2008 Woodie Awards
Odyssey to Gillette as brilliant as game
Nick McCrea
Issue date: 12/13/07 Section: Maine Sports
This past Sunday, I was fortunate to take a little trip down to Foxboro, Mass., to witness the New England Patriots romp over the Pittsburg Steelers, running their perfect 12-0 record to a just-as-perfect 13-0.
The odyssey to Gillette Stadium, experiences there and near death experience on the way home were just as memorable as the game itself. Here is our story.
My roommate - a very sad Steelers fan - and I woke up early Sunday morning, pulled directions off MapQuest and bundled ourselves in three or four layers of thermal clothes. I had to break several promises to friends that I would go in blue, red and white body paint - I mean come on, finals are next week; I can't afford to get hypothermia. Then we hopped in her GMC pickup rather than my 1992 maroon Chevy Lumina - because, well, it's a 1992 Chevy Lumina that I'm a little afraid to take on a "road trip" to Bangor in its current state - and started our trek to Massachusetts.
The trip down was uneventful until MapQuest turned on us. MapQuest's directions from Orono to Foxboro read as follows: Take I-95 all the way down to Massachusetts, then "Merge onto US-1 S via Exit 9 toward Foxboro / Wrentham." It turns out that there is no I-95; it turns randomly into I-93 or I-90-something-or-other around Exit 17. Needless to say, we got horribly lost and ended up in a nice little community by the name of Milton. In order to get found again, we had to dig through the truck for a Massachusetts map, which got us back on track just as quickly as the wondrous online versions messed us up. Screw you, MapQuest.
After getting back on track, we had another 45-minute drive to get to Foxboro in bumper-to-bumper traffic. We had planned on tailgating for an hour or so before the game, but had to rush just to make it to the gates by the 4:15 p.m. game time thanks to the brilliant minds at MapQuest.
As we finally approached the gate, we realized that the men and women had to split up in order to get through - What? If someone can send me an e-mail explaining this I'd appreciate it, because it's beyond me. After waiting in the men's line for 15 minutes and a weapons and contraband search administered by some kid who was probably still in high school, I finally got to see the glory that is Gillette Stadium. Vendors everywhere, fireworks going off in all directions, drunken 300-pound men beating the crap out of one another before the game even started - it was wonderful.
The odyssey to Gillette Stadium, experiences there and near death experience on the way home were just as memorable as the game itself. Here is our story.
My roommate - a very sad Steelers fan - and I woke up early Sunday morning, pulled directions off MapQuest and bundled ourselves in three or four layers of thermal clothes. I had to break several promises to friends that I would go in blue, red and white body paint - I mean come on, finals are next week; I can't afford to get hypothermia. Then we hopped in her GMC pickup rather than my 1992 maroon Chevy Lumina - because, well, it's a 1992 Chevy Lumina that I'm a little afraid to take on a "road trip" to Bangor in its current state - and started our trek to Massachusetts.
The trip down was uneventful until MapQuest turned on us. MapQuest's directions from Orono to Foxboro read as follows: Take I-95 all the way down to Massachusetts, then "Merge onto US-1 S via Exit 9 toward Foxboro / Wrentham." It turns out that there is no I-95; it turns randomly into I-93 or I-90-something-or-other around Exit 17. Needless to say, we got horribly lost and ended up in a nice little community by the name of Milton. In order to get found again, we had to dig through the truck for a Massachusetts map, which got us back on track just as quickly as the wondrous online versions messed us up. Screw you, MapQuest.
After getting back on track, we had another 45-minute drive to get to Foxboro in bumper-to-bumper traffic. We had planned on tailgating for an hour or so before the game, but had to rush just to make it to the gates by the 4:15 p.m. game time thanks to the brilliant minds at MapQuest.
As we finally approached the gate, we realized that the men and women had to split up in order to get through - What? If someone can send me an e-mail explaining this I'd appreciate it, because it's beyond me. After waiting in the men's line for 15 minutes and a weapons and contraband search administered by some kid who was probably still in high school, I finally got to see the glory that is Gillette Stadium. Vendors everywhere, fireworks going off in all directions, drunken 300-pound men beating the crap out of one another before the game even started - it was wonderful.
Be the first to comment on this story