The Diary of Third and Long

BEING A DRUNK and STUPID FRAT BOY IS NO WAY TO GO THROUGH LIFE, SON..

2012-01-28T15:44:00.000-05:00

Last night I'd planned on taking the night off because I wasn't feeling well. So while laying in bed I found that I couldn't sleep due to the loudness of the bar below, so I ended up going into work anyway. It's just as well that I did because I ended up meeting up with a good friend from the old Hamptons/ Turtle Bay days, Rick Dignus. We reminisced over the old bar days and talked about what he's currently doing (living the good life in Virginia). While this was going on, I couldn't help but to notice this loud, drunken Frat Boy who kept trying to get the attention of the bartenders.

At first I thought he was trying to get their attention for a drink. Then I noticed that he was a little drunk and simply wanted attention. When the bartenders refused to give in to his awkward and stupid advances, I gave the signal to cut him off. When it came time to sign out his bar tab, he made a bit of a fuss, then tried to plead his way out of getting cut off. When that didn't work for him, he became a bit belligerent. At that point me and my doorman moved in to "escort" him out.

Of course, he didn't take too kindly to being asked to leave so at first he wouldn't budge, But as we moved in to "help" him out of his chair, he realized we were serious. So to "make a statement", he thought it would make him look cool to kick his stool out towards us. That went over like a fart in church and next thing you know, he's being swept out the door faster than President Obama at a Republican fundraiser.

Naturally he didn't take kindly to being bounced (as would most Frat Boys as they are never wrong). He challenged my doorman to a one-on-one fight in the middle of the street, "To see who the real man was"; when that didn't happen, he turned his attention to me and demanded to know why he was kicked out. When I told him he went over the line by being belligerent and touching my bartenders, he of course, denied ever doing any of those things, despite having practically the whole bar witnessing it. When he couldn't sway me, he decided he'd try to piss me off by calling me a fat n****r (as drunken Frat Boys who been tossed out of our bar have done in the past). Yay, here we go again (and I thought we lived in a progressive city). And of course, he ran across the street as soon as he said it and began mouthing off from there- a safe distance from me and my doorman.

When I didn't give in to his feeble attempts to lure me into a fight, he got frustrated and finally staggered off into the night. Drunken jackass.

I seriously should have stayed in bed.

WEEKEND'S HERE

2012-01-27T12:06:00.000-05:00

We're experiencing a bit of a monsoon outside right now so I figured that this is a good time to catch up on the blog while I have a free moment.

This is the "Blah Week" that falls between the NFL Championship Weekend and the Super Bowl. This weekend in particular sucks because aside from the NHL All-Star Game & NFL Pro Bowl (admittedly not the most exciting things on the sports radar), there's not much happening. However, I can tell you who loves this weekend: Wives and girlfriends. Why? For the same reason mentioned above. There's nothing going on, thus leaving their men to themselves for a change.

I do like the fact that the UFC is offering up a pretty solid card on FOX this Saturday night (which we'll carry by the way). It's been a while since we've seen a solid UFC card at the bar.

We're officially NINE days away from the Super Bowl and to be honest, it couldn't get here fast enough. I strongly detest the extra week that falls between the Championship Game and the Big Game. I feel like it kills the momentum for both teams and more often than not, it results in a blowout/snoozefest of a game. Not as much in recent years, but still, more often than not.

That being said, with the rematch between the Giants/Patriots in place, if we get anything close to what we got in the first game, I will be more than happy. Not just from a business standpoint, mind you, but from a fan's point of view. When the Giants beat New England in that infamous Super Bowl a few years back, the celebration that took place in the streets afterwards was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

That was an epic night and hopefully we'll get some "deja vu" magic in nine days!

The rain's letting up so I'm going to take this time to catch up on errands. Don't forget to keep tabs on our weekly lineup of activities at Third and Long via our website! Check out our "Weekend Kick-Off" ($4 domestic drafts/well drinks, 5-9pm) and I hope to see you around this weekend!

Cheers!

PERFECT ENDING BEFORE THE ALL STAR BREAK...

2012-01-26T08:25:00.003-05:00

The bar hosted a hockey viewing party for the Detroit Red Wings/Montreal Canadiens game. It was a matchup between two Original Six teams (always good) and it was also the last game before the NHL All-Star break. That being said, we had a pretty enthusiastic group of fans for both teams in attendance and going into the game, the Red Wings fans were feeling pretty cocky about their chances. They did have the league's best record, while the Habs have been mired in mediocrity for most of the season.

Imagine everyone's surprise, however, when the Habs jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead within a matter of minutes. We held a predict-the-goal contest, where you got to select who you thought would score the first goal of the game. No one got the first goal scorer correct, so we rolled it over to the second goal and again, no one got it. In fact, no one, and I mean NO ONE predicted the correct scorer until the 4th goal was tallied. In other words, the goals were coming from guys you least expected to hear from against the mighty Red Wings.

By the time all was said and done, the Habs had gone on to DESTROY the Red Wings, 7-2, which was stunning to everyone in the bar, myself included. That being said, it was a pretty good gathering and everyone seemed to have a good time. A nice way to go into the NHL All-Star Break. And great job by the boys from HOCKEY THIS WEEK for their pre-game broadcast. If you're a hockey fan and you want a good listen, check them out HERE:

This, apparently, is the Habs' version of the "Broadway Hat" that the NY Rangers players don after a victory.

It was also DOUBLE S' birthday last night so a few of his compadres were in to celebrate with him. It must be said that I may OR may have not have had a couple of quaffs of suds to help celebrate, thus taking a "temporary hiatus" from my "No-Juice January" stint. Anything for a friend, I always say.

TONIGHT: We're offering up $4 Speakeasy Prohibition Ale pints along with our usual Thursday specials ($4 Molson, Labatt Blue & Alexander Keith's) along with $4 Mixed Well Drinks (for ladies) (5-10pm). Check out a great NBA doubleheader (Boston vs Orlando, Memphis vs LA Clippers), some NCAA hoops and the NHL Fantasy Hockey Draft.

See you tonight!

WEDNESDAY: "Habs vs Red Wings Viewing Party"

2012-01-23T16:21:00.000-05:00

HABS vs RED WINGS VIEWING PARTY, WED. 6pm!

With the NHL All-Star Weekend approaching, the last NHL game before the All-Star break takes place this Wednesday night. Appropriately enough, it's MONTREAL vs DETROIT, two Original Six teams, and it's the ONLY game on the schedule. So what better way to celebrate the start of All-Star Weekend than to host a viewing party?

So fans of the Red Wings and Habs (and hockey in general) are invited to join us as we air Montreal vs Detroit (live w/audio) this Wednesday night! There will be giveaways and $4 Molson Canadian drafts up for grabs as well as $4 mixed well drinks (for ladies) AND of course, bragging rights between the two Original Six teams.

The fun starts with a live pre-game broadcast from the boys at Hockey This Week, who will break down the game and take questions and comments live and on-air! Then we drop the puck on what should be a great game!

So gather up the troops and we'll see you this Wednesday!

EPIC PREDICTIONS COME TRUE!

2012-01-23T15:51:00.000-05:00

After basking in the glow of the past weekend's games, I sat down to write today's blog post only to see what I'd written on 1/20 and I couldn't help but to smile (see blog post HERE). My predictions had actually come true for once!

It was a fun weekend overall, with a lot of interesting and comical things taking place throughout. On Friday, for example, there was the lovely young sales girl from the DENIM HABIT clothing store across the street who decided to put on an impromptu dance recital in the window of the shop. She literally sat in the window of the shop and did the robot dance for almost an hour, much to the chagrin of folks walking by and the patrons watching from across the street...

Pretty funny.

Later in the evening we had a situation that could easily be filed under "bizarre". There were a group of guys who had been hanging out most of the night. One of the guys in particular was a bit annoying in that he kept talking to strangers and getting into people's "personal space" a bit too much. So towards the end of the night, two guys came into the bar; both still wearing suits and ties- either they were coming from a wedding or a similar type of function. In any case, they came in and made a beeline towards these two ladies who were hanging out at the bar and began chatting them up.

Sure enough, Mr. Personal Space guy had to go over and interrupt their flow. At first, everyone seemed to get along. However, things turned quickly when all of a sudden, one of the guys and Personal Space Guy started tussling with one another in the middle of the bar. We immediately got in between them and tossed both of the guys out. The one guy kept challenging the Personal Space Guy to fight and Personal Space Guy declined. He even got Personal Space Guy to say "I am a pussy" (at least five times) for not fighting. Pretty juvenile. Here's where it gets strange:

Personal Space Guy then offers him a cigarette. The other guy accepts the cigarette and within minutes, they were BFF's. Everyone in the bar looked at them like they were nuts. You can't make this stuff up.

Saturday was pretty low-key; I suspected that it was due in large part to the mini-snowstorm we'd received overnight and the impending big football games that were slated to take place on Sunday.

I got to the bar early to prepare for what was sure to be a long day of football. I wasn't sure what kind of crowd we would get for the first game (New England vs Baltimore), but I knew we would for sure be busy for the Giants game.

Some of the Sunday Brew Crew regulars showed up early to claim their spot before the game began and when the early game began, we had a nice little crowd in place.

The first game between the Ravens and the Patriots started out slowly but by the time all was said and done, it turned out to be one hell of a nail biter! The now packed bar saw a great finish and it set the tone for the main event of the evening, the Giants vs the 49ers.

And as thrilling as the first game was, the Giants/49ers game certainly lived up to its billing. Great defensive game by both teams and timely plays by both offenses kept the crowd glued to their seats and the TV's....

Winner of our Bud Light Cooler raffle!

Watching the range of emotions on these guys during the final few minutes of the game was priceless..

The whole afternoon/evening was EPIC: Two great games, two fantastic finishes and now the whole city is in anticipation for a classic rematch between New England and New York, just as I predicted.

Stay tuned for the Super Bowl on February 5th!

TONIGHT: Join us for MONDAY NIGHT UNWIND, featuring $2 domestic draft mugs and 2-for-1 Wine by the Glass (all night)! Games on tap include: Syracuse vs Cincinnati, Toronto vs NY Islanders, St. Louis Blues vs Detroit Red Wings, Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics and more Australian Open tennis (if that's your thing).

After yesterday's games, you need a night like tonight to "unwind"!

SPECIAL NOTE: PUB TRIVIA is on for TOMORROW NIGHT (8pm). Pub Trivia Enthusiasts plan your schedule accordingly!

WEEKEND PREDICTIONS

2012-01-20T12:37:00.003-05:00

Well, it's come down to the "Final Four" in the NFL. Better known as "Championship Weekend". Two huge and interesting matchups between teams that have all tasted Super Bowl success in the past. So there will be no surprise "underdogs" this weekend, in a sense. It all comes down to who's got their team peaking at the perfect time.

That being said, here are my predictions for CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND:

Game 1- NEW ENGLAND vs BALTIMORE.

I think New England is going to win this game rather easily. Their offense is clicking on all cylinders and I'm sure they have some revenge on their minds for what Baltimore did to them the last time they faced each other in the playoffs. Plus, I'm simply not sold on Baltimore. Yeah, their defense is great. However, their offense is what I'm not convinced about. They are a Jeckyll and Hyde team- meaning you simply don't know who's going to show up. And I think Baltimore QB Joe Flacco's regressed since last year. Pencil in the Patriots for a trip to Indy.

Game 2- NEW YORK vs SAN FRANCISCO.

Both teams are riding high off of HUGE wins over Green Bay and New Orleans respectively. Both teams are clicking on both sides of the ball. Both teams have highly respective defenses. On paper, the Giants have the better offense, however, as last week proved, the 49ers can put up some points, and quickly. The weather forecast this weekend is scheduled to be wet and messy and that could affect the game in a huge way, especially at that stadium by the Bay.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the QB. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes will carry the team to victory. And Eli's got more experience in the "big game", so I'm going to go with the Giants, though I think it will be a low-scoring affair. So if this holds true, look for a great Super Bowl rematch:

NEW ENGLAND vs NEW YORK GIANTS!

Whatever happens, it should be an epic weekend for the NFL!

TONIGHT: Kick off your weekend after work with us! $4 domestic drafts (Bud, Bud Light, Shock Top, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Troeg's Dreamweaver Wheat Ale, Magic Hat #9, Long Trail IPA, Brooklyn Lager, Lagunitas IPA) and well drinks up for grabs (5-9pm)! Check out the Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens & LA Lakers vs Orlando Magic among the many games on tap!

Cheers!

PUB TRIVIA- NEW FACES!

2012-01-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

Last night's edition of Pub Trivia was pretty well attended with plenty of new faces on hand. It was also a special night as it was the 3 year anniversary of PUB TRIVIA for hosts Brad C and Big Red. The topic for the night was Current Events, highlighted by a halftime segment where you had to identify celebrities on various Time Magazine covers from the past to the present. (by the way, I correctly identified 19/20 covers).

It was a fun time and a great job by the hosts (once again) for putting on a good show. Next week's edition of Pub Trivia will take place on TUESDAY, January 24 (8pm). Please make a note of it!

TONIGHT: "Hockeymania" features all three local teams in action: NY Rangers vs Pittsburgh (w/audio), NY Islanders vs Philadelphia and NJ Devils vs Boston (all 7pm starts). We're also airing the LA Lakers vs Miami Heat (8pm)! $4 Alexander Keith's, Labatt Blue and Molson Canadian during all LIVE NHL games!

