Topic: Paradise goes to LONDON!

[gridiron49]

Attention all going to the NFL game in London

Sadly a great part of the Diser's going to the game arrives late Saturday or early Sunday which would make them unable to attend our originally scheduled meeting 

London49ers has brought up the idea of meeting here (see below)



http://www.colchestergladiators.org.uk/index.php?pageId=20&newsId=99

giving everyone the chance to meet up as we are all in the area   


Could you please reply in this thread so we know who would attend 

[ScottishNiner]

Excellent.  I'll definately be calling in there (as well as several other beverage serving locations!) on Sunday afternoon.

Looking forward to seeing the game, and catching up with some fellow Paradise Niners.

[gridiron49]

Anyone not attending wanting gameday programs?

[D-roc]

Anyone not attending wanting gameday programs?

You know I do baby!

Hope you guys all have fun and stay safe!

Don't get TOO DRUNK!

[gridiron49]

I'll forward it when upon my return     The prize is  ....£12  ( the same 20$ )

[London49ers]

I shall definitely be coming, of course (Cheers Grid, for putting this up by the way!), and my 3 mates who I'm going with.  What kind of time does everyone want to meet up?  1pm? 2pm?  I'll want to leave at least an hour before kick off as I need to colelct my ticket from the box office, plus look at merch, and walk the 12 miles up to the top level where my seats are! lol
Oh, by the way D-Roc - I have your two programs at home (niners/lions, giants/seahawks), will be packing them tomorrow and either posting tomorrow, or Monday for you. 

[gridiron49]

London, I think the 6-man group I am part of will be there pretty early. The official tailgate which we also have got tickets for begins at 11 am (I think) and the rest of the group wants to check this out    I expect to be hanging around to meet you, Scottish, hojer depending on your arrival 

[D-roc]

I shall definitely be coming, of course (Cheers Grid, for putting this up by the way!), and my 3 mates who I'm going with.  What kind of time does everyone want to meet up?  1pm? 2pm?  I'll want to leave at least an hour before kick off as I need to colelct my ticket from the box office, plus look at merch, and walk the 12 miles up to the top level where my seats are! lol
Oh, by the way D-Roc - I have your two programs at home (niners/lions, giants/seahawks), will be packing them tomorrow and either posting tomorrow, or Monday for you. 

Thank you really appreciate that!

I hope you guys have a blast!

[hojer49]

I still don't know where I'm going to stay for the night (thought I might find me a nice cheerleader!) but I'll for sure try to make it to that tailgaiting party -should be lot's of fun!

[gridiron49]

I still don't know where I'm going to stay for the night (thought I might find me a nice cheerleader!) but I'll for sure try to make it to that tailgaiting party -should be lot's of fun!

When where you going to arrive?

[D-roc]

I bet the fans at this game are going to be bummed the R. Bush will not play. 

[gridiron49]

The 2008 Bridgestone International Series game at Wembley Stadium is under a week away, and in addition to an exciting game between two of the NFL's top teams to look forward to, you should also have in your possession tickets for the NFL Tailgate Party presented by Panasonic.

This year's Tailgate Party will be the biggest single NFL organised tailgate in history anywhere in the world, so as a ticket holder you have the chance to be a part of history. The event is taking place at the Palace of Industry right outside Wembley Stadium, so once you have had your fun at the NFL Tailgate Party presented by Panasonic it's just a short walk to your seat for the main event.

NFL Tailgate Party presented by Panasonic is just outside the stadium at the intersection of Olympic and Engineer's Way. If you are coming from Wembley Park station walk down Olympic Way and Tailgate will be on your right. If you are coming from Wembley Stadium rail station you should go up Empire Way and turn right onto Engineer's Way. Look out for staff who will direct you to the Tailgate party.

The NFL Tailgate Party presented by Panasonic opens its doors at 11am on gameday, and there are plenty of exciting activities to get you ready for the game, which kicks off at 5pm. Please note that tickets for Tailgate will only guarantee entrance until 2pm. After that point you may have to queue to enter the event.

