Next Thursday, I will take my 8 year old twin boys to Giants-Pats game. I didn't push them to be Jets fans. And since most of their friends at school were Giants fans, they ended up being Giants fans. This will be their first game. I want to make it special for them. I don't want my dislike for Giants to ruin the day for my boys. How was your first football experience with your dad? What made it special for you and what can I do to make it more exciting for my boys. By the way I was able to secure goal line club tickets for 35 bucks and parking was 14 bucks.
I never went to any football games with my Dad, just some Met and Yankee games as a kid. My first football game ever was with girlfriend/wife-to-be/love of my life and we were heading back up to Syracuse after Thanksgiving break her senior year and my first year of law school. My future father-in-law (well, he didn't know it at that time) gave us his Jets tickets at Shea Stadium and we saw them play the Packers in an infamous game where Stan Blinka clotheslined John Jefferson. November 28, 1982. It was also bitter cold and he gave me a flask filled with Courvoisier. Love that man. For your guys, I'd eschew the Courvoisier but I'd think about doing a little tailgate. Not the grill and ice chest and bag toss game, but just go and get some really good deli sandwiches or White Castle or chicken parm heroes--something that isn't typical for you--and some sodas or Gatorades, bring a couple of lawn chairs and a small table and just have an impromptu picnic. Like "this is what men do--we park at the stadium and we eat manly food and drink manly drinks (for kids) and we listen to the pregame on the car radio". Get there early, then get into the stadium early and walk around and show them all the field angles--sidelines, corners, endzone. Just one guy talking. Oh, and do NOT buy them any Giants or Pats gear _
Stokes Awesome advice. Thanks. I will do the tailgating that's why I am bringing one of my friend who is experienced tailgater. A good idea to arrive there early and show the stadium etc. Unfortunately I already got them their jerseys. Manning and Cruz. I will be wearing my Jets t-shirt though. Thanks again.
Yeah, part of the game day experience is eating food at your parked car like men. It will start them on the right path. Unfortunate about those jerseys _
Better than I am, had one boy that wanted to be a Pats fan. I dropped him off at a rest area in South Dakota and came home & made another. This one turned out right, I do sometimes wonder what became of the abnormal one though...
Nothing better than creating father-son memories at football games. Good for you Brooklyn. I hope your kids have a blast. Stokes had good advice as far as the tailgating "like men" lol - - that is great father-son fun and will give them memories they will always cherish. Especially if you create some kind of tradition, no matter how silly or small it is i.e.... "We always have bacon cheeseburgers when we go to the football game with dad" I would also recommend getting there early too. The first time you go to a game, especially if you are a kid and not used to big events, it's awe-inspiring just how big the stadium is and how many people are there. Great to soak that in. Also maybe walking down to the first row along the edge so they can see how big the players are. Especially if you go to the Giants sideline they will love it and being a preseason game you should have plenty of time and room to catch a glimpse of their favorite guys.
You're a good father not to make them Jets fans. And hey, if the Jets ever actually win the big one, which is always doubtful, you can dance around them as they are crying while you scream "IN YOUR FACE, FOOL!!!!!" Btw, my first pro football experience with my dad was a cold day in 1981 watching the Jets drub the Packers 28-3 at Shea. It freaked me out that there were dugouts at a football game, I didn't remember seeing dugouts at a game on TV.
My first game was with my wife, daughter, & son. We went to Denver when the Jets were there on Thursday night, IIRC. We got Tebowed at the end. Some of the Denver fans were jerks but most were very nice. First & last game. I'm glad I did it once but I wouldn't do it again.
Jets vs Cardinals in 2004. Jets won 13-3 and back when the Cardinals played in Sun Devil Stadium. Sucks that the Jets haven't played the Cardinals in Arizona since though.
1972 season, game against the Saints, Namath and Archie Manning going up against each other but neither had a good game. Jets won with 6 field goals, 18-17. I remember every game after this one when I was young I would freeze my ass off, Shea was always so damn cold and with many of the years not being able to have any home games it pushed all the home games to the colder months. Good times.
1976, game 5 at Shea vs OJ & the Bills, Namath off the bench to lead the comeback for the first win of the season and the illustrious Lou Holtz era. Once the needle goes in, it never comes out.
Also, if the kids want a snack after the game, on the way home is a nice little family restaurant called Shakers. _
1999 or 2000. Have to look it up. First game was against the Colts, it was brutally hot, my wife was undergoing chemo at that time so we dressed in all white to try to keep cool but we still had to go under the stands every 20 mins or so because she wasn't feeling great. _
Stokes I know part owner of Shakers. I agree with you that it is extremely family friendly. I am sure kids will love it on around 8 years but for now, let me spare them the beauty of the boobs and ass.
Nope, it was 2001. Peyton and the Colts killed us. September 9, 2001. I remember it being so hot and so sunny and here we are in all white sweating to death and the Colts were in their cool all white unis and we were in those dark green jerseys that looked almost black on that hot hot field and I wrote a letter to Herm saying NEVER wear dark jerseys at home for a day game when it's blistering hot. Always take any advantage you can --where all white--and put the other team at a disadvantage by making THEM wear their dark jerseys. He never responded. _
'98 home game, upper decked it with my dad. we beat the Falcons 28-3. Don't remember much except watching both teams huddle together and pray after, something thy don't show on TV so never saw that before.
Going to the Jets vs Giants tmrw with my 3.5 year old boy! Hopefully enough pop corn and ice cream will brain wash him to be a Jets fan lol Need someone to share my yearly misery with
1984 vs the Colts..... in their "new" home My uncle got off the waiting list when they moved into the meadowlands Anyway, my Dad, Uncle, cousin and me..... in COLD NOVEMBER RAIN...... the game sucked, JETS lost 9-5 not 1 TD scored, and I was stoked just the same. That was my 1st hand introduction to JETS football Thanks guys I still have that GameDay
