Yesterday was one of the best days of my life and I have a feeling that another 750 or so people feel the exact same way after the amazing day we had yesterday at the Meadowlands. We rolled very deep taking four busses of fans from Slattery’s Midtown Pub to MetLife Stadium where a ton more Dolphins fans joined us. As a group we bought 760 tickets but there were a lot more at the game and I feel like most of them came to our tailgate!

The tailgate was catered for the first 300 people who signed up but a bunch of people brought their own food and set up around us. We also had beer and rum provided by PBR and Sailor Jerry and I can’t thank them enough for sponsoring our tailgate free of charge. The tailgate featured some Dolfan guests when team CEO Tom Garfinkle and Nat Moore showed up and posed for pictures with fans. While it wasn’t quite the Fergie appearance from last year Sun-Sentinel reporter Omar Kelly showed up and he was voted one of South Florida’s sexiest TV newsmen. (I actually had to google “Omar Kelly sexiest” to find that link. I hope the NSA isn’t judging me.) We also had a pretty awesome performance from Miami Dolfan Music’s own Solo D who recorded a #MetLifeTakeover song for the occasion. The Dolphins sent us a MASSIVE flag that we broke out at the tailgate. I had to climb on top of an RV to get pictures! I was also told Brent Grimes’ hilarious wife Miko showed up to the tailgate late but I missed her.

I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off so I barely had time to talk to anyone for more than a minute, but it was really amazing to meet all the Dolphins fans who came from all over the northeast for the game. The York PA Dolphins Fan Club and the Northern VA/DC club made group trips up and I hope it becomes a tradition. I love meeting fan clubs from all over and Michelle and I really want to do what we can to help grow these clubs around the country. Dolfans NYC has been successful partly because there are more than 10 million people living within an hour of us but I also think some of our marketing efforts have worked pretty well and I hope we can help other clubs do similar events at other Dolphins away games.

The game itself was of course amazing and our sections were ROCKING! We gave out 750 rally towels at the tailgate and they were in full force throughout the game. Marv Albert mentioned how loud we were on the TV broadcast after Brian Hartline scored a TD and pointed to our section with the ball. You could hear our LET’S GO DOLPHINS and DEFENSE chants in the background on the telecast but our Seven Nation Army chants were really audible in the fourth quarter. The Jets made a huge mistake by playing the song before a Dolphins third down and we kept coming back to it after that. It was pretty hilarious to use that against them.

Aside from the camaraderie and the huge win it was awesome to feel like what you were doing made a difference on the field. I think we all felt like we were making a difference in the game and giving our team energy and I don’t think we were alone in that. A ton of Dolphins Tweeted thank you messages to the crowd including several of them mentioning Dolfans NYC by name. We should have a list of all those Tweets on the blog tomorrow or whenever Alex gets a chance to do the post.

So check out all the photos I shot at the tailgate below and both MiamiDolphins.com and our crack team of video reporters were on hand so there should be some pretty cool videos coming soon! I also will be posting these pictures to our Facebook group so tag yourselves in them! Phins up!

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On Thursday Dolfans NYC threw a big Halloween party and the Dolphins won in miraculous fashion as Cam Wake sealed the game with only the third overtime safety in NFL history. Another great half was wasted with another poor third quarter but Ryan Tannehill made the plays he had to make to lead the team to a game tying field goal with seconds left in regulation. When the safety happened Slattery’s Midtown Pub erupted and we had free shots all around. The Dolphins broke the Bengals winning streak and ended their own losing streak and we partied.

We had DJ Tropic DJ again and he killed it all night. We had a costume contest as the three finalists battled it out via Instagram to see who would get the most likes. Mr. McGibblets out beat Ricky Williams by one vote and Joe Philbin came in a distant third. I loved the Philbin costume but after four straight losses he didn’t get a lot of love. My pajama wearing “Tired Of Losing” costume got the most votes but of course I was not eligible and Mr. McGibblets walked away with a hat signed by OJ McDuffie and Sam Madison. Mr. McGibblets also promised he would be coming to our #MetLifeTakeover on Dec 1st in full costume!

