Super Bowl Post – Mortem that is …Ouch, Pat’s get spanked!

I wasn’t quite sure what to title this post. Post mortem maybe? All I can say is that now you see why they actually have to go onto the field and play the game. You can’t be crowned the King or called the Champ based on what you did yesterday or what you did 18 straight games prior to the only game that really matters. The Super Bowl. All the clippings, headlines and record setting performances accumulated over the course of this past season didn’t and don’t mean a damn thing. The Super Bowl was won fair and square by the better team yesterday. My dear friends , The New York Football Giants earned their rings by outplaying, out hustling and out coaching the New England Patriots. Rather than break down each and every play I will just say simply that the Patriots were flat. In fact I noticed that Tom Brady over the last few weeks has been a little down. Maybe his ankle was bothering him , maybe his personal life is carrying over onto the field. I am not sure but he just didn’t play well, didn’t slide and glide in the pocket. Well of course the Giants defense especialy the line was terrific and put alot of pressure on Brady, maybe that was it. I don’t think that the Patriots were outwardly cocky but it seems that they were a bit over confident. And as a followup to last weeks post I might add that Eli Manning sure looked good. Some quarterbacks have more talent perhaps but football is in his bloodlines and he has developed into a real leader. Did you notice Payton up in the booth..hmm I wonder if he was suggesting some plays….Football is such an emotionally charged physical game and the Giants took it to the Patriots and made the big plays. Congratulations. And congratulations are in order also to the Patriots too, remember there are 32 teams and they were better than 30 of them and mark my words they will be back next year as good as ever, fully loaded as usual , and highly likely to be  back in the Super Bowl.

I also want to point out something here that noone that I am aware of has mentioned. The Giants and the Patriots played an exhibition game this year and if my memory is correct they usually run a dual camp for a week or so which gives the players a little taste of someone other than going against a teammate in practice. They also played a whale of a game to end the regular season and my conclusion is the Giants were not intimidated at all by the Patriots , that they in fact new that they were as good athletically, as well coached and prepared as could be and in fact were quite confident that they could compete and win this game. Plaxico was right!  Kudos to Tom Coughlin for finally “getting it”. Everyone learns over time and makes adjustments to their style of coaching based on the particular personnel on your team. He has a reputation for being a stickler for details and a disciplinarian. This year he seemed to be more in tune and in harmony of the inner needs of his players and how to motivate them. He displayed flexibility and showed his human side and the players responded. I have nothing but good things to say about Belichik too, he is an all-time great coach and the Patriots had an awesome season but Coughlin won the big game yesterday and he’s now the man.

So Boston you still have the Celtics leading the NBA, the Bruins on the verge of making the NHL playoffs and of course the

countdown to spring training

Red Sox pitchers and catchers report in …

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Here we go, on to the Super Bowl: Patriots vs Giants

  Well I was wrong. Eli Manning is better than I  thought, way better in fact. He displayed poise and threw the ball like it was just another ho hum winters day, though the reality was that it was hellishly cold if I may allow myself that literary mismatch. The Giants, affectionately known as the G men, thanks Chris Berman, opened up at 14 point underdogs but since common sense has prevailed and Tom Brady was seen with das boot the line is now an almost as ridiculous 12 points. This is the Super Bowl folks…It’s going to be a close game. These are the two best teams left standing. Granted on a dry field in warm weather the Patriots may revert back to the dominance offensively that they had displayed for most of the season. Randy Moss ought to line up 3 steps back to get a running start and avoid getting chucked at the line. (That’s my tip to Mr Bill , you saw it here first.) I just feel that the Giants are on a roll have alot of confidence with their late season streak. Hey they almost shoulda coulda beat the Patriots in the regular season finale. Of course they didn’t and the Pats are underfeated. And let’s face it the Pats are better. Better personel on both sides of the ball overall and they have that X factor , that been there before, done that before factor. They also have the Bradychick factor. No not that chick wise guy, but Belichick. The killer B’s. Two certain Hall of Famers at the two spots you need it most. So why don’t I predict that Patriots to beat the spread,  butter em up and wipe them out. Because in football you never know. There is no sure thing. The ball bounces funny sometimes. a pass gets tipped at the line. The quarterback goes down. A guy coughs it up. And oh ya these Giants are tough. Tom Coughlin demands that. You might not like him as a player but you respect him as a coach and you play 110 % or you are out on your ars. Most of the better coaches are like that. In fact that’s how Belichick can get a guy that has a spotty past to play hard, (well that and some choice words from the veterans like Bruschi in the locker room..) Parcels is like that too. You give him lip and he may give you like a few hours to pack your stuff or maybe not even. I could it break it all down for you Maroney stepping it up the last few games, looking like a little Corey Dillon putting his head down and sticking his shoulder pads in a cornerbacks gut for the extra 2 yards. Rodney Harrison just smelling out the plays etc As well Hobbs and Cobbs shaky on the corner, the line bending a little too much. And on the Giants side the reemergence of Plaxico Burresss as an absolute stud, Jacobs pounding it up the middle and Bradshaw almost making everyone forget about Tiki what’s his name, and obviously Manning coming of age etc I could go on and on and on and on    OK OK enough already I know that your over media hyped and saturated allready and you wish the game was this Sunday , me too! MY PREDICTION  drum roll Ringo…..Patriots win 33-23!

