Zip's Page
A top Patriot Fan Site since 1996 - Oldest on the Web!
Winner of the 2001 Patriots Fan of the Year Award!

Coach took the first game of the 03 campaign and his efforts were rewarded with more challenge than usual.  The newly sold lot was restrictive and the steady drizzle was challenging.  Not as challenging as this unusual glimpse of travel challenge which shows a mouse somehow stuck on the roof of a car on route 128/95!

If that wasn't enough our group was dispersed throughout the lot and surprisingly it was the first arrival of the Canadian (ah Canadian Beer!) Celebrity Cecil.  

How he beat the rest of the crew is a mystery but he did get the first glimpse of Tedy's tailgate well wish picture which hangs in the background.

The rain kept the camera safely tucked away except for the ever popular group gathering photol

No Tailgate home or Away as Zip was on the road from Pennsic!

Zip and Jim (Dawg) catch a quiet viewing in the nearly complete addition - no Tailgate.

Gene made his return solid after a few year's hiatus.  He brought a pair of Michelle's with him to help conspire for a grandiose setting despite the challenge of a Wednesday night pre-season match. 

The Bears faced early tailgate humiliation and torment to set the tone for a game which would follow suit.

 Ah the Quiet Solace of the Pre-season Tailgate...

A rare shot of Sleuth with his cigar and his grill. (Left) Gene has at his own grilling duties while Grogan overlooks (Right) While Zip and Tedy bask in the sun (Far Right)

 To Defeat the Bear we must...

Eat as the Bear (Salmon)	Drink as the Bear (Mead aka Honey)	Drink more from the Bear... (oh Wait...)

Michelle showcased her artistic skills with the first two-person picture - smiling and Thug Shot.

The trio had finished off a fine song as well and the performance was well worth the effort:

Patriots Rhapsody lyrics:
I see a little silhouetto of a Bear
Kordell Stewart, Kordell Stewart, will be crushed in a tackle,
Brady and Ward very very frightening me!
Kordell Stewart, Kordell Stewart, Will we let him throw?
I'm just a new bear, nobody loves me,
He's just a QB, very short on TD's,
Spare him his life from this montsrosity.
Easy Come, easy go, will you let me throw?
Pat's Defense! No, we will not let you throw!
(Let him throw) Pat's Defense, will not let you throw (x3)
Mama Mia, Mama Mia
Ted Bruschi, has a tackle put aside for me, for me, for me!

Finally into the game where we find Ostend eager to overlook his domain!

Michelles at the new seats	Ostend being spoiled	Painted Conspirators

	Lawyer pumps up the crowd - for his last time as a Patriot...stunned... He gave every effort on the field and led this team well.  The parting was poorly handled but the Player will be missed and fondly recalled.
	Leonard Myers gets a TD for his last run as a Patriot ... sadly expected... at least for now.
	A Patriots touchdown - something forgotten once the season began - shocked

Pat Patriot lounging Hawaiian style at the game!

Grand Gala but oddly no pictures...

This auspicious game was spearheaded by David "Charts" Chartier and included the always enjoyable crew from JetsInsider.com making their annual pilgrimage to Foxboro.  It also featured the first union of the Canopy Trio and the mass destruction of our usual lot.  The flags waved all the more fiercely over the now exposed hillside which was once our secreted hideaway!

Now with Zip's Broken limbs this was the first game without Ostend since the Pooch arrived in 2000.  The lot was in turmoil so our group opted to meet early to test the Coffee Waters and line up for lot arrival.  The lot was smooth however and granted us our spot - albeit barren and desolate of trees and rife with construction equipment.  It did however open up a fine view of the stadium and certainly didn't dampen any spirits.

Game faces on... Missing Oz	Darren & Madeline Missing Oz	Charts Fan o the week Dreaming of Oz?

I truly can't thank Charts enough for shouldering the extra burden whilst I was a bit more out of commission than normal.  Of course he did have Mrs. B, Sleuth, Monty, Lisa, Dana and Robin eager to leap to the fray as well.  Joel and his Dad even joined us as did the Paxton (as in Lonnie) contingent and all were well aware of what I already knew: Dave Charts Chartier is a fine master of the tailgate and a pretty damn good friend as well - especially in the post-victory tailgate!