And don't forget about our NFL Championship Viewing Party taking place this Sunday! For the New England/ Baltimore game (3pm), we're offering $4 Sam Adams, Bud & Bud Light pints during the game. During the NY Giants/San Francisco 49ers game we will serve up $4 Lagunitas IPA, Bud and Bud Light pints! Plus we'll raffle off another Bud Light cooler during the Giants/49ers game! Get there early- The place will fill up and we DON'T take reservations!

Cheers!

GIANTS vs PACKERS GAME SETS VIEWING RECORD!

2012-01-17T12:52:00.000-05:00

BREAKING NEWS: From Sports Illustrated.com: "Giants-Packers game on FOX drew an average of 45.1 million viewers, the most-watched Divisional Playoff game ever."

Hmmm... I like to think that the packed house at Third and Long had a little something to do with that. Wait until this Sunday...

TONIGHT: CRAFT BREW TUESDAYS, where you can enjoy select Craft/Microbrew pints for $3.00, ALL NIGHT LONG! Some of the select beers to choose from: Lagunitas IPA, Troeg's Dreamweaver Wheat Ale, Brooklyn Lager, Magic Hat #9, Speakeasy Prohibition Ale.

There's a ton of great games on tap tonight, including #NYR vs #Preds, #Isles vs #Caps, #NJDevils vs #GoJetsGo (Winnipeg) and great college hoops action (Michigan vs Michigan State), plus late-night coverage of the Australian Open.

Hope to see you tonight!

Cheers!

WEIRDO NIGHT.... SERIOUSLY.

2012-01-17T03:06:00.000-05:00

So every so often you come across a night where one bizarre thing after another takes place. Last night was one of those nights.

It started innocently enough. It's the Monday after a long holiday weekend, so you don't really expect much to take place. There were small groups of people scattered throughout the bar, some watching sports on TV, others having casual conversation; Otherwise, a pretty easy-going night. Then things began to get weird.

When the bearded guy started stuffing the jukebox with Rhianna songs and singing along at the top of his voice, I thought that was weird. When the musical selections switched over from Rhianna to Incubus and the same guy continued to sing every note without missing a beat, I thought THAT was weird.

But then things really got weird when these two ladies came into the bar. Both of them looked as if they had been crying (red flag). As it turned out, the brother of one of the ladies (who was the fiancee of the other lady) passed away suddenly and they were obviously distraught over what took place. So we let them "mourn" in peace until...

One of the ladies decided to try and serve herself some fruit from the fruit tray. AMY SMART, who was bartending with THE RUNNING MAN stopped the woman from reaching her hands into the fruit tray, citing sanitary reasons. The woman then went ballistic- first with AMY SMART over who's touching the fruit, then with THE RUNNING MAN and eventually me for everything from who's touching the fruit to us not caring that her brother passed away and not giving her condolences. It was bizarre. When we told her she needed to leave, she refused to leave, continuing to hurl rude insults trying to go after the staff. Crazy stuff. Eventually we got the two nutty women out of the bar, but not after a couple of calls for police assistance (they of course, showed up after the fact). QUESTION: Why do all the weirdos come out on the slow nights?

A fitting ending to a very strange night. Oy vey.

Cheers!

HOLY CRAP... WHAT A WEEKEND!

2012-01-17T02:22:00.000-05:00

If you are a even a casual fan of the NFL, let alone a hardcore one, you definitely found yourself getting sucked into the excitement of NFL Divisional Playoff Weekend. From the thrilling come-from-behind-from-behind-from-behind-from-behind victory by the San Francisco 49ers over the New Orleans Saints, to the national "dismantling" of "TebowTime" by the New England Patriots; From the Baltimore Ravens victory over the Houston Texans in what could be Ray Lewis' final shot at a Super Bowl, to the NY Giants' improbable destruction of the Super Bowl champions on their storied home turf, this was a weekend for the ages.

So next Sunday we find ourselves with the Final Four of football: All former Super Bowl champions meeting head to head with a date to the "Big Game" on the line:

New England Patriots vs Baltimore Ravens (3pm)

San Francisco 49ers vs NY Giants (6:30pm)

The networks love it.. and so do the fans. This should make for an EPIC Sunday of football. Phone's already ringing for reservations for Sunday (sorry, we don't do reservations, it's first come, first serve). We gave away a pretty cool NY Giants portable beer cooler on Sunday and we'll see if we can get some more cool swag to giveaway during the games this Sunday! So plan on getting to Third and Long early because if this is anything like the last time the Giants played for a spot in the Super Bowl, this place will be JAMMED!

Cheers!

HOBOKEN ST. PAT'S PARADE: CANCELLED!

2012-01-13T11:57:00.003-05:00

BREAKING NEWS: Apparently the Hoboken St. Patrick's Day Parade has been cancelled. Yes, collect yourselves boys and girls. The infamous "parade" that usually takes place the first Saturday in March has been called off by the parade committee, due to "inability to protect spectators, bands and participants...". Protect them from what? Themselves?

I'm sure the bars and restaurants in Hoboken will take a HUGE financial hit on this but why do I have a strange suspicion that "the show will go on" in Hoboken anyway? Call it a gut feeling.

PLAYOFF FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS: As we head into the NFL Divisional Playoff Weekend, here are my predictions for the four games. Go with them at your own risk (wink, wink):

SATURDAY: New Orleans vs San Francisco (4:30p): My prediction: New Orleans 24 San Fran 13.
New England vs Denver (8pm): My prediction: New England 38 Denver 10.

SUNDAY: Baltimore vs Houston (1pm): My prediction: Houston 21 Baltimore 17.
New York Giants vs Green Bay (4pm): My prediction: Green Bay 31 NY Giants 27.

Once again, roll with my picks if you want to but don't shoot me if you lose! We'll be showing all of the playoff games (w/audio) and we're hosting a NY Giants Viewing Party on Sunday where we'll be raffling off some cool NY Giants swag (like those pretty nifty beer coolers to the right)! Drink specials throughout the day and following the game, stick around for the NY Rangers vs the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night! Most of you have Monday off so hopefully we'll be celebrating all night long!

SPECIAL NOTE: We're hosting a private event tonight from 6:30-10:30pm, which means we'll be closed to the public for a couple of hours. We'll reopen after 10:30pm and party all night long!

See you this weekend! And make sure you don't let Friday the 13th get you down!

Cheers!

ABOUT FACE!

2012-01-12T15:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the bars, restaurants and bodegas of New York City were in up in arms after hearing of a report from the Mayor's Office of plans to reduce the number of booze establishments in the city. His reasoning (as Emperor of the City): there were too many binge and underage drinkers. This of course, upset a broad spectrum of people, from industry types to the regular Joe, tired of the Mayor imposing his will on what he thinks the city needs, time and time again. He has a track record of imposing his will onto the citizens of NYC: The Smoking Law, Trans-Fats in restaurants, The amount of salt you're allowed to eat, etc. But when he came up with this ridiculous idea to cut back on the number of places selling alcohol, we'll you can imagine the backlash that came with that nonsense. (Original article can be found here)

Well it seems that Hizzoner woke up today and came to his senses (see article here). He's apparently backed off on his grandiose plan to curb alcohol sales. Not sure what caused him to do it, but it was a wise move. If you have issues with binge and underage drinkers, there are other ways to attack the problem. But to reduce the number of bars and establishments that serve alcohol is not the answer. If nothing else, you eliminate jobs and take away a major piece of the unique NYC nightlife. And the city doesn't need that at this time. (Photo: A. Causi, NY Post)

Drink up New York!

Cheers!

A TALE OF TWO TEAMS: RANGERS and HABS

2012-01-11T16:30:00.000-05:00

We've reached the halfway point of the NHL season and the two teams that has caught my attention are the NEW YORK RANGERS and the MONTREAL CANADIENS, but for two different reasons.

(courtesy of NY Daily News)

The NY Rangers have been flying high all season. Currently sitting near the top of the league, they are clicking on all cylinders. Between the hot goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist, a tough young defense, timely offense and a tough-minded coach who takes no shit, the Rangers can do no wrong. They even get flukey breaks going their way. It's slowly starting to shape up to a run similar to the one we saw back in 1994. Does this mean that this is finally the year that Lord Stanley comes back to New York? It's still too early to tell, as they haven't played the Boston Bruins yet this season, but if you're a NY Ranger fan, you gotta like your chances at this point.

The Montreal Canadiens on the other hand, can't seem to catch a break. Between numerous injuries, poor play from their top players (Gionta, Gomez, Cammalleri just to name a few), coaching changes and a front office who has turned a once storied franchise into a perennial s***show, and we have a team that is lost at sea.

(Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports Ca.)

This team, who had great runs in the playoffs the last couple of years, now seems destined to win a spot in the Draft Lottery than make the playoffs at this rate. Instead of concentrating on doing what needs to be done to win games, they seemed to be more consumed on making sure that they have a coach that can speak French. Granted, there are a few players who are giving a genuine effort, night in, night out (Carey Price and Erik Cole for example); But for the most part, this team is a shell of a team that we expected much more from coming into the season. And as a diehard Habs fan, that pains me to see.

What will the second half of the season bring? Anything can happen- that's why they play the games, but if things stay true to form, look for the NY Rangers to play hockey in April while the Habs enjoy an early start to the golf season.

Nuff Said.

NEW YEAR...SAME RESULTS.

2012-01-11T15:31:00.001-05:00

So we're just about two weeks into the new year and right about now the resolutions that were made on Jan 1 are being broken. No more smoking... you take a quick puff while no one's looking. Go on a diet... and you're stuffing a Carl's Cheesesteak down your throat in a dark alley after a night of beers (which you were going to give up as well). I see this happening all the time and I ask myself "Why do people torture themselves like this"?

I stop making New Year's resolutions a long, long time ago. I realized that to cut out things that I liked cold turkey was more of a torture to myself and would lead to me breaking the resolutions and then becoming depressed at the fact that I didn't keep them. Seriously, what's the point? Life's too short. If you want or need to curtail some things for say, your health benefit, then you do what you need to do. But if it's strictly an ego thing, then just moderate. No sense in beating yourself up over unrealistic goals that you couldn't meet.

There. I've spoken my piece for the day. Now back to my pastrami sandwich.

BCS = Boring Championship Series

2012-01-10T14:33:00.000-05:00

Well, if you were one of the many who got sucked into the hype of the HUGE BCS National Championship rematch between LSU and Alabama, you were no doubt trying very hard to stay awake during the course of the game. These two teams met in the regular season, with LSU winning a low-scoring defensive battle, 9-6 in OT. So I guess I could understand how there would be some excitement in this much-ballyhooed rematch between the top two ranked teams.

However, it looked as if only one team showed up ready to play, and let's just say it wasn't the home team. The LSU Tigers were outclassed on both sides of the football as the Crimson Tide of Alabama simply manhandled the #1 ranked Tigers. It was ugly... and boring. Ugh. Simply painful to watch. You hoped to have seen some kind of offense being generated by both teams. However, it was the defenses who controlled the flow of the game and unfortunately, the flow was too slow for most folks as it played out into a snoozefest. And at the end of the night, Alabama showed everyone that they were the best team in the land, regardless of how ugly the game was. So congrats to the Crimson Tide, the National Champions of College Football. (photo courtesy of AJC)

Now that we're FINALLY done with college football, we can fully concentrate on the winter sports (NCAA/NBA basketball, NHL hockey and of course, the NFL Playoffs). And not a moment too soon.

Tonight we're hosting "Craft Brew Tuesdays", where we get to showcase our great line of Craft Beers. Tonight you get to enjoy great beers like LAGUNITAS IPA, SPEAKEASY PROHIBITION ALE, BROOKLYN LAGER, LONG TRAIL IPA and MAGIC HAT #9 for only $3/pint! We purposely priced these beers as such to give you an opportunity to "broaden your horizons" and try out some of the great tasting beers that we carry at Third and Long. The Craft Beer offerings will change frequently so stop by tonight and each Tuesday night to see what's on tap!

SPORTS ON TV: NY Rangers vs Phoenix Coyotes (7pm), NY Islanders vs Detroit Red Wings (7pm), Buffalo Sabres vs Toronto Maple Leafs (7pm), Montreal Canadiens vs St. Louis Blues (7:30p) NJ Devils vs Calgary Flames (9:30p) plus NCAA Hoops!

Cheers!

50/50...

2012-01-09T09:44:00.001-05:00

So it appears I split on my weekend predictions in the NFL Playoffs. Kudos to the GIANTS and SAINTS for their big wins and raspberries to the BENGALS and STEELERS for their epic meltdowns. I guess the AFC North isn't the stud division it appeared to be.

Going into the weekend, the AFC North had 3 of the 6 playoff slots, so you would think that chances were strong that the AFC representative going to the Super Bowl would have come from that division. But that was NOT the case as the Texans and Broncos had different plans in mind. The biggest stunner of the four games this weekend was the Broncos upset of the Steelers in overtime, thanks to "Wonder Boy" Tim Tebow, who somehow discovered his passing touch, torching the Steel Curtain for (ironically enough) 316 yards and an 80 yd TD pass on the first play of OT (316 yards, 3:16 bible passage, get it?). In any case, I BOLDLY predicted that the Steelers would crush the Broncos with no problem. Boy I sure didn't see that upset coming. Nor did probably 75% of the country.

Next weekend's games should be great. Looking forward to all of them, especially the GIANTS vs PACKERS. The last time those two teams played in the playoffs (2007), we had a rockin' time at the bar and if memory serves me correct, the Giants won that game (and we know how that season turned out). How could you forget THAT Sunday?

I expect a repeat of that this Sunday, so you better get to the bar EARLY!

TONIGHT: BCS Championship (LSU vs ALABAMA), 8pm with $2 domestic draft mugs ALL NIGHT LONG!

