could hop the subway up to the Bronx. By doing so, I didn't have to deal with the possible nightmare of parking the car in the Bronx as well as the traffic to get there. I've done that drill enough times over the years to know I was better off taking the subway instead.

We said goodbye to Mike Carroll who thank us for everything and he said he had a great time. We all enjoyed his company.

As for leaving the car in Manhattan, it worked out beautifully as the King, Dave and I walked over to the subway which was three or four blocks away to catch the 4 train up to the Bronx. We got a train within a few minutes so we had no problem getting to the Stadium on time. The King and I already had tickets for the game. We just needed to get Dave one since he decided to join us. After looking around outside for a short time, we were able to find one for him to get in the building. A guy had a bleacher ticket available. He said he would take $10 for it. So Dave quickly handed him a ten dollar bill and we went inside. I told him to come up with us behind home plate.

It worked out well since there were a few empty seats near where the King and I sit so Dave sat with us and we enjoyed the game together. What a perfect way to end an amazing weekend.

As for the game we saw, the Yankees took the rubber match of the series from their hated rival as Hiroki Kuroda pitched a gem. He went eight innings to earn the victory as the Yankees won the game, 4-1.

It should be noted that Ichiro Suzuki hit two solo home runs to help the cause. Too bad Peter Farrell wasn't there to see it live.

After the game, we took the train back to Manhattan. The King went to work and Dave went back to the car with me. He left his bag in the trunk. He told me he was meeting someone in the Village where he was spending the night so I told him I'll drive him there. True to my word, I took him where he needed to go. I didn't want him to take the subway to get there by himself. He may have gotten lost. I didn't want that to happen. I treat people the way I like to be treated. With that said, I gave him door to door service. I dropped him off right in front of the building at midnight.

We said our goodbyes. Dave was very grateful for all my kindness over the few days we spent together. I told him we'll be in touch and I said it was an absolute pleasure to have him along with us.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 12/5 in review

Monday morning the King and I flew back from the Twin Cities on American Airlines. We arrived at NY-LaGuardia airport at 12:20PM which was 10 minutes early. As a result, we had a little more time to recuperate from our incredible weekend getaway.

The final numbers were as follows:

1,095 miles driven over the three days. It cost a mere $37.83 for the car we rented for the weekend from Alamo. Needless to say, we got our money's worth.

Three games, three days, two sports, two states and one province in two different countries.

We replenished our energy as we went to Madison Square Garden to see the Rangers play the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With our pal Sean MacDonald, who currently lives in Japan was there in royal spirit as we saw his favourite hockey team hold on to beat the Rangers by a score of 4-2. They added an empty net goal with just five seconds left after they held a 3-0 lead midway through the game.

Tuesday I went back to work. Afterwards I went back to the Garden. This time for the Jimmy V Classic. I saw a college basketball doubleheader with my friends Phil Butleman and Frank Anichiarico while the King went out to the Nassau Coliseum to see the Islanders play the Tampa Bay Lightning.

We saw the tenth ranked Missouri Tigers of the Big 12 play the Villanova Wildcats of the Big East. The Tigers maintained a comfortable cushion throughout the game as they cruised to a 81-71 victory. They were led by guard Marcus Denmon who finished with 28 points to lead all scorers. Teammate Ricardo Ratliffe added 17 points and he grabbed 11 rebounds to pace the Tigers.

In the second game, we saw the eleventh ranked Golden Eagles of Marquette of the Big East defeat the Washington Huskies of the PAC 12, 79-77. Jae Crowder hit a game winning three pointer with just 6.3 seconds to give the Golden Eagles the win. This was a tightly contested and entertaining game.

Wednesday night I met the King and we went up to Riverdale, NY where we saw the 104th "Battle of the Bronx" as the Jaspers of Manhattan College hosted the Rams of Fordham.

As for the game, it didn't turn out to be much of a battle as the Jaspers blew away the Rams, 81-47 in front of a packed house at the Draddy Gymnasium. Our friend Bryan Gilligan was very happy to hear the good news because he graduated from Manhattan College.

