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AFC/NFC Wild Card Round Watch Party 🏈🏟️

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Are YOU ready for NFL Wild Card Weekend?🏈

🎉 Join us at Wandering Griffin Brewery & Restaurant on January 11-12, 2025 for our AFC/NFC Wild Card Round watch party! 🍺

Wear your team’s jersey to score BOGO appetizers and $4 craft beer pints! Those who wear the winning team’s jersey will win happy hour pricing (that’s $4 craft beer pints!) for the WHOLE MONTH 🍻

Available appetizers for BOGO are: Spinach Dip & Chips, Basket of Fries/Tots, Battered Pickle Spears, Onion Petals, or Pork Cracklins.

🏟️ Grab your crew, enjoy great food, and cheer on your team as they battle it out on the #RoadToTheSuperBowl. Don’t miss the action; tag a friend who you want to watch the Wild Card Round with!

#NFLPlayoffs #WildCardWeekend #AFCPlayoffs #NFCPlayoffs #GriffinGameDay #GameDayReady 🔥

Right across the street from Wright State University and WPAFB, the Wandering Griffin in Beavercreek, OH is your place to be for live music, exciting events, and your next private party/event. Serving those who serve us since 2019.

Preparing For The Super Bowl Party

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nrg Staduim, home of Super Bowl LI!

This Sunday might as well be declared a holiday in the United States. It could be argued that it the holiday could be international; the global reach for Super Bowl 50 was 167 million people. That is the third largest audience in the history of people watching television. The week before the game is nothing but analyzing the game to death, figuring out where to watch the game, and an odd parade of previews for ads that will be played during the Super Bowl. Part of this pre-game ritual is preparing the drinks that people will be consuming during the game.

A Little Love for the Refrigerator

Don’t reach for your keys until you have reached for something else; the refrigerator door. Spend a little time in there pulling out all the leftovers you were going to eat and the jars on the door you have not looked at in a year and dump them. Mainly because you are going to need plenty of room for keeping drinks cold. And food, I suppose. There is the added benefit of getting rid of all the odd smells in there, which is nice. While you are in rummaging, take stock of the fruit and mixer situation. Do you have some juices? How much pop is in the fridge? How is the beer situation? Write it down in your favorite list-taking app (mine is Google Keep). As you are walking out the door, look in the liquor cabinet. There may be a stop at Arrow Wine in your future if you are running low on a family member’s favorite rum.

Shop Smart

Fridge full of SUper Bowl beer

This will get us through the first quarter…

Technology has come a long way. While there is nothing wrong with guessing the amount of drinks you are going to need for an event, there are websites out there now that can help you out. Perfect Party Planning, while not a thing of beauty, is one of the better ones out there. Mostly because it takes into account how people drink, from the children who will not be having anything to the one guy who you KNOW is going to be borderline drunk by the opening coin flip.  You can modify accordingly, but this handy tool is a great place to start. The good people at Epicurious have their own chart, which uses a little more explanation and goes into more detail for those of you who want to REALLY go deep. Buy a little bit extra, especially with beer and mixers. Pop and juice are fair game for anyone, and few people will turn down a beer at any point during the game.

Make a Batch of Cocktails

People are going to want something to drink when they get there. Having beer and wine readily available is one way to go. Another thing you can do is make batches of cocktails! This is a great way to get a drink into someone’s hand the moment they walk in the door. There is no worry that you are going to be bartending for the first hour of the party or that people will be waiting for a drink. If you know the recipe, batching it is not difficult. Multiply the recipe by the number of cocktails you want to make, and you are off to the races. For large jugs or bottles to pour from, I recommend Brewtensils. Yes, you can hit up Target for a fancy jug, but Brewtensils has a great selection of bottles and plenty of them.

Bartender Shaking a Cocktail

Shaking adds water to the cocktail as it chills it.

