Flag Football With Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk and Mike & Mike

[XGatorHead 8904]

Here it is the first weekend without football... again. I've been meaning to type this up for a year now, but what better time to do it than now, when we're faced with the dreaded offseason (of a different type). To help alleviate the pain of no football, here's a little trip I took last February, the weekend after the Superbowl.

My friend Jason and I go to the BW3 in Mason every Monday night during football season to play QB1 on the Buzztime game system. We've been doing this for the past 11 years or so. Back when we first started, we had a large group attending; now it's pretty much just Jason and me every week, and every once in a while another friend will stop by for a night.

During the 2009 season, BDub's was having a drawing to win a trip to Tampa to play flag football with Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, and Mike Golic & Mike Greenberg from ESPN. I entered every week (after checking the official rules online, I found that I could). Jason only entered once, not knowing that he could enter multiple times.

Well, towards the end of November I got a call saying that I had won, along with 21 other people. I had a few days to let the event coordinator know if I could go, and who my travelling companion would be. Being the good husband that I am, I first asked my wife if she wanted to go. We contemplated possibly buying a ticket for my daughter to come along with us, or leaving her with my mother for a few days. But then Mrs. Gator decided that she wouldn't have fun with all the football stuff, and she agreed that I should invite Jason.

I texted Jason that night with the message "What are you doing February 12 - 14th?", and he replied back "Huh? Tampa?" It didn't take him long at all to decide that he would go with me.

Over the next few weeks, we got forms and waivers we had to sign and get notarized, got our flights coordinated and received the itinerary, as well as a surpise $150 in American Express gift cards to use on our trip.

Friday February 12th

Jason picked me up at my house bright and early to drive down to CVG for our 9:05am flight. We had decided to just do carry-on luggage, since we would have been responsible for paying the charges for checked baggage (thanks, Delta...and most airlines...for charging!). This was the first time either of us had never had checked bags. I decided I didn't want to bring my bulky winter coat, so I wore a fleece over my Halloween Haunt hoodie over a t-shirt.

When we got to Security, I was patted down... probably because I was bulky wearing all of that. Then my bag gets stopped as it goes through the x-ray machine. I knew to put all my liquids (all under 4 oz bottles) in a clear bag, but didn't know I had to take them out to have them run separately through the machine. Then Jason's bag gets stopped because he had an aerosal can in it... neither of us knew that wasn't allowed. They took his ID and confiscated the aerosal can. After getting his ID back (and probably being put on the watch list) we made our way to McDonald's for breakfast, then the gate.

We boarded our plane, started taxiing to the runway, then the pilot comes over the loudspeaker and says a warning light has come on and we need to go back to the gate. Maintenance replaced a sensor, and an hour after our flight was to take off, we're on our way.

I had been checking the weather in Tampa online all week, and knew it was supposed to be about 20 degrees cooler that normal, with a chance of rain. Sure enough, as we landed, it was cloudy, rainy, windy and cold... but not as cold as Cincinnati!

At the baggage claim area we met our contact, and were escorted outside to our transportation to the hotel... a party bus! There were two other groups on with us... a husband and wife from Wisconsin and a husband and wife from Newport. It was at about this time that Jason told me there better be other people who brought their friends because he didn't want to sit in the stands with a bunch of wives!

We got to our hotel, the Hilton Clearwater Beach, checked in and went to our room.

We quickly noticed a bubbling noise. After a quick search, we found that rainwater was gathering in the track of our sliding balcony door. Oh no! Our room was taking on water! I instantly had flashbacks of the sinking of the SS Gator!

But the rain soon let up and we could go out on the balcony... even though it was still cold and windy.

We had to go down to the lobby to check in with the event coordinator, and we got our gift bags. I got a nice backpack with the BW3 logo on it, and inside was a football to get signed, a jersey with my name on the back to wear during the game, and a bottle of medium sauce. Jason got a bag with a football for him to get signed.

We then went in search of someplace to eat. We walked north from the hotel, didn't really find anything. We then went south and ended up a place called Crabby Bill's. Jason agreed with me that while on vacation, we have to go to local places, not national chains! Although we did pass the original Hooter's several times on our rides to and from the airport and the stadium, but it was too far to walk to from our hotel and we didn't want to spring for a cab. If we had a car, we would have gone, since that's another vacation rule of mine... if you're in a town that originated something, go to that place. That rule started when I went to Sloppy Joe's in Key West and I ordered... wait for it... a chicken wrap! I've been kicking myself ever since for not getting what they invented, the sloppy joe. So when we went to Philly, we went to the originator of the cheesesteak, Pat's.

Anyway, back on topic, we both got yummy seafood platters, then we headed back to our room. There wasn't anything planned for us that night, so we watched the opening ceremony of the Olympics and went to bed.