I expect the group I am travelling with will want to get in before 2 pm    which will proably mean I am leaving at 1.30 pm

I expect to wear a black hooded 49er sweatshirt under my white retro jersey #80 

[D-roc]

I bet you guys are getting pumped up now hey?

[London49ers]

Tailgate party sounds good Grid!  Shame I couldnt get tickets   We were aiming to get to the Green Man for about 2pm, but I'll speak with my mate and I'm sure we can arrange to get there for 12:30ish kind of time, so at least we'll be able to have a pint or two before you guys go off to the official tailgate.
I have a feeling its going to be a great game!  whatever type of game it ends up being, its an important one for both teams, seeing as they're 3-4!  WHo do people think is going to win?  I keep on changing my mind as its to hard to call!  I keep on thinking the chargers, but then they're really inconsistent so it depends 'what' chargers team turns up.  At the moment my money is on the Saints, they're more consistent and have both a decent run game (albeit now resting on Deuce's shoulders) and a great passing game (is Brees still #1 passer in the league?)....plus I'm just a fan of Drew Brees, so I want to see him win (and I have Lance Moore in my FF team).

[gridiron49]

I must admit I believe the Chargers pull this one off. Inconsistency has been a big part in both of the teams disappointing records so far but I do think losing Bush will be pivotal despite Brees' record setting passing numbers 

Even if the game ends 3-0 and fan man doesn't show up for another halftime striptease like last year this will be GREAT 

Personally I am hoping for a few Brees to Meachem calls on Sunday   

[hojer49]

I still don't know where I'm going to stay for the night (thought I might find me a nice cheerleader!) but I'll for sure try to make it to that tailgaiting party -should be lot's of fun!

When where you going to arrive?

I think we'll be at Wembley at 2 PM. I was planning to go to this Green Man place but I guess you'll be gone by then?

How do you get tickets for this "NFL Tailgate Party presented by Panasonic" sounds like it could be fun too.....

Whos' coming anyway? Grid, London, Scottish and me?

[London49ers]

i'm meeting my mate at 12pm at Kings Cross, so we should be at the pub by 12:30 - 12:45ish.  We'll be staying probably until about 3-3:30ish, so we have enough time to collect our tickets from the wembley box office before the game starts, so if Hojer, Scottish or anyone else can make it to the Green Man, I'll look forward to seeing you!
The Official tailgate is ticket only and they're as hard to get a hold of as the gme tickets sadly   Sometimes you can get them off of ebay, but for a cost, or if you're miraculously lucky some people give them away on the nfluk forums if they cant make it anymore, but thats a REAL longshot

[gridiron49]

I think we'll be at Wembley at 2 PM. I was planning to go to this Green Man place but I guess you'll be gone by then?

How do you get tickets for this "NFL Tailgate Party presented by Panasonic" sounds like it could be fun too.....

Whos' coming anyway? Grid, London, Scottish and me?

I think there was a draw for tailgate tickets among those who were picked to buy tickets    We were only informed a week ago that we had tailgate access!

Nick Hux (I don't know his nick in here) expected to come as well. He is part of the 'Dise fantasy league. 

[ScottishNiner]

We're due to land at heathrow at 10.15am on Sunday.  So if we're not at the pub by 12.30 I'll be rather annoyed!!

I'll be wearing my red Gore top, my mates will be wearing a Bears top (Hester) and a Cowgirls top (Owens).

I think I'll be cheering for the Saints, but either way I'm really looking forward to it now.  Be good to get a 'Dise get together going as well.

[gridiron49]

I'll be leaving within 2 hours for the airport - and another great stay in London. I hope to see you Sunday at the Green Man   

[London49ers]

cool, have a safe trip Grid!  I'll bring those programs along with me on Sunday, to give to you.  Enjoy the flight!

[gridiron49]

Thanks, London.  Had a nice journey and spent a ton of money pubcrawling last night 

Looking forward to tommorow 

[ScottishNiner]

Glad you made it in one piece Grid.  I'm not looking forward to my flight tomorrow morning with all the wind we've got up here!  (45 KPH/28MPH today!)   