The one thing you do not want to forget when you make a batch of a cocktail is the water. Water is critical to the way a cocktail tastes and one of the reasons they are mixed with ice. It takes off some of the rough edges of the liquor as it chills the drink. You can do this in one of three ways. If you have a vessel with a spigot that is going to be self-serve, or a punch bowl, you can make the cocktail in advance and just add ice to it about ten to fifteen minutes before guests arrive. This will give the ice some time to melt. You can shake or stir the cocktail briefly over ice before you serve it. Sure, you are back to bartending, but it will be a little less time-consuming. The third way requires you to add water to the cocktail when you make the batch. For every cocktail you are planning to make, add about a half an ounce of water. Then put the well-mixed cocktail into your clean fridge, and it will be ready to just share and enjoy!

This is a Marathon

The men playing the game are not new to the sport, in the same way you and your friends are not new to drinking. So you know you are going to need to pace yourself. We all enjoy a great craft beer, and Dayton is lousy with it. Grabbing a few growlers, or a keg if you can get it, of beer is the right way to go. The smart money is going to pick up some session beers along with the other, more robust beers. Warped Wing’s release of Trotwood means we all know there is a local, if sometimes hard to find, lager out there to enjoy. Rhinegeist’s Hans is available in a limited release, setting an easy drinking lager up with Cougar. Otherwise, click on the link above and find the low-ABV beer that will get you through to the final play.

…And A Bottle of Wine

A few bottles of wine for the party…

Wine is a little more of a finicky creature. People who love wine can be almost as snobby as craft beer drinkers when it comes to what they want in their glass. One way to get around this is to just ask what they want to drink, then go out and buy it. But if you are just going to get a few bottles of red and white for the game, don’t be intimidated by the wine section. For white wines, Riesling a general crowd pleaser, as is a good Chardonnay. Spicy food tends to hover around the tables of sporting events. A sweet, cool Riesling will wash that spice right off your tongue before the fire starts. Chardonnay is just a general crowd pleaser. Need a red? Pinot Noir and Zinfandel (the real ones, not the pink stuff) work really well. The lightness and fruitiness of either of those two will give some relief if the spices get to be too much. You can even pick up a bottle or two of Champagne in case your team wins!

While the game is going to be on, the event itself is gathering your friends and family together to eat, drink, and have a fun screaming at the television. Hopefully by game day there will still be some surprises, both on the field and during the commercial breaks. The planning you have done should prevent any surprises happening to you and your guests during the festivities. Unless your friend who was drunk(ish) at the coin toss makes it to the end of the game. Now, can you pass the nachos?

Everything From Soup to Crusts at Doubleday’s Restaurant

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The comforting French Onion Soup at Doubleday’s

In the late 1980’s TJ Cinnamon’s was located in Centerville’s Cross Pointe Shopping Center.   Success lead the owners to dive into another Food Adventure.  They rented a space across the parking lot and converted it to sports themed eatery.  They called it Doubleday’s as a tribute to baseball inventor Abner Doubleday.  The next 25 years would see packed parking lots practically every night.  Talk about cult following, the loyalists here come and munch down in droves.   Doubleday’s is a rarity in the restaurant industry, because the menu is huge, yet practically everything is delicious.   It is one of those places you could eat at every week for a couple of years and still need more time for menu items.  Like we said, “everything from soup to crusts” ..pizza crust that is ..

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Opened in the late 1980’s by a Greek family.  Future ownership has kept the menu the same and built a following on consistent quality.

— Huge selection of food items on the menu.  Keep in mind, this doesn’t even include the numerous specials each day.  Gordon Ramsey would have a fit over this length of this menu, but it has worked here for a quarter of a century.  To see the vast 16 page menu, click —>HERE

The refreshing “Chicken Summer Salad”

— This place is popular, so expect a short wait during peak dinner times.

