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My Dolphins weekend

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by huck1974, Sep 14, 2009.

  1. huck1974

    huck1974 FU Gene Steratore

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    I took a direct flight to Atlanta on Friday afternoon. We checked into the Ritz Carlton. The service and room there was second to none. I couldn't even walk into the lobby without at least four staff members saying "Hello Mr. Cates."
    I highly recommend it if you have the chance. I mean...there are actual towels in the public restroom. Everything about the place makes you feel like a million bucks.

    Friday evening the wife and I ended up at a place called Ray's. It was a high end seafood place that gets 4 fresh shipments of seafood on ice per week. The cold water lobster was spectacular.

    Saturday morning there was a note under the door that said "We are expecting delays with the elevators between 4:30 and 5:00."
    I didn't think anything of it.

    We ended up at a local brewery for brunch. I call it that because it was breakfast at 11:30 of beer and really good bloody buffalo burgers but I don't want to sound like the stoned tye-die wearing breakfast beer Dolphan that I am.

    Did you guys know that Atlanta has the worlds largest aquarium?
    Well, they do and $31 later we were inside. It was pretty awesome with moving floors through tunnels of glass under big *** sharks and stuff. I got into a friendly argument with the wife over the purchase of a stuffed animal fish for my young boy. It was twenty bucks and I lost the battle. His name was "Deepo" and looked just like "Neemo" but I suppose they can't call him that.

    About 4ish and back to the hotel to fresh up before the big Dolpan party at the local Tacomac. I know what your thinking because I was thinking the same thing. What the F is a Tacomac?
    Turns out it is a big sports bar/wing place that had great wings and 300something beers.

    Turns out that the elevator delay was due to three large charter buses parking out front as we get back to the hotel.
    Yep, its them.
    It looked like about fifty fans figured it out and were waiting in the lobby held back by some policemen. Grabbed a beer a decided to check things out. The coaches rolled in first. Then all the players ending with Sean Smith who in person looks like he should still be in high school.

    The cops had lost their patience at this point. They threw all the fans out and forced them off the sidewalk also. One cop got pretty pissed at me because I would not leave. I was waving my room card in his face and the hotel staff chilled him out and bought me a beer.

    I talked to Bokamper for a bit while he was checking in. Super big and nice guy. Chatted with a few others for a bit.

    After cleaning up a bit, we decided to head down and get a cab to the Dolphan party. I pushed the down button on the elevator and eventually the doors open only to see Jason Taylor standing there. Of course my wife is in awe of him and was speechless and all I could say was "Hi Jason".
    He was in very casual clothing including the uggs (very nice comfy house slippers if you don't own them).
    He pinched my jersey and said "Bess huh?" My wife told him that I was saving his jersey for sunday.

    The party was great. Food was great. There were some people there that are well known for their fandom as well as a guy with a dolphins chopper.

    We cut out a bit early and caught a cab back to the hotel a bit after ten as there was great jazz in the bar and the Dolphins curfew was eleven. Good call. Talked to smiley for a while. Just a good ol country boy.
    Got a picture with Channing and was full of jokes. He is hurt by the way. He was limping bad. He finally got an entire bag full of bottles of green tea and headed upstairs. Merling told me he was going to eat some Ryan and he did.
    I talked with several others but never saw the coaches again.
    Come to think of it, Pennington didn't arrive with the team at all for what I could see.

    Sunday morning we headed for the stadium and got in early with club passes. They were about 45yrd line dolphins side row 2. Awesome leather seats and a first class bar with real good food.

    I'll leave it at that since there are plenty of game reviews already and I'm sure I will chime in on some of those. Since I just got home a while ago from the trip, I dont have pictures for you yet.

    I'll have to say That Atlanta is a very friendly and enjoyable city with a lot to check out. The amount of homeless and begging was very sad though.




    :knucks:
     
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  2. Phinvader Bill

    Phinvader Bill The all new Mr. Event

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    That is a great story. Next event, I really need to find out where the players are staying, but I was thinking more along the lines of walking distance to the party, tailgate and stadium.

    I agree with you on the homeless people though. One of the homeless people helped me beat the meter on Saturday so I wouldnt have to park in the hotel, and so that I wouldnt have to pay the $20 parking fee in the lot that we tailgated in. He told me to purchase a $5 pass when we went to the party, then another $5 pass when we got back. That way, it would expire after the actual game so we would never have to move the truck. I told him to come over to the tailgate the next morning, and I'd feed him. He also volunteered to wash the truck. He showed up the next morning with a bucket, and began washing...the WRONG truck! And I didnt notice it until he was finished because I was setting up the tailgate. He ate well, but was not greedy. While we were at the game, he cleaned up the whole area and bagged up all the trash that had been thrown into the back of the truck and disposed o it. He even got rid of the burnt fry grease! lol A couple people asked me to run him off, but I said no. He was actually really cool, and was willing to work hard for his food.
     
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  3. jetssuck

    jetssuck I hear Mandich's voice...

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    Sounds like a great trip and memorable experience, thanks for sharing;]

    And yeah, Atlanta is a great city to visit
     
  4. huck1974

    huck1974 FU Gene Steratore

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    We were only a few blocks from the party and the game. We walked only half the time because the first day we were there my wife chose some bad shoes to wear. She had hurting feet. The players always stay at a Marriot affiliated property which includes the Ritz and is usually the Ritz. Enjoyed meeting you. Looking forward to the next one. Maybe I can help out on the hotel setup next time for the group?
     
  5. dolphindebby

    dolphindebby Season Ticket Holder Luxury Box

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    I pushed the down button on the elevator and eventually the doors open only to see Jason Taylor standing there.

    Dang it. You lucky thing. I only got to see him from the 35 yard line.:cry:
    I am so jealous.

    Glad you had a good time. I did too.:up:
     
  6. finserg

    finserg Well-Known Member

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  7. huck1974

    huck1974 FU Gene Steratore

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    They always stay with marriot properties and we ran into them for a bit last year in St. Louis. I kinda thought they would be there, but by Saturday about noon I forgot about it.
    I was caught by surprise when they showed up and had not planned the stay at the hotel around the Dolphins being there. That being said, there is a media guide that maps our the players hotel destinations. With the lower prices recently due to the economy, you should be able to stay in the same hotel as the team about anywhere on the road for somewhere around two hundred bucks a night.
     

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