Be cool to catch up with Grid, London, Hojer and all the other NFL fans before, during and after the game.
But how are we gonna keep up to date with the Niners score??

[TIM]

You can listen to the game on knbr.con if you have a laptop .

[ScottishNiner]

You can listen to the game on knbr.con if you have a laptop .

I'll only be in London for one night, so I'm taking a change of t-shirt, change of underwear and a toothbrush!  No room in my pockets for a laptop!  

I'm sure I'll find someone to keep me up to date though.  It's gonna be a great day, meeting fellow 'Dise members, watching a good game live, and then finding out that Coach Singletary has lead the Niners to a blow-out win in his first game!!   

[London49ers]

the green man will be showing a game on sky straight after ours at wembley - i'm assuming it wont be ours, but they will give you updates on scores.  failing that, theres always t'internet on your mobile, and if you find a pub/cafe yu might find a free wifi area and get online with your mobile for free!  I went to the flagship store of Foot Locker in the UK today (Oxford St, London) as they've been advertising it as the home of NFL, with madden playing and loads of merch....was disappointing   Soccer scene (a shop about the tenth of the size of Footlocker) in Oxford St had far more - even Gore jerseys!
Looking forward to a great game tomorrow and sharing a pint or two with fellow 'Disers   We should catch the meeting on camera and post a few pics up on here I reckon!

Scottish, Hojer - I plan on getting to the Green Man around 12.30-12.45ish to meet Grid - he's leavinga round half 1, but I'll probably be at the Green man until about half 3ish, when I'll leave to go get my tickets from the box office.  I'll have a read Montana throwback on, and probably my gold and red bomber jacket (it has stripey arms and a hood!), unless the weather improves and I'll have a gold 1980s varsity style 49ers jacket on instead!  Either way, you shouldnt be able to miss me!.....wel, aside from being a shortar$e (5'6") that is! lol  Look forward to meeting you all!

[gridiron49]

I am leaving for the tailgate now. A bit disappointed compared to last year when I thought there was a lot more promotion of the game .

Sorry, D. No cheerleader pics this year!

[D-roc]

Thanks, London.  Had a nice journey and spent a ton of money pubcrawling last night 

Looking forward to tommorow 

Are you humble today?!

Thinking of you guys as I watch the game on D. TV hope your having a blast!

[gridiron49]

The turnout was weager to say the least but quality before quantity     London49ers and I meet at the Green Man and had a few pics taken and talked about the team. Unfortunately Scottish were delayed at his hotel and didn't make it and Cains were travelling with a mate in a wheelchair and the Green Man is located on top of a steep hill making it pretty unaccessible 

Great meeting Paul who had brought back programs for me and for buying beer on top af that (after his fantasy loss last week) 

[London49ers]

Yeah, it was a shame the others couldnt turn up yesterday, but it was great to catch up with you Grid!  And then we got to see a pulsating game afterwards, which was exactly the type of showpiece game I thinK the NFL envisioned (and hoped for) when they first started the International Series of games - high scoring, close right until the end, plenty of passing, some great runs and lots of excitement generally!  How did you rate the game Grid?  What about the crowd?  did you keep your free flag?! lol
I even managed to pickup a niners sideline cap from the official merch stands inside the ground too, which was nice.
Did you get into the official tailgate in the end, or did you bypass that and go straight into the ground after you left the pub?
The only gripe I still have about wembley is the fact tha tyou have no choice but to use public transport - its still a scary scene when you leave and have 90,000 fans all wedged down one narrow walkway to the station, and you think 'hell, we're going to be stuck here for hours' - thankfully I think the police and tranport people are pretty well organised (much more so, than the event staff and police at the 2 US games we went to), so its surprising how little time it takes to get everyone onto a train, but it'd still be nice to have the option of driving there.

[ScottishNiner]

Hey guys, really sorry I couldn't catch up with you.  Tube was halted short of our hotel, bus took every detour known to man, and then the hotel's credit card machine broke!!  Wouldn't let anyone check in until they got someone out to fix it!!!      

