By Jason Taylor 

Whether it’s Sunday morning, Monday night or the night before the Super Bowl, most men have rituals that they like to adhere to before a football game. Let’s take a look at some of the common things men will do in the moments or hours leading up to kickoff.

1) Make a Beer/Food Run

Watching football isn’t the same without a cold beer or a piping hot pizza to enjoy during the game. If you are going to the game, beer and food are a must for a quality tailgate. For those who donâ€t like to be ordinary with their food, some interesting meals could include brown sugar ribs, stuffed mushrooms, and beer-battered mad and cheese bites.

2) Watch the Preview Shows

Watching ESPN or CBS on a Sunday morning is almost like going to church for some. It gets fans in the mood for what they are going to be watching for the rest of the day.

3) Check Their Fantasy Lineups

Fantasy football is one of the most popular games on the planet right now. As players can be scratched up to 90 minutes before kickoff, it is important to check the roster one last time to ensure the best possible lineup.

4) Check the Betting Odds

Betting odds can say a lot about who fans think is going to win a game. Therefore, even if a guy doesn’t gamble, he may look at Vegas for guidance as to which teams may do well in a given week. For Super Bowl LI, The New England Patriots are favored by three points over the Atlanta Falcons.

5) Check Social Media

The hours before a game are the best time to talk smack with opposing fans, get insight from players and generally get last minute news about a team. When used properly, social media may also be a good source to watch highlights of past games or get an updated weather report.

6) Throw the Football Around Outside

Whether at home or in the parking lot before the game, it is never a bad idea to throw the ball around or play some touch football in the yard with friends.

7) Get Dressed in Replica Gear

Most football fans will wear their team colors proudly whenever they play. This may include wearing a at, a replica jersey or just anything with the team’s logo on it.

8) Lookup Who is Announcing the Game

Football fans want to know that the announcers are going to be able to call a game properly. They also want to know ahead of time whether to mute the TV in favor of the radio broadcast to avoid someone who may be biased against their favorite team.

9) Look at Coverage Maps for a Particular Game

The television map for a game gives an indication as to how popular the team is nationwide. It may also be worth looking at to see if your team may be on TV if you don’t live in their home broadcast market.

10) Give a Spouse or Girlfriend a Quick Overview Before Kickoff

If a guy is going to watch a game with a girlfriend or spouse, he may be tempted to give a quick overview of why the game is important. This may prevent him from having to give basic explanations while the game is being played.

Keeping in mind a  lot of women are really up on football today and  already  know the  game overview which makes watching the game much more enjoyable for both parties.

If you’re a guy, you probably have a routine on Sunday or before your team plays on Monday or Thursday night. While you may not do all the things on this list, you probably know at least one person who does

Exclusive  to the River View Observer

The post 10 Things Men Like To Do Before Football Games first appeared on River View Observer.

The Real “Rocky”

  Bayonne Boxing Champ Chuck Wepner – the real Rocky Balboa – Star of ESPN Documentary

 By Sally Deering

At 72, Chuck Wepner of Bayonne stands 6â€5”, weighs 250 lbs, has biceps like ropes of steel, and looks like he can still go a few rounds in the ring – even though itâ€s been 36 years since his match with Muhammad Ali for the World Heavyweight title.

In 1975, Wepner boxed 15 rounds with Ali and lost with a broken nose, cuts over his eyes and a bruised ego. But what the Bayonne boxer didnâ€t know was that an unknown named Sylvester Stallone was watching the fight on his TV set and three days later would write “Rocky” based on underdog Wepner. The film became a major hit in 1976 winning three Academy Awards and earning Stallone fame and fortune. Yo! Letâ€s not forget the sequels, too.

On Tues, Oct 25 at 8 p.m., “The Real Rocky” a documentary about Wepnerâ€s life as a championship boxer and the story behind his bout with Ali airs on ESPN. (It also airs Wed, Oct 26 at 11 p.m. and Sat, Nov. 26 at 7:30 a.m. on ESPN2.)  And a film based on Wepnerâ€s amazing story is in pre-production and will star Liev Schreiber as Wepner.

The one-hour documentary is directed by Jeff Feuerzeig, an award-winning director whose feature film “The Devil and Daniel Johnston” won top documentary directing honors at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.  On ESPN.go.com, Feuerzeig, who grew up in New Jersey, explained his inspiration for making the Wepner documentary.

“ I’ve been a Chuck Wepner fan ever since 1975, when I was 10 years old and my father took my brother and me to Sports Night at the Raritan High School gymnasium in Hazlet to see Chuck, aka ‘The Bayonne Bleeder,†just months before he was set to go up against Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title,” Feuerzeig told ESPN. “There were no figures who loomed larger in this 10 year-oldâ€s imagination than Evel Knievel, Andre the Giant and, especially, Muhammad Ali – “The Greatest” – and here was a 6-foot-5 behemoth (Wepner) in a full-length fur coat…and ridiculous amount of jewelry leading us in a chant of ‘Who’s gonna beat Ali? WEPNER!†And in that instant, Chuck Wepner became a real-life mythological figure — as real to me as the Jersey Devil that haunted the local Pine Barrens.”