THE REAL SEASON STARTS NOW.

2012-01-06T14:36:00.000-05:00

Now that the smoke has cleared and the playoff teams are in place, it's time for the real NFL season to kick in. Of course, we'll carry all of the games at the bar (w/audio), so it should make for a fun-filled weekend if you are a diehard NFL fan.

In case you're wondering who plays when, here's this weekend's schedule:

SATURDAY JAN 7:

4:30pm: Houston Texans vs Cincinnati Bengals

8:00pm: Detroit Lions vs New Orleans Saints

Both matchups are intriguing for different reasons. The first game features two rookie QB's and two pretty stout defenses, so this could turn out to be an ugly game. I think the QB who makes the least amount of mistakes will carry their team to victory and a chance to play in Foxboro, MA next weekend.

The second game, interestingly enough, is the game I look forward to the most of the four games on tap. NEW ORLEANS vs DETROIT. offers up all kinds of firepower between two domed-stadium teams. N.O. is on a serious roll with a very hot Drew Brees leading the way; however, DET is no slouch in the offense dept and has not shown any fear for the top teams. If their young studs can keep their heads in the game on both sides of the ball, this could turn out to be one heck of a game.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 8:

1pm: New York Giants vs Atlanta Falcons

4pm: Denver Broncos vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Again, two intriguing matchups. The first game features the local team with whom everyone is thrilled with. After two big victories over rival teams, everyone (in NYC at least) think that the Giants are tailor-made for a long run in the NFC playoffs. With the "Other" Manning finally playing well and the new hero Victor Cruz catching any and everything thrown his way, it appears that the Giants are on a major roll. However, one should not underestimate the Falcons. Yes, they were blown out by New Orleans a couple of weeks ago but they are still a dangerous team, as they demonstrated in last week's thrashing of the Panthers. They also have a great (yet underrated) QB, a strong running game and a pair of stud WR's. This game is going to be much closer than most people think....

As for the other game... I'll keep this short. Pittsburgh will end the Tebow mystique once and for all. And yes, it will be ugly. Denver does not deserve to be in the playoffs, backing in the way they did. But at the end of the day, they're in, so be it. However, as much as most of you are hoping to see some last minute "Tebow-time Magic" in this game, I have a feeling that Tim Tebow will be smothered by the Steel Curtain and their stay in the playoffs will be a brief one.

So, buckle up and get ready for one great weekend of NFL action: BREW CREW STYLE!

(image courtesy of PopFlyBoys.Com)

OVERDUE POST

2012-01-03T21:22:00.000-05:00

It's a few days past New Year's and it was indeed a long and interesting weekend. Between New Year's Eve festivities, New Year's Day filled with great football and post-New Year's excitement, thanks to the NHL Winter Classic, it was sensory overload for yours truly.

As much as I would like to share stories from the weekend with you, I'm going to have to let the photos do the talking because, quite frankly, I'm too tired to transcribe my mental notes and it's too cold to type. Hell, it's even too cold to touch the wireless mouse! So enjoy the pics and I'll follow up with some noteworthy tidbits from the weekend.

Cheers!

NEW YEAR'S EVE at THIRD and LONG

2011-12-29T11:07:00.002-05:00

If you're still contemplating over plans for New Year's Eve, check out this option:

Limited spots available! Call the bar (212).447.5711 or email us: thirdandlongnyc@gmail.com for availability! You're in for a great night!

GOOD TIMES, GREAT MEMORIES...

2011-12-28T16:21:00.005-05:00

Last night we bid a fond adieu to a classic staple at Third and Long: DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS. For 20 years we offered up $1 Bud/Bud Light mugs on Tuesday nights, creating good times and great memories on a weekly basis. It was something that we at Third and Long looked forward to each and every week and the patrons did as well.

However, with the changing times and demographics of the neighborhood, we found that it was time to change along with it. The tastes of today's consumer have gradually branched out to more varied (and in some cases, upscale) options and as a result, the notion of dollar Bud Lights didn't have that same appeal as it once did. As a result, it was time to face reality that our long-running special had run its course and time to turn the page on Dollar Draft Madness.

While the weather was pretty shitty (strong winds and pouring rain) last night, there was a fairly large contingent of die-hard Dollar Draft Madness fans who braved the elements to enjoy their ceremonial last mug of Bud Light. There were groups of DDM fans who had been coming there for over 10 years as well as tourists who were there for the first time. A nice mix of the old and new, all partying and enjoying stories from the past throughout the night.

Starting next week, we will roll out our new Tuesday special: CRAFT BREW TUESDAYS, where you'll be able to enjoy a select number of quality Craft Beers from around the world for only $3/pint! This is a great opportunity to expand your "drinking horizons" at a great price. Our selections change constantly so stop by each Tuesday and see what's being offered!

TONIGHT: There's no Pub Trivia tonight, however, you can catch the NY RANGERS vs WASHINGTON CAPITALS (7pm)! You can also watch SYRACUSE vs SETON HALL (7pm), MIAMI HEAT vs CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (7pm). The NY KNICKS play out west vs GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (10:30p) and VANCOUVER CANUCKS vs SJ SHARKS (10:30p) is also on tap!

$4 Well Drinks (for ladies) and Rolling Rock Buckets (5/$20) are drink specials up for grabs, ALL NIGHT LONG!

See you tonight and as always, thanks for your support!

Cheers !

GRAB A MUG OF CHEER

2011-12-27T13:52:00.002-05:00

Gather up the gang as we make our final toast to our long-running weekly special, DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS tonight. After 20 years and thousands of mugs of Bud Lights, it's time to put away the mugs and start a new tradition (Oh, and in case you're wondering... No! We're not going anywhere)!

The beautiful thing about New York City and what makes this city so unique is that it is constantly evolving and we at Third and Long see things the same way. The dollar mugs had a place here for many years but now it's finally run its course. It's time for change. And with 2012 just around the corner, now is as good a time as any to start fresh with a new tradition.

In the meantime, we invite you to come by tonight hoist those mugs up in the air one last time. Whether you are an original member of the "Dollar Mug Club" from back in the day, or a relative newcomer to the neighborhood, here's your chance to reminisce over memorable nights past and to bid farewell to an old time classic: Dollar Draft Madness. Oh, and feel free to polish those mugs off with shots of FIREBALL WHISKY!

$1 BUD/BUD LIGHT MUGS.....ALL NIGHT LONG!

See you tonight!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2011-12-25T14:35:00.004-05:00

We here at Third and Long hope you are having a "WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME"! Enjoy the day with your loved ones and we will be back serving up our usual "Good, Pouring Fun" on Monday, December 26th!

Cheers!

HAPPY FESTIVUS!

2011-12-23T09:49:00.002-05:00

While many of you will be concentrating on last minute shopping and traveling today, it's also important to remember that today is FESTIVUS, the non-secular holiday popularized by the hit TV series, Seinfeld.

If you aren't familiar with FESTIVUS, it's the day where you gather with family or friends and celebrate the holiday by partaking in a few "peculiar" activities, such as "The Airing of Grievances" (where you confront family members or friends on how they disappointed you in the past year); "Feats of Strength" (Where the head of the household or party organizer selects a member of the family/group and challenges them to a wrestling match. The holiday is considered officially over once the head of household is pinned); And the declaration of "Festivus Miracles" (easily explainable events).

Instead of the traditional Christmas tree used during the holidays, an aluminum pole is used for the FESTIVUS celebration. So as you can see, it's a fun alternative to celebrating Christmas.

So if you are looking for something to do tonight and you aren't caught up in the last minute feeding frenzy of the holidays, get together with your family and/or friends and celebrate FESTIVUS "with the rest of us"!

Don't forget about the Winter Classic Preview: Rangers vs Flyers (7pm live) tonight!

Cheers!

THE FINAL HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN...

2011-12-22T15:02:00.001-05:00

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22: The first signs of the holiday exodus is upon us. I am noticing frantic shoppers, scurrying around with packages in tow during their lunch break. I also begin noticing a few travelers making an early start to their long holiday weekend, hailing down taxis with luggage in hand and frustrated scowls on their faces.

Yes, it's that time. Having Christmas Eve/Day falling on a weekend presents a mixed bag. For starters, it falls on a weekend, which takes away from having time off from work because for all intent and purposes, you're already off on the weekends. What's the fun in that? So in effect, you have to create a long weekend for yourself, whether it be taking that Friday or Monday off (if your company wasn't gracious enough to give it to you). Again, what's the fun in that?

As far as it relates to us at the bar, Christmas Eve presents an interesting dilemma: How do you plan for the day? There's a full slate of NFL games on tap during the day, with a lot of key matchups (NY Jets vs NY Giants, Miami vs New England, Tebow vs Buffalo, etc); There's also that last-minute Christmas shopping blitz before the stores shut down. And of course, many of your Sunday regulars will be traveling. So, what kind of crowd will you get on Christmas Eve? Hmmm..... Christmas Day is a moot point because we'll be closed anyway. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Tonight should be the last hurrah for everyone working in the city before everyone shoves off for the long holiday weekend. We have a lot of things on tap tonight, starting with the "Battle of NYC" (Rangers vs Islanders, 7pm). There's also Montreal vs Winnipeg (830p) for our Habs followers, and Buffalo vs Toronto (7pm) in the "Battle of Niagara Falls". And then there's the MAACO BOWL (Boise St. vs Arizona St., 8pm). So we're sufficiently stacked for sports. We also have Molson Canadian on tap (as well as bottles), along with Labatt Blue and Alexander Keith's bottles for $4 each (from 5-10pm and during all NHL games).

Last night was Pub Trivia Night and the theme for the evening was, of course, "Christmas/Hanukkah". Some of the questions for the night were definitely thought-provoking and the fact that I didn't know there was a video game in the '90's called "Lemmings" proved my point. It was a fun night and the team that won were pleasantly surprised at how well they did.

AND FINALLY: The other day, we posted that we were ending our long-running "Dollar Draft Madness" promotion after 20 years at the end of the year. Some of you were confused by the post, thinking it meant that we were closing. We want to assure everyone out there that we are NOT closing, not by a long shot. Just making some changes with some of our weekly specials. The decision to discontinue our long-running dollar mug special was a difficult one to make, but a necessary one. It was a special that numerous people enjoyed over the years. I've known many people who made friends over dollar drafts, consummated business deals over dollar mugs; Hell, I even known people who met their spouses here over dollar drafts. So it produced a lot of great memories over the years. But it (as with most things) ran its course and with the change in demographics and tastes, you have to adjust accordingly. And that's what we find ourselves doing in this case.

So rest assured, Third and Long will still provide you with "Good, Pouring Fun", with its usual array of great drink specials throughout the week. Check in daily on our FACEBOOK page, on TWITTER and our website for updated information on what's on tap!

Cheers!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS

2011-12-21T11:39:00.003-05:00

As we wind down one of our long-running traditions, Dollar Draft Madness, here are scenes from last night's Christmas edition- (experimenting with Instagram):

The night was festive and there were plenty of people enjoying themselves with visions of sugarplums (and shots) dancing in their heads. It wasn't totally incident-free, however, as we had to toss a guy who probably had one too many dips of the spiked egg nog at his company party and tried to pick a fight with a patron who was in no mood for his company. The patron, who in his own right, probably has a few screws loose to begin with, wanted to be left alone and this guy kept pushing his buttons to the point when he eventually blew up. Both guys went outside and were ready to fight one another until we broke it up. No harm, no foul. Silly and pointless? Of course. But this is what you get sometimes when you're dealing with folks coming from holiday office parties.

Other than that, it was a great night. Next up: PUB TRIVIA- The Holiday Edition (tonight @ 8pm) It's the last one for 2011 and tonight's theme: Christmas/Hanukkah.

SAYONARA TO AN OLD STAPLE...

2011-12-20T16:45:00.000-05:00

TWENTY YEARS AGO, Third and Long opened in the charming neighborhood we call Murray Hill. Back in 1991, the social climate of the neighborhood was much different than it is today. For starters, we were the only bar on the block. Second, the average age of the individual living in the neighborhood was approximately 50 years old (seriously).

So when you're a couple of young guys fresh out of college and trying to establish yourselves by opening a bar in Midtown Manhattan,with an aging demographic as your neighbors, these are some fairly difficult obstacles you find yourselves facing. Add to the mix, the fact that your circle of friends are based out of the outer boroughs and you're going to have a tough go of it coming out of the gate.

But the Long Brothers weren't deterred by those obstacles and went ahead and opened up Third and Long. And one of the first things they did when they opened in 1991 was establish "Dollar Draft Madness", where you were able to get a mug of beer for a buck on Mondays and Tuesdays. Sort of a catchy way to get you to come in and check out the bar. It was also a great special for young professionals just starting out; An opportunity to go out with co-workers on the cheap. What started out as a temporary introductory special, turned into the longest-running drink special we ever had... until now.

The bar business is pretty fickle; People's tastes change all the time and to be successful in this business, you have to roll with the changes. With that being said, we were still able to provide our Dollar Draft Madness special every week for 20 years. However, as of late, we've notice that demand for dollar drafts weren't the same as in the past. And as much as we love tradition and are big fans of the weekly classic, we're still a business and if the demand isn't there anymore, then it's time to introduce something else. So as of the start of January 2012, "Dollar Draft Madness" will be no more.

Silver lining to all of this: You still have two weeks to enjoy Dollar Draft Madness: Tonight and next Tuesday night (12/27). And we'll still have our "Kick the Keg Saturdays" and "Monday Night Delight" specials ($2 domestic draft mugs), so the mug special won't totally disappear. And what's going to take the place of the long-running staple? You'll have to check in with us in January to find out!

