My Dilemma…

[JohnCuse44]

So several months ago I purchased Billy Joel tickets for tonight. At the time I had no idea what time we would be playing tonight (in fact I don’t think it even dawned on me that the ACCT was the same weekend). Got them the day they went on sale as naturally growing up on Long Island I am a pretty bill Billy Joel fan and this might be my last opportunity to see him in concert (who knows if he will tour to Nashville again). When I moved down here I just missed out on seeing Paul McCartney.

So… the concert starts at 8:00 PM Central Time, our game starts at 6:00 central time. Obviously we need to eat before the concert and arrive before 8:00 so that only leaves me with a few of options.

1. Try to get downtown before 6:00 and find something to eat at a place which has the game on. Probably miss most of the 2nd half catch the rest on DVR.

2. Try to avoid any live contact with the game and eat somewhere without a TV. Then catch the game in its entity after the concert on DVR.

3. Risk getting in serious trouble with the Wife and screw it watch the entire game and head to the concert late.

What do you think? Am I missing any other possible options here?

 

[JackBauer44]

Happy wife, happy life my man...

 

[seanmac1844]

Is there an opening act? Even if there isn't, 8pm start time means no earlier than 830pm, right? Get a good seat at a nearby sports bar and watch and eat at the same time. Who knows, maybe you can leave with the Orange up 20 with 8 mins to go.

 

[Geode]

You can watch the game via the WatchESPN App on your smartphone (assuming you have one) if you have the right provider.
If you have directv you can watch the game via your phone with their app but you need to register a receiver to read from.
Bleacher Report App and others provide game updates in reasonable timeframes.

 

[runningorange]

Do you have the watch ESPN phone app? It isn't ideal, but when i have had other conflicts that force me to miss parts of games this has been a life saver.

You can go to the concert and watch the end of the game using this app...

 

[SUMBA]

Can you get WatchESPN on your smart phone?

 

[Timonen]

this one's actually easy. go to the concert.

if we win, there's another (better) game tomorrow. if we lose, you didn't want to watch that anyway.

now, you can enhance the plan by DVRing, turning your phone/car radio off and watching when you get home. I'd do that...but if you don't, not the end of the world on this one.

 

[CusefanATL]

I think you are good... find a nearby sports bar and watch the game.

 

[CusefanATL]

Whatever you do... don't do #2 (joke here somewhere).

At least follow along on your phone.

 

[690West]

Go to the concert, but I've been trying to give this advice to people for years, but many in my circle don't listen. When you get your new calendar each year, immediately cross out certain dates on January 2nd. For me I immediately cross out ACCT, first 2 days of NCAA's, and write in all known football game dates and hoops dates. I'll even cross out days like "Masters Sunday" or "Yankees opening day" It doesn't mean I can't schedule anything to replace those days, but I'll have to see those events before I decide to trump them.

 

[cusetown1]

Option 1 for the first half. Get to your seats early and watch the second half with the espn app on your phone if you have that capability.

 

[JohnCuse44]

I have Directv so the watch ESPN app won't help. How do you get the Directv app to work when you are not home?

 

[orangetom]

I sympathize with you. I have tickets to see the Book of Mormon tonight at 8:00 @ Proctor's in Schenectady with dinner @6:00 at few doors away from Proctor's. Friends bought the tickets last fall and selected a Friday night during March Madness to my dismay. I hope to avoid the score and watch it on DVR when I get home. Going to be a late night.

 

[JohnCuse44]

Is there an opening act? Even if there isn't, 8pm start time means no earlier than 830pm, right? Get a good seat at a nearby sports bar and watch and eat at the same time. Who knows, maybe you can leave with the Orange up 20 with 8 mins to go.

Right now this sounds like the best option. I can probably hang at the bar / restaurant until 7:30 pretty easy. There is a good chance that hopefully Cuse will have a sizable lead by then.

 

[Noexcuse]

At least Billy Joel has an honorary degree from SU and donates to the University. As an Alum he will probably be following the game himself and will likely hold off coming on stage until the game is over. I think you're good.