Tickets for the Super Bowl are going for record prices. The fans from the frigid northeast are shelling out outrageous prices to bask in the desert sun and soak up the essense of Americana. The Super Bowl has taken on a mythical status as the event of the year in the USA.  Average price is $4500. The cheapest seats are $3200 for upper end zone. Good sideline seats are in the $10,000 range.  A ticket broker can make a years salary on this one game alone. Of course my friends at National Ticket Agency are humble and understanding. They understand the average mans plight. They will be watching at Bru’s room in Boynton Beach. Big screen , lot’s of beer and wings..see ya all there and take care , drive safe..

And for goodness sakes bring on the baseball season..Spring training countdown as of this second  courtesy of the Boston Globe 21 days : 10 hrs : 12 mins : 11 secs

The Brady Bunch

Is Tom Brady really human. I am beginning to wonder after watching him break the All Time record regular season or playoff game record for completion percentage. And don’t snort that they were all dump offs. He hits guys perfectly with sweet spirals that have just the perfect velocity right on the numbers, right in their hands, hard enough to get it in there, but soft enough to coral. Not only is he the greatest quarterback to ever play ( now playing at the highest level ever seen) but he is a very humble guy who his teammates say studies the game plans day and night. It’s a wonder he has time to date. (He did however  find the time to mate. The lucky dog!) I guess that fact that he is so handsome makes it all seem so unreal. It’s like these girls that have unbelievable voices , can play the guitar like a rock star and happen to be gorgeous. Damn! What I want to know how come these super beings seem to have it all and a poor shmuck like me still gets zits at 39, can’t lose my love handles, and since my shoulder fell apart can’t throw overhand anymore, nor can I play the guitar or sing. Not fair.  

The New England Patriots most assuredly are clearly Brady’s team. They are Brady’s Bunch. This team is so bright that diamond sparkles fly when they smile after scoring  touchdown after touchdown. And the Belacheat scandal only makes them even more appealing , everyone likes the perfect kid to be a little bad boy sometimes, right. What can I say in a blog that hasn’t been written about a hundred million times by professional writers from here to Timbuktu. Watching the Patriots chew up everyone and spit wins is not the least bit getting old, for me anyways. Granted I am a long time Patriots fan and a Bostonian, so yes I have a bias but even you must agree Joe Football Fan that what we are witnessing is historical, entertaining and a marvel. Like I always say I am a football fan first and these guys just blow me away. Bring on the high flying San Diego Chargers . Unfortunately for them 3 of their best star players are gimpy. Gates is only 90%, Rivers may not play at all and LT is limping. While I do respect the other two backs especially little Sprowls and the offensive line, Billy Vogel just isn’t going to cut it at QB against the Patriots smart as hell secondary. Is it too late for the Chargers to summons Doug Flutie for some magic? (Yes I know he is from Boston but he did play for the Chargers too. ) The Chargers defense is pretty decent too and Meriman is a force for sure but the Patriots will lick em like a a doggie lappin up soup de jour. Patriots 35- Chargers 13.

And in the NFC sorry Eli but you ain’t the second coming. The Giants,Brandon Jacobs is a load but he can’t carry the ballgame for by himself. Armani “Brain ” Toomer been playing great but the Super Bowl is not the G Men’s fate.  The Packers are at home in the sub freezing weather on a frozen tundra with the spirit of Lombardi they will roll. And Brett Favre who is on the roll of his life has a chance to reach center stage. Packers 28- Giants 16. And we will see you in Phoenix, Arizona for some ice tea and a Super Bowl.  If you dont have your tickets left there are a handful, but they will cost you your left arm and right nut. Check out the latest ticket listing at www.nationalticketagency.com. For a mere $325,000 you can have 20 friends party in the private end zone loft suite. $325 grand for end zone , please I’ll watch it at home!

