This will (hopefully) be the first annual Craig’s Corner Tailgater of the Year award presentation, which will be announced at the last home tailgate of the season.

All you need to do is bring your best food and atmosphere which will then be judged by myself and others (aka the ’secret panel’). This will happen every tailgate this season at Gillette, and I will be keeping a collection of notes and results.

I will come up with some sort of prize or trophy, so you will actually win something other than bragging rights. That’s it. So stay tuned to this column, and get to it!

: : : UPDATE : : :

I will try my best to get to everyone in who wants to be entered, but it may be better/easier to come find my car at the tailgate where myself and my panel of judges can rate your dish.

consider this weekend a dry run, as hopefully I will be able to work out a more formal plan. I am also thinking of having categories like “Best Overall Food” and “Best Tailgate Atmosphere”. Feel free to add to this. All ideas, thoughts, and comments can be sent to my bigsoccer inbox, my personal email, or my comments page here.

Now I have traveled to this gloomy destination as many times as my young life would allow, and each time it has fit its bill tremendously. Overcast skies, cold rain, and dumpster aroma, all contribute to this aura of awesomeness. And by awesomeness, I mean complete dump. Lets face it, Giants Stadium got its nickname because it was literally placed in the middle of the Jersey swamplands. Even the infamous Addams Family refused real estate there.

OK, I will save you sanity and get to what you want to hear.

The Revs finally get to host a match for MLS action, slated for Saturday night against a struggling FC Dallas club. This means the Midnight Riders get to host their first tailgating extravaganza. All we need is a little bit of cooperative weath… well, we cant have everything can we. Like many a time before, this season opener invites more to the game than players, coaches, and fans. Fortunately for you, I have the recipe for success in order for you and your team to have a great tailgate this weekend. At the end I will give you a recommendation of what to go for this weekend. Here’s tailgating 101:

The Actual Tailgate

Not to be nitpicky, but this is kind of important to the whole tailgating experience. You need a home base, headquarters, a temple to start the whole experience. Most of you have this part down pat, so we wont cover any more basics, like having a good, crisp sound system, fold down rear-seats, a hatch (whether it be a SUV or coupe or hatchback), and room for a cooler and grill. Basically, make whatever you have work for you.

The Grill(e)

This is where choices reach the headache level. Do you choose charcoal or propane? Do you want to spend little or do you want to splurge? How long of a cleanup do you want? All these should be questions you ask yourself when it comes to tailgating. Now anyone who is a fan of food will tell you a charcoal grill with Kingston charcoal is a hands-down no brainer. People like myself can take a little bit of sacrifice for effectiveness and choose propane which gets a sure light every time. Some, especially nowadays, are going green and using electric. Others go for whatever they can afford. Only you can prevent tailgate failure.

The Food (and Beer)

Again, this is all on personal preference for you, so do you want a meal or snacks? How about some game meats? Rather dive into something sweet? Want to drink for taste or for fun? You can’t go wrong with your typical hamburgers/hot dogs, bag of chips, and a cold brew of choice.

The Recommendation

Here’s what I am aiming for this weekend:

Tailgate: My 2007 Scion tC. The hatchback works great, especially with my folding split rear seats. I also have some stash space beside the spare in the back. I also have an input for my iPod, so i can plug that directly into my cars speakers. Space for a cooler (or 2), my game of oakie, and a grill.

Grill: I am actually going to buy one Friday night after work. I’m leaning towards propane because the mess is minimal, the start is guaranteed, and its just easier (for me at least). Strong brands include Coleman and Weber.

Food: I am making special turkey burgers, of which I mentioned in my last post. Ground turkey (93% lean), chopped onion, chopped peppers, Goya’s Adobe spice, and Kraft’s honey bbq sauce. Get the peppers and onions chopped as small as you can without pureeing it. It’s important to keep the mixture as dry as possible. Simply take your chopped veggies and pound them into the meat, working in your spices (a little salt and pepper works too). Slowly add in a tablespoon of the bbq sauce and work it into a patty. Grill as you would any normal burger. The bbq sauce will actually help hold the burger together, as it will sear a tiny little bit. If you put too much, it will resemble more a sloppy joe than a burger. I prefer bulkie rolls over buns, and always add a slice of white American cheese. Thats it! I will be washing it down with some variety of Sam Adams, and chowing down on a side of chips or something. I’m getting hungry so I need to stop this. . .