In the meantime, gather up the crew and raise a mug one last time to DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS!

HOLIDAY PARTY HIGHLIGHTS

2011-12-19T21:03:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday Third and Long hosted its 20th Annual Holiday Party. The party is a yearly event where we celebrate the end of another successful year with our favorite patrons, family, former and current employees and friends of the bar. It's usually a raucous affair filled with great fun and hijinks aplenty.

This year's event, the 20th edition, was filled with some of the same fun-filled (albeit slightly-tamed) debauchery as in years past. However, this year's party also had a special purpose. We decided to use this party as a fundraiser for the family of recently-deceased NYPD veteran Peter Figoski, who was killed in the line of duty last week. His untimely death left him with a widow and four daughters, so a grass-roots campaign was put together to raise money to establish an education fund for the girls. We decided that with the holiday party taking place, this would be a great opportunity for the Third and Long family to do its part. So we asked all of the patrons in attendance for our party to make a donation towards the Education Fund and when all was said and done, we raised over $1,000! It's great to see that the spirit of giving still exists and we thank all of you who supported a great cause.

And now, for the photo highlights...

Here I'm trying to figure out how to utilize the camera functions of the Iphone. With somewhat disastrous results I might add..

Members of "The Corner Girls" enjoying the festivities!

"The DON" addressing the crowd with his annual "State of the Bar" speech!

The Third and Long Staff surprised myself and Baby Girl with some delightful Xmas gifts!

Including the delicious SORTILEGE (Maple Sugar Whiskey) from Quebec!

Toasting to good times and a great staff!

So overall, it was a great night. Got to see a lot of old friends, enjoy some Christmas cheer and reflect on why I love this place and the people who work here so much.

Happy holidays boys and girls!

HOLIDAYS ARE A TIME FOR GIVING...

2011-12-16T13:26:00.000-05:00

As we approach the last weekend before the Christmas/Hanukkah holidays, I'm sure your minds are wrapped around getting those last-minute gifts for family and friends and making arrangements to see them. That's understandable, I mean it is that time of the year. However, I can't help but to think about those who won't be able to enjoy those rituals we take for granted.

This year in particular, we've seen families scarred and destroyed by unfortunate events. Between unfortunate accidents and most recently, senseless killings, family members are left to pick up the pieces at the time of the year when family matters most. And that, quite frankly, is sad and heartbreaking.

This really rings true in the case of NYPD Officer Peter Figoski, who's life was taken abruptly while investigating a house robbery on December 12. The senseless killing of P.O. Figoski, a 22 year veteran of the NYPD, left a family without a father to care for them, a wife without a husband, and four daughters without a dad to celebrate Christmas with. And while it's bad enough to lose a parent in such a fashion, to have the memory of this type of loss come up at this time of year will always be difficult to endure.

That being said, fund-raising efforts have already begun to establish an education fund for the children. If you would like to donate to the fund, there is a website that you can refer to for donations: http://www.nycpolicefoundation.org/netcommunity//

We are also doing our part to help out the Figoski family. Our annual Holiday Party takes place this Sunday (6:30p) and while we're doing our bit to give back to you for another great year (and you know how we do it), we're asking you to do something for us: We will be collecting a $20 donation from everyone, with ALL proceeds going to the Education Fund for the Figoski children.

So while we want everyone to enjoy themselves at our now-legendary holiday party, keep in mind that you'll also be doing something good for a family that could use all the support they can get.

In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers go out to the Figoski family. R.I.P. Peter....

LAGUNITAS HAS DONE IT AGAIN!

2011-12-14T12:24:00.001-05:00

If you are a fan of Lagunitas Brewery and their "eclectic" stable of beers led by the iconic LAGUNITAS IPA, then you'll no doubt want to join us tonight as we "officially" unveil their holiday offering: LAGUNITAS SUCKS HOLIDAY ALE:

The fact that we have this on tap is kind of a big deal because the Holiday Ale is such short supply that from my understanding, there were only 50 kegs available in the WHOLE city! And we got 2 of them. If you love the Lagunitas IPA, then you'll definitely love the Holiday Ale. It's a bit different than the IPA, with distinct fruity notes and a 7.8 % ABV, but still really good just the same.

So stop by tonight and meet the Lagunitas rep who will be on hand to share some samples and talk more about the Holiday Ale, which has a fascinating story behind its creation. Then stick around for our weekly Team Pub Trivia night, with a $45 bar tab up for grabs for the winning team! As always, it's free to play!

Lagunitas tasting begins at 6pm, followed by Pub Trivia at 8pm!

DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS & Sixpoint Tasting Night

2011-12-13T10:22:00.000-05:00

It's Tuesday which means it's our weekly long-running Dollar Draft Madness Night!

The premise is simple: One buck = One mug of Bud/Bud Light. ALL. NIGHT. LONG! Buy 'em one at a time or by the fistfull, it's still a buck a mug. Where are you going to find a better deal than that?

And for those of you who like your beers "crafty" and unique, there's our Sixpoint Brewery Tasting Event taking place tonight:

There's also a slate of great NHL games on tap, including the NY Rangers vs Dallas, Montreal Canadiens vs the NY Islanders, NJ Devils vs Florida, Detroit vs Pittsburgh and Philadelphia vs Washington.

Hope to see you tonight!

HOLY HOLIDAY CLUSTER****! (pt. 2)

2011-12-13T00:04:00.000-05:00

We finally arrive at Penn Station after what seemed like an eternity and as soon as we get off the train, there they were: Santa Zombies.... EVERYWHERE! Most of them were in various states of drunkenness. I mean it was something straight out of a scene from "Night of the Living Dead".

At this point with all of the zombies trolling around, I figured that the bulk of the drunks were situated around the Penn Station/Times Square area. Yeah, right. As it turned out, the closer we got to the bar, the more Santa Zombies we saw.

We tried to get a cab but it was impossible, so we began to walk across town. And with each bar we walked by, there were Santa Zombies. Hell, we even saw a line of drunken Santa Zombies trying to make their way into RICK'S CABARET, a gentleman's club situated near Madison Square Garden. It was at that point where I started to have a "mild" panic attack. "The bar's gotta be okay" I'm thinking to myself. I mean, we had a few waves of Santas during SantaCon in the past, but nothing to worry about.... right?

As the "Honorable Clay Davis" of "The Wire" would say:

I finally make it to Third and Long and immediately there's a red flag: By now it's dark outside yet the outside lights of the bar were still off. As I made my way closer to the bar, I can make out red silhouettes of what turned out to be drunken Santa Zombies hanging out outside the bar. Now I'm in full panic mode as my strides quicken. I get to the door and I can't see inside because the windows are covered with Santa Zombies. I try to make my way into the bar and it took what seemed like an eternity to make my way through the crowd. As I tried to navigate my way through, I looked around and all I could think of was how THE RUNNING MAN was dealing with the madness. I mean if you could compare what I saw with anything, it would be this:

Okay I might be exaggerating just a bit. But you get the gist.

So when saw what was taking place, I immediately jumped into auto-pilot mode and began slinging drinks, cleaning up and anything else I could do to help alleviate the stress that THE RUNNING MAN was going through. After about an hour of this I finally decided enough was enough. There were more and more Santa Zombies coming into the bar and the the vibe of the group was starting to change. What was at first a happy-go-lucky group of revelers was starting to turn into Grinches. And on top of that, we had a birthday party to prepare for.

With that, I got on the microphone and made the following announcement:

"Okay Santas, it's time to gather up your bag of gifts, your reindeer, your elves and elvettes and get the hell out! "

After about 45 minutes of grumbling and pleading from the Santa Zombies, we finally cleared out the bar and stepped back to survey the bar. What we saw was something that resembled a SCUD missile hit. Disastrous would be a conservative word to use here. However, after taking a deep breath, the staff and I went to work to pull the bar back together and after about an hour of elbow grease and all hands on deck, we had the place whipped back into shape.

I have to give THE RUNNING MAN kudos on holding it all together during the invasion of the Zombie Santas. Anyone could have easily lost their composure under the stress of that situation, yet he kept it together the whole time. I had a similar situation happen to me once; during the World Cup Finals between France and Italy. It was the most overwhelming time I ever had as a bartender and I will never forget how crazy it got, having to handle a packed house alone. So for him to have handled all of that AND keep his composure? I tip my cap to you.

The crazy part about all of this? While we were getting set to reopen for the night shift, there was yet another group of Santa Zombies clawing at the windows, wanting to get in. Oh, did I forget to mention that it was a full moon?

The night shift was just as busy as the day and while we more or less had the Santa Zombie population under control, it wasn't without incidents. There were a few disgruntled Santa Zombies who had to be "terminated" because they weren't happy with not being allowed in or being cut off by the bar staff.

Damn you SantaCon.

HOLY HOLIDAY CLUSTER****! (pt.1)

2011-12-12T16:36:00.001-05:00

Here's a story you'll no doubt enjoy at my expense, only because this would only happen to me.

If you were anywhere in Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn on Saturday, you couldn't help but notice the large invasion of Santas running amok. That, my friends, was because it was SantaCon, the unofficial holiday where your "inner-Santa" got to come out and play for a day.

Last year during SantaCon, we got some minor hits throughout the afternoon but nothing crazy. So with that being said, I had that in mind when I decided to hit a matinee Devils/Habs game. Any chance I have to see my Habs play, I'm going to take advantage of it and this game had been planned since August. So I went to the game, knowing that the bar would be in good hands with THE RUNNING MAN, who normally runs Saturdays with an iron fist. Little did I know what I was in store for.

First the good stuff. The Devils/ Habs game was AWESOME! For starters, there were TONS of Habs fans at the game. So many fans, that I couldn't help but to tweet #BellCentreSouth during the course of the game. It was great to see so many of my brethren enjoying the game!

During the game, I sent a text message to THE RUNNING MAN to check on his progress, but I didn't get a response. I didn't think anything of it at first but after sending my 4th text and not getting a response, I began to worry.

After the game we headed to the NJ Transit train to head back to the city. I called the bar and kept getting busy signals. After about the fourth attempt I finally got someone to answer the phone. It was THE RUNNING MAN and he sounded like he was in a state of panic. "I'm overwhelmed and I'm out of change. Get here now... click!"

Oh shit. And I'm on a slow moving train. Houston, we have a problem.

(more to come)....

IT'S QUITTIN' TIME!

2011-12-09T16:27:00.001-05:00

4:27pm and all eyes are towards the door. In a few minutes it will be...

QUITTIN' TIME!

The weekend's officially here so get your co-workers, get your arses in gear and blow off some steam!

$4 Domestic Drafts/Well Drinks (5-9pm) should help kick off the weekend on the right note!

Cheers!

BARTENDER APPRECIATION DAY

2011-12-09T12:35:00.001-05:00

Hey did you know that today is BARTENDER APPRECIATION DAY? (thanks to K. Burke)

Remember your favorite bartender when you're out tonight!

THERE'S A FULL MOON A' COMIN'...

2011-12-09T11:17:00.001-05:00

If last night was any indication of what's to come, the next full moon (which should arrive within the next night or so) will have the wackos coming out of the woodwork. Of course, this would have to happen with SantaCon slated to take place on Saturday.

We hosted our first FIREBALL WHISKY promotion and I have to say it was a great success. Things started off slowly as there was a light after-work crowd (it must be holiday office party season, more on that later). That didn't stop some of our diehards who got there early enough to score some free samples of the delicious cinnamon elixir as well as some nice Fireball Whisky swag...

Fireball Whisky makes folks do crazy things apparently...

MEETING OF THE MINDS: BABY GIRL (who introduced Third and Long to Fireball Whisky and Lily, the brand ambassador for Fireball Whisky)

Audrey and Teressa from Jackson Hole Restaurant

By the time the promo ended, we had a pretty full bar, with folks there to watch the Browns/Steelers game (the Steelers getting a gift-wrapped victory from America's Team); We also began to see stragglers from various office parties come in. Of course, you never know what you're going to get with that. Lot of animated personalities feeling the "Xmas spirit" tend to make life interesting in a bar, let's just say.

Luckily for us there were no fights (a minor skirmish but quickly extinguished), a few wack-a-doodles (led by an obviously coked up Johnny Goomba and his midget of a girlfriend- a sign of things to come this weekend), but mostly a pretty fun crowd, making for a pretty decent night, highlighted by a great promo.

This weekend should be a busy one, between more holiday parties, the invasion of Santas on Saturday (SantaCon) and another rip-roaring edition of Brew Crew Football Sunday. The Dolfans NYC are feeling good about themselves these days with their team playing well, so this Sunday's game vs Philadelphia should be intriguing. At the same time, who knows what NY Jets team will show up this weekend? They should win vs Kansas City... but then again? And what better way to wrap up the weekend than with a HUGE game on Sunday night featuring the NY Giants vs their rival, the Dallas Cowboys?

Should be another stellar weekend!

See you around!

FLAME ON!

2011-12-08T12:25:00.001-05:00

We at THIRD and LONG are pretty excited about tonight as we're FINALLY getting to host a LONG-OVERDUE promo of our most popular elixir, FIREBALL WHISKY!

Introduced to us by BABY GIRL a couple of years ago, FIREBALL WHISKY became an instant hit at the bar. Patrons who never heard of it are usually skeptical at first when told of what it is, but the reaction is usually one of delight once they partake of the shot that I like to call "The Nectar of Hell". The sweet, smooth cinnamon taste masks the fury that follows it. It is deceptive in that you don't get that anticipated "kick" that you would expect when downing a shot of whiskey. However, after a few shots of FIREBALL, the predicted results are the same. Euphoria.