The next Dolphins game is a Monday night game against the Bucs and we will be having DJ Tropic in the house again as well as a huge raffle. We also will have our new DolfansNYC hats for sale again. I hope you guys get a chance to pick one up. Hope to see you guys then.

And lastly, before we get to the pictures I wanted you guys to check this video from the “Miami Dolphins Web Weekend” that the Dolphins posted on their site. DolfansNYC got a lot of love in it and special mention of the $3000 we donated to the Miami Dolphins Foundation. Thanks to you guys for our opportunity to do so much in the way of charitable donations!

Now check out the Halloween party photos from Slattery’s Midtown Pub below. Double click to open em in a new window so you can save them to your computer!

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Last Sunday the Dolphins lost a close game due to terrible offensive line play and some of the worst refereeing I have ever seen in an NFL game. It was amazingly frustrating and upsetting BUT despite this I still had a good time and I think most people watching at Slattery’s Midtown Pub did too. We have really built something special there and it makes the wins so much better and the losses almost manageable and I look forward to seeing everyone as much as I look forward to the actual football. Dolfans NYC is a really amazing thing and it looks like the word is getting out.

PhinPhinatic’s Paul Picken Jr. heard about our bar and took a several hour trip to our bar with his father in tow. He reached out to us before the game and said he wanted to do a story on us. It was great to meet him and he had a blast and wrote up a great review of our fan club and our bar. Check out the article here and enjoy a few highlights below.

Until recently, I mistakenly believed that outside of heading to Florida, finding an amazing Dolphins get together would be next to impossible. This past Sunday, despite a heartbreaking last minute loss by the Dolphins, I was proven drastically mistaken. I was shocked to see the sheer magnitude of their gatherings, and then noted that their Facebook group is approaching 1500 members and growing.  This appeared to be a gathering that I had to see for myself to believe.

On football Sundays, the traditional Irish pub menu is tossed out in favor of a Dolfan specific menu with some great selections and catchy names relating to the Dolphins, featuring such items as the “Sun Life Nachos,” “Chicken A.B.L.Tannehill,” “Marino Mozzarella Sticks,” and more.  After a quick talk with our waitress, Audrey, my father and I settled on a “Still Perfect Burger” and a “Brian Cox Buffalo Chicken Sandwich” with “First Down Fries,”  all of which were amazingly delicious and were all very large portions.

Close to game time the place was nearly full of Dolfans, with more strolling in every minute.  Every Dolfan that strolled in was warm and friendly, and gave the place a “Cheers-like” vibe where everybody knows your name.  I found out from Michelle that they have virtually taken over at least one section for the Dolphins at NY Jets game December 1st, with a list of 500 people that is still growing having purchased tickets and planning to attend.

The passion that Igor, Michelle and the other founding members of DolFans NYC have for the team is obvious to anyone that comes into contact with them.  Within minutes of entering an event at Slattery’s, even the most casual of fans will immediately notice their love of the Dolphins and fellow fans from all walks of life. If you’re ever in the NYC area, and are looking for a home to watch a Dolphins game, there is no better place than Slattery’s with this group to watch a game and I encourage you to do so.  From the high fives after good plays, the sighs to the cheers, through the chants and heartache – in this area, you will have an unmatched experience for watching the game.

And a bonus quote just because I am self absorbed and I like reading about myself…

Right before kickoff, the ringleader arrived.  Clad in Zubaz Dolphins pants, a DolFans NYC denim motorcycle cut adorned with patches, pins and Dolphins swag over his DolFans NYC shirt, Igor entered.  Throughout the game, he led the entire bar in their fully interactive participation in the day’s events.  From leading the bar in every “De-FENSE… De-FENSE,” chant, to every “That is good for another Dolphins FIRST DOWN” cry, everyone looked to him to lead the way.  The greatest and most entertaining audience participation moment comes with every Dolphins touchdown, as Igor climbs atop a bar stool, standing head and shoulders above the crowd, and the Miami fight song comes over the PA system in the bar.  There is nothing quite like hundreds of Dolfans singing that as one.  Immediately following each DolFan rendition of the Dolphins fight song, deep in the heart of Jets territory, comes the following chant which can be heard loud and clear from the entire block – “J-E-T-S, SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS!”

