Not that you need me to remind you of the litany of proofs, but I need to get this off my chest.

Firstly, the BCS.   Really, this is like shooting fish in barrel, but here goes anyway.  It starts with the refusal to have a playoff for the national championship, instead the BCS would rather have a group of figure skating judges and computers determine the 2 best teams in the country and then wait five weeks to play the game.  One of my favourite arguments against having a playoff that they use is that ‘we don’t want to interfere with exams in December’.  So let me get this straight. There is no time for a playoff because the students study for five weeks for their exams?  I think not. If that where the case, then why do they start playing Bowl games on the 19th of December?  The solution isn’t rocket science; just start a playoff on the same day the bowl games begin. Start with eight teams and play two playoff weeks and then a championship game. Now how hard was that?

TICKETS:

Stubbhub or ebay is probably the best route and depending on who is playing tickets will fluctuate.

PARKING:

I didn’t park around the stadium b/c it costs $15-20. If you drive to downtown after 5:00 PM, parking is typically $5.00 so if you don’t mind walking just a tiny bit, save the $$$

CONCESSIONS:

If you are visiting Pittsburgh you have to stop at Primantis inside the CEC! Other interesting fare includes kielbasa grinders, we were surprised had arena had higher end food and things like Caesar Salads

There is a place on the second concourse called The Smokehouse that seems very nice.  Here one can get a brisket sandwich, a BBQ pork or chicken sandwich and kielbasa.  They actually have a person carving the meat right there.

WHERE TO EAT NEARBY:

Seviche:  930 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh www.seviche.com Many visit here several times per year and am rarely disappointed in the fabulous presentation and service. I recommend the chef’s tasting menu to get the full experience, and always a pitcher of sangria.

COMMENTS

We loved this place. The chorizo-wrapped scallops and the filet mignon are worth a try. Fun atmosphere and great service.

The food here is outstanding. I have had ceviche in a number of countries and cities and this is by far the best. Definitely worth a visit if you are in town.

SPORTSBAR:

Tailgaters Sportsbar & Grill  1420 Centre Avenue  washingtonplaza.com… The food was great. The food menu had a great selection to choose from. I ordered the breaded buffalo chicken sandwich with fries and it was…..great!!

COMMENTS

Tucked away in the corner of Washington Plaza, yep that’s the giant white building with the big red “W” on it, right above the new Consol Energy Center is…….. Tailgaters…….our newest find…

WHERE TO STAY:

Marriot Pittsburgh City Center 112 Washington Place,  www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/p…

COMMNENTS

I have stayed here before but had the chance to spend another night this week and found the room very clean, the staff very courteous and helpful, the view spectacular, and the stay rewarding. The name of the hotel may be misleading since the only thing really near is the hockey arena, and perhaps Duquesne University, but there is a hotel shuttle which will take you wherever you want. If you want to be near quaint shops, stay at the Sheraton at Station Square. If you want to be in the center of the city, stay at the Omni William Penn. But if you can get a comparable price and want a quiet, comfortable place with a fine restaurant and a good track record, I recommend this place.

Keep yourselevs tuned into our website for more info!!!

TICKETS:

One of the more difficult, if not the most difficult ticket to obtain in baseball.  At $52 a pop, the infield grandstand seats are one the better bargains in the game, given the proximity to the field.

Ebay is another potential option to purchasing Red Sox tickets.  Expect to pay 25% more than face value for weekday games (except Yankees), and at least 50% more for weekend games.  You can expect to pay triple face value for Yankee games.

PARKING:

If you miss the meters, just east of Evans Way is Wentworth Tech and there is parking on the south side of the Campus that will run about $15, probably the cheapest you’ll find.  15 minute walk to Fenway.

CONCESSIONS:

Fenway – Legal’s Clam Chowder – Not exactly ballpark fare, but one of the more appetizing items on the menu that won’t guarantee a trip to Walgreens. If you didn’t manage to fill up before coming in, the Premio’s Italian Sausage is worthy contender to anything offered around Fenway, but your pockebook will feel a little lighter. As for Fenway Franks – Don’t bother unless its just to say you tried them.

EATS NEAR THE PARK:

The Best Sandwich in Boston? Ask Sam Lagassa, 44 Province Street Boston, samlagrassas.com he makes 1300 sandwiches a day. How does pastrami and clam chowder sound?

