I don't have NFL Sunday Ticket, so I'm always on the lookout for places to watch the Jets game on Sunday. I'm usually looking for a place that's close to home. I always assumed that the best I could hope for would be a television in a bar with audio. It would be too much to hope for to be able to sit with actual Jets fans when you're a 10-hour drive from NYC.
While looking for a place a few months ago, I stumbled across charlottejetsfans.com and knew it was only a matter of time and child care until I would pay the Dilworth Neighborhood Grille a visit and be among my people. I couldn't believe that there was a dedicated community of Jets fans in Charlotte that was so passionate about the team that they took over a portion of a bar on Sundays and turned it into a home-away-from-home base for Jets nation.
I knew I was in the right place when my wife and I saw a Revis jersey and a Sanchez jersey in the parking lot. When we walked in, we were directed to the lower level, where about 60 or 70 lunatics like me were already dialed in to the Jets/Buffalo game. I figured that as a pretty good turnout for a meaningless game at the end of the season, but one of the co-founders of the group, Matt, told me that even when the Jets are being televised locally, they still get a good crowd at the restaurant. He also told me that they had standing-room only on 5 different occasions this season, which means to me that it's only a matter of time before we completely take over the Carolinas. I can't wait.
The bar had everything a Jets fans would want; an exclusive room with 2 gigantic screens with audio, good food and drink, organized J-E-T-S chants, first down chants, and a lot of the wise-guy needling that I miss being away from NYC. We had a great time and will return as soon as we can. As I am completely superstitious, and I will be home for this Saturday night's playoff clash with the Colts, I probably won't be returning this season (if the Jets win, it will be surely because of where I'm watching, what I'm wearing, etc...because I'm insane). But, in 2011, when the Jets aren't on locally, I will be heading back to wherever Charlotte Jets Fans are rooting down for the year. If you love the Jets, you should, too.
Just make sure that come game time Saturday night you are sitting in your lucky chair and wearing your lucky shirt, lucky pants, lucky underwear (unless you feel that going commando would be advantageous), and lucky socks. As far as shoes go, I'd suggest a lucky "matched" pair. And if you have access, a Clyde Frazier and/or World B. Free sweatband would look quite fetching, while also giving us a bit of an edge in this game. Remember what my old buddy Billy Shakespeare's pal Hamlet said..."Though this be madness, yet there is method in it." Henry Rollins says hi. Go Jets!
ReplyDeleteBilly,
ReplyDeleteBe cool.
Walt "Clyde" Frazier