As a result, the regulars at the bar request it ALL the time and they get pretty upset when we run out. We've done our own "unofficial" promotions involving FIREBALL WHISKY in the past, including setting the record for the biggest toast last summer. And it seems that we've finally caught the attention of the big whigs at FIREBALL WHISKY headquarters. So much so, we got an impromptu visit from them right before Thanksgiving and they loved us! The relationship with FIREBALL continues to grow and it all leads to tonight's event!

As for tonight's event, you can expect to feel FIREBALL WHISKY's presence from the moment you walk in (7pm start time)! And with a case of the good stuff just having arrived, you can be rest assured that the FIREBALL will flow all night long! Giveaways, samples and debauchery will be on tap. You'll want to be there. If you want to try it, you'll have to come here because apparently we're tone of the few places in NYC that rolls with FIREBALL WHISKY! Exclusive? I think so!

FLAME ON!

PDA: YAY OR NAY?

2011-12-07T07:53:00.001-05:00

It appears that the wacky weather we've been dealing with all year is going to continue today. It's December 7th (the 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor, by the way) and we're expecting temps in the mid 60's.... and a torrential downpouring of rain for most of the day. Yay. Grab those umbrellas- you're going to need them!

So, what are your feelings on PDA's in a bar? What are PDA's? I'm not talking about those Personal Digital Assistants (though that's another topic for another day); I'm talking about Public Displays of Affection. You know what I mean. How do you feel when you see a couple making out at the bar or at one of the tables? Does it make you uncomfortable? Does it annoy you? What about when the PDA goes a bit past the making out stage?

Now I've certainly seen my share of PDA's over the years, ranging from simple kissing to full-on finger-blasting at the bar. Is it bizarre? At times. There's been times where I've actually had to step in and ask couples to "tone it down" due to the sheer inappropriateness of the PDA. And each time I wonder to myself "Why don't you get a room already?" Now I'm certainly not a prude by any stretch of the imagination, but sometimes enough is enough. Last thing I need while trying to enjoy my drink at the bar is the couple next to me licking each other's faces off.

We had a case of the PDA's taking place the other night that made me cringe. A group of guys struck up a conversation with a group of girls who were already at the bar, having "girl time". I knew of the ladies as they had been to the bar before. I hadn't seen the guys before, however, they did have a distinct odor about them- they smelled like mildew (ick). They two groups hung out for a few hours and eventually they broke off into couples. Sure enough, the couples began making out, inside the bar, outside the bar, in the stairwell, in the bathroom stall. Makeout Central. Romantic for some, creepy for others. Mind you- everyone involved had only met that night. Oy vey.

I'd surely like to hear your thoughts on PDA's. Cool thing to do or inappropriate? What say you?

TONIGHT: PUB TRIVIA (8pm) is back for another session and you're invited to join us! It's free to play as always and there's always cool prizes up for grabs, such as bar tabs, buckets of beer and great bar swag! If you and your friends are looking for something different to do on a Wednesday night, this is the place to be. And $4 well drinks (for ladies) and $20 bucket of "Rocks" (Rolling Rock) usually helps with brain stimulation!

Cheers!

HAPPY NUPTIALS!

2011-12-06T00:17:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the overdue post but I'm still trying to catch my breath from the whirlwind wedding celebration of MATT LONG and his beautiful newlywed, MARY! The festivities that took place after the wedding and reception (at Smith and Wollensky's btw) was one for the ages. All of the familiar faces from the Third and Long days of old was enough to make a nostalgia buff like me tear up. To see all of the old bartenders and patrons from the days when 3 and L was the only kid on the block stirred up great memories and to see everyone dancing, singing and having a great time.... *sigh*. Good stuff.

All nostalgia aside, it was great to see the happy couple in the middle of all of the excitement and fun. I am very happy for the both of them, especially for Matt, who for a guy who always put out a sense of bravado and macho-ness, always wanted to find that "special one" and I think he got it right with Mary. I don't know her very well, mind you, but I do think that I can read body language well and what I could see is two people who are definitely into each other. And that's all I need to know. I see nothing but a bright future ahead for the both of them. Good luck guys!

That being said, check out some pics from the festivities....

Let's just say that things got wild by the end of the night, just like old times! A great ending to a beautiful day, celebrating the nuptials of a beautiful couple!

Cheers!

WEEKEND HAPPENINGS

2011-12-02T22:08:00.001-05:00

It's going to be a pretty busy weekend here at the bar. For starters, we have a private event booked for Saturday afternoon/early evening as a certain owner of a certain bar on East 35th and 3rd Avenue is tying the knot and then tying one on afterwards. Should make for a great day/evening. (open to the public after 9:30pm).

Then there's a full slate of NFL games on tap for this week's edition of BREW CREW SUNDAYS. It should be a nice bounceback day after last weekend's holiday hiatus. Looking forward to the DOLFANS NYC crew to be back in action as well as the Sunday Brew Crew holding court in the Corner. And with the weather expected to be nice again, it should be a fun day.

So I hope to see you at some point during the weekend- if not, you can read the recap on Monday!

Cheers!

LET THE COUNTDOWN TO XMAS BEGIN!

2011-12-01T05:49:00.001-05:00

With last week's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and yesterday's lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, New York City's holiday season is now in FULL EFFECT mode:

Of course, this meant that if you were anywhere near Midtown West, you were probably caught up in Gridlock Hell, with cars, taxis, tourists and hopeless romantics descending onto Rockefeller Center to be a part of the Tree Lighting Ceremony. Adding to the chaos, President Barak Obama was in town for a series of fundraisers at the same time, which took him and his motorcade all over Manhattan, driving New Yorkers nuts in the process.

Personally, I file checking out the Tree Lighting Ceremony under the category (as well as Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade) of one of those events that you have to do at least ONCE in your lifetime, just to say you did it. Otherwise, it's not worth the aggravation.

With the holiday season officially in effect, that means it's holiday party season! We're looking forward to decorating the bar in anticipation of hosting our fair share of holiday office and group parties. Those are always fun to work as you never know what kind of antics will come from them. Definitely entertaining from our point of view, that's for sure.

Let the festivities begin!

ON ANOTHER NOTE: Today is "Shaving Day" for the multitudes who participated in MOVEMBER, raising funds and awareness for Men's Prostate Cancer research! I tip my hat to those of you who participated in fund-raising efforts and thank everyone who donated to the cause! Your support is invaluable! The group we supported this year, TEAM PRESS STACHE of the FDNY Press Office (which includes MATT and JIM LONG) raised (as of yesterday) $2,901! If you want to make a last minute donation to TEAM PRESS STACHE, click on the link and go to their Movember page!

DUANE READE OVERKILL! Not sure if anyone has noticed but the Duane Reade on East 34th and 3rd has quietly expanded up East 34th Street. It took over the empty space that used to be Blockbuster Video and now it's HUGE! I was actually told by one of the staff members that it is now the 3rd largest Duane Reade in the City of New York. Again, it's HUGE! It literally has its own supermarket within the store. And it's still 24 hours.

TONIGHT: Join us for a PAULANER beer promo (7pm) complete with samples & giveaways! At the same time, catch the NY Rangers in action vs Carolina (7pm)! THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL features Philadelphia vs Seattle (8:30p) followed by Montreal vs San Jose (10:30p). $4 Molson Canadian, Labatt Blue & Alexander Keith's bottles during ALL NHL Games!

Cheers!

Last Call for MOVEMBER!

2011-11-29T16:01:00.001-05:00

We have enjoyed laughing at ... with ... Jim Long, Ralph Bernard, Bill Rohr, Randy Barron, Frank Dwyer, Tommy Brown, Dave Warren and Matt Long as they grew facial hair for Movember! But, alas, the mustaches will be disappearing after tomorrow. If you haven't already (and thank you so much if you have!), please donate. No matter how big or small the donation, it will help support LIVESTRONG and the Prostate Cancer Foundation -- two great causes!

Give at MoBro.co/press-stache

SO.... HOW 'BOUT DEM GIANTS?

2011-11-29T12:48:00.001-05:00

So, last night's nationally-televised game between the New York Giants and the New Orleans Saints was one for the ages, huh? Especially if you were a Saints fan....

(courtesy of UPI)

I know that the Saints were favored by a touchdown going into this matchup and yes, they were coming off a bye week.... but DAMN! Drew Brees and his boys simply took it to the Giants, practically moving the ball and scoring at will en route to a 49-24 stomping of Big Blue. Trust me, it wasn't even close. Even at the very end of the game, when the game was well out of hand, the Saints continued to lay the smackdown, scoring a unnecessary but "in-your-face" touchdown with about a minute to play.

I guess coach Sean Payton was sending a message to his former team. I'll let you fill in the blank as to what that message was.

TONIGHT: Dollar Draft Madness ($1 Bud/Bud Lt. mugs ALL NIGHT LONG) highlights a great sports night at Third and Long. With the NY Rangers hosting Sidney Crosby & the Pittsburgh Penguins, and great NCAA hoops headlined by the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, it should be a great night out with the friends/co-workers!

See you then!

BACK TO THE GRIND.

2011-11-28T14:23:00.001-05:00

Hi folks! I hope that your Thanksgiving holiday was an enjoyable one! Things around here were pretty relaxed as the vast majority of our regulars and neighborhood types were away for the long weekend. So that being said, there's not much to tell. Foot traffic was light throughout the weekend, with tourists and a sprinkling of bridge and tunnel types making up what business we had.

That being said, we did have a few highlights:

-I got a visit from a few of my former co-workers from the Neptune Beach Club- James (Jimmy Pena) and Thomas Fahey. I worked there from 1992-2001, back when Neptune's was fun and vibrant and not so clubby-techno heavy as it is now. And back then, it was guys like Jimmy and Thomas that made life in the Hamptons great. They were coming from the Rangers/Flyers game and popped in for a quick one. I hadn't seen these guys in YEARS, yet it's always great when you can pick up right where you left off so long ago. Good stuff.

-We also got a visit from Tim Bervaldi and some of the crew from McLean's Pub in Montreal. I had the pleasure of meeting him during my trip there and found him to be a great guy and the only bartender I know who wears a kilt behind the bar! I wonder how our guys would feel about wearing a kilt behind the bar here- I'm sure the ladies wouldn't mind!

In any case, they came down for a fun weekend and decided to catch the Canadiens/Penguins game at our bar. We introduced them to our favorite delicacy, FIREBALL WHISKY and they loved it! If you ever make your way to the great city of Montreal, make sure you stop by McLean's Pub and say hello to Tim, Stuart or Jay! They are great guys, their staff is great and you'll be assured of a fun time while you're there!

Sunday was a classic edition of BREW CREW SUNDAY when because of the holiday weekend, the Brew Crew members literally had the run of the place. Every game was aired on all of the TV's and everyone had a seat for themselves, with no worries of bumping into someone else. Very casual and drama-free atmosphere, which is always welcomed.

Ah... good times.

TONIGHT: Giants vs Saints Viewing Party! Start out the game with our Pregame specials ($2 domestic draft mugs, 2-for-1 Wine by the Glass), then catch the big game (w/audio) on our 12 flat screen HDTV's!

Cheers!

POST-THANKSGIVING DAY HANGOVER

2011-11-25T19:53:00.001-05:00

The DEVIL....

It's the day after Thanksgiving and I'm nursing a hangover. When does that happen to The Swanfather? NEVER! Until last night, thanks to copious amounts of Fernet shots (which, by the way, I would never give to an enemy, let alone anyone else), Jameson's, pints of Anchor Steam and Lagunitas and lord know what else.

So for the ginormous hangover I'm nursing today, I thank the staff at Finnerty's and Double Wide Bar. I hate you both.

Nuff said.

DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS... The Thanksgiving Edition

2011-11-23T12:17:00.001-05:00

With the exodus for the Thanksgiving holiday looming, Dollar Draft Madness was buzzing with groups of co-workers looking to enjoy themselves with their colleagues before taking off for the long break.

A couple of notable incidents from last night: Incident #1 involved a young man who became irate because he had a little too much to drink and got cut off. Instead of taking his denial of another beer as an acknowledgement that it was time to go home, he decides to take out his frustrations on the staff, yelling obscenities and proclaiming "White Power! "White Power!" as he was being "escorted" out the door. Let's just say even his friends were embarrassed by his actions and walked away from him. It never fails- you always find that one guy who thinks that by pulling the race card, that's going to all of a sudden allow you to do what you want. All it does is allow everyone around you to see how ignorant you really are. Classy move, pal.

Incident #2 involved four young college jerks who came in for Dollar Drafts. After taking a seat in the back of the bar, one of the guys go up to the bar and orders a round of 8 mugs of beers. He paid the bartender with a $10 bill, gathers up the beers and leaves with the beer, leaving the bartender with the change ($2). So the bartender takes the $2 tip and puts it in her bucket. A few minutes later, the same guy comes up to her and asks for his $2 tip back, promising to tip her at the end of the night. Seriously?

Now you know how I feel about tipping, especially on busy nights like Dollar Draft night. It's one thing if you order a round and don't leave a tip. While as a server it may eat at you that you didn't get a tip for your service, at least you know what you're dealing with. But to have someone leave you a tip, then ask for it back... That goes beyond tacky.

Of course, you know what happens, right? The group of jerks order a couple more rounds then pull the "Irish Exit" by trying to sneak out of the bar without the bartenders seeing them. As they walked by the window outside of the bar, I yelled out to them "Thanks for the tip!", at which they began running down 3rd Avenue. Jerks.

