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Feature
FB&S; Has Many Uses
The Ongoing Trails Of A UK Football Print Magazine Editor
by Keith Bowden
16/10/2007
It all started with a deliberately thrown away remark – “Seeing as how I am going to be in Vegas in October, I could take in a game…”
 This was my dad, over dinner at our house, back in February. (Since my mum died, we try to get him over every now and again to make sure he has an occasional meal not made in the microwave.) We had told him how much we liked Vegas, and how it had changed in the 20 years since he had last been there, so he decided he would go and see for himself.
Not realising the heartbreak it would cause me, I said something like, “Sports Travel Tours will be able to organise that. I will talk to Andrew Hill (the brilliant man who runs it) and we will sort it out.”
A phone call confirms Andrew can do this. We never doubted he could – following the Miami hurricane incident, which I may have told you about before. We were due to go to a Miami game when a hurricane hit South Florida and the Fins game got blown onto the Friday, us arriving in the Sunshine State on the Saturday. He rearranged our holiday and we found ourselves in Jacksonville the same year for the January 1st game.
All we had to do this time was wait for the schedule to be published. When it arrives, rather annoyingly my father says he does not mind where he goes, so we settle on San Francisco, due to it being the same time zone as Vegas, and being a good game – week 5 v the Ravens.
Andrew then goes and books him in the San Francisco Hilton, just off Union Square, and the Mandalay Bay in LV. We loved the Mandalay Bay when we stayed there – and compare all hotel bathrooms to the amazing one we had in our room, well Lynne (the official FB&S; wife) does. Me – it is the amount of TV channels that I have available that impresses me.
 Jealousy, on my part, is now rampant. As teachers, me and Lynne have always had plenty of available holiday time, and we have made it our mission to use it whenever possible to take trips abroad (this has not yet stopped with me giving up the profession). But despite all these days, and going to the States regularly, the NFL season does not fit brilliantly in with the English school schedule. But we have managed three games – the last the aforementioned trip to Jacksonville, when we were accompanied by my dad. He has always been an NFL fan (not as daft as me) and has been with me to American Bowls and NFL Europe games, but this was his first live experience proper. It was so much fun – the three of us had a ball, and he understandably wanted to go again.
So his tickets arrive for this new trip, and we are woken by an excited 64 year old on a Saturday morning.
Not only does he arrange to leave me in charge of his/our business (I am now officially his assistant / slave (his words) in a little accountancy firm), but also I am to site manage the redecoration of the downstairs of his house. No pressure.
 We practised lines for the holiday:
“Yes, it is disappointing I won’t see Alex Smith, but it gives Trent Dilfer the chance to get some revenge on the team he led to the Super Bowl, who then unceremoniously dumped him.”
“Yes, you are very nice – but marriage in Vegas is legally binding in the UK. So thank you for your kind offer, but I shall have to decline.”
Last minute purchases include batteries for his camera, and a new tri-band phone. This latter purchase is not really to keep in touch with me, but I am to receive a small running commentary via his new found ability to text – well sort of – his spelling and punctuation are not great …
Friday 8:31 (Luton Standard Time) Arrived at 6 easy through security! now going to gate.
2:20 (Pacific Standard Time) just booked in hotel long flight but everything ok now going shopping.
This is good news as me, the official FB&S; brother-in-law and the official FB&S; nephew have given him details of shirts we want him to buy us at the NFL shop on Pier 39.
 Saturday 7:51 No Detroit shirts. Do I wait till LV or do u want Raiders black. Most nos avable.
Well no, not really. I want a Roy Williams shirt (to add to my collection of shirts of my fantasy players – Culpepper (when I had him) and Vick (before the doggie doings). Plus it will be cool to have shirts that belong to two different R Williams – already having two (how did that happen?) Cowboy safety ones. I had seen a great black Detroit jersey on NFL.com, so I can wait until Vegas. A blue or white will be great if the black one is not around. It means dad will have to go to the Fashion Mall – which is cool, as Lynne might get a nice pressie as well (although she turned down a pink NFL jersey, so she probably does not deserve something nice!)
15:01 Am watching air dispay over harbour
I presume he means air display – but it could be something to do with a lack of money – not sure.
Sunday 13:18 Just in end zone b end
So I now watch the red button game looking for a bald Englishman, probably in a short sleeved shirt – should have checked.
Ring him up after the game (2 am LST, 6 pm PST). He has had a great time. Was at the wrong end for the only touchdown – but really enjoyed it. A bit of a contrast to the Jax game we went to, as that finished 40-13.
Turns out he is a bit sunburnt, and I should have been looking for a man with an FB&S; on his head – well in the fourth quarter anyway.
Says he sat amongst Baltimore and San Fran fans, and had a great time – lots of nice people to talk to.
Fascinated by how long they warmed up for – in Jax we arrived at the beginning of the first play – we had driven from Miami, on New Year’s Day, after a New Year’s Eve on South Beach, which involved large cigars (me) and large cocktails (Lynne and Dad). His tip – you cannot take bags in to Monster Park – he had to leave it at the gate and remove all the contents. So, with the promise of a future article for FB&S;, we end our call, and he will text me from Vegas.
Let us just hope he does not return with a new step mum for me!
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