COMMENTS:

All the other reviewers are spot on. The sandwiches are amazing and you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. All the employees seem to have been there forever and they are all business which makes the long line move quickly but it is worth whatever wait you might have… As some other people have alluded to, it can be pricey for just a sandwich but it is worth it from time to time. Be warned, they are only open from for lunch Monday through Friday.

This place was great. We found it on the diner, drivin’s and dives website and we were very impressed huge sandwiches and if we weren’t only here for a few days we would be going back HIGHLY recommended

Mr. Bartley’s Burgers, the king of Harvard SQ.  1246 Massachusetts Ave.Cambridge  mrbartley.com Wow, one burger here and you understand the real reason kids wanna go to Harvard.

COMMENTS:

I have been eating burgers at Bartley’s since I was a college student many years ago, and hope to do so for many more. The taste is completely dependable– freshly ground beef makes a huge difference– and prices have gone up very little, especially considering how expensive everything else in Harvard Square has become. This is also the only burger joint in the galaxy where the cooks really understand the difference between rare, medium-rare, and medium. But make sure to order your burger from the blackboard– much cheaper than the fancier versions on the menu– and expect a lot of noise when the place is crowded.

If there would be a heaven for burgers, that would have been this one!

Mr. Bartley’s is one of Boston’s landmarks since 1960. Located in Cambridge, right in front of Harvard campus, it is well known for its seven ounces of choice beef burgers.?Bartely’s siblings, Joe and Joan, took over a small store facing Harvard yard with a simple plan in mind: perfect the quintessential American sandwich, commonly the so called hamburger.?Handmade burgers are served with a choice of French fries or fried onion rings. Burgers’ names reflect the choice of collecting and serving a real American taste with food, that is why it will be easy to read on the menu names reminding of the American culture, such as the people’s republic of Cambridge, the Tom Brady, the Republican, the Democrat, the Ted Kennedy or the Bill Clinton… Simply and tasty frappes or lime Rickey’s can accompany your meal.

SPORTS BARS :

The Cask ‘n Flagon – It’s an institution around these parts.  We hope you are going to the game, but in case you are left without tickets, this might be the second best place to be.  With wall to wall TVs, free wifi (although I’m not sure why you would have your laptop with you), a good menu (make sure you try the Fighting Irish Sweet Potato fries), and voted the #2 baseball bar in the nation by ESPN, there are more than a few reasons to land here.  Not to mention it’s about 25 feet from the entrance to Fenway.

COMMENTS:

I was a little skeptical of anything that ESPN callsthe #1 baseball bar in America. However, they nailed this one. It is within spitting distance of Fenway Park and the gameday atmosphere was incredible. The place was full of baseball fans young and old and they have tons of TV’s with nothing but sports. No Oprah or Fox News. Very good beer selection on tap and in bottles, excellent food, and great service.

WHERE TO STAY:

Crown Plaza Newton/Boston -320 Washington Street Newton,www.crowneplaza.com Located on the edge of Boston proper, this hotel is pretty much a bargain if you aren’t a light sleeper.  That’s because this building was literally built right on top of the Mass turnpike.  Just an extra set of earplugs and you should be alright.

Howard Johnson Fenway – 1271 Boylston Street Boston  www.howardjohnsonboston.com There is no such thing as a cheap hotel in Boston, but this is about as cheap as it’s going to get.  And if the equation for you is location,location,location, and you don’t mind a tired and basic hotel, than this is the one for you.  Rooms can be had for

]]> http://sportsruckus.net/2012/01/have-you-seen-a-green-monster/feed/ 0 http://sportsruckus.net/2012/01/buffalo-sports-trip-absoutlely/ http://sportsruckus.net/2012/01/buffalo-sports-trip-absoutlely/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:21:32 +0000 sandro http://sportsruckus.net/?p=989 Why go to Buffalo for a road trip….first, it is a great sports town with  a real fan atmosphere at their venues. This time of the year the Sabre fans are rocking and the tickets are reasonable. Here are some tips and links for you to use in planning your trip and remember, you may get a bonus snow storm to extend your visit and miss a day of work !

TICKETS :

Keep your eyes on ebay.  Recently sighted several pairs at considerably less than cost.  In fact, one pair at lower centre ice sold for half of face value.