— There is a connected pizza shop called “Monster Pizza,” which serves unique and creative pizza pies with exotic topping combinations.   Monster Pizza is some of the most delicious and underrated stuff out there.   Check out the Monster Pizza Menu —>HERE

— Doubleday’s is a great option for a quick lunch.  Trademark menu items like soups, salads and sandwiches ensure a good match.  Almost every item on the lunch menu is under $7

— Sunday brunch is held Sunday’s from 11am -1:30pm.  The attraction here is about 7 different kinds of omelets.

 

The Food Adventure Crew have tried almost everything on this extensive menu over the past 25 years.  We have earned our stripes, and therefore pass along to you, our patented “Must Eats.”

Stuffed Pretzel Bites: Watch out for squirting cheese

MUST EATS:

— STUFFED PRETZEL BITES:  Yeah, stuffed ! Inside each pretzel ball is jalapeno cheese, and if that’s not enough, you get a bowl of spinach queso for dipping as well.

— BBQ CHICKEN RANCH SALAD:  Doubleday’s is our favorite place to grab a salad.  In a menu highlighted by salads, this is one of our recommendations.  Diced BBQ chicken tops a wonderful iceberg and romaine salad. you have your typical toppings like onions & tomatoes.  But, what makes the salad is the tortilla strips, black beans and lime wedge to squeeze your way to that last touch of flavor.

— SUMMER CHICKEN SALAD:    A seasonal choice, this salad features romaine lettuce, feta cheese, fresh strawberries and pecans doused in a vinaigrette dressing that is to die for.  Of course the salad is topped with medallions of baked chicken.

— CHICKEN POT PIE SOUP: Comfort food in a bowl.  One spoonful will take you back to your childhood, but without all the homework.  Fantastic, creamy taste, with flaky pieces of crust mixed throughout.

— TURKEY CLUB SANDWICH:  Triple decker club sandwich stacked high and laid on its side.  You can’t go wrong with this classic combo of turkey, bacon, lettuce and tomato on wheat toast. Don’t eat the toothpicks holding the sandwich together.

The Chicken BBQ Ranch Salad is a Favorite

— “NIGHT OF THE LIVING MED” MONSTER PIZZA:  It is hard to pick just one Monster Pizza option, but we think this one is the best.  It is a taste of the Mediterranean in every bite.  IMPORTANT: We recommend you only order this Mediterranean pizza in the thin crust option.

— FRENCH ONION SOUP:  Gooey cheese and saturated bread in a flavorful onion broth.  You will burn your mouth every time waiting for it to cool down, but it tastes so good you can’t help it.  It is hot, like a volcano, but smooth and soothing.  Go ahead, make your day.

— “IT CAME FROM OUTER GREECE” MONSTER PIZZA:  A unique pizza that you won’t find anywhere else in Dayton.   Kalamata Olives, Grilled Chicken, Spinach and Tzatiki sauce (that white gyro sauce) top the pizza.  Also feta, tomatoes and onions adorn this pie.  So much flavor that, that you will feel Greek for a week.   Quite simply, we love it.

HONORABLE MENTION:  

Potato Soup – This creamy creation is probably their most popular soup.

Voodoo Veggie Monster Pizza:  Loaded, Your choice of red or white sauce.  ‘Nuff said.

Doubleday’s has great sandwiches. Even the grilled cheese is good

Chicken Burrito:  It is as massive as Big Ragu’s head and able to control Hungry Jax hunger!  

Mountain Salad:  This heaping salad was created by Doubleday’s regular,  New York Jets Center and Centerville native Nick Mangold.  A salad that satisfies protein and nutrient needs, it features iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, sauteed mushrooms, onions, cheese and jalapenos.  Topping options include blackened chicken or house sirloin steak.

 

We love Doubleday’s Grill & Tavern because of the quality and variety of food choices.  From healthy options to one’s that would fill Babe Ruth’s appetite, Doubleday’s has something for everyone.  Stop in this hot spot at E. 199 Alex Bell Rd, and see for yourself why there is always a crowd.