I hope you all have the brain capacity to take what was thrown at you in this post. If you must, read it twice or even three times. As always, leave a comment or send me your idea for a recipe or tailgating game (which I opted out of this week) to fierogt20@yahoo.com. See you in the lot!

Do you smell what I smell? Do you see what I see?

That chicken breast is juicy and plump, dressed in the fabulous gown known as Italian spices and garlic herbs that have been soaked in lemon juices ready to be taken off by your palette that has been watering for almost half a year.

Those steak tips have been marinating in the fridge for a while now, and you cant wait to throw them into the crock-pot where they will absorb even the tiniest amounts of carrot, potato, pepper, and broth.

This season, the Revolution will be starting with the same recipe for success. Head coach Steve Nichol will be stewing his players trying to get the best variety, as well as surprising results, from his best and newest players. Assistant coach Paul Mariner declined the position of head chef to focus on the preparation of each ingredient on the roster and to ensure the success of each recipe concocted for the season. The same can be said for each chef in the parking lot of not only the Midnight Riders, but all of Gillette Stadium.

New recipes will be designed. New games will be unveiled. New friends will be made. New bonds will be erected. OK so maybe that last one could use a little work, but you get the drift.

The upcoming season means two things: A new champion will be crowned, and a new player will be idolized.

In our case, that new champion could be the lemon chicken that i described earlier, of our new player could be the simplest ingredient.

I plan to unveil the meanest, healthiest (for what its worth), tastiest burger you have ever dreamt of. Well, maybe all of you bacon burger lovers who have a craving for heart attacks will be disappointed, but at least in this case your heart will thank you. This way, your tongue will be satisfied, along with your belly, and you have the most awesome option available for it - beer.

When I perfect this beautifully manifested phenomenon, I will post it right here. But to keep you entertained and possibly interested with the element of suspense, I will tell you right here that it involves shredded cheese, onions, peppers, and yes - turkey. Please don’t be alarmed, as turkey is the most common substitute for meat this side of the Prime Meridian. I might have given it away, but it is only for your good, and also my ratings.

Until the first home game on April 4th, enjoy these last few weeks of winter (haha, yeah right… good riddance snow!). Be sure to light up those grills and uncork those beverages, and seat yourself for the away viewing of the Revs season opener at San Jose this Saturday at 10:30pm (est) at your residence or bar of choice, if not only to practice for this upcoming season, but to ready yourself for the journey that shall be known as 2009.

: : : Beer of the Month : : :

Samuel Smith Taddy Porter (England)

I recently tried this beer while out with a friend at the Union Brew House in Weymouth, MA. Now I have visited the UBH before, and have not once been disappointed with their selection of beers. I currently own their 99 Club Card, which includes 99 different beers that you check off one at a time as you drink them. If you manage to keep and clear your card of all brews, you get a plaque with your name and phrase of choice. Now my favorite part isn’t the small, ornate atmosphere or the exquisite knowledge of their bartending staff. My favorite part is simply the power they give you. The power of choice.

Now for the Taddy, is it simply England in a bottle. Now I have never been to England, but I know people who have, and they tell me that there is this aura, this ambience that can only be duplicated in two things - football (soccer) and lager (beer). Open and clean your nasal passages, close your eyes, imagine the Beatles, the Thames, and Big Ben. It goes down smooth, but has this certain bite to it. As my friend Ryan put it - the difference between the Taddy and other porters is that the Sam Smith has drinkibility. Now we all know that Bud Light uses that as their tagline, so we would like to set the record straight - Bud Light’s drinkibility is because it has a higher concentration of water, while the Taddy’s drinkability is due to its complex mixture and balance between its malts and hops, which can only be rivaled by the most perfectly brewed Samuel Adams beers of Boston.

Now this should make sense to you, considering that the British founded this country and that Boston was one of the original cities/colonies of this country. Therefore confirming the similatiries between the two beverages.

Be sure to open your mind, and your pallette, to the options and adventures that await you in whatever part of the globe you travel, whether it be in the hills of Peru or the bar in your hometown. There is always another person somewhere who will never be able to take in what you have, in that specific location, so be sure to embrace what you can, while you can. This is 2009.

Craig’s Corner can be reached at fierogt20@yahoo.com

All in all, you have to look at it as a positive campaign, even thought the ultimate goal was not reached. The loss of players a certain times in the year seemed to have just enough impact to erase the Revs hopes of reaching the MLS Cup for an unprecidented fourth straight year. Fortunately, the tailgating season does not stop there as you can easily replace the pain of seeing both Columbus and New York in the finals (two Eastern Conference teams… wtf?) with the warmth of burgers and steak tips straight from your grill in the backyard. Yes, even if it is covered in snow. Charcoal (and propane) still works in the middle of winter as long as you have watched enough episodes of Man Vs. Wild, where Bear Grylls will tell you how to make due with everything you’ve got.

After all is said and done, you should be satisfied with what you are able to do no matter the conditions outside your living arrangements. Snow, sleet, even rain, cant stop the most die-hard of grilling champions. Some recipes will be talked about for centuries, such as the meat log.

So whatever path you choose to take this offseason, make to remember this one thing, if not anything; Next season will come sooner than you think, and there will be more teams to compete with for that coveted, redesigned prize known as MLS Cup.  So until the newly formed Seattle Sounders take on the MLS Cup Runners-Up New York Red Bulls, be sure to cook that meat and load that sh#t with spices!!!

That being said, I have decided to turn this week’s blog into…

Tailgating: SuperLiga Style

Sunday 7/13 vs Santos Laguna: A

Oh man. A late game start is the first ingredient to an absolutely glorious tailgate. The second is weather. Now if you have been reading my posts vigorously, you know how much I have been complaining about the lack of cooperation from Mother Nature for our pre-game festivities. Not on Sunday though. The sun was shining, the wind was calm, not a cloud in the sky. Beer was plentiful, food was exquisite, and music was pumpin. Everybody was excited for the Revs inaugural SuperLiga match at home. Great stuff all around, including the Santos fans who joined in a little “Wipeout” after the game to celebrate the good times.

Wednesday 7/16 vs Pachuca FC: n/a

And of course a tailgate review wouldn’t be complete without another mid-week game. Seriously, what the fuck. Another mid-week game? Gimme a friggen break. I understand that this is a special tournament, and time and scheduling come into conflict with both the league and the Open Cup, but I just can’t stand these times. Either I miss the match, get in late for the match, or take time off from work to make the match. If you have no problems making these games, consider yourself fortunate that live and work close to Gillette, or you don’t have to work normal hours. Because thats the only way your making it for the entire tailgate.

Either way I made it solo for about 30 minutes before the game and everyone seemed to be packing it up and heading inside for the start. However, with that said, it did seem like the tailgate was pushing the B- range on the grade scale. So thats alright. Good job Riders.

Corner Kick of the Week: Soccer Resort Tournament (Lexington, MA)

Fresh out of ideas due to you not emailing me with questions (or just lazy to think of one to put here), this week I am here to plug a tournament I will be playing in this weekend. It is also relative because the winners of each division are receiving complimentary tickets to a Revolution game later this year. I am hoping after my team wins they have some sort of celebratory thing on the field so we can get recognized for our mad soccer playing skills. Either way, we get free beer at the after party sponsored by Carlsberg. So think about it - if we win, we get free beer and a trophy. If we lose, we get free beer and more free beer. Its a lovely win-win situation. So if you have nothing better to do, come watch me and my team (Maniacs I believe, not sure if it has changed) put on a smoke show known as soccer.

Well drop a line at the address below. Peace out cub scouts. And go fuck yourselves TeamOps.

Craig’s Corner writer Fiero can be reached at fierogt20@yahoo.com

Last night’s match against an upstart Toronto side had fans coming from each side of the border, which led to an incredible tailgate. No surprise though, there always has to be something that doesn’t quite push the tailgate into that “A” range. At least this time it was something that nobody can control - the weather.

Almost all the tailgates that we’ve had this year include some sort of lame weather. Cloudy. Rainy. Cold. All the above. And the ones that did have nice weather were the games that the scheduling geniuses placed in the midweek; a.k.a. no time to enjoy it. Last nights weather was no different, as the fans enjoyed their time in the 66° air. Ok maybe not so much enjoyed, but put up with it and made the best out of it. With that said, let’s get right to the meat and potato(e)s.

Last Game’s Tailgate: B+

Really good tailgate. There is really no other way to put it. Food was great, people were great. No complaints from me. Aside from there being no sunlight for the duration, everything ended up working out alright. I enjoyed my time with the usual crew, with my car pumping the party mix from the ipod. We whipped out the oakie and played a few rounds. We enjoyed new brews thanks to Luke’s Liquors in Rockland. I must say that Monty Python’s Holy Grale probably has the greatest name in the history of beer. But for the topic of this weeks blog/article I went and spoke with the man who made ladder golf famous at the Riders Tailgate, Rorvis!

Corner Kick of the Week: Ladder Golf

ladder golf

When I first told Rory I would be highlighting his game this week, he was ecstatic. So I asked him to send over the rules and such and received this really long piece on how its made and scoring. So this is my attempt to shorten up said game.

How to play, score, make, and do anything else regarding the game.

So there ya have it! Honestly though, its a really great game and the best part is that his is made out of the piping, which he says is much easier for transporting it to and from the tailgate. Another great aspect is that you can make so many friends just by walking over and saying “hey, what is this?” and next thing you know, you’re tossing the bolos like a champ.

Well thats all for this week. Like I said numerous times, the more you get involved the more I can do. Cmon folks lets get a Q&A going! it will be fun! Later gators!

GO REVS!

There were no emails in my inbox regarding my column.

Now this means one of two things. Either you have a huge lack in ideas, or you’re not reading. Now most of you are intelligent individuals, so I am going to go with the lack of reading. So… TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS BLOG!!!!

Seriously, this is written for you – the fans. I am here to help the rookie fan or the seasoned veteran with their tailgate experience. Whether it be adding some ideas with activities, or subtracting things that may enhance (the whole addition by subtraction notion,) the tailgating aura, I am here to help. Consider me something like the Dr. Phil of tailgating. I can mediate your tailgating sessions. Maybe I am more like Radio Shack - you’ve got questions, I’ve got answers. The success of this column/blog is highly based on your participation. If you can send an email, I can add a Q&A, or a recipe of the month, or a game of the month (like the one from last week’s entry).

With that out of the way, let’s get to the next item on the agenda…

Last weeks tailgate: N/A

I didn’t go. After what the Riders in the Fort went through with the front office only a week before, along with the fact that gas is well over $4.00/gal, added with my work schedule (I don’t leave until 7), all on top of the fact that I would be fighting traffic on a Friday night at the peak of rush hour, I am proud to say that I made it home well in time to plop myself in a highly comfortable seat with a lager in hand ready to watch the Revs take the lead on FC Dallas. OK so I missed Christman’s 5th minute tally, but nobody needs to know that. Either way I read a lot of people’s opinions on the match and how things went, and I am pleased with my decision. I hope you were all as equally satisfied.

Next up is this weeks topic, and a lovely one at that - drinks!

You know the type. Samuel Adams. Red Stripe. Guinness. Killian’s. Stella Artios. Harpoon. Yeungling. Blue Moon. Bud Light. Corona Extra. Smirnoff. Skyy. 99 Bananas. Jose Cuervo. The list can go on and on. I personally have never seen so many (nor tasted as many) beers as I have since joining the Midnight Riders. Last year alone on an away trip to Denver, Colorado, we visited the lovely Falling Rock Tap House who had over 50 different brews on tap.

My personal favorites are as follows (with season; and notes in parenthesis):

• Samuel Adams Summer Ale (summer; at tailgates and bars)
• Samuel Adams Winter Ale (late fall, winter; parties and gatherings)
• Guinness Stout (year-round; during meals, excellent with heavier foods)
• Red Stripe (summer; parties, tailgates, bars, while on vacation in the tropics!)
• Coors Light (year round; when you are poor, when there are no other alternatives)
• Jack Daniels and Cola (summer/winter; when beer just wont do it and you need something crisp)
• Bombay Sapphire and Sprite (year round; helps reduce the chance of a hangover)
  • Honestly, I usually drink 2 of these after a night of high consumption (whether it be beer or liquor, it doesn’t matter). And the next day I have never woken up with a hangover. I am guessing it is because of the mint and gin from the Bombay and the sugar from the Sprite, but I didn’t pay that much attention in chemistry class.

Now keep in mind I love many more brews, but these are some that come straight to mind, as I drink them often (including the Sam Summer, which I am enjoying as I write this).

So ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please drop me a line with your favorite brews, your games, your recipes, or just anything regarding this column, I will be glad to answer any and all questions in a brand new Q&A section (assuming I get questions of course). Please, even if its hate mail I will respond. For the love of Jèsus just write me anything. Email is at the end. Peace out cub scouts!

Go Revs!

Craig’s Corner writer Fiero can be reached at fierogt20@yahoo.com

]]> http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/2008/06/14/whats-happening/feed/ http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/2008/06/05/the-second-time-around/ http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/2008/06/05/the-second-time-around/#comments Fri, 06 Jun 2008 03:48:37 +0000 Fiero http://midnightriders.com/blogs/pion/?p=8 Well here goes number 2.

We’ll start by grading the last tailgate: D+

Honestly, midweek games are probably the worst time to have a game, so knowing my (or the Riders) luck, we have 5 this year. Sigh. With the game time slated for 7:30 in Foxboro, I knowingly took a half day from work just to be able to enjoy the full tailgate time, which starts at 5:30, allowing for delays in traffic. I mean seriously, we live in (or around) Boston, so we know how terrible traffic is and can be.

Long story short I ended up leaving work late and getting stuck in traffic the entire way; not only to my place, but from my place to the stadium. To put things in perspective, it should only have taken an hour from work to home to Gillette.

After arriving at 7:00, most people were already inside staging the protest, which is now notorious within the Rider population. Luckily I had a few friends who were willing hang out, down some road sodas, and grab a quick bite to eat before we headed in. The reason for the higher-than-’F’ grading is due to the fact that we got to tailgate after the come-from-behind 2-2 draw. The limited time and the lack of action at the tailgate before the game is what led to the D+.

During the postgame tailgate, we played oakie (I am sure you all have seen or asked about it, so be sure to look below for how it works) drank some beverages, ate more food, listened to some good tunes, and dealt with drunk newbies. So all was not lost. The midweek tailgate continues this Friday (tomorrow) as the lots open around 4:30 for the 6:30 NE-FCD kickoff followed by the Brazil-Venezuela match at 8. Now you can look at this two ways: Tailgate before and after the New England match, with extra long post-game tailgating thanks to the international tilt; or, tailgate normally before and after both games. It looks like a win-win situation to me. Now because I am part of the working class, I will be unable to attend tomorrow nights events. So please, someone grade the tailgate for me. An A+ would be = if the lot was full, grills and music are by every car, people are enjoying themselves with songs, dances, rituals, etc., food is awesome, games are played, and colors are uniform (aka BLUE!!!!). An F would obviously be the opposite. So whoever would be willing to pick up on that and add some notes, feel free to email me at fierogt20@yahoo.com with the results.

CORNER KICK OF THE WEEK:

This week’s kick is a game - Oakie (a.k.a. - Washers, Urban Horseshoes)

This game is played in a variety of ways, but this is what you have all seen in the Riders lot:

What you need: 2′x2′ squares of 1/2″ or 5/8″ plywood (sold at Home Depot pre-cut) (qty - 2); 1″x4″x2′ (qty - 2); 2×2 outdoor carpeting (qty - 2); super glue or all-purpose heavy duty glue (for fabric and wood use); utility knife, drill with hole-saw adapter (1 1/2″); and 6 big washers (I believe 1 1/2″, they were the biggest I could find at the store); 10 drywall (or outdoor) screws; and 2 handles (either door or drawer, but make sure they’re at least 3″ long, you will use this to carry the boards); utility knife

How to do it:

1. find the center of the 2×2′ and drill a hole using the appropriate sized hole-saw (slightly larger than the washers we found)
2. Drill 5 taps into the top of the 2×2 into the 1×4 evenly spaced with one in the center
3. Attach the 2×2 to the 1×4, with the 1×4 standing up tall
4. Attach the carpet to the 2×2 boards using the glue, and allow it to dry according to the glue instructions.
5. Cut the hole in the center of the carpet using a utility knife.
6. Screw the handles into the ends of the 1×4.

End results should be something like this:

Enjoy!

Play 1v1 or 2v2. Player tosses 3 washers at a time, then opposing player throws their 3. Each washer on is 1 point. In the hole is 3 points. No bouncing onto the board. Washers can get knocked into the hole and off the board and counts as such. Scoring is canceled scoring. If Red throws 3 on, and Blue only gets 2 on, Red gets one point. Red throws 1 in, and 2 on while Blue throws 2 in and 1 on, Blue gets 2 points (2 in = 6 pts. 1 on = 1pt). Game can go to either 11 or 21.

And remember, if you have any ideas for a segment, or if you have a game or recipe you would like to submit, drop me a line at fierogt20@yahoo.com.

GO REVS!

I will be writing about what some would say is the most important part of a match day, the tailgate.

Thats right, the tailgate. Not the ball, not the players, not the hype of the match or the rivalry created between two clubs (or in some cases supporters clubs). I will be talking about the beer, the food, the games, the atmosphere, the people to know (or in some cases, not to know), the happenings, and whatever else I can fit into this piece. Oh, and definitely photos.

Most of the posts will be following similar guidelines with some twists and turns along the way. I might do a personal diary of match day, just to give you all a taste of what I do for each game. I might give you some recipes from the greatest chefs the Riders tailgate has to offer. I will give you some great games to play while awaiting kickoff. I will tell you of the most popular brews along with the most tasteful. So much, so be sure to visit each week.

We will start easy this first week; music. The soul of every tailgate. You got your car in position, and the first thing most people do is start unpacking the grill and cooler. Ah, but in complete silence? Of course not! You have your 6-disc CD player, your cassette deck, your radio, your ipod, or your classic boombox with batteries. I just bought a 2007 Scion tC before the season started, so I have a choice between a cd, or my ipod which connects to an auxiliary port inside my center console. To do this I use a more complicated version of this http://www.hdaccessory.com/catalog/35mm6_thumb.jpg. But hey, if you still only have that cassette deck, there’s still hope. Go grab a cassette adapter, its only about $10 and they’re available almost anywhere where audio accessories are sold. http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/images/products/iPodCassetteAdapter.jpg

Generally I choose the iPod simply because of the larger amount and variety of tunes, along with the ability to find a song much quicker than on a cd (especially those mix discs where nothing is labeled so you don’t know what the hell is on there!).

I usually will choose my soccer mix, which include everything soccer related like the FIFA anthem, songs from EA Sports FIFA games, and Clint Dempsey’s “Don’t Tread”. If I am in an all-out party mode, mainstream artists Kanye West, Linkin Park, T.I., Foo Fighters, Ludacris, U2, and some lesser known artists like Jurassic 5 and Flobots will take center stage.

And all this even before the food is cooked.

Go Revs!