CONCESSIONS :

Actually above average options, the focus is on local flavor. Wings, Beef on a Weck, Fried Bologna and Onions.Try the ‘Pour Man’s Aud Club’ station, behind section 111, for the best experience. Plus you can grab an ice cream or Sundae for dessert.

EATING AROUND THE ARENA:

Blackthorn Rest/Pub -2134 Seneca St. blackthornrestaurant.com Great portions, great flavor! Try the buffalo standard Beef on a weck (a kimmelweck roll, a funky bun with a caraway top). Or the Big Guy special a massive sandwich that you’ll have knife and fork it.

Comments:

“Beer and cheddar soup was to die for. So were the prices. Very reasonable. Stuffed peppers were awesome as well. Great service too. If you want to be boring, go to denny’s, if you want to discover something new, come here. “

“We love watching Diners, Drive ins and Dives on The Food Network and wanted to try a place in Buffalo, NY. Blackthorn came highly recommended.

My husband ordered the Triple D. He loved it. The beer chedder soup was very rich in flavor! The portion was perfect for lunch!?I order the Chicken Quesadillas, they were amazing! Spicy, full of flavor.?The service was great, really nice people. The restaurant has a lot of character. It was a really nice meal! Would definately go back.”

Pearl Street Grill – 320 Pearl st  thecenturygrill.com This for a pre-game meal. They have a $15 all-you-can-eat pre-game buffet. Wings, Pizza, Weck, Pasta and more. Too, they also brew their own beer.

Comments:

Having eaten there several times we decided to have our son and daughter-in-laws wedding reception held here. What a great experience for our families, our guests and ourselves! The food was great as usual (if you eat here you must try their Pot Roast) and the staff was spot-on with its service.

I just love Pearl Street. The brews are fantastic! They even serve beer in large tubes with a spicket so that your party can share and drink up. The food is always good and the prices are very reasonable. Pearl Street is located in the heart of downtown in a building built in th 1800s. It features several floors with a bar on each floor. They also feature an outdoor patio on the second floor. During the summer it offers a beautiful view of the sunset. A definite must stop place to eat and drink when in Buffalo.

SPORTS BARS TO WATCH BEFORE OR AFTER GAME:

The Anchor Bar 1047 Main st anchorbar.com This is an institution around these parts and is well worth a visit as the locale that started America’s love affair with Buffalo Wings.  The wings are huge and and there may be a wait, but what’s a trip to Buffalo without at least one visit to this place.  P.S.  The Pizza is pretty good too.  P.S.S.  Be prepared for long waits at times.  P.S.S.S. Unless you are sitting at the bar – there are no TVs.

Comments:

This restaurant is known world wide as the original and best chicken wings. The pizza is also to die for. Although it is a thin crust it still has the integrity and chewiness of thicker crust. The smell of the crust is as fresh as can be. We like to have green and black olives on ours it really compliments the hot wings. We love this place and make it an annual trek!

Waited 10 years to get there for the wings and was not let down. Worth the trip despite Buffalo’s desolate feeling. The one and only original needs to be experienced.

Duffs Famous Wings at 3651 Sheridn dr originally opened in Amherst and has been serving wings since 1969.  It has become so popular that folks north of the border opened it’s doors to a Duffs in Toronto in 1985.  I guess Toronto gets Duffs and Buffalo gets Tim Hortons.  Seems like a fair trade.

Comments:

My wife’s family is from Buffalo, and when they want wings – they go to Duff’s. I recently visited Buffalo with my son’s 20 player hockey team for a tournament. We (including parents) went to Duffs and ordered a variety of wings – from the mild to the classic to the hottest. Service was great – they managed to get all of us sat and fed quickly. And the wings were as terrific as I am used to getting there. Everyone left happy, and happy they had Duffs wings. We got there early (11:30 AM Saturday), and when we left there was a line going out the door. Go to The Anchor Bar for the history, but go to Duffs for the wings!