Check out our photos below from numerous Food Adventures to Doubleday’s Grill and Tavern.  This is not a drive bye .. eye eye eye eye..

***COMMENT BELOW***  Have you been to Doubleday’s?  Did we miss one of your favorite dishes?   Sound off below so other Food Adventure fans can benefit from your taste buds !

Want more from Dayton’s favorite Foodies on Facebook by clicking HERE !

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Thanks to Lefty, the Gems Play Today.

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The Dayton Gems pt. 2

The Dayton Gems were originally established in 1964 by local business man Edgar “Lefty” McFadden. Discussing the team of that day may sound an awful lot like describing them today, for many similarities exist between that team and the one that now plays for Dayton. The Gems played then where they play now, at Hara Arena, which also opened its doors for the first time in 1964. The original team also played in the International Hockey League.  The IHL similarly folded (though much later), but has been re-established as a new entity carrying on the same name. Though eventually growing to immense size, the IHL was considered a bus league for mostly Midwestern teams who could easily ride a couple hours to each game, which is again true today. The IHL in its current incarnation was once the Colonial Hockey League, a smaller league that adopted the IHL name in 2007.

Blade warms up the crowd before the game.

Blade warms up the crowd before the game.

It’s a wonder all the similarities that exist between the two, but if it has any bearing on the future of the new franchise, it may bode well for the Gems. In the 1968-69 and 1969-70 seasons, they won back to back championships, and again in 1976. They produced several NHL players in that period as well, and frequently filled Hara to capacity for games, with local fans dazzled. The Gems did eventually fall on hard times, as we all know, and folded in 1980, but exactly thirty years later they play for Dayton again.

In their first year they have proved themselves to be competitive in the league. Struggles are expected as the team learns to play together, but they stand only one spot out of playoff contention, with plenty of games left in the season. With John Marks coaching the team, hopefully for years to come, it seems a very likely possibility. Coach Marks left the ECHL as the winningest coach in the League, with 523 wins, and 3 championships to his name since 1993*. Prior to his time there, he coached in the former IHL, with another 240 wins. Most of coach Marks’ professional hockey career was with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he started as a defenseman but eventually changed over to the left wing position, where he scored 129 goals.

During last Saturday’s tribute to Lefty McFadden, Coach Marks spoke in front of a crowd about his own experiences in the NHL and how he coaches his team. He thanked the loyal supporters in Dayton and those who work so tirelessly for the team before discussing how they are fairing so far. He acknowledged they still have some work to do, and discussed in quite a bit of depth how he likes to train his team, giving those present a crash course in basic hockey strategy. Teamwork, he said, was the key to any team’s success. Discussing some of the Gem’s heartbreaking losses this year, which have frequently been only by a difference of one goal, he explained how a team playing together and playing their role can come out victorious. Later on in the evening he recalled that when he was playing in college, a friend of his, who played basketball, discussed the similarities of the games with him. He said the principles of protecting the net were the same; a good defense will make the opposing team shoot from the perimeter. Likewise a good offense can dissect that defense, get in close and make the shot; but only, he stressed, when working together.

The Gems played good defense in last Saturday's 4-2 win against Port Huron

The Gems played good defense in last Saturday's 4-2 win against Port Huron

The night continued on the ice with a pre-game ceremony that honored Lefty McFadden with a banner that will now hang in Hara Arena, as well as distribution of a plaque and flowers to his family members who were in attendance at the game.  After the Star Spangled Banner, the Gems came out fast against Port Huron in the first period.  They struggled for the first five minutes to keep the Icehawks away from their own net, but Dayton then flashed down the rink and scored two goals in less than one minute.  John Ornelas, with an assist from Preston Briggs and Pierce Norton, fired the first shot past the Port Huron goal tender, and only 19 seconds later, Joe Van Culin slipped another one by with the help of Corey Courturier and Matt Auffrey.  Keeping the aggressive pace going, Mike Olynyk scored yet again, with assists from Preston Briggs and Justin McCutcheon.