Thursday night after work I went out to Newark, NJ to see the Devils play the Ottawa Senators. The Devils fell behind 3-0 in this one then they rallied to take a 4-3 lead midway through the third period. The Senators forced an overtime session by scoring to tie the game at four with a shorthanded goal no less with just five seconds to go in regulation time. Neither team scored in the extra session.

The Devils wound up outlasting the Senators in a four round shootout to win the game, 5-4.

After work Friday night, I had a much needed night off as I prepared for a busy weekend in the local area. It didn't stop the King and I and our friends Bryan Gilligan and Frank Anichiarico as we went to Donovan's Pub for dinner and drinks.

Saturday morning after I did my wash, I trekked back out to Newark, NJ to see the Devils take on another team from Canada, this time they hosted the Montreal Canadiens. A number of buses came down from north of the border to see their team play on the road. They picked the right game to attend as the Canadiens held off the Devils as they beat them by a score of 2-1.

After the game, our friend Dennis Barbera gave the King and I some royal treatment as he drove us out to the Nassau Coliseum where we all saw the Islanders play the Pittsburgh Penguins. We met up with our buddy Eddie Pelle who was also present and accounted for at the game.

As for the game we saw, it turned out to be a wild one. The Islanders took an early 2-0 lead but the Penguins tied it up at two. The Islanders went back up by a goal at 3-2 but the Penguins came back again to tie it at three then they pulled away by scoring three more unanswered goals to escape Long Island with a 6-3 decision.

Sunday was another local double dose of sporting events as the King and I went out to MetLife Stadium to see the Jets battle the Kansas City Chiefs with our pal Richie Wolber aka Staten Island Rich. It turned out to be scalping as the Jets whipped up on the depleted Chiefs. They beat them, 37-10.

After the game, the King and I headed back to the Garden where we saw the Rangers play the red hot Florida Panthers. The Rangers cooled them off as they blew them away, 6-1.

With that, another busy week is in the books. I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed writing about it.

Remember if you want to take part in the royal experience in the future please get in contact with me so I can arrange to make it happen for you.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty enjoys Heartland hospitality in the State of Kansas!

Kansas State University

After the minor league baseball game in Des Moines, Iowa I said goodbye to a new friend in Tige Hutcheson.

I barely survived the 210 mile drive back to my hotel in Lenexa, Kansas which is in the Overland Park area. I was running on fumes but I managed to check in shortly after 2AM.

I had to get up early so I could meet up with an old friend, Dorothy Straney who came with her Mom. I met Dot as I call her back on August 13, 1993. That was one of my many lucky days in life that I came in contact with another good person.

Over the years, we've taken turns meeting up either in the Heartland, in NYC or another part of the country.
Dot and her Mom who is a such a lovely lady both graduated from Kansas State. Her Mom in 1951 and Dot in 1974. They both love their Wildcats. They follow them all over. They always dress up in purple from head to toe.

I always wanted to see a Wildcat football game at their home in Manhattan, Kansas aka the "Little Apple" if you will. I got more than I bargained for. Dot informed me that their volleyball team was home too. They were playing at 1PM and the football game was at 6PM.

Dot told me she would give me a ride to and from the game which was about 125 miles each way. I couldn't be more thankful since I was exhausted and I needed a break from being behind the wheel.

She came to my hotel shortly after 9AM. On the way to Manhattan, she gave a guided tour as we visited Lawrence, Kansas home of the Kansas University Jayhawks. She drove us around their campus.

We continued on our way through the Flint Hills on I-70 as we made our way to the "Little Apple". Once we arrived in Manhattan she drove me around the downtown area which consisted of three or four blocks.

After that, we proceeded to drive around the Kansas State campus which was beautiful. All the buildings were made out of limestone except for two of them. They were made out of red brick. Dot said they received the wrong shipment of bricks that's why they're different then the others.

In addition, she showed me where her and her mother lived when they went to school there back in the day.
Furthermore, we visited the cows in the Dairy Unit. Dot used to milk them when she was in school. We got to see them up close. It was quite a treat for me.

Stay tuned for the special posts I'm going to do about the volleyball game and the football game we saw.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman