Started off early with leaving home at around 6 am. Easy drive to Gardermoen International Airport, and leaving
Norway at around 10 am. Nice flight over the the US, and landing appr. around 2 pm at Newark International Airport in New
Jersey. Customs went very well, and under an hour later we were on our way to the traditional visit to MeiGray Group.
We bought a jersey and some pucks, before heading out to our other traditional visit. The Jersey Gardens Mall
Did some shopping, and prepared for the first game of our tour. The NBA pre-season game between the
New Jersey Nets and the Philadelphia 76'ers. The game was farily ok, but we left at half time, and prepared for tomorrows
AHL game between the Brigdeport Sound Tigers and the Portland Pirates.
The Drive to Brigdeport went well, and we arrived safe and sound at the Arena at Harbor Yard, appr 1 hour before game time. Bought some good tickets, and went on in to meet up with our good friend Andy Gardecki. Found our seats, and watched the warm up as Mr. Gardecki came smiling in with his Storhamar jersey he bought from the team auction last year. (The way we met up with Andy was kind of funny! Last spring when we were over, and watch an Bridgeport game, suddenly a Storhamar jersey showed up in the stands! 5000 miles from home!
So we had to go over and asked where he got it, and then it was done!)
So we had to do something, and Jon brought Andy an Team Norway jersey, and promised Andy if
he changed into that, Jon would be taken a picture of, together with him :) The result, you see above! Another funny story is the jersey
Andy bought was the #22 Brent Gavreau. Brent never played in the yellow alternate, so it was a game issue. But some research done, and
the name under the Gavreau nameplate is Gavey, Mr Aron Gavey. The man who fled after playing only 1 game for Storhamar, after he
said the Norwegian Hamar Mafia was out to get him :) The real story is that a drunk Storhamar fan went up to him at a
local bar, and just said that he was hoping Gavey would prove his money worth! Oh well, the Dangerours Hamar Mafia :)
So as the story continous... Who else is the captaion of todays visiting team from Portland... Yes, Mr. Gavey :) So I hope he heard some of our shouting to him! Another Norwegian friend, was Mr. Travis Brigley, who made his debut for the Sound Tigers this game. Brigley played all year for VIF Hockey in Norway, and we brought his jersey over, to get it signed for the team. Brigley scored Brigdeports lone goal, but the Pirates were much better and won the game 4-1!
The final note of the game was that Chris bought a Edmonton Road Runners Simon Ferguson on friday from MeiGray, and ofcourse
he showed up in Brigdeport :) Ferguson now plays for Portland, and did an good game tonight!
It's NFL time! And todays big matchup between the New York Giants
and the Denver Broncos. Game time was 4.15, and we made arragments with Barry Meisel from MeiGray that we would meet up before the game
and do some tailgating! Barry and his son Dave were nice to invite us the their parking space, and we brought som good
norwegian lamb chops, that Mr. Meisel indeed enjoyed :) We also tried som American hot dogs, and some American burgers. The burgers
were good, but sorry USA, your hot dogs suck! The can't compare at all to the Norwegian hot dogs! The best in the world :)
We did walk around the parking lot, and saw some enjoyable moments. As seen on one of the photos, 4 gentlemen were really
enjoying themeselv, with a good glass of wine! Also you see the little cottage on the first photo! It was great just walking around
the parking lot, seeing the fans having a great time before the game! The view also from the lot is great! You can see all the way
to Manhatten, and the Empire State Building is standing tall against us!
So then It's game time! I actually got stopped at the gate, when the security officer
refused to let med in with a back pack. Camera and video was ok, but no backpack! So I had to go all the way back to our car, so I
lost the first few minutes of the game. The Giants started off with the ball, but after only 3 plays, the Broncos took over. The Broncos
then advanced down the field, and scored a field goal to take a 3-0 lead. But New York struck back, and only 3 minutes later
Burress scored a touchdown after an beautiful pass from Eli Manning (Peyton Mannings younger brother).
Denver then again advanced down the field, but like last time only a field goal allowed by the Giants, so the Giants lead 7-6
after the 1st quarter. Denver continued to press New York, and it was just a mattter of time before the first touchdown
from the Broncos. And after 10 minutes the Broncos got the touchdown, and took the lead 13-6. An deserved lead. New York then
came a little back, when they scored a field goal late in the quarter, so Denver leads 13-10 after half time.
Denver continues to dominate and scores a touchdown after 2 minutes into the 3rd quarter.
Then the teams start to play good defense, and momenton shifts from the Giants to Broncos, and then the Giants again. One funny thing,
is all the fights in the stands.
Lot's of trouble all around the arena, and we actually thought there were no fighting in
American pro sports. But then again, this is nothing like the fightning in Europe, where 100's of people are fighting
eachother from time to time. The guy who sat next to us, said it was common, but some teams are worse than other, and it
was real fun to be there when the Eagles showed up, which was one of their biggest rivals. And ofcourse when the New
York Jets and the New York Giants played, the stadium would have som real tens moments :)
Broncos lead 20-10 after the 3rd quarter.
The 4th quarter would become one for the history books! According to Mr. Meisel, It was
one of the best quarters in years from the Giants point of view! So, the Broncos took an early field goal, to make it
23-10, and the game looks as it is finished. But I guess the Mannings never quit, and the Giants fought their way back!
4 minutes after the Broncos field goal, the Giants go another touchdown, and the score now was 23-17, and the Giants would actually win with another touchdown! The Broncos missed a field goal with only 5 minutes left, and then the Giants started a huge drive, which ended in a touchdown with onley 10 seconds left! Eli Manning throws a perfect pass to A.Toomer, and the stadium exlods, I mean IT EXPLODS!!! What a finish!!
So the Giants win the game 24-23, and are heading for a good season, the playoff berth is almost secured, and don't be surprised if the Giants are on of the teams playing in the Superbowl next year!