Following a late first period goal by Port Huron’s Adam Maccarone, the Gems went into the second period up 3-1.  An increase in penalties as well as no score on either side, showed it was heating up between these teams, and it could be felt in the crowd whose cheers, despite their lack of numbers, echoed loudly throughout the entire arena.  It wasn’t until the third period that things really got interesting though, as Port Huron scored again to bring the game within one goal.  A fight broke out between Matt Auffrey of the Gems and Daniel Tetrault of the Icehawks in the middle of the period, and 28 minutes of penalties were wracked up between both teams in the 3rd as well.

Justin McCutcheon sealed the game however with a late goal that brought the final score to 4-2.  Coming from the Johnstown Chiefs in Pennsylvania, McChutcheon has only been with the team for about a month. He has proven himself a valuable player already, scoring 3 times in the 9 games he’s played with the Gems, including 2 in the difficult loss to the Quad City Mallards last Wednesday. Having a quick word with him, I asked how well he was adjusting to Dayton.  He smiled and laughed a bit, saying he was enjoying it so far but hasn’t had a lot of down time since he’s been here, as their schedule has kept the whole team rather busy.

I embarassingly stutter through some questions with Wingman Justin McCutcheon

I embarassingly stutter through some questions with Wingman Justin McCutcheon

This weekend the Gems will take on the Muskegon Lumberjacks Friday at 7:30pm and also also play the Quad City Mallards again on Sunday at 5:00pm.  The Lumberjacks are first in the league right now, having only lost 10 games all season, but the Gems are responsible for 3 of those losses earlier in the year.  Don’t forget $10.00 adult tickets and $7.00 tickets for children 12 and under, makes for a cheaper night of entertainment than going to the movies, and on Friday nights, beers are only $2.00 a piece.

* information taken from hockeydb.com

**All photographs courtesy of Andrea Ivey.

5-0 WSU Raiders still “Undefeated since 1967”

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2009 Wright State Club Football Team (Photo by Chris Mallets)

2009 Wright State Club Football Team (Photo by Chris Mallets)

Autumn is the favorite time of year for many people, bringing out some of the best in American traditions and folklore.  It’s the time of year when the holidays slowly creep into our thoughts; when pumpkin pie and apple cider is plentiful; turkey, squash and all manner of food is enjoyed seemingly only for a few months until the following year; when ghost stories and old legends start cropping up again, and family comes together as the wind gets colder.  But for many, it’s considered the best time of year for one simple reason; football.

Indeed die hard fans from all over the country will warm up their newly purchased hi-def television, bought specifically to watch the game on, and sit glued to a chair until the end of January while cursing at the guy in their fantasy football league who has kept hold of Tom Brady for the last five years.  Others will find time to make it to the field at 8AM on a Saturday morning to tailgate with friends and family before watching their Alma Mater lose to their oldest rival for the seventh consecutive time.  Tradition is the name of the game, whether college or professional, but nowhere in Dayton has that particular tradition been missing more, than at Wright State University.

For years there have been a number of rumors and reasons given as to why one was never established.  Whatever that reason may be however, action was finally taken with a help of a student government initiative that was headed by former student government president Mohammad “Moody” Kassem.  As a result, an established club football team is playing its first season for Wright State.

Vice President for the team, Steve Jones discussed how the team was established; explaining that there had been previous attempts to create a club team before, most notably back in the 80s.  “It was really just a lot of talk back then, as far as I know, but there wasn’t any real action taken.  Moody and Eric Corbitt were the ones who did all the initial work and started creating the program this time around.”  The word was spread and as try outs started, more than 100 young men showed up to try and make the team.  “We had a spring game,” says Jones, “and we did lose it, but at the time we were having some initial difficulties internally.  For a number of reasons our head coach left, and it seemed that we might not have anyone to lead the team.  A number of schools on our schedule dropped us for fear that we would disband before the season started, and it left us with only 5 scheduled games.  We also didn’t have a permanent place to play home games.  We had asked to play at Alumni Field, but Campus officials were concerned that the field would be ripped up too much.  That might change in the future however; we’re still in talks with them.”