 

[JohnCuse44]

I sympathize with you. I have tickets to see the Book of Mormon tonight at 8:00 @ Proctor's in Schenectady with dinner @6:00 at few doors away from Proctor's. Friends bought the tickets last fall and selected a Friday night during March Madness to my dismay. I hope to avoid the score and watch it on DVR when I get home. Going to be a late night.

I've done this before man its difficult but if you pull it off its worth it IMO.

 

[Noexcuse]

Right now this sounds like the best option. I can probably hang at the bar / restaurant until 7:30 pretty easy. There is a good chance that hopefully Cuse will have a sizable lead by then.

Hate to break it to you, but there's a good chance it's going down to the wire. Just sayin' . . . .

 

[Cowtown]

I saw Billy Joel several years ago at the Pepsi Center in Albany. It was a terrific show and my wife and I both had a great time. It made the show last month at the Kennedy Center when he received his lifetime achievement award that much more enjoyable. So set up the PVR to record the game and go to the show, then go home and watch the game. You can eat your cake and have it, too.

edit: I wasn't going to include this, but what the heck. A friend coaches a HS girls team here at a school where I sub a lot. They're playing for a city championship tonight directly opposite the SU/NCSt game. I've always figured I'll watch TV when I'm old and that I'll spend real life doing real life things, so I'm actually going to their game tonight. Besides, it's just the quarter-final so you gotta have some faith SU will win. And if they get beaten, I don't think I want to see it.

LGO!!

 

[rrlbees]

The game will start at 6 CST since it is the first game. So if you are only a couple blocks away watching it and it doesn't go OT and ends at 8, you'll definitely be in your concert seats before he comes on stage. So do both.

 

[JJReddawg]

Skip the concert and plan a trip to MSG to see him. He's playing there every month.

http://www.billyjoelmsg.com/

Much better to see him NYC.

 

[suttree]

I've done this before man its difficult but if you pull it off its worth it IMO.

This, as others have commented, is an easy decision.

Has anyone here really had success watching a streaming online game when at a big concert or sporting event? IMHO there is a 0% chance that you will have the signal to make it happen. Too much competition for data with that many phones so close together. Be realistic, score points with the wife by being "present" for the dinner & show, and insulate yourself from game updates and just watch later tonight after the wife's gone to bed. Nobody's going to mess with you as you knock back the beer and enjoy a 'Cuse victory over NIT State.

 

[suttree]

Skip the concert and plan a trip to MSG to see him. He's playing there every month.

http://www.billyjoelmsg.com/

Much better to see him NYC.

"Skip the concert..."

--said no surviving (let alone happily) married man, ever.

Respect to a committed SU fan--but I hope you don't give people advice for a living.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I've never been able to simply DVR a game, turn off all electronics, and just watch it later. Can't do it when I know it's not live. I'd rather just look at the box score or get updates from others as it's playing live.

Props to those who can though.

 

[Timonen]

I've never been able to simply DVR a game, turn off all electronics, and just watch it later. Can't do it when I know it's not live. I'd rather just look at the box score or get updates from others as it's playing live.

Props to those who can though.

I feel like i do it every single game so am well practiced. just turn everything off (because even hearing that i get a text gives some inkling that something is happening that's worthy of comment) and make sure all tvs are turned to hgtv before they're turned off (so if they're turned ON before i watch, there are no scrolling spoilers, news updates, etc that could blow it). the only problem games have been the ones on espn3 only, but that's just been 2 or 3 for me.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

I've never been able to simply DVR a game, turn off all electronics, and just watch it later. Can't do it when I know it's not live. I'd rather just look at the box score or get updates from others as it's playing live.

Props to those who can though.

I'm the exact opposite. I almost never watch SU games live anymore. Even if I'm home to watch it live, I DVR it, wait an hour and start watching it. It takes me an hour and ten minutes to watch the game versus the 2+ hours if it is live.

FWIW, I would do #2 because I do it all the time.