The Beginning of My Year End

I guess I am a day late and a dollar short to do a year end wrapup but I can still do a year end review for 2007 in the concert and sports ticketing arena or theatre of operations to use some sad overworn cliche’. As usual your going to get a Bostonian view cause I yam what I yam. Of course this is a total pleasure as ballgames, sports, tickets, concerts and music are not just keywords to boost the  SEO of National Ticket Agency but they are in fact my passion. Likewise since I am still drunk haha with joy over the successes of my Boston sports teams (which continue into 2008) I deam it appropriate to begin this discourse by talking baseball. The Red Sox who broke the curse of the Bambino in 2004 and ended 86 years of anguish by their fanatical fandom and of having to take crap  from the New Yorkers day in and day out. Year after year they reveled in rubbing it in our faces, the effin  Yankees. Well by golly the Sox did it again and brought the championship trophy back to Beantown once more. And I don’t blame the Boston fans for bragging, boasting, and  gloating. 86 years is a long time , eh? It was pretty obvious that the Sox had the best team in the American League this past season with deep pitching bolstered by the additional of 2 Japanese studs one called Dice K with 5 good pitches and the other Okijama a brilliant lefty setup man  and another lights out year from the leagues gutsiest closer Jonathan Papalbon. The emergence of a budding phenom, a legitamate leadoff threat and fearless centerfielder in Jacoby Ellsbury coupled with the usual clutch hitting from David Ortiz and a career year from Mike Lowell balanced off a sub par season from Manny Ramirez. Terry “Tito” Francona did a great job of keeping the team ready to play and GM Theo ” Boy Wonder” Epstein showed why he is a top gun in command of the Sox ship. The guy flat out knows how to build a farm system that is now rewarding the big league team and setting up possible  big trades to keep this club on top year after year. Latest word is the Sox are going to get Johan Santana the leagues best lefty starter! Did I hear myself say dynasty..oh maybe I am mumbling something in reagrds to the Patriots..oh lord I am giddy. Speaking of the Patriots , they finished the regular season 16-0 , broke alot of league and individual offensive records and are poised to go after their 4th championship in 7 years. That my friends is as close to a dyansty in sports as you are going to get. Tom Brady is now considered one of the greatest quartebacks ever by everyone, even you,  and just the whole organization from top to bottom is chalk full of confidence and abilty clearly light years ahead of every other club. The trade of last years # 1 to SF which was the 24th pick for this years SF #1 which is the 7th pick is typical. They also got a 4th last year and that allowed them to trade and get Randy Moss who breaks the TD record of Jerry Rice. Hello!! Then they get Wes Welker, all he does is lead the league in catches…Just brilliant. Guys want to play for them, players take pay cuts and rearrainge contracts to stay with them, it’s remarkable. Now I am not saying that they cannot be beat , they actually should have lost a couple games but hey the great teams find a way to win. Everyone knows though that on any given Sunday..so we shall see. My money is on the Patriots though. Spygate , shmygate Coach Belichek is easily the greatest coach in the game and a sure Hall of Famer. And who has more Hall of Famers than the Boston Celtics, notice how I changed the subject to basketball and the league leading Celtics there. Yes it’s been 21 years since the 16th championship banner rose up to the rafters at “the Gaaden” and the drought and talent gap we expereinced was exceptionally painful for we were spoiled rotten hoop miesters feesting on fade away jumpers from stars gone by like Havlichek and Bird and now I dare say it’s all coming back. The Big Three of Allen, Pierce and KG are surrounded with the most talented supporting cast assembled in the NBA. Danny Ainge you may take a bow. Red must be proud. The team concept of moving the ball around unselfishly and playing great D has always been the Celtics trademark and now they have reclaimed it. My crystal ball sees 60 wins maybe 65 in a my goodness how could this be season that will take them through to the Eastern finals where the Pistons and the Celts will duke it out in a dog fight, apologies to PETA, for the right to play probably the Spurs for the title.

Ok tomorrow I talk a little hockey and some music as I see it’s fast approaching my bed time here on the east coast of Florida where it’s always summer time and the girls are so fine! 