On Monday we had a huge party at Slattery’s Midtown Pub! The Dolphins were playing great football for 28 minutes before it all went to hell right before the two minute warning, but such is life. It’s a long season and you aren’t going to win every game. Fortunately, even with the loss Dolfans NYC had a great time. We had one of our original founding members DJ Tropic spin during commercials and it worked out really well. Even late in the game we were at least enjoying the music, food and the company. People stuck around and even celebrated and sang the fight song on the garbage time TD. I also noticed a ton of rational positivity on our Facebook page. It’s great to be around Phins fans who aren’t screaming Fireland this and Tannehill sucks that. I really love this group.

Both floors of the bar were packed. It’s great to see so many people show up when the game is on TV. We have really made an event of it. We had a big raffle and sold t-shirts and ended up raising over $1200 for charity. It was really amazing. The two big prizes in the raffle were a Bob Griese signed hat and another hat signed by Tannehill, Hartline, Jimmy Wilson and Austin Spitler. Two cool things happened with that. Our member Bryan who had donated the Tannehill/Hartline hat actually won the Griese hat. It was great to see since not only has he been a big supporter of the club but he also lost 90% of his Dolphins memorabilia collection in Hurricane Sandy last year. The other cool thing was that Austin Spitler got resigned today so all four people who signed the hat are actually still on the Phins.

Anyway, I took a bunch of pictures, even after we were getting beat on pretty badly. I hope you guys dig them. If you want to save one just double click the gallery below and it will take you directly to our Flickr page. Phins up!

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Yesterday was amazing! We had so many people packed into our new home, Slattery’s Midtown Pub, that we took over both floors, not just the upstairs like planned. The only problem was the bar wasn’t quite prepared for the insane turnout so they were understaffed and it took forever to get food and drink. Fortunately, they know the deal now and will have plenty of staff on hand moving forward. The bar was amazed at the turnout and we are going to get all the kinks worked out and make this the best experience possible. All the problems aside, the day was so great and I know everyone had a fantastic time. So pumped moving forward.

Michelle and I are both out of town for work next week but Alex will still have the shirts to sell, and I am sure someone will take over for me as far as screaming like an insane person all day. But we will be back for the Falcons  game and we will plan something special for the Monday night Saints game!

Anyway, I took a bunch of photos at our meet up yesterday so check them out. If you want to save a photo or something just click the slideshow below and it will open in a new window!

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Unlike many other sports leagues in the U.S., the NFL is a short season; it’s a brutal and punishing game that all too quickly takes its toll on those who play it. A loss at any time is big, and in the NFL it doesn’t take long for there to be one too many.

I needed a little time to gather my thoughts following Sunday’s debacle.

I have been guilty of hubris, and that arrogance made me look foolish this Sunday, as much or more so than our own beloved Dolphins. When the final whistle mercifully blew on Sunday, many fans were angry, shocked, lost for words, distraught… I could go on and on. During the game I felt many of these feelings, but as I walked home from 3rd and Long, I put it in my rear view mirror and reflected. Truth is, at the start of the regular season, had someone said that nine games in we would be 4-5, I would have been happy; I would have taken it.

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The DolfansNYC tailgate and takeover was the most successful thing we have ever done as a club. We bought 200 tickets, rolled up to the stadium in two packed busses and were pretty much the only fans left at the end of the game. It was amazing. There had to have been more than 300 fans at the tailgate and we sold out of EVERY Dolfans NYC t-shirt and raised a bunch of money for charity. We plan on donating $1500 to the Miami Dolphins Foundation when Michelle and I head down to Miami for the Titans game in two weeks. Really great experience.

If you somehow missed the news we had a few special guests at the tailgate… Dolphins owner Stephen Ross showed up with minority owner Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, CEO Mike Dee, Phins great Nat Moore, MiamiDolphins.com Andy Kent and a ton of cheerleaders. It was so cool of them to do that and a pretty good PR move. Some Jets fan hit Mr. Ross with a cheeseburger knocking his glasses off. Luckily they fell right at my feet and as soon as Ross got his glasses back on he just ignored the whole thing and kept posing for pictures and signing autographs. One of our members asked him why he came down and he said “I could have stayed in my box all game but I had to check out the tailgate. This is the biggest Dolphins fan club in the United States!” Very cool.