On a brighter note, we got a surprise visit from the marketing crew from FIREBALL WHISKY.

After months of reading and hearing about our love for FIREBALL WHISKY, the team decided to swing by and see for themselves what we were about. Unfortunately for them, by the time they made it to our bar, many of our patrons had left for the night. But that didn't stop them from spreading some FIREBALL WHISKY love to those who were still standing...

While all of this was going on, we also had JOHN CUSACK and his crew at the bar celebrating his birthday, so of course that led to a pretty late night filled with good times and solid gold hits on the jukebox. Not a bad way to start the Thanksgiving break!

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE matches continue this afternoon, led by AC MILAN vs BARCELONA, ARSENAL vs BORUSSA DORTMUND & CHELSEA vs BAYER LEVERKUSEN (2:30pm)!

TONIGHT: The night before Thanksgiving is always a fun time in the city! We're doing our part by offering up $3 Michelob Light bottles, $4 Domestic Drafts/Well Drinks & $5 FIREBALL WHISKY shots! NHL Hockey & NCAA Holiday Tournament hoops dominate the TV's so if you're in Manhattan, make sure to join us for a great Pre-Thanksgiving Kick-Off!

HIGHLIGHTS WHILE I WAS AWAY...

2011-11-22T03:48:00.001-05:00

Here are a few pics from the last few days while I was away! It goes to show you that there's always "Good, Pouring Fun" taking place at THIRD and LONG!

Last night was a well-attended edition of "MONDAY NIGHT DELIGHT" with lots of peeps in for the Montreal/Boston grudge match (won by Boston, 1-0 in a surprisingly clean game); In fact, it seemed that the only real skirmishes took place in the stands:

The Boston lovefest continued with New England laying a smackdown on the QB-less Kansas City Chiefs, 34-3. We also had a going-away party in the back and a birthday party in the front. Definitely an eclectic crowd in the house. It's Thanksgiving Week so that means the tourists are trickling in for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and all the Black Friday shopping that comes with it. So we saw our share of that. Overall it was a great Monday night and should be a sign that this will be a fun week!

Speaking of FUN, today should be a great day, starting off with a full slate of CHAMPIONS LEAGUE matches, including the following we'll be airing:

MANCHESTER CITY vs NAPOLI

INTER MILAN vs TRABZONSPOR

BENFICA vs MANCHESTER UNITED

REAL MADRID vs DINAMO ZAGREB

AJAX vs LYON

VILLAREAL vs BAYERN MUNICH

Then it's the always popular Thanksgiving edition of DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS! A last chance to let off some steam with the workmates before everyone takes off for the holiday break! $1 Bud/Bud Light mugs ALL NIGHT LONG! And rumor has it we'll be getting a LONG OVERDUE visit from from the folks at FIREBALL WHISKY, which means a long night of debauchery and bad decisions lie ahead for all of us! Mugs start flowing at 5pm and we pour em' until we run out!

So eat well at lunch for tonight we celebrate!

Cheers!

WHO SAYS YOU CAN ONLY GET "MONTEZUMA'S REVENGE" IN MEXICO?

2011-11-18T12:41:00.001-05:00

Day Two of Swanfather's version of "OccupyMontreal" comprised of a lot of walking and ticking off items from the "MTL Bucket List". Of course, when ticking things off the "List", there's bound to be some snafus along the way. It's me, so it wouldn't happen any other way.

For starters, I have a specific playlist on my IPOD that I play every time I come to Montreal. It contains a nice mix of "lite electronica", hip-hop, and jazz, which gets my juices flowing when I walk throughout the city (and I walk a LOT when I'm here). So when I began my walking tour of the neighborhood, I realized that my IPOD battery was dead. FUCK. I should have known right then and there that this was going to be a shitty day.

Oh well, I'll just have to be alone with my thoughts during my walking experience. As it turned out, I was staying near a college community, which ironically enough is named after my alma mater, Concordia College (here it's Concordia University). Cool. Let me take some pics. Womp, womp... my camera battery is dead. No pictures. Can it get any worse than this? Of course, it's me.

I decide to ride a bus to Fairmount Bagels in the Historic Jewish Quarter District called Mile End (which is what that cool smoked meat place in Brooklyn is named after. I of course, get lost and stumble onto Schwartz's Deli, home of the famous smoked meat sandwiches instead. It was just as well as this place was also on my "Montreal Bucket List". This place is always known for being packed but I got there at around 3:30pm and it was practically empty. Nice.

So I order the medium smoked meat sandwich (half meat, half fat), fries and a Cott's Black Cherry soda (this is what the locals do apparently). While the sandwich looked pretty good and very reasonably priced ($6.15 for a pretty stacked sandwich- take note Mile End), I have to say, for all of the hype that came with being the home of the BEST smoked meat sandwich in the world, reality didn't quite match up to it. While it wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as I expected. I think with all things being equal, Mile End could hold their sandwich up against Schwartz's any day of the week... except for the portions & price, which Schwartz's wins hands down.

After that culinary experience, I continued on my journey to experience all that I could while on foot. It began to rain, which turned into snow sprinkles. Great. My feet began to hurt at the same time and more importantly, I began to feel a rumbling in my stomach that I'd hadn't experience in a long time. The kind of rumbling that forces you to make a hasty retreat to the restroom. This sucked because I had planned on going to McLean's Pub to catch the Habs/Isles game with some Habs fans that I met through Facebook and Twitter.

I ended up having to hail a taxi and making a beeline back to the hotel and by the time I got to my room, I'd broken into a cold sweat and my stomach was doing summersaults. I sprinted to the bathroom and Womp, Womp... it's was AWWWWN! And I wasn't winning this battle. Let's just say that I was listening to the Habs/Isles game (in French) from the humble confines of "les toilettes"Brutal.

Today is a new day and I am in a new hotel. The last hotel (Residence Inn Westmount) was better than I expected and it served me well though I did have to walk a bit through what might be considered "gritty" blocks to get to some of the bars. Now I'm going from one extreme (if you can call it that) to another- to the Sofitel Montreal, located on the "Golden Mile". Talk about lofty! This was a gift from my staff at Third and Long last Christmas and I've been chomping at the bit to use this ever since. It's a beautiful hotel from what I can see and I'm on a high floor with great views. I'm also located a few blocks from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, which I plan to visit today.

And then, god willing, I'm going to meet up with some peeps tonight (a lot of them are coming up from NYC for the Habs/Rangers game) and make bad decisions.

Here's a question that I need answered: Why does everyone here wear black? Hmmm....

On another note: How 'bout dem Jets? Brutal in any language.

That's it. Done blogging from Second Cup Cafe and going out to enjoy the day! Keep things safe and fun back in NYC and enjoy the weekend!

MATT & JIM LONG MOVEMBER CHALLENGE UPDATE

2011-11-17T12:02:00.001-05:00

We're halfway through the month of November and the Jim Long/Matt Long Movember Challenge! So far, Jim has a sizable lead over Matt but I expect all of Matt's followers to step up to the plate for the cause (PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH) and to save Matt's dignity!

To donate to JIM's Movember Page, click HERE.

To donate to MATT'S Movember Page, Click HERE.

Thanks!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN...

2011-11-17T10:01:00.001-05:00

After what seemed to be years of yapping and moaning about taking another trip to Montreal Canada, I finally did just that. One of our bartenders (CHELSEA LATELY) was going to go there with a group of classmates for a student conference and we decided that this would be the perfect opportunity for me to make that long-awaited getaway back north.

So after taking care of a lot of last minute errands for the bar, we hit the road for what would be a six-hour drive through the lovely State of New York and into Canada. Now I've been to Canada a few times now but never driven there, so I was somewhat intrigued for what I would be in for. Let's just say that it wasn't the most exciting ride. Then again, I had been up all night, between packing, doing staff payroll and just the sheer nervousness of oversleeping and missing my ride- I pretty much dozed in and out throughout the ride.

I did, however, wake up just in time to see that we were about to hit the US/Canada border and I was excited like a kid in a candy store.

We pull up to the border and I was expecting to see all kinds of security with guard dogs and such but alas, all we got was a kind lady sitting at the gate. She asked for our passports and the purpose of our visit and we were on our way within minutes. Pretty anti-climatic.

In any case, once we left the border gate, we were in Montreal in less than an hour. It was overcast and foggy but I didn't care. All I knew was that I was back and excited to get my "vacation" started.

After reaching our destination, I bid adieu to CHELSEA LATELY and her crew and made my way to my hotel. Once I checked in and got settled, I took to the streets and immediately began to take in the sights of the old neighborhood haunts of St. Catherine Street. Now while am making it a point to do more exploring of the city this time around, I had to start somewhere and I figured that I may as well stick close to the Bell Centre, where I had a date with the Montreal Canadiens later that night, thanks to one of our great regulars, Vic Shaio.

I hit a spot called BRUTOPIA, which came recommended to me by one of our Canadian regulars and this place did not disappoint. A tri-level brewpub that brews its own beers on the premises, it's located on the famous Crescent Street strip. I got there just as they opened so I had the place pretty much to myself, which was fine with me. I was able to chat with the lovely barmaid about the place, the various beers they had to offer, etc.

While this was taking place, I was anxiously awaiting a text from Vic about tickets for the Habs game that night. Everyone knows that I LOVE the Montreal Canadiens and every time I come here, it's imperative that I go to at least one game at the Bell Centre. That being said, it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to get tickets to a game, unless you're willing to shell out a couple hundred bucks for a regular season game. I love the Habs, but not enough to blow my budget and eat Ritz crackers the rest of the trip. I don't ball like that. So I put out feelers to see what I could come up with and sure enough, Vic came through. And when I say he came through.. HE. CAME. THROUGH. He informs me that he put a call in to our mutual friend, SCOTT GOMEZ who plays for the Habs, who in turn, left me a ticket. . . IN HIS SUITE! I shit you not.

As it turns out, Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta (both teammates here in Montreal and former teammates together in New Jersey) have a suite at the Bell Centre that they use for sick and underprivileged kids, in conjunction with the Montreal Canadiens Children Foundation. It's called "The Scott and Brian Suite" and the suite is child friendly, complete with tabletop hockey games, snacks and they get a visit from the Habs mascot, YOUPPI (who almost caused me to have another meltdown, for those of you who know of my disdain of mascots).

So while I was excited to not only get a chance to go to the game, but to be able to enjoy the game in a suite was a bonus! However, the thing I really enjoyed the most was seeing the faces of the kids who if not for the generosity of two Habs players, would probably never get a chance to experience a game at the Bell Centre. These kids were treated like kings by the Canadiens staff and it was really cool to see. And the Habs played what might have been their best game of the season, winning 4-0, which was an extra bonus for everyone, myself included.

After the game, I hit the SPORTS STATION for a nightcap (or three) before going back to the hotel. Very busy, loud boisterous sports bar. Food-eh but it's a sports bar so you're not looking for "Joe Beef" quality here. Beer prices were pretty decent though and they had Alexander Keith's Red, which was very good! Going without sleep for almost 24 hours finally took its toll and I had a full day ahead of me so that was it for the night.

Got a lot to do and see today and looking forward to catching Habs vs Isles at McLean's Pub tonight!

Cheers!

NOVEMBER 14th: IT'S ONLY 70 DEGREES and...

2011-11-14T18:01:00.001-05:00

This is nuts. On Halloween Weekend, we experience a snowstorm and two weeks later, it's 70 degrees. I don't know what this world is coming to. In this case, however, I didn't mind taking advantage of the great weather by running some errands before my long-overdue trip to Montreal.

Now I know there are a few of you betting on whether or not this trip actually takes place (hint: bet the farm on it happening); In any case I am looking forward to this trip like I was going to heaven. It's been about 2 years since my last trip to the Promised Land and to say I'm long overdue is an understatement. While most of the trip will be of the "relaxing" variety, complete with visits to cultural places, great restaurants and of course, God-willing, a Habs game (or two), I will also do a bit of " bar-related" research.... for the cause. Should be interesting.

In the meantime, while I spent most of the day OUTDOORS taking care of last-minute errands before my trip, I came across a now-familiar presence outside of the bar. DAVE THE HAT, smoking his damn cigars. Ugh.

Now if you are a casual fan or a regular at THIRD and LONG, then you've no doubt come across this fella. He's known for four things: That damn orange fedora. His sunglasses that he wears inside and out. His unabashed love for the Detroit sports teams, and most importantly (and annoyingly), his love for CIGARS.

His cigars are so prominent that I don't even have to be at the bar to know when he's around. The smell of them reaches up to my apartment and it's so pungent that I literally have to close my windows and break out the Febreeze. Damn him! The daytime regulars love him (insert sarcasm). Actually, he's not that bad... if you could remove the cigar element from the equation. But that's probably difficult to impossible to do as he's fixed on them like a crackhead on the pipe. He ain't lettin' go. *sigh*...

ESPN's highlighting the start of college basketball season tonight with it's basketball marathon starting at midnight, which is always fun if you are a college hoops fan. And with the NBA more or less self-destructing today, this is about all you're going to get for your basketball fix these days. Boo. Hoo.

MONDAY NIGHT DELIGHT is currently taking place at the bar ($2 domestic draft mugs ALL NIGHT) and the GB Packers look to extend their unbeaten streak vs the Minnesota Vikings (8:30p). We'll carry the game live w/audio so swing by if you're in the hood. We also have the NHL Center Ice Package in place for your hockey needs (MTL vs BUF, PHL vs CAR, 7pm).

Cheers!

*FOOTNOTE: Recently-retired NBA star SHAQUILLE O'NEILL just strolled (or should I say lumbered) by the bar at about midnight. Holy crap that guy is HUGE!

