Professional Tailgating: "Fever Pitch" Day

Just like the movie "Fever Pitch" the day the season tickets come in the mail is a big deal at the OTWT offices. Today my Rutgers season tickets came. So excited.

Fox Soccer Fail

First it was ESPN.com screwing up now it's Fox Soccer. During the Spurs Newcastle game, FSC said that Emmanuel Adebayor was coming on to replace Gylfi Sigurosson. Small problem Adebayor is still a Manchester City player even though he spent last season on loan at Spurs. I know it's the first week of the season but this can't happen.

ESPN Fail

On the front page of ESPN.com around 12:30, the lead story was Arsenal draw with Sunderland. Small problem. The World Wide Leader in sports put a picture of the Championship game between Charlton and Birmingham with the story. How can u get this wrong especially since they have been promoting the season starting so much.

Professional Tailgating: Vroom Vroom

Race car spelled backwards is race car. OTWT Tailgating Crew member @bills80 headed to Watkins Glen for the NASCAR races and he sent in these videos.



 Special K takes the lead during the Nationwide Race on Saturday.

Bolt is the best ever

Interesting debate, who is the great Olympian ever Bolt or Phelps. The Bleacher Reports breaks it down and I agree: Sorry, Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt Is the Greatest Olympian in London. Bolt was setting incredible times despite pulling up in every race.

Weekend Soccer Notes

With most leagues a week away from starting. There was still plenty going on around the soccer world from the Olympic Gold Medal game to the FA Community Shield to the German Super Cup. Here are some thoughts on each game.

Olympic Gold Medal Game
• As a United fan, not surprised by the mistake by Rafael. Great talent but he makes a ton of mistakes and some can be costly. I remember him being sent off against Munich in the Champions League and it cost us the tie.
• I wonder if making a sub at the 40 minute mark is a panic move looks like it to me for Brazil
• Shocked by how little urgency Brazil have shown in this match. It's like they don't care.
• it just seems like Brazil is never going to win an Olympic gold in soccer. It just seems it never will happen.

FA Community Shield
• Lots of empty seats at Villa Park. I guess people in the area don't care about the game.

German Super Cup
• Dortmund looked lost. Like they are missing something.
• Meanwhile Bayern look like they could have a special year.

Cover Story: No more Honey

On Friday the scope of the SEC Title race was blown open when the LSU ticked star corner Tryann Mathieu off the team. The news was so big that three biggest newspapers in Louisiana put the story  on their front page, some even had it as the lead. I guess the Honey Badger sells newspapers.

The season is coming

Redzone will soon be back and I can't wait. Go Birds.

Cover Story: The Times of London

Since the Olympics have started the Times of London have dedicated each front page to the key stories of the day. So far the front pages have been fantastic from Bradley Wiggins to Usain Bolt. Here are some of my favorites since the state of the games.

I hope that they continue the good work through the second week of the Olympics.

Which cup is better

The debate rages on as people debate which USA Basketball team was the best. Today cup match up is 2012 team vs 1996 team. I might have to take this years team but it's close.

Seriously, Nats: It’s time for Teddy to win

With all that is going on in the world, the Washington Post  has decided to voice their opinion on the most important issue, should Teddy finally win the Presidents Race during Nationals' home games. Seriously, Nats: It’s time for Teddy to win ,  , I'm all for taking a stand on something. I can't believe they wasted their space on this issue.  

Professional Tailgating: Stevie MBE takes the field

Stevie MBE takes the field against Spurs in Baltimore on Saturday. Liverpool fans love him, while I hate him.

Is it fair?

For the last couple of days I have been thinking about the punishment that was handed out to Penn State. On one hand something had to be done to punish the school for their role in the cover up of the child sex abuse incidents at the school. On the other how can you punish kids that had nothing to do with the situation.
I'm all for fining the school like they did but hitting the current players with a four year bowl ban is something that is hard to stomach. So players that where kids when this happened no have to pay for the sins of the past. That Is the one thing that bothers me and always will about this situation.

Professional Tailgating: A boring preseason friendly

On Saturday, the OTWT Tailgating Crew traveled to Baltimore to take in the preseason friendly between Spurs and Liverpool. The game was terrible but the stadium is amazing.

Alan Shearer has more Premier League titles than Steven Gerrard

A life size picture of former Rutgers star Ray Rice. Loved watching him college as a Rutgers season ticket holder.

Unitas Plaza 

Love seeing fans honor clubs heroes and at Spurs there is no one bigger than Jimmy Greaves

LIVE BLOGGING 1000th WWE Raw

Find your favorite club

Awesome photo of soccer crest from all over the world. Where is your favorite.

A trip down memory lane

In honor of WWE Raw's 1000 episode on Monday night. Let's take a look back at some classic wrestling magazine covers.

Now this is redneck golf

Nothing says redneck golf like an empty Keystone Light can on a downed tree. Saw this during a round of golf at Green Tree Golf Course in Atlantic County on Sunday.

I need some new Flyers shirts

Last season I bought two Flyers shirts. One for JVR and another for Jagr, now they are both gone and it's back to the drawing board for me.

Prospects Plus: The Untouchables

With the trading deadline coming up and teams are looking at other organizations for potential trade partners. Here is a list of "untouchables" in the systems all over MLB.  Dylan Bundy and the Minor League 'All-Untouchable' Team at the Trade Deadline, according to the Bleacher Report.