QB Nick Worley completed 17 of 30 passing attempts for 301, yards no interceptions, and one touchdown pass to Jovan Tolbert last Saturday against Miami University (photo by Chris Mallets)

QB Nick Worley completed 17 of 30 passing attempts for 301, yards no interceptions, and one touchdown pass to Jovan Tolbert (photo by Chris Mallets)

The difficulties subsided and a new head coach, Paul Grimes, took the reigns.  Two more games were also added to the season at the last second, rounding out to a reasonable seven, and they opted to play at some local high school venues for their home games.  The Raiders play in the Midwestern Club Football Conference, North Division with Marquette University and Ohio State University.  The South Division includes Miami University, Xavier, The University of New Orleans and Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville.  Wright State is enjoying a 5-0 start, and is the only undefeated team in the conference to date.

“This is an amazing group of guys,” says Jones, “There is chemistry between them that has led to this 5-0 start, and that includes the work of Coach Grimes.  They are extremely dedicated, and they have to be.  Nothing is given to them here because we don’t have the funds to provide it.  Each player is expected to pay for their entire uniform, including helmets and pads, and that comes to about $425.00 a guy.  We were very thankful that the Ohio National Guard has agreed to sponsor us, and most of that cost was taken care of, but there is no guarantee that that will happen again, and they know that.  Honestly all the work I do for the team is because these guys are so great, so dedicated, and they deserve to be able to play.  It’s amazing what they’ve been able to do so far.”  When asked about how he hopes the team might evolve next year, he said, “Well, we have learned so much this year, we are going to be a lot better prepared when next season comes around.  We’re still in talks to find a permanent home on campus, but also are working on increasing exposure and support.  We’ve talked with the cheerleaders and dance teams to see if they would want to come out and perform at games, as well as the pep band, and just try to get some of the pageantry and help create a better atmosphere for both the fans and players.”

He also mentioned he’s already been approached by high school students wanting to learn more about the program.  “Some of these guys are being scouted by some D-2 and D-3 schools, but they are coming to us and asking us if they can play here because just like those schools, we can’t offer scholarships to them, but it’s far cheaper to come to Wright State and play football than it is some of those other schools.  It’s pretty exciting to know there is already that interest even though we haven’t finished a full season yet.”

The fledgling team has a long way to go, and though the first year has been shaky at times, there is no doubting the commitment and love for the game by all those involved. They have started an amazing season, and their victory this week has propelled them to the top of the conference.

Running Back Stanley Frazier ran for 168 yards on 31 carries and scored 2 touchdowns last Saturday against Miami University (Photo by Chris Mallets)

Running Back Stanley Frazier ran for 168 yards on 31 carries and scored 2 touchdowns last Saturday against Miami University (Photo by Chris Mallets)

The Raiders won at home last Saturday 31-14 versus the Miami Redhawks.  Wright State Quarterback Nick Woley completed 17 of 30 passing attempts for 301 yards no interceptions, and one touchdown pass to Jovan Tolbert.  Running back Stanley Frazier had a stellar day with 168 rushing yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns.  Ryan Johnson also returned an onside kick for a touchdown in the last quarter.  The Raiders totaled 458 yards of offense while the defense limited the Redhawks to only 228 yards, and caused two fumbles and one interception for the night.

The Raiders will finish their season at home on November 15th against the Ohio State Buckeyes.  The game will be held at Bellbrook High School at 1pm, tickets are on sale for $5.00.

We will fight right and be true, So let’s go, fight, win. Let the action begin, We’re from W-S-U!