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USA, T&T, the NJB & ME East Hartford, CT - I have nightmares. Some of them involve being hunted by an unknown enemy. Some of them involve showing up to work only to realize that I’m not wearing any pants. And my most recent nightmare involved being trapped in a van with six men stuck in traffic on a highway with Ed trying to spoon with me in the back seat.
Fortunately I survived the traffic and Ed’s advances, and I must say, if I was going to be trapped in a van there is no better van to be stuck in then the one belonging to the NJB. They were not only accommodating but welcomed us with open arms. The seats are comfy, the ceiling is high, there is legroom, and most importantly there is enough trunk space for multiple beer coolers. It is indeed a true tailgating 4-wheeled warrior. I would like to wish them thanks for their hospitality.
We only had time to stay for a drink or two and then it was off to the tailgate. While leaving the bar Ed made a derogatory remark about DC United to a DC United fan who was compelled to wear his Freddie Adu jersey instead of red, white, or blue. I got a good chuckle hearing this guy say to no one in particular “I could swear someone just said something about DC United in Spanish.” What a tool. So arriving in the parking lot Ed jumped on the roof to announce our arrival. In no time the flags were waving, the grill was going, and the beer was flowing. Minus the soccer police and the tailgate was one fine event. Between taking pictures with Captain America and SpiderMan I sat enjoying fine burgers and chicken. By the time the game started my throat was well primed with Ukrainian vodka (thanks D!) and ready to roar with my fellow supporters.
-Special to the NJB. Robb can be reached at: ALSO CHECK OUT:
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The day started off simple enough, a sunny Wednesday afternoon in which I would not have to report to work. Suffice it to say I was ready to start drinking at 9am, but first I would need to meet up with my buddy Jeff and purchase beer. After this was done we got to the designated meeting area setup by NJB only to learn they were running late. So with about an hour to kill we decided to browse the local CompUSA. Here we discovered an interesting Xbox game called “Lego StarWars”. Since it was available for demo we found ourselves playing it. It turned out to be quite humorous, especially after 3CP0 lost a leg and was jumping one-footed throughout the mission. Well the hour past quickly with the help of Lego StarWars and before we knew it the time had come to jump aboard the NJB meat wagon. After getting situated and hitting the open road with Rob at the helm it was time to crack open the cooler and sit back and enjoy the ride.
Upon arriving in Hartford we visited a local watering hole that was already over-pouring with supporters. My first move was to use the restroom. I was pointed towards a flight of stairs, which after I descended led me to a door. I opened the door. I was shocked. There in front of me sat Rob on a commode with pants around ankles and a concentrated look on his face. To the right of Rob was a wall divider and then a urinal. To the left of Rob was the sink. I had never before seen a smaller bathroom. Mind you the door had no lock, it was in fact a multi-person bathroom. Realizing this and my need to empty my bladder I proceeded to the urinal and took care of business. Upon washing hands and leaving I saw that a line had formed outside the restroom, and sure enough one person would enter, take a leak next to Rob, and then exit so the next person could enter. I’m guessing Rob made a lot of new friends that day.
The US attacked early and within minutes already had the 1-0 lead thanks to the goal by Brian McBride. Drew Carey got the crowd going by opening his wallet and sharing the joy of beer… meanwhile Drew’s hot girlfriend got D going as he screamed to get her attention. Once she batted an eyelash his way he nearly fell out of the stands. By the way, who was that white guy playing for T&T? Anyway, the score would hold as the US was unable to finish on any chances during the rest of the game and T&T was unable to convert period. At the end of the night the win felt good and we were ready for Mexico… bring on the stolen sombreros!