After the tailgate we filled the stands. We may have been in the endzone in the nosebleeds but I assure you our presence was felt. Mike Dee tweeted after the game “Great to head home w/a win. Complete team effort w/ an assist from DolfansNYC, who kept the Fins chants going all game long!” Reggie Bush didn’t mention us by name but he Tweeted “Loved the Dolphins fans showing up today! We heard you guys loud and clear and so did the rest of the stadium! Thanks for your support.” Not to brag or anything (okay maybe a little) I was leading the chants from the endzone. By the end of the game all the Jets fans were gone and the Dolphins fans left seemed to flood into our sections and we chanted “LET’S GO DOLPHINS” so loudly you could hear it on TV. It was one of the best experiences of my life. What a great day.

I want to thank everybody who came out, and especially want to thank my partner Michelle who did all the dirty work on this one. I am pretty good at doing the promoting and doing the screaming but Michelle is the best party planner you could imagine and put all 199 tickets we bought on her credit card. We have worked on this for months, but she busted her ass all week on the details while I was off hanging out with my girlfriend in California. So thanks Michelle, thanks to Sailor Jerry rum for sponsoring the tailgate, thanks to Third & Long for hosting a breakfast before we got on the buses, thanks to everyone who joined us at the game and thanks to the Miami Dolphins organization for not just recognizing us but supporting us.

All the pictures I took at the tailgate are below. If you want to save one just double click it or you can just go directly to our Flickr page to see and save all the pictures there.

Go Dolphins!

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Week one was a huge success for Dolfans NYC but not so much a success for the Miami Dolphins. We had a packed house at Third and Long(sadly we had to send a few fans next door until we could sneak more people in) and we raised some money for the Miami Dolphins Foundation with another raffle. A lot of the regulars won the prizes so I was happy about that. If you didn’t win you will have more chances. We plan on doing a bunch of raffles this year. We won’t be doing one this Sunday but we will have a new batch of t-shirts for sale.

The Dolphins on the other hand did not play so well. They teased us with great defense and better than expected offense for about 25 minutes. They couldn’t get in the endzone but they looked good against a VERY good team. And then they fell apart. They had four turnovers in four possessions and got scored on three times in the last three minutes of the half making a 3-3 game a 24-3 game by the time they went into the locker room. Aside from a special teams touchdown they couldn’t get in the endzone in the second half and lost 30-10.

It took me two days to get over the game but in the end I came out feeling pretty okay about it. Yes, it was painful to watch but if you think about it there were a lot of positive signs. The Dolphins run defense was dominant and the secondary did okay. Andre Johnson is one of the best players in the NFL and the Texans have a very good offense. They scored 24 points off of turn overs and ended up scoring only 30 points. That’s impressive.

The offense couldn’t score in the red zone and gave up four turnovers which you don’t want to see. But it’s not very often that a team gives up four turnovers in four drives. Tannehill looked pretty good aside from throwing passes into the defensive line and I think that stuff is correctable. Some of the missed passes that looked like over throws or under throws were mostly to Armstrong and Hartline, two players that have only been practicing with Tannehill for a week. Their timing will get better and Hartline looked very healthy. The right side of the o-line struggled and we clearly need better receivers, but the run game looks awesome, the o-line should get better as the year goes on and when Hartline and Armstrong play with Tannehill for a bit longer the passing game could improve significantly.

The Dolphins are not going to be a good team this year and we know it. But there were a lot of good signs against the Texans that were over shadowed by a few minutes in the second quarter. If Tannehill turns out to be a pretty good QB in this league this year won’t even matter. But that being said I think the Dolphins are going to be a lot better at the end of the year than they are now. And for the record I think they beat the Raiders on Sunday. Go Dolphins.

Check out the slideshow of pictures from Third & Long below. If you want to save a photo double click on it and it will take you to Flickr.

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