Prospects Plus: Futures Game

For prospects fans like myself the Futures Game during All Star weekend is always a big treat. Here are a couple of notes from the game:

• Reds Prospect Billy Hamilton is going to have to move to outfield. He is a terrible infielder.
• Every time I see Profar I keep seeing a superstar and wonder what the Rangers are going to do with him.
• Dylan Bundy fastball is not hit able, you just wonder how long the Orioles are going to be able to keep him in the minors.
• Mariners pitcher Taijuan Walker might be the most athletic pitcher that I have ever seen. Easy delivery and big time velocity. Its going to take a couple of years, but the finished product is going to out of this world. 
• Phillies fans are going to complain about giving up Gose and Singleton but just remember what came back in those deals and the World Series that was won. 
• Tigers prospect Nick Castellanos, who took home the games MVP award, might be the best hitting prospect in the minors. Sweet swings, he looks like he is going to hit for power. The questions because what do the Tigers do with him. He is blocked at both third and first base. Could they include him in a deal for Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels. Castellanos could be in the majors by the end of next season or the end of the 2013 season. 
• The Royals fan showed how much this event has grown in the last decade. Amazing job selling out the place for the game. Royals fans understand how important a good farm system is.

Maybe Golf was not her deal

In honor of the US Women's Open final round today, lets remember the person that lost in a playoff to Se Ri Pak the last time the event was played at Blackwolf Run. In a sudden death playoff, Pak defeated then amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn. For Jenny, the playoff ended up being the highlight of her career, now she has a higher calling. Chuasiriporn, U.S. Women’s Open Playoff Loss Was a Turning Point.

Prospects Plus: Lakewood BlueClaws' Aaron Altherr

Name: Aaron Altherr
Organization: Philadelphia Phillies 
Position: Outfield 
Stats Tuesday against Hagerstown Sun: 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored and a RBI 


Strength: Altherr has plus speed and good base running ability. Altherr also has a plus arm that profiles well for right field. He is a toolsy outfielder that has potential to be a good one. Saw Altherr play last year, when Bryce Harper made his debut in Lakewood, here is that report. 

Weakness: Over the course of his almost three years in the organization Altherr has struggled to put his tools together on the field. This is his second trip to Lakewood, which is never a good sign.

Prospect Plus: Hagerstown Sun's Matt Skole

Name: Matt Skole
Organization: Washington Nationals
Position: Third Base
Stats Tuesday against the BlueClaws: 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts

Strengths: His power is his biggest plus.  Skole, the former Georgia Tech product,  currently leads the Hagerstown Sun with 18 home runs. Hitting is his plus tool and he is considered to be a future every day regular by Baseball America. Skole has a plus arm and nice feel at third base. 

Weakness: During the game on Tuesday he looked bad on a couple of swings and looked like his power swing will lead him to striking out at the next level. Also with Ryan Zimmerman holding down third base and his bat not translating to first base, his future in the organization might be in question. He could be used as trade bait as the Nationals continue to push for the playoffs.

Prospects Plus: Hagerstown Sun's Brian Goodwin

Name: Brian Goodwin 

Organization: Washington Nationals 

Position: Outfield 

Tuesday Stats: against Lakewood BlueClaws:  2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a double 

Strengths: According to Baseball America, he could be a top of the order type bat. His speed is out of this world and that showed during his first at-bat when he made Lakewood outfielder Kelly Dugan pay for an error by stretching a double into a triple. So far this season, Goodwin is hitting .327 with 6 hrs, 31 RBI and slugging .530. Goodwin is the fifth ranked player in the Nationals system. He projects to be a .275 and 20 home runs type of player. 

Weakness: Time. Its going to take time. Goodwin has the potential to be the center fielder of the future in Washington put its going to take time. Goodwin is raw and needs time to develop properly. If the Nationals are going to make any type of deal, Goodwin would be one of the first players that teams ask for. 

Professional Tailgating: Man hit the Ball

On Tuesday the OTWT headed to Lakewood for the Blueclaws game against the Hagerstown Sun. The youngest member of the OTWT Crew loves watching the "man hit the ball.''

The setting sun

A new type of ball park food: Surf Taco 

Nothing says New Jersey than a pork roll, egg and cheese race

Front Page Story: Spain Rule Europe Again

Spain are the champions of Europe again after beating Italy 4-0 on Sunday. The debate will rage on over the next couple months if Spain is the greatest team ever. I will have more on that over the next couple of weeks. Here is how some papers in Spain covered their win.

Prospects Plus: Brandon Nimmo, Mets Prospect, Goes From Big Sky to Big Skyline in New York

During the 2011 draft the Mets made Brandon Nimmo their first round pick out of the baseball hot bed of Wyoming. Now the kid is trying Big Sky country for the Big City.

A vacation in golf

Have been off from work for the last week and have take the time to play some golf. From Hamilton Farms in Gladstone to Green Tree in Mays Landing. The courses are all different from layout to money they spend. Here is a break down of the courses that I played during this week. 


Hamilton Farms Golf Club: Might be one of the nicest places that I have ever played The New York Times called it one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. Boy was it nice, almost too nice for someone like me.

McCullough's Emerald Links: A links style course built around concepts from classic courses from around the world

Green Tree Golf Course: Not exactly Hamilton Farms, buts its the course that I consider home