Some sports and concert ticket talk

Well my NE Patriots almost fell last night to the fired up Philladelphia Eagles. Asante Samual proved he’s worth the big bucks picking off two and basically saving the game. It’s not that the Pats were that bad , actually Brady’s stats were pretty impressive and Wes Welker was in the right palce at the right time like 13 times, but the Eagles led by Jay Feeley looked damn good. A win is a win is a win as they say and the streak continues. Belicheck had them out there today when usually they get Mondays off so you can bet that they will be tuned up for next Monday nights Ravens game. Notice how that Patriots are on national TV like every week,  I mean good for me I can watch at home rather than have to trek to the local watering hole and mix it up with the NY boys..I should have been a batboy, the Red Sox full shares were worth over 300k and 44 were voted full, 14 were partials and even the batboys got some cash , it pays to win….By now you know the Celtics lost and there goes they’re undefeated season, darn it..Tonights Monday night game should be good, lets see if Miami can avoid being shutout by the Steelers ha , better let’s see if Ricky Williams can still run, hmm maybe I will watch it for a while..Missouri is No. 1 in the BCS  and the underdog in the Big 12 title game. You figure it out. If BC wins the ACC I would like to see them play Hawaii it would be fun to see Brennnan and Ryan air it out. The over would be 60 pts. News flash Sean Taylor shot bad in his home, wtf..I know he was kinda a jerk but alot of 21 yr olds with talent and money are, but he had settled down and was a damn good hard hitting safety but more had matured was a father and was growing, it’s a shame..ban them handguns please..Is Devin Hester electricity in cleats or what and how do you kick the ball to him when he just torched you.

Hey catch Van Halen, they should be playing at a town near you. They have added alot of dates and it is belived they will tour right through 2008.  They still rip it up and I’m still hot for teacher.

After closing out his 2007 calendar with concerts in Europe and South Africa, crooner Michael Buble willl return to the North American tour circuit early next year. He puts on a terrific show, even your parents would approve.

Bon Jovi the beautiful just keeps rockin around the world selling out shows and pleasing his fans with hit after hit. He will be playing near you and this is one show not to miss as he still hits all the high notes.

Hannah Montana is in the midst of her sold out tour and the tickets are the hottest on the market. National Ticket Agency has seats reserved for you. What better Christmas present could you give your kid than to take them to this show that they will remeber for the rest of their life.

The Spice Girls are hopscotching back and forth over the Atlantic and after playing a bunch if shows in London will be back in the states to tantilize your musical palete. Definate eye and ear candy that is one treat you won’t want to miss.

Look for Rascal Flatts to add more shows in 2008. The country band played to sold out arenas and earned rave reviews in 07 and is sure to satisfy your ole country bones when they hit your town.

WEEKEND CONCERT TICKETING

What I am about to do may be considered unconventional in that Joe Ticket is a blog that is associated with an after market ticket agency, National Ticket Agency. I am going to list the tickets and the dates and times that they will be going onsale at Ticketmaster! And I am going to do it every Friday or Saturday. Why would I do that? Well frankly I know that you are not going to get any anyways, well maybe a few, but very few and very lousy seats as well  due to some very good reasons. First off you may or may not be in a position to access the Ticketmaster ( or Live Nation) website at precisely the time the tickets are going on sale. Secondly even if you were the chances that you would get through to actually select and purchase tickets is slim and none as you are competing against tens of thousands of online buyers all trying to access the site at the same time. Most of them are hopeful fans but many are professional ticket brokers with perhaps 10 or 20 computers in the office all open to the Ticketmaster browser. Thirdly the major ticket agencys have the system rigged with sophisticated dialing software and programs to bypass the type in security code which was designed to prevent this very action but believe me programmers are well paid to stay ahead of it. They are literally able to make it appear as if the computers are individually at diferent IP addresses and all sorts of other tricks. Fourth there still is corruption at the venue level and maybe even at Ticketmaster ha ha where large blocks of tickets are funnelled out and don’t even appear in the system. Back in the day I had a girl at the local outlet pull 8 for me on every big show before the door was even openned. Fifth a goodly number of seats are also blocked out to be given to the bands, radio stations for promotions, other media and what not. Sixth many bands have already distributed large lots of tickets for pre sale for fan club members or other type subscribers. So you see it’s probably futile to try but by all means if you have the time and patience go for it. You might get lucky. If you you get tickets and can’t go you can always sell them to a broker like National Ticket Agency for at least face value and probably more. The system is rigged, it’s not fair you say? Well not fair is the American way. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s called supply and demand , a tenant of our capitolistic system. All is fair in the marketplace as long as it’s legal and if you can justify it morally theres really no problem.  Nowadays the reselling of tickets at over the face value which used to be and is still sometimes called scalping is legal and the secondary ticket market is a robust industry and completely legal in almost all 50 states. It’s so good in fact that Ticketmaster themselves have set up an “after market shop”.  Many sports teams do it and with Ebay and Stub Hub there’s ways for the average fan to act as a broker and sell there own tickets too. That being said I am not worried about it as National Ticket Agency is busier than ever. That’s because I take the stress, the hassle, and the guess work out of the ticket buying equation. I give you  personal service and will search myself for you to get you the best tickets at the best price. In other words I give you added value. You do what you do for work and I bet your good at it and I’m good at what I do, that’s finding you the tickets that you really want at a price that you can afford. Will you pay more than face value , of course , I have to eat too you know, but I spare you the frustration of spending time online and on the phone in vain. The pain of combing through impersonal cookie cutter websites and the potential disaster of buying counterfit tickets from unscrupulous dealers and individuals listing seats in classifieds like craigslist or on Ebay. You can call me or shop at my website at your leisure 24 hrs a day , 7 days a week, even holidays and you have my expertise and advice that I am always willing to share as to what games , what venues , what shows are worth it. I can even arrainge travel and transportation to big events like the Kentucky Derby and the Daytona 500 or even the Super Bowl.