Our guests from 16H joined us for the pre-game Jello shot toast as well as a fair bit of food and drink!  "To fine weather, fine people and a love of our teams!"

All in all we made for quite a motley crew of Football fanatics demonstrating the right way to tailgate on a perfect autumn day.

Sooth and Brenda pay their gambling debts in fine form as Zip enjoys the victory cee-gar courtesy of our Miami connection Arman da Pats Fan!

There was a game of course which will be discussed in the other pages but from the fun perspective of a tailgate crew, it was a perfect day.  The Pats finally beat the Jets in Foxboro and though it wasn't a pretty game it was a gritty game and enjoyable.  The Pats rise to 2-1 for a three way tie in the AFC-East.  The downside was the continued rash of injuries but Rooks stepped up on this day and hopefully will do so until the returns can begin.  Go Pats!

No Photos - Zip still recovering from broken limbs!

Remember the Titans?  New England certainly did as we enjoyed an astounding fall afternoon.  Our morning crew met for the final time at Dunkin Donuts to ensure we were on the same parking page with the many changes to our lot!  It says something about our fanaticism to have Zip, Rick, Karen, Al, Rick 2, Rick 3, Monty, Bama, Lisa, Dana, Dave & Rhonda all rendezvous at 8:30 on a Sunday morning just to ensure we stay connected.  Ok - I was holding a pair of tickets but the others are all as sick as Zip and Ostend in their loyalties!  This did pay dividends as we quickly found and confiscated a section of the lot which is ideal for our crew and for which we are grateful to the tolerance and adjustment of our new tailgate neighbors.  We'll miss Social and his crew but it looks like there's a fine addition next to us.  We certainly held 'court' for a large group of Pats fans at our new locale:

As you can see we managed quite the crew of folks with visitors from Alabama and Florida as well as our standard New England fare which includes the long traveled and highly devoted Larry & Laureen from Jersey as well as Robin and Lou from the far reaches of southern CT.

Our own tailgate preparations had been begun the night before as Rick ushered in October in grand style with considerable help from his wife Monique.  All the tailgate learned the splendor of her Stuffed Pumpkin and Tailgate Apple Crisp!  The demand for the recipe was high and thus here it is:

Now there are a host of cool pictures I'd love to share - sadly we had some disk destruction take place and only three files were saved.  The Group picture already shown and two others of some high value.  My Brother Rick brought us the tailgate this week and followed in the Sainthood of David Chartier by handling much loading and unloading while my wrist and ankle continued to heal.  I can't sufficiently demonstrate my appreciation but I'm told we have a good picture of we Brothers.

   So there we were basking in beautiful weather which may have had a nip of chill but was quickly warmed by the plethora of food and spirits available at the Tailgae.  Sam Adam's Octoberfest sustained the October theme but couldn't entirely replace the several Bruschi Brew 8 elixirs which flowed as well.  Dana and Lisa had their morning round of breakfast to tempt the crowds while the Cardozan Chilli came to temperature.  Monty's swordfish and many other dishes tempted the palates of our diverse group.  Darren, Robin, Lou, Larry and Laureen soon arrived to completet he group of regulars.  Many visitors stopped by to espouse their theories on Patriot victories all the while laughter and joviality rang through.  For those who have yet to find the opportunity to share our victuals and hospitality as well as the splendor of a Patriot Game Day experience, fall is passing so get yourselves in order quickly.  The Winter experience is astounding but definitely different.  For one thing the weekly Jello-shots are in far higher danger of freezing - unless made by Laureen as those things oddly seem to never freeze...hmmmmm.

The final picture for this tailgate is of Karen, Ostend and myself as we enjoy the fine afternoon.  The tailgates have always been a great experience for me but they became a group of regular friends making a real splash in the Foxboro tailgate world when Karen and Al joined the tailgate and began enticing everyone else to join us regularly.  So it's fitting to end with a picture of the two friends who got it started.

 You can see more and better photos at her own Tailgate site: Mrs. B's Tailgate!