Cheers again!

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL & HABS WIN!

2011-11-11T14:53:00.001-05:00

Last night saw the return of NFL action on a Thursday night as the San Diego Chargers hosted the Oakland Raiders. Because the game was aired on NFL Network and the fact that our cable carrier (Time Warner) still doesn't carry the channel, we ended up with a pretty good crowd for the game.

SD SUPER CHARGER FAN gearing up for her big game vs Oakland!

While the football game was going on, we also had a good number of Montreal Canadiens fans in the house to catch the Habs on the road vs Phoenix.

Among the fans supporting the Habs at the bar included acclaimed Montreal hip-hop star ANNAKIN SLAYD (pictured r. w/cap) who's a HUGE fan of my team. He produced that cool song ("MTL Stand Up") that I would often play during Habs playoff games. A very cool dude, down to earth and definitely knows his hockey. He is currently supporting a new single ("Once More We Survive", w/Inspectah Deck of the WuTang Clan). You can check out the videos of both songs on his website.

I also got to meet the equipment manager of the Carolina Hurricanes. The team's in town to play the NY Rangers tonight. This guy was a delight to talk to, especially if you are a hockey fan like I am. He's a "lifer", having worked with the NHL since 1967 with teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers and now the Carolina Hurricanes. He shared some great stories and I think he's become a fan of Third and Long, which is always cool.

As for the football game, the Oakland Raiders came to play, while the San Diego Chargers... did not. Much to the chagrin of our resident SD Chargers Fan. I thought by the end of the game she would have a complete meltdown. I actually asked NACHO LIBRE, my trusty barback/bodyguard to cover me just in case she was ready to go postal. Thankfully, she was relatively okay and I didn't have to talk her down from the window ledge.

All things being said, it turned out to be a pretty good Thursday night. Now let's see what the weekend brings!

TONIGHT: NCAA HOOPS featuring North Carolina vs Michigan State, playing each other on a ship of all places! (7pm). NHL hockey features the NY Rangers vs Carolina, NJ Devils vs Washington, Buffalo Sabres vs Ottawa, just to name a few games. NCAA Football game of the night: SYRACUSE vs S. FLORIDA (8pm)

Make sure to check out our website to see what's happening this weekend at THIRD and LONG!

REMEMBRANCE...

2011-11-11T14:35:00.001-05:00

As we observe VETERAN'S DAY, take a moment to honor the men and women who served our country with honor and dignity so that we are able to enjoy the freedom that we so often take for granted.

As I think about what an honor it is to be an American and the rights and freedoms that come with it, I find that this quote sums up best what I feel on this day:

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." -John Fitzgerald Kennedy

I hope you feel the same way. And if you're out and about tonight enjoying the good times with friends or family, make sure to raise a toast to those who continue to serve our country and protect our borders, both here and overseas. It's because of them that you're able to enjoy that toast today.

Cheers!

WHEN YOU GOTTA GO, YOU GOTTA GO...

2011-11-10T06:01:00.002-05:00

In what was a surreal chain of events stemming from a surreal and sad story, celebrated college football legend JOE PATERNO was fired from his job after 62 years with Penn State University. Why? For not doing the "right thing".

The ironic thing in his firing is that his whole legacy up until this week was built on him doing "the right thing". In the era of NCAA scandals, he was always looked upon as that rare coach that always did the proper thing. Doing the "right thing" by being the "face" of the University and raising millions for PSU; Doing the "right thing" by the football program and its players; Doing the "right thing" by the fans and alumni and the thing that finally cost him his job- doing the "right thing" by his staff. Even when it came to light that a member of his staff was involved in alleged acts of child abuse while under his watch on campus. In this case, doing the "right thing" turned out to be quite the wrong thing, by not reporting it to law enforcement, even though he apparently told his superiors. As a result, a growing number of child victims suffered immensely from Coach Paterno and members of the University not doing the "right thing".

There have been different reasons as to why the main culprit in the child sex abuse allegations was allowed to continue working at the University, let alone not arrested for so many years up until now. Whatever reasons you choose to believe, the sad fact is that there were innocent children who looked forward to going to the prestigious grounds of Penn State University and meeting the legend himself, only to get taken advantage of by a "trusted member" of his staff. And from what the allegations state, taken advantage in ways that would make a grown man's skin crawl, let alone a child.

(Matt Rourke/Associated Press)

And as the statewide legend as JOE PATERNO was, he carried a lot of weight, not only at Penn State, but in the State of Pennsylvania. Hell, he was the state's highest paid employee. Surely his words could have carried a lot of weight with not only the president of the college, but to the Board of Trustees and more importantly, law enforcement. So if he in fact, knew that improper behavior was taking place by a member of his staff and his only response was to tell his boss and leave it at their doorstep, then that is a huge FAIL on his part. His lofty position could have been a catalyst in putting this perpetrator of such heinous crimes away for good. Instead, his lack of action allowed the circle of pain to carry on. And for that, he had to go.

A shame in all of this is that for all the good things that COACH PATERNO may have done for the University, he will be remembered most for how he left the University. Under a cloak of shame. As they always say- A man's reputation is everything. Takes a lifetime to build and a minute to lose.

An even bigger shame in all of this is the way many of the students and alumni reacted to the firing of their beloved coach. Riots throughout the campus and (ironically enough) Happy Valley over the way he was fired. Ignoring the plain and obvious facts of why he was being dismissed. Shameful and embarrassing behavior by students on national TV that probably embarrassed their families for years to come.

The biggest shame in all of this, however, is the lack of sympathy toward the victims of the abuse at the hands of a "valued member" of the Penn State University football staff. These kids (now adults in some cases) didn't come to PSU to have this happen to them. They didn't ask for this. Yet they will have to carry this scar for the rest of their lives. My thoughts and prayers go out to them. And let us hope that justice comes swift and firm on the sick individual who continues to lurk in relative secrecy (albeit in custody), while the man who leaves PSU with his legacy in tatters falls on the sword for him.

A shame indeed.

ELECTION DAY.

2011-11-08T13:44:00.001-05:00

This is going to be a very short post as I have a rare day off and it's BEAUTIFUL outside. Going to run some personal errands including laundry, lunch and yes, voting.

It's Election Day and while there aren't any glamorous races taking place in the city, there are still issues that need to be voted on. It's off years like this one that you often find issues on the ballot that fly under the radar and blindside you if you aren't paying attention. So I figure, what the hell? It takes two minutes to vote and every vote counts. It really does.

Then there's a shitload of hockey on tonight, including my Habs playing the high-flying Edmonton Oilers, who I might add, are actually fun to watch this year (7:30p). College basketball is tipping off this week and before you Syracuse fans ask, NO, your game isn't on TV tonight. So while there's no NBA hoops to look forward to, at least you will have some basketball to enjoy.

In the NFL, the bye weeks are now complete and starting this week, we have Thursday night football, beginning with Oakland vs San Diego. Nice matchup. Big rivalry game. Should be epic... for the police that have to deal with the nutcases at that game.

Yup. Should be fun.

DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS tonight w/ $1 Bud/Bud Light mugs! Enjoy one of the last few open-window nights of the year! NHL & NCAA Football on tap all night!

Cheers!

WHIRLWIND WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

2011-11-07T20:05:00.001-05:00

It's 3:45pm on Monday and I'm still trying to catch my breath after the hectic weekend we had at the bar.

Between NYC Marathon-related activities, a great Rangers/Habs viewing party, an awesome afternoon of Brew Crew Sunday football where the Giants, Jets and yes... even the Dolphins won, and finally, the post-NYC Marathon party, it was a weekend for the ages.

I wish I could share the various stories that unfolded over the course of the weekend, but there were simply too much to remember. Here's hoping some photos of the weekend will help jog my memory....

Visitors from Montreal in town for the HABS vs RANGERS game at MSG!

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE introducing his daughter, LAYLA to Third and Long.

Meet MR. LOW-KEY's boys, Danny & Henry!

THE DON's mustache is starting to take shape! Remember to donate to his MOVEMBER efforts!

THE RUNNING MAN completes yet another Marathon run....

Post-Marathon festivities....

AMY SMART made her presence felt at the festivities.....

"Pants Off, Dance Off" at the bar!

Overall, good times at 3 and L all weekend long! Met a lot of great people from all over and best of all, it was a problem-free weekend, which is always a good thing!

MOVEMBER UPDATE: If you haven't heard yet, THE DON, James Long has decided to support the cause of Prostate Cancer Awareness by growing a mustache for the month of November. I've done it in years past and it's a great fundraising effort for a great cause. This year's edition of MOVEMBER has really taken on a life of its own as many more people are getting involved, especially pro athletes and celebrities.

Not to be outdone, THE IRON MAN, Matt Long has decided to join the cause by challenging his brother to see who can grow the most facial hair and raise the most money during the month of November. This does indeed raise the stakes for bragging rights in the Long family household, however, the biggest winner in this "friendly" competition will be the MOVEMBER, Foundation! Check out their page and don't forget to make a donation! Every little bit counts!

That's it. I'm out. Time for some MNF (Chicago vs Philadelphia)! If you're in the 'hood, join me!

Cheers!

COUNTDOWN to MARATHON SUNDAY!!

2011-11-05T16:59:00.000-04:00

With the NYC Marathon less than 24 hours away, we want to take a moment to wish all participants in the race the best of luck! It's a huge goal to achieve (finishing the race) and we're confident that you will do just that!

After the race, feel free to join us at our Annual Post-Race Marathon Party! If you finish the race, show us your medal and your first pint of Bud/Bud Light/Shock Top is on us!

Good luck and see you at the finish line!

KICKING OFF MARATHON WEEKEND!

2011-11-04T16:20:00.001-04:00

Last night we found ourselves "unofficially" kicking off NYC Marathon Weekend with an impromptu gathering of runners and Marathon supporters.

It all started when we got a visit from one of the world's best female distance runners, DESIREE DAVILA, who just happens to be a good friend of one of our regulars from "The Corner". DAVILA, who recently placed 2nd at the Boston Marathon in a thrilling finish and is currently training for the upcoming 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. She's here this weekend to support the ING NYC Marathon. Very down to earth and great to talk to. We wish her well in her efforts and I'm confident that she'll be representing our country in the 2012 London Olympics!

Later in the evening, I had the opportunity to meet a gentleman by the name of Winston Kenton. His daughter became a fan of the bar about a year ago and she shared with us about her admiration for Matt Long, through his book, "The Long Run". She shared the book with her dad, who also happened to be a runner in his own right and he ended up loving the book as well.

When Kree (Winston's daughter) finally met Matt at our holiday party last year, she shared her story about her dad and Matt autographed a FDNY cap, which she gave to her dad. Her dad loved the gift so much that he wears the cap almost every day.

As it turns out, Mr. Kenton qualified for the NYC Marathon and since he was going to be in the city to run the race, he had to come to the bar, in part because of its connection with Matt Long and the book. One of his dreams was to meet the man behind the story at some point during the weekend. Little did he know that his dream was about to come true.

While the family was sitting at one of the tables enjoying a nice dinner from Bareburger, I pointed out to Mr. Kenton that Desiree Davila was sitting nearby. He immediately perked up and asked to meet her. So while that meeting took place (she was very nice, btw), I received a text from Matt that he was going to swing by the bar for a bit. Talk about perfect timing!

I pulled Kree aside and told her that Matt would be making a surprise appearance but not to say anything to her dad, as I wanted to surprise him. So as the family sat back down to finish their dinner, a few minutes later Matt Long walked in. As he made his way towards me, I looked at Mr. Kenton's reaction and you would have thought you were looking at a kid seeing Santa Claus. His reaction was priceless....

The two talked a few minutes and even though the meeting was brief, it meant the world to Mr. Kenton and between meeting Matt and Desiree, it definitely was a highlight of his trip to NYC, and he hadn't even ran the race yet! Good stuff.

Later in the evening, we got a surprise visit from members of Runner's World and Men's Health magazine. They are actively involved in the NYC Marathon and I remember these guys from last year's race and they definitely love to have fun!

They definitely kicked the night in high gear and if last night is any indication of what we'll see on Sunday night, it's going to be one hell of a good party!

DON'T FORGET: Matt Long will be hosting a "Meet and Greet" for ING NYC Marathon runners and supporters TONIGHT (7-8pm)! And while you're here, enjoy our Weekend Kick-Off Happy Hour ($4 Domestic Drafts/Well Drinks), 5-9pm

Cheers!

MEET MATT LONG THIS FRIDAY!

2011-11-03T11:28:00.001-04:00

With the New York City Marathon coming up this weekend, MATT LONG, author of the great book, "The Long Run", will be here for a Meet and Greet this Friday, November 4th (7-8pm). If you have a copy of the book that you want signed, he will be available for autographs. And if you are running in the Marathon for the first time, he'll also share his experiences from the race as well.

Hope to see you there!

And don't forget to join us for our Post-NYC Marathon Party on Sunday, November 6th (6pm)!

NYC MARATHON PARTY IS BACK!

2011-11-01T23:51:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again- the New York City Marathon is upon us again and when there's a marathon....there's usually a Marathon party afterwards. And we do Marathon parties as well as anyone in NYC!

This is one of my favorite events of the year. For starters, the participants aren't just professional runners, who are great to watch in their own right. The Marathon is full of what I call "Everyman runners". Your Average Joe/Jane with whom we all have a connection with. And for those people in particular, they are the ones we pull for the most. So when the race is over, and each runner comes through that door with the shiny medal around their neck, it's a sense of pride that everyone at the party feels. One of their own completed the difficult journey and now it's time to celebrate.