Saturday, February 13th

The day had come. We had breakfast at a little diner across the street, then soon we were on the bus to the stadium with the rest of the winners and their companions. I'll be honest, I was a little nervous, and actually dreading it a little bit. Those that know me know that I'm no athlete. Heck, you can probably tell just by looking at me. I've only been on one sports team in my life and that was basketball back in 6th grade... and I wasn't too good. Actually, I take that back. I attempted to play softball several times on my department team at KI (yeah, not so good at that either) and was on my department's volleyball team (a game which I'm fairly decent at... it involves just short burts of running).

Well, I figured that with 22 winners, there was a good chance I wouldn't be the worst player, and I was right!

We pulled into the stadium and were escorted onto the playing field. It was another cold and cloud day, but as soon as we stepped onto the field, the sun came out from behind the clouds and it started to warm up.

My favorite thing about watching Bucs games on TV is the pirate ship... it has to be one of the coolest features in any pro football stadium.

We were standing around, putting our jerseys on, when they turn on the loudspeakers in the stadium. And the first song they play? "Welcome to the Jungle!" The couple from Newport and Jason and I felt right at home.

The celebrities were up in the pirate ship doing interviews, but we didn't have to wait too long before they started coming down.

Jerome Bettis was very nice, and went around to everyone to shake their hands and introduce himself.

Marshall Faulk just kind of stood off to the side by himself.

Mike & Mike came down soon afterwards, and it was time to start.

I was on Bettis and Golic's team, and they put us to work very quickly. First order of business was determining who could throw the ball well enough to be our quarterback. They had us throw balls back and forth to each other.

After they narrowed it down, they then determined who would be the receivers. They had us run routes and try to catch the ball thrown by the quarterback candidates.

Look at that height I got going for the ball! Oh wait... you can still see my feet in the picture. Oops, I should have cropped that photo a little bit...

While we were working on our team, our opponents were working on theirs.

It was no surprise to me that I got picked as an offensive lineman. I was chosen for right tackle, and the only guy bigger than me on the team was the left tackle. We then started working on different plays that we would run.

This is what we were playing for: a nice shiny trophy.

Before the actual game, we had a Quarterback Challenge. There were several inflatable referees set at different lengths with different point values to them. The goal was to get the highest score in 5 balls.

When it was my turn, I immediately started trying for the 40 point goal. After three failed attempts at that, I hear Mike Golic say "Go for the 30!" I aimed for the 30 point goal and hit it. On my fifth ball, I missed the target again.

Bettis ended up being the overall winner, beating everyone else, Marshall Faulk included. And at least I didn't come in last!

[XGatorHead 8904]

It was time for the game. The referees went over some of the rules with us, touchdowns scored by the men were worth 7points, touchdowns by women were 9 points. That little tidbit quickly set up the strategy for our team. We were lucky that we had some good women players on our team! We put on our belts with our flags and hit the field. The left tackle and I started out having to tie two belts around us just to get them to fit our waists. As the game went on this wasn't working for either of us as the belts would come undone, so the ref allowed us to go without them and in order for us to be "tackled", it was like touch football for us.

One thing that everyone noticed was that Bettis and Faulk were very competitive with each other. They verbally spared with each other quite a bit. At first we thought they were playing around, but we quickly learned they were pretty serious.

There was of course some rivalry between Mike & Mike, but theirs' was much more playful.

For the first half of the game, Bettis and Golic acted as our coaches. The opposing team however decided to use Faulk as their quarterback while Greenberg acted as coach.

A few plays into the game, the opponent I was blocking accidentally ran into me. The ref came out and told me that I couldn't make contact. I told him it was a complete accident.

A few plays later, the ref got after me again, but this time for following the person I was blocking, and having my arms outstretched. What can I say, I'm used to basketball where you follow your opponent. The ref told me that I was only allowed to go forward and side to side, and that if I did one more thing wrong I was out of the game. From that point on I was very careful to keep my hands to my side, and once my opponent passed me, I didn't follow them back.

These refs were pretty serious. Apparently there are flag football leagues (who knew?) and these refs were hired from one of them. They were much more serious than we the players were.

The second half was soon upon us. We decided to mix things up a little and use Bettis as our QB for a while. Then cam the lay I was dreading. In the huddle, Bettis said that we're going to surprise thm, and he wanted me to run out and catch the pass. We line up, I run out, and Betis throws the ball to me. It hits me in the chest, and before I have a chance to close my arm around it, it falls to the ground.

Faulk immediately started yelling "Ineligible receiver!" I asked "Why?" and he said "Because you're not wearing flags!" I start to tell him that the ref said t was okay, but the ref intervened and told Faulk that he was allowing it for the other guy and me. After that play, Bettis said to me "Why don't you go ahead and sit out for a little while?"

