Patriots pregame at my house

After a late night at numerous bars in Harvard Square on Saturday, I looked forward to a calm Sunday morning, where I could sleep until 11:30 a.m., at which point my grandmother would call me as usual. Unfortunately, things did not work out that way this weekend, as I awoke to a loud smashing noise at approximately 8 a.m.

Initially, I was too lazy to get out of bed and tried to convince myself that it was all part of a dream. Then I heard the smashing noise again and forced myself to check out the situation. I got out of bed only to see the front door wide open and no one standing there.

Immediately, I assumed the worst _ we had been robbed again. Over the summer, on a lazy Friday afternoon, we were robbed of a lap top, a cell phone, a DVD player, a fluggle horn and bottle of quarters for laundry. Mind you all this went on while one of my housemates was cuddled up in his room taking a nap. Thankfully, his door was locked so he was neither harmed nor awakened by the thieves.

Anyhow, just when I was contemplating waking up my housemates to let them know that we had been victimized again, my housemate Mike emerged in the front door. The noise had been him smashing cartons of beer against the walls.

Me: "What the hell are you doing?"

Mike: "Beer. Pats game today."

Me: "Jesus Christ."

On that note, I told Mike that I was going back to bed. One can only assume that he was primping for the Patriots game for the next 3.5 hours.

Admittedly, it was a big game, Drew Bledsoe was making his Foxboro return and it if the Pats lost their season was as good as over. And, with three-die hard Pats fans from New Hampshire, and a Cincinnati native who has ostensibly sold out his hometown teams and now roots for New England teams all living under one roof, every Patriots game is a big game.

At 11:30 a.m., when Mike knocked the door to let me know that my grandmother was on the phone, he was dressed in full uniform.

When I say full uniform, I don't mean a standard Patriots uniform. Oh, no that would have been too simple. Mike was wearing his personalized Pats' jersey with his last name Fearon inscribed on the back. Additionally, he had on red and white knee high socks, cut off cargo pants and a vintage Patriots head band.

Further certifying Mike as the captain of the Patriots fan club was the fact that from 11:30 in the morning on, he was sipping can after can of special edition Coors Light that was brandished with the Patriots insignia.

Joe was dressed more casually, a pair of sweatpants, his Vincent Brisby jersey and a Boston Red Sox baseball cap. While CJ, who still claims to pledge alliance to Cincinatti sports teams, was garbed in his Cincinnati Bengals' ski cap. But, regardless of what he said, it was clear to me that he was more interested in the Pats game then he was in the Cincinatti/Houston match-up (and who can blame him?).

Matt decided to stick with the white T-Shirt and jeans look. I guess he figured that his outfit didn't matter _ all that mattered to the Patriots God was whether or not Matt's heart was in the game, and you can be sure that it was.

Oh yeah, and Sindia _ the token girl in the house. She doesn't actually live with us, yet she always seems to be around. Sindia doesn't know much about sports, but she was trying her best.

Normally, she is not allowed to be in the house on Sunday's because her antics get in the way of football. This weekend, however, we decided to give her a chance.

Actually, Joe picked her up and tried to throw her out of the house about an hour before the kickoff. But, being the great compromiser, I worked out a deal with the fellas that enabled her to stay.

Basically, the agreement was this _ if Sindia didn't make noise and didn't spill anything, then she didn't have to leave.

One of the guys stuck a Patriots ski hat on Sindia's head, and I suggested that she study up on football history at either ESPN.com or NFL.com. She, of course, rejected my suggestion.

Being from NY, I refused to partake in the Patriots costume show and instead, I wore my typical Sunday morning attire _ basketball shorts. While, my friends requested that I put on some Pats garb or at least a pair of pants and a shirt. I ignored their pleas.

After everyone was settled in their respective outfit and determined that Sindia could stay, the next big test occurred _ ordering food. I didn't want pizza and I only like Buffalo wings. Joe wanted pizza, barbeque wings and kickers. Matt wanted Buffalo wings, pizza, and kickers. CJ and Mike didn't quarrel much about the food, they just wanted to hurry up and order it. And, Sindia, well she just wanted a coke.

We tried to get her to make it a caffeine free coke because we didn't want her to get all riled up. But, alas, the girl loves her caffeine.

After about 30 minutes of fighting about wings, kickers and pizza, we settled on 40 wings (20 buffalo and 20 barbeque), two pizzas (one pepperoni and one chicken) and two orders of kickers (boneless buffalo chicken). Total price _ $48.30.

At approximately 12:30 the food arrived. CJ and Matt took a box of the kickers into Matt's room for a pregame smoke, while Joe, Mike, Sindia and I sat in the "Football Room" (Mike's shrine to the Patriots) and devoured our food.

Following NFL Countdown, I headed into my room and began penning my column. I thought that it might be interesting to observe these four guys and a girl actually watching the football game, but honestly enough was enough. I am from New York, and I can only take so much New England love.