 

First the Boss, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band continue to assemble their US spring jaunt, one date at a time. On-sales get underway Saturday (11/17) for planned shows in Rochester, NY; Anaheim, CA; and Atlanta. Monday (11/19) on-sales are set for Hartford, CT; and Buffalo, NY.

Next Eric Clapton reunites with Steve Winwood  for three concerts in New York City, set for Feb. 25, 26 and 28 at Madison Square Garden. Tickets for all three shows go on sale to the general public Monday (11/19) at 9 a.m. EST.

 

Matchbox 20 will greet 2008 with its first North American outing in more than four years, hitting the road with Alanis Morissette. On-sales begin Saturday (11/17) for the tour’s stops in Hollywood, FL; Tampa; Atlanta; Charlotte, NC; Auburn Hills, MI; Milwaukee; Fairfax, VA; Verona, NY; New York City; Niagara Falls, NY; Reading, PA; Kansas City, MO; Omaha, NE; Grand Prairie, TX; Oklahoma City, OK; Broomfield, CO; Seattle; Reno, NV; Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Sunday (11/18) on-sales are set for San Jose, CA.

Avril Levigne is finally is hitting the road next spring to support for her April release, “Best Damn Thing.” Tickets hit the market Friday (11/16) for Lavigne’s upcoming show in San Diego. On-sales begin Saturday (11/17) for her planned appearances in Rosemont, IL; Auburn Hills, MI; Pittsburgh, PA; Cleveland, OH; Uncasville, CT; Manchester, NH; Fairfax, VA; Hidalgo, TX; Dallas; Selma, TX; Las Vegas; Phoenix; Anaheim, CA; Universal City, CA; and Santa Barbara, CA

 

Celine Dion will to hit the road in a big way, embarking on a nearly year-long international outing to support her new album.  Tickets hit the market Friday (11/16) for Canadian stops in Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg. On-sales begin Saturday (11/17) in Sacramento, CA; Tacoma, WA; Salt Lake City; Birmingham, AL; Montreal and Toronto. Monday (11/19) on-sales are set in Boston; Washington, DC; Newark, NJ; Uniondale, NY; New York City; Atlantic City, NJ; Columbus, OH; Cleveland, OH; Auburn Hills, MI; Minneapolis; Chicago; Indianapolis; St. Louis; Kansas City, MO; Omaha, NE; Denver; San Jose, CA; Anaheim, CA; Los Angeles; Glendale, AZ; San Antonio, TX; Nashville, TN; Atlanta; Raleigh, NC; Miami; Tampa; and Sunrise, FL.

Coming up will be a bigger list of hot concerts to warm the fall nights. Plenty of bands are touring as frankly that is the major source of their revenues today. That and merchandise sales outstrip the revenue from the sales of recorded music.

Turning to sports, the Celtics and the Patriots remain undefeated..who will lose first? Great tickets to both Boston teams are available. Believe it or not I see that Red Sox 2008 tickets are now showing up on the ticket network big board. Hey makes a great Christmas present. In fact for a stocking stuffer tickets can’t be beat!   JT