I eventually got back in the game, and finished it out. Thanks to the efforts of the team, and in particular one really atheletic girl on our team, we ended up victorious! It helped that the girls' TD's were 9 points.

Our team was presented with the trophy (who's whereabouts are currently unknown... it's probably sitting in BDub's corporate office or something).

We were also given these individual glass(?) trophys, while the losing team got silver medals that said "2nd".

After the game, we all headed up to the pirate ship area, where we lined up to have our footballs autographed.

While he was signing my ball, Greenberg made the comment that he just devalued my ball since everyone else were former pros and Superbowl winners, and he was just a broadcaster.

We had a nice reception with tasty sandwiches and all the hops, barley and wheat we could drink. After we partook of the food and beverages, we went up and explored the ship.

They shoot the cannons off when the Bucs score a touchdown. Just imagine standing right there when that happens!

It was soon time to get back out to the bus. Outside the stadium I snapped a few more pictures.

Just outside the stadium is the stadium where the Yankees have their spring training. BOOOOOO!!!

We headed back to the hotel, and on the way the group decided to go out to karaoke that night. Jason and I found a restaurant a few blocks away to have dinner, and when we got back from dinner we ran into a bunch of people from our group who were getting a cab to go to a karaoke bar.

Sorry, no pictures of me singing, but I did get up there. If you really must know, I did Stone Temple Pilots' "Plush" and Garth Brooks' "Ain't Goin' Down Til the Sun Comes Up". We closed that place down (it closed really early compared to what I'm used to), and we caught a cab back to the hotel. Some people went back to their rooms, including Jason, while some of us, including me, went to another place down the street where we shot some pool. After a long day, it was time to get some rest.

Sunday, February 14th

We woke up to another sunny day. Still too cold to go to the beach, but it looked nice.

Soon it was time to catch our flight back. When we first filled out the forms for the trip, we had the option to extend our stay (any expenses would be up to us to pay). It was a three day weekend, but we decided not to. But, had we known something a few months prior, we certainly would have!

The Daytona 500 is historically two weeks after the Superbowl. For some reason, in 2010 it was the following week, the week we were in Florida. Had we known that, we would have stayed another day, rented a car and driven across the state to go. Oh well. It was Valentine's Day, and we both had wives and kids to get home to.

BDub's had another contest this past season to play flag football, this time at the Rose Bowl with Deon Sanders, Jerry Rice and Mike & Mike. Sadly, neither Jason or I won this time. While on the bus back to the hotel, my whole team tried to convince the event coordinator to have us back this year to defend our championship, but that wasn't to be either. We also asked if we were going to get a dvd of the whole experience, since they had a professionional videographer there who recorded the whole thing,interviewed us and taped individual introductions of eac player. She wasn't sure, but I never have gotten a dvd out of it. Oh well.

Even though it was my coldest trip ever to Florida, we had a great time. It's something I'm sure to always remember. I hope you enjoyed reading this. Now to eventually do my TR's for Hersheypark & Sesame Place, and for Kemah Boardwalk & Schlitterbahn...

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

That's pretty sweet. That experience should be helping you win our Fantasy Championship!

[XGatorHead 8904]

^You would think so. But this year I finished way worse than my typical 2nd place!

[Avatar]

Wow what a treat to read and I am sure an awesome experience for you. I was wondering who was taking all the pictures of you on the field until I backed up a bit and realized your friend Jason sat with the wives. Thanks for sharing.

[KIfan1980]

Gary - I wish I'd read this before seeing you today. I've heard you mention this trip before, but this PTR gave a great image of what it was like. I'm an avid Mike & Mike fan - have been listening long enough to remember when Golic used to sing "Good Morning" every day - and even though I'm not a Bettis fan, it sounds like he treated you right. Thanks for sharing.

[CoastersRZ]

Sounds like an awesome experience! Thanks for sharing Gary!

I still remember when I got selected to take part in a "baseball clinic" at Cinergy Field with former Reds ball players. Being able to practice and play catch in a Major League Stadium was quite an experience.

[XGatorHead 8904]

Luckily for Jason it wasn't just wives. Plenty of other people brought their friends too. We kind of felt like we were on The Amazing Race... we had nicknames for pretty much every pairing like they do on that show.

I had never listened to Mike and Mike before that trip, but seeing their interaction with each other got me to start. The only problem is they're on at the same time as Bob & Tom, so when one of those goes to commercial I flip over to the other!

[RailRider]

Really neat experience, thanks for sharing. Also thanks for the callback to the SS Gator, one of my favorite reports ever.

[TTD-120-420]

This was really cool. Jerome is my favorite player of all time. I also listen to Mike and MIke every morning. Was Greenberg nice? He comes off to me as stuck up on the radio sometimes...

[XGatorHead 8904]

^Greenberg was very nice. The only person there with an attitude was Marshall Faulk. Everyone else was great.