So by the time we'd gone through all that we just headed straight to the game.  And what a game it was.  The stadium is very good, our seats had a nice view (looking right along the Saints sideline, behind the end zone), and both teams brought their passing games.  Brees is impressive, he kept picking holes in the zones, moving around just enough in the pocket to get his pass off, etc.  But I'd have to say Tomlinson looked the most dangerous player on the field for me.  Always a threat to bust a big gain.

You're right London, it is a crazy feeling having all the fans going down one single walkway afterwards!!  We took the exit halfway down on the left, circled round the block and came out by the bridge in front of the station.  There's a sports bar there (called Sports Bar, cleverly!) which was showing the Giants-Steelers on loads of big screens and in a huge marquee out back.  They kept flashing up scores (and a few clips) from the Niners game, so I texted Grid with the bad news.

Next year, my group has agreed to travel down the day before the game, and be a lot more organised!!  Maybe see you then, finally....

[hojer49]

I'll repeat Scotts apology although it's probably worse.....

The hotel we stayed in had a sportsbar with the Chelsea - Liverpool game on a +50" flatscreen. I've been a Liverpool fan since 1977 and I just couldn't leave before the game was over, so we came to Wembley pretty late.

Great Stadium, Great Game. But what happened to the Ds? It's not just the 49ers who lack a pass-rush!

London: where were you sitting? I saw a guy close to us who fit your description quite closely!

[gridiron49]

Great Stadium, Great Game. But what happened to the Ds? It's not just the 49ers who lack a pass-rush!

They forget to bring them over. It was just cheerleaders dressed up in uniforms playing defense 

Yeah, it was a shame the others couldnt turn up yesterday, but it was great to catch up with you Grid!  And then we got to see a pulsating game afterwards, which was exactly the type of showpiece game I thinK the NFL envisioned (and hoped for) when they first started the International Series of games - high scoring, close right until the end, plenty of passing, some great runs and lots of excitement generally!  How did you rate the game Grid?  What about the crowd?  did you keep your free flag?! lol
I even managed to pickup a niners sideline cap from the official merch stands inside the ground too, which was nice.
Did you get into the official tailgate in the end, or did you bypass that and go straight into the ground after you left the pub?
The only gripe I still have about wembley is the fact tha tyou have no choice but to use public transport - its still a scary scene when you leave and have 90,000 fans all wedged down one narrow walkway to the station, and you think 'hell, we're going to be stuck here for hours' - thankfully I think the police and tranport people are pretty well organised (much more so, than the event staff and police at the 2 US games we went to), so its surprising how little time it takes to get everyone onto a train, but it'd still be nice to have the option of driving there.

First, great to see you too London (Paul)  Hopefully I'll get a chance to buy you a beer next time (though it will not be by beating me in fantasy  )

I thought it was a good game to watch but it lacked the defensive efforts. I was impressed by how many Saints and Chargers jerseys were present but it just didn't translate to the crowd as much as last year imo. Also seemed like something went wrong with the pre-game show. There was widespread panic at the sidelines and it looked/sounded like there should have been fireworks at the end of "Stars and Stripes" like last year but for a few PUFFS nothing happened    Seats were great at the 2nd level, but the sound from the announcer was blurred 

I left the stick and kept the flag  Also bought the pin only to realize they can't be worn on a cap 

As far as transport I thought they did a great job again this year. This year we came through Wembley Park. It was a bit slower than last year but 1½ hour after the game I was in front of the TV at the casino near Paddington Station watching Giants @ Steelers getting updates on TV (and through Scottish  )


Hojer, Paul and I was watching Liverpool v Chelsea at the Green Man as well so if a soccer game is on next year at the same venue don't let it hold you back even though the TV set isn't as big 

[D-roc]

Welcome back fellas sounds like you had a blast and can't wait to see the pics!

[gridiron49]

Thomas has promised they'll be made available at the net asap so I can put them in here