And celebrate we do!

This year's event will be no different- with drink specials and a live DJ to keep the party going all night, it's sure to be a great time for all those in attendance.

So support your family and friends running in this year's Marathon. Then gather up the troops and join us as we celebrate their accomplishments!

Cheers!

HALLOWEEN WEEKEND- IT'S A WRAP! (long post)

2011-11-01T03:10:00.005-04:00

Just wrapped a long, yet interesting weekend here. Between celebrating another year on this earth, a wacky stretch of weather, Halloween and all of the hijinks that comes with it and yet another dismal performance by the Miami Dolphins, it definitely wasn't boring, that's for sure.

It all started on Friday. It was my birthday and I woke up to a deluge of well wishes from family and friends via email, text and Facebook. As a matter of fact, I got so many messages on Facebook that it took me almost an hour just to get through them all. Very overwhelming, but in a nice way. One depressing note: I'm finding that I'm getting more emails from AARP all of a sudden. A sad reminder that once you hit mid-40's, it all starts to head downhill from there. I also received more Red Velvet cupcakes from Crumbs than I've ever seen in my life (so much for slimming down)! Oy vey!

We had a pretty festive crowd in that night; most of them there for Game 7 of the World Series. To be honest, up until the late stages of Game 6, I didn't give a rat's ass about the Series, until the most improbable of comebacks took place. That caught my attention so I, along with a pack of newfound St. Louis Cardinals fans were pulling for the ultimate comeback to take place. And when the last out took place and the Cardinals won the Series, the fans at the bar erupted in celebration. Good stuff. Tried to get pics but my camera battery died. Oh well. Afterwards we began to get our share of costumed party people coming back from house parties, which reminded me that we were about to embark on a weekend of debauchery.

Saturday started out, oddly enough, with snow showers. Didn't see that coming. Got a visit from one of my former bartenders, who was in town for a visit with a good friend. She brought back a nice birthday gift: A Great Lakes Brewing Co. sixpack sampler (I got a few nice gifts of the beer kind over the weekend, now that I think about it. Hmmm...). In any case, it was great to see her. We had a Halloween party booked for the night so I spent the afternoon getting ready for it. I was a bit worried about how things would work out with the wacky weather and all, but for the most part it worked out fine. Most of the people showed up for the party and everyone had a good time, as evidenced by the photo gallery:

This year's edition of Halloween didn't blow me away, costume-wise. I was expecting more but to be honest, all I saw was a lot of recycled costumes. I must have seen more Popeyes and hookers in one night than you could shake a stick at. Yawn. At least most of the guests seemed to have a good time.

Sunday was a laid back edition of Brew Crew Sunday. With the Miami Dolphins playing at Giants Stadium, the turnout of the Dolfans NYC Club was a bit light. A good number of them were going to the game, and since it was being aired locally, I was pretty sure that a good number would watch it from home. To be honest, with the 'Fins mired in an 0-6 slump with crushing losses to the Jets and Broncos, the passengers are beginning to jump from the ship.

That being said, we still had a pretty good afternoon, with a lot of great games on tap with great finishes in many of them. The regulars were pretty happy with the day as they got to stretch their legs a bit with the newfound room available to them in the bar. We even had a pretty good night, even though the Philadelphia Eagles blew away the Dallas Cowboys. All things being considered, I can't complain about how the day went.

Or the weekend for that matter.

Now that we're finally done with October, it's on to November. First thing on the docket: MOVEMBER. In years past, yours truly took part in the fundraising efforts of MOVEMBER, the movement to bring awareness to Prostate Cancer Research. The followers of this blog were very gracious in your support of me and my fundraising efforts for MOVEMBER. This year, MOVEMBER has a new face representing Third and Long in its efforts to raise funds for the cause:

The Don himself- Jim Long.

Now this is kind of a big deal. I've know The Don for over 20 years and I have NEVER seen the man in a mustache. Ever. For him to do this for the sake of charity.. well, this should be epic.

That being said, between now and the end of November, we will be counting on the friends of Third and Long to make whatever donations you can to help further the research of Prostate Cancer, on behalf of LIVESTRONG and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Anything you can do for the cause is, of course, much appreciated!

NYC MARATHON WEEK: With the New York City Marathon taking place this Sunday, we expect to see more than our fair share of runners and supporters in and out of the bar throughout the week. As always, we welcome and support all participants of the Marathon. After the race on Sunday, we will be hosting our annual post-Marathon party at the bar, complete with great drink specials and a DJ!

If you've been to any of our Marathon parties in the past, you know that they are a great time and go well into the evening. This year's edition will be no different, so make sure you check out the race, support the runners and then swing by afterward to celebrate their success!

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE matches resume this week (Tues/Wed. 2:30pm), with $3 Bud/Bud Light pints during the matches!

DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS ($1 Bud/Bud Light mugs) following the matches and flow ALL NIGHT LONG!

Cheers!

PUB TRIVIA HIGHLIGHTS

2011-10-27T14:06:00.000-04:00

Last night's weekly Pub Trivia event had a pretty good turnout with plenty of new faces to boot.

Added to a good night was the fact that my Canadiens finally won a home game (vs Philadelphia), much to the delight of Habs fans at the bar. Going into this week, with all of the behind the scene turmoil going on with the team, this win was a much-needed boost to the psyche of the team and its fans. It makes going into tonight's rivalry game vs Boston that much more anticipated. Might I add that both teams DISLIKE each other immensely so tonight's game should be a real "slobberknocker"!

Tonight is also the home opener for the NY Rangers. They have been on the road for practically the whole month of October; Starting with a two-game swing in Europe, then a brutal West Coast tour, the Rangers managed to make it back to NYC with a winning record. Now they look forward to playing their home opener tonight in new (well, refurbished) digs and a sold out house of rabid Ranger fans, filled with hope.

Both games kick off at 7pm.

AND FINALLY: Rumor has it that we're getting snow showers this weekend. SNOW SHOWERS? SERIOUSLY? Damn...

$4 Molson Canadian, Labatt Blue and Alexander Keith's bottles on special tonight during "HOCKEYMANIA" (5pm-10pm)! Perfect way to pre-game before the Rangers home opener and the Habs/Bruins game! We'll also have the World Series, Gm. 6 as well as NCAA Football (Miami vs Virginia)!

Cheers!

TEAM TRIVIA NIGHT at THIRD and LONG

2011-10-26T14:42:00.000-04:00

It's Wednesday night and of course when you're looking at the blog, that means one thing: The obligatory reminder of our weekly TEAM TRIVIA NIGHT!

The past few weeks we have been running qualifying rounds for our upcoming Tournament of Champions Final, which is scheduled for mid November. A total of about 8 teams will qualify for the Final and we have a lot a great prizes in store for the winning team. So if you're a math major out there, you'll notice that we're on the last week of October, which gives you only two-three more opportunities to qualify for the Final. There are some formidable teams that have already qualified for the Final; A few of the regulars that usually show up each week and a few newbie teams as well.

That being said, if you have a group of friends or office mates who profess to be knowledgeable in all types of useless (or useful) bits of facts, this is the night for you. Our Trivia Night format is slightly unconventional but just as fun. It's free to play and there's a weekly prize of a $45 bar tab for the weekly winner, plus additional prizes for 2nd and 3rd place teams. We also have a special prize for the most creative team name, so we strongly encourage witty names.

So join us tonight for a great night of Team Trivia fun! Besides, do you really give a rat's ass about the "X-Factor"?

$4 Well Drinks (for ladies) & $20 Hometown NY Lager & Hometown Light buckets (all night)!

And for those of you who aren't interested in playing, there's the World Series, Game 6 tonight (8pm) as well as three NHL games on tap (via NHL Center Ice): Montreal vs Philadelphia (7:30p), Colorado vs Calgary, Vancouver vs St. Louis (10pm).

AND FINALLY: We have a new beer in our ever-changing rotation. BLANCHE de BRUXELLES, a world renowned Witbier from Belgium has made it's inaugural appearance at Third and Long. This beer is famous, not only for it's great taste, but also for it's unique logo/handle:

It's patterned after the famous Belgian statue of a boy peeing in a fountain. Great tap handle and great tasting Wit beer. Give it a try next time you're in.

Cheers!

HARSH TIMES FOR 3 & L SPORTS TEAMS...

2011-10-25T16:16:00.000-04:00

Lately it seems as if there's a black cloud hovering above the bar for fans of sports teams that call Third and Long their home away from home.

It all started with the NY Mets, who limped into the season dealing with off-the-field issues (Madoff) which rolled over onto the field, leaving a team in a state of disarray. They never recovered and sank like the Titanic.

The NY Yankees, on the other hand, sailed through most of the season looking like the team to beat going into the playoffs... only to get slapped with a dose of reality from a team that no one really thought about (Detroit Tigers). So much for a long post-season.

Then we have the NY Jets and Giants. While both teams are having respectable seasons at the moment, neither team are making their fans feel confident about making a big run in the post-season. Plus the on-off field drama is starting to accumulate a bit too much for the fans' liking (see Rex Ryan). Will the NY teams get it together in time to make a legitimate post-season push? We'll see once the bye weeks are completed but I'm personally not feeling that confident in their chances.

We can't forget about the Miami Dolphins, who are making their loyal DOLFANS NYC followers suffer with each passing week. One of three teams without a regular season win, the Dolphins continue to defy logic, week after week. Whether it be poor execution by the players on the field, inept coaching, or not enough support from the front office (or all of the above), the current team is slowly crushing the spirit of its rabid fan base, especially here in NY.

I give the DOLFANS NYC members credit for continuing to show up week after week to cheer their team on. But I have to admit, it would be difficult for me to make the trek into Manhattan each Sunday only to find that I show up each week more than the team. I hope the team finds a way to bounce back from last week's loss to Denver, which was particularly crushing in the fact that they HAD the game WON! It was their game to put away and they found a way to give it away. Simply frustrating to watch.

And finally, there's the Montreal Canadiens. The NY Yankees of the NHL with 24 Stanley Cup titles under their belt (but none since 1993) and a fiercely loyal fan base, have found themselves in a bit of a hole to start the season. With a current record of 1-5-2*(overtime loss), and with only the Columbus Blue Jackets having a worse record than the Habs, the natives are getting restless. Heads could roll as early as this weekend if the team doesn't right the ship and quickly. As a Habs fan myself, I'm mystified as to why the team has struggled this season. A lot of the blame has gone on the shoulders of the coach and some of the higher-priced talent on the team. Injuries have added to the team's current woes. And with all of this taking place at the beginning of a long season, Habs fans have become a bit antsy.....

My prediction: If the Canadiens don't turn things around QUICKLY (like in the next week), look for a coaching change and soon after that, some bodies being moved out of town, regardless of contract ramifications. Some players being moved will surprise some people, others, not so much. One thing is certain: Change is imminent. At this point, there's no other course of action.

The one bright spot in all of this (so far): The NY Rangers, fresh from the roadtrip from hell, which included stints in Europe and the West Coast, will finally have their home opener on Thursday night, vs the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fans will get to see the newly renovated, nearly completed MSG and not a moment too soon. They are playing very well and to come back from a long road trip on with a winning record, it's a nice way to kick off the home opener. Well done guys!

The NY Islanders & NJ Devils, both with nearly identical records are struggling a bit to start the season (thanks to the "Injury Ninja"); However, at least they can say that they are doing better than the Habs.

As for the NBA.. (crickets... crickets...crickets....)

At this rate, unless fortunes change for many of these teams, it's going to be a long winter here at 3 & L. In the meantime, we'll still be here pulling for all of the teams and pouring the cold ones, whether it be for the thrill of victory... or the agony of defeat.

Cheers!

MUGS, MUGS and yes, MORE MUGS!

2011-10-25T13:32:00.002-04:00

It's Tuesday night and if you are in Murray Hill, that can only mean one thing: DOLLAR MUGS!

Every...

Tuesday...

Night...

Often imitated, never duplicated. 20 years of memorable Tuesday night shenanigans have taken place here. Fun times for friends, co-workers, strangers. Hell, married couples got their start at Dollar Draft Madness. We must be doing something right.

So gather up the crew and create your own memorable moment tonight. We'll provide the liquid motivation!

DOLLAR DRAFT MADNESS ($1 Bud/Bud Light drafts ALL NIGHT LONG)!

SOLID SPORTS NIGHT ON TAP!

2011-10-22T16:30:00.000-04:00

It's Saturday and as I get ready for work, I've suddenly realized that this is going to be one of those sensory-overloading sports nights. A little something for everyone. For example:

NOTRE DAME vs USC (7:30pm). A rivalry game if you ever saw one, though for some reason, I don't quite know why. All I know is that the fans of both schools always get pumped up for this game and this year's edition should be no exception. We're hooking folks up with $4 Sam Adams pints, coupled with giveaways throughout the game. We're even raffling off a cool looking green Notre Dame jersey. Sweet!

MONTREAL vs TORONTO (7pm). Another "rivalry game" of epic proportions- and with this rivalry, I totally get it. Two "Original Six" teams with no love for each other facing off for bragging rights and pride. Always a slobberknocker of a game. $4 Molson Canadian, Labatt Blue & Alexander Keith's bottles on available for this (and all hockey games).

Also on ice: NJ Devils vs Pittsburgh (7pm) and NY Rangers vs Edmonton (10pm)!

WORLD SERIES, Gm. 3 (8pm). The Texas Rangers hosts St. Louis in the third game of the Series, with each team having a win under their belts. Tonight's game should be pivotal in determining who wins the Series.

Should make for a fun night!

Cheers!