WHERE TO STAY:

The Mansion On Delaware Hotel www.mansionondelaware.com top notch service, close ride to the arena, starting at 195/night

Comments:

This is a gorgeous building with beautiful touches inside and out. We live very close by but my husband surprised me and brought me here for the night for my birthday. There’s a great happy hour with complementary wine and cocktails and a lovely breakfast in the morning. We had dinner reservations at a pricey restaurant nearby but instead opted to enjoy the hotel more by ordering sushi from one of our favorite places. The hotel staff took care of everything. They brought a table into the room while we were enjoying happy hour and set up the sushi on beautiful plates. Everything looked so nice. They even turned on music and left us with some chocolate covered strawberries. A great experience- I’m looking forward to staying here again!

NR

This week we’ve been treated with a series of impressive performances that make all fantasy owners take note. Here’s a few players to have on your radar:

Josh Bailey, Islanders – With John Tavares scoring just 8 points in his past 20 games, Bailey has taken command of the Islanders offense and has gone on a 14-point, 11-game tear, including 10 points in his last 5 games. Bailey, who was drafted 9th overall in the 2008 draft is on the verging of breaking through last year’s point total (25) in 22 fewer games. He has also made significant improvements to his defensive game, with a +11 rating thus far. Although we don’t expect this streak to continue indefinitely (remember, he plays for the Islanders) he may be worth a ride in deeper leagues and will certainly be a player to watch for in the years to come, as he and Tavares continue to develop.

Mike Brodeur, Senators – After shutting out the Rangers in just the second NHL start of his career, fantasy owners in deep leagues may want to take note of Marty’s distant cousin, Mike Brodeur. You certainly wouldn’t want to jump the gun, but if Brodeur posts another solid start, we may be nearing the start of yet another goaltending controversy in Ottawa. Their goaltending situation has been in a constant state of flux all year, and with Leclaire’s most recent concussion troubles, the door is certainly wide open for Brodeur to show the team what he’s got and make a run for it. So far, Brodeur has struggled in the AHL this year (3.30 GAA, .892 SV%), but had a solid 2008-2009 season (18-13-4, 2.45 GAA, .921 SV%), giving some hope for optimism. Stay tuned.

Cam Ward, Hurricanes – We all knew the Hurricanes weren’t as bad as they appeared early in the season, but even still, nobody wanted to touch them with a ten-foot pole. The team as a whole has been a fantasy disaster, being plagued with injuries and atrocious performances, especially in the plus/minus department. Nonetheless, things are starting to turn around, especially with the play of Cam Ward as of late. In the month of January, Ward is 4-2, with a 1.99 GAA and a .940 SV%. The team overall has won seven of their past 15 games, and is starting to make strides to pull out of the league basement. On offense they are led by Eric Staal, who is finally delivering with the 24th best fantasy performance over the past month. For owners desperate for some goaltending, Cam Ward would make a superb sleeper trade and should be a decent number two goalie for the remainder of the season.

Patric Hornqvist, Predators – After just 10 points in his first 26 games, Hornqvist has put together an impressive streak of 19 points in 20 games, with 3 GWG and a plus-10 rating. Hornqvist has really excelled playing alongside Steve Sullivan on the Predators number two line, and has shown remarkable consistency, scoring points in 12 of his past 15 games. In just his second NHL season, the jury is still out on whether he can sustain such a pace, but given the lack of depth in the right wing position, Hornqvist may be worth a look in moderately sized leagues.

Vincent Lecavalier, Lightning – The ship may already be sailing away on this one, but after struggling the first two months of the season, Vinny Lecavalier is finally starting to piece things back together, with 22 points in his past 21 games. His low-trending scoring percentages are still of concern to fantasy owners (15.3%, 12.6%, 10.0%, 6.9% since 2006-2007), but for the time being he’s seemed to have found a groove. If you’re looking for some scoring depth, you may still be able to pry Vinny away from an owner with an enticing trade, but be cautious not to overpay.

Danny Briere, Flyers – Talk about a poor return for your money – the Flyers invested $52 million over eight years in Danny Briere, only to have him miss 53 games last year with four different injuries. This year however, Briere is slowly rounding back to form and is definitely a player to keep on the watchlist, especially in shallow to moderately sized leagues. Playing on a line with Jeff Carter and Scott Hartnell, he’s scored a very respectable 31 points in 39 games thus far, and has eleven points in his last nine games, four of which are on the powerplay. As an added advantage, Briere has dual eligibility, qualifying at both center and right wing in Yahoo! leagues, making him that much more valuable. He’ll always be an injury risk, but based on his performance the past month, he may be well worth the gamble.