These days, Wepner, the former New Jersey state heavyweight boxing champion who was christened “The Bayonne Bleeder” for the hits  he took in the ring boxing Sonny Liston,and his (third) wife of 18 years, Linda are riding high from the renewed interest in Wepnerâ€s career.  They ride around in the family “Caddy” with the vanity license plates “Champ” and make guest appearances in Bayonne and other cities to promote the documentary and upcoming film. Just recently, Wepner was in Philadelphia where he raced up the courthouse steps against Stallone, a publicity stunt for the documentary and a chance to meet up with his good buddy Stallone.

On a recent afternoon, Wepner took time out from his busy schedule to talk with the Riverview Observer in his beautiful Bayonne home about the renewed interest in his boxing career, his match with Ali and the upcoming documentary and film about his life in and out of the ring.

RO:  Can you talk about your early family life?

CW:  My father was a cop and became a professional fighter. He was a training partner for Jack Dempsey and James Braddock. I was born in New York City and when my parents separated my mother brought me and my brother to Bayonne to live. But even though I never saw my father until I was 25, when I was growing up my mother never said a bad word about him.  When we came to Jersey, my mother had her hat in her hand. We had no real place to live and a friend offered us a coal shed, which my mother converted into a room for us to live. She was a good mother who thought everyone was good.  Kids today think they have a tough life – theyâ€re full of it.

RO:  Did you make amends with your dad?

CW: I was 25, just turned pro and fighting for the National Championship Golden Gloves against John L. Sullivan in Madison Square Garden. My father came up to me and said, “Do you know me, son?” I said “yes.” He said to me, “Iâ€m cheering for you.” I beat Sullivan that night. My father and I made friends.

 RO:  What can you tell us about your famous bout with Ali?

CW: In Jersey City, the fight was broadcast on Closed Circuit TV at the Stanley Theater in Journal Square. I was the 40-1 underdog.  I was with Ali the night before the fight at the Cleveland Coliseum, a beautiful venue for the fight. We had dinner. The next time I saw him was in the ring.

RO:  Was it a knockout?

CW:  No. They stopped the fight with only 19 seconds left in the round. Tony Perez was the ref. Each round was three minutes. It was the 15^th round and from the 14^th round on, my legs were shaking. I was exhausted. I had been in the ring with Ali for an hour. In the 15^th round, when Ali hit me, I fell, but I was getting back up. Thatâ€s when Tony saw that my eyes were glazed and he stopped the fight with only 19 seconds left. Later, he told me, ‘If I had known there was only 19 seconds left, I would have continued the fight.” I was more shocked than anybody. I only got seven stitches. I got more cuts here (in Bayonne) on a Friday night. I was undefeated in bars, menâ€s rooms. Years ago, Bayonne was a rough town. It was a great town. It still is.

RO:  Were you scared to get in the ring with Ali?

CW: I was never scared. I was nervous about not doing well. Even if I didnâ€t win this fight, I wanted to prove I belong there. I owe Ali for so much; I became famous from the ‘Rocky†series.

 RO:  Did you see Ali after the fight?

CW:  We were friends. I made appearances with him and I made friends with his daughters. Heâ€s a great guy.

RO:  What was it like the first time you saw “Rocky”?

CW:  I went to a theater in New York City for the premier. I remember thinking I hope this movie is good. As the movie started going, Iâ€m thinking this is a good movie. I never realized ‘Rocky†would be the biggest grossing movie. Stallone made 23 billion on all the ‘Rockysâ€.

 RO:  Did you train by hitting sides of beef in a meat locker?

CW:  No. Stallone added the sides of beef. It was a good idea.

RO:  How do you stay in shape? Still boxing?

CW:  I donâ€t box anymore. I donâ€t need it anymore. I earned a Black Belt in Ju Jitsu, but dropped that. I lift weights, keep myself decent looking so when people say ‘Heâ€s the former champ†they donâ€t see me looking old and decrepit.

 RO:  Can you talk about the upcoming movie about your life?

CW:  Itâ€s been in pre-production for eight years. First it was John C. Reilly who was gonna play me, then Vince Vaughn, and now Liev Schreiber. Heâ€s right for it. Heâ€s 6â€2”, weighs 220 and heâ€s a good actor.

 RO:  Youâ€re good friends with Sly Stallone?

CW:  I love Stallone. When I was getting ready for the race up the Philadelphia Courthouse steps, he sent me an email: ‘Iâ€ll be waiting on the steps for you.†He was good to me. I think heâ€s a terrific guy.

 “The Real Rocky” based on the life and boxing career of Chuck Wepner airs Tues, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. on ESPN

For more info, go to www.espn.go.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Boxing Legend Chuck Wepner “The Real Rocky” interview with Sally Deering of the River View Observer first appeared on River View Observer.