Big Party Sports

Every Game is a Big Party

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Multi-generational family and friends celebrating a Big Party Sports game day watch party with football, basketball, pizza, and wings

Welcome to Big Party Sports — Where Every Game Is a Big Party

Big Party Sports is a website dedicated to those who love football and basketball.

Since I can remember, I’ve been watching football and basketball — and playing it, too — all throughout my childhood, from Pop Warner to high school. It’s always been a family thing. And around here, we believe every game day is a celebration. The food, the family, the friends, the cheers, the boos, the ups and downs of the season — through it all, it’s a big party.

It’s Sunday — and It’s Time for the Big Party

For me and my family, Sunday meant me in the kitchen: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, ribs, chicken slow-cooking in the crock pot all morning. Yes, we went to church on Sunday mornings — and I cannot lie, at the end of the sermon my mind was definitely on God, but I was also doing the math. What time does service let out? How long will it take me to get home? Am I going to make kickoff?

Let’s order some pizza. Don’t forget the wings. Grab some soda. It’s a special occasion — because every Sunday is a big party.

Saturdays, the games aren’t always as big, but there are special occasions when we definitely have to throw a big party around a Saturday game too. It’s about food. It’s about family. It’s about gathering in the living room or the man cave — the young and the old, the men and the women. We all love the game. We all love the atmosphere.

It’s the Patriots fans in a bar in Raleigh doing their fan chants in unison — what did they just say? That’s pretty cool. It’s NC State fans going crazy the night they beat Notre Dame at home a couple of years back — I was driving through Raleigh doing deliveries wondering what was going on, and the whole city was hype.

It’s the Knicks — the unlikely team of seeming misfits that other teams didn’t want, didn’t value, or couldn’t fit into their system. Jalen Brunson, the undersized point guard. Karl-Anthony Towns, the big man who “plays too small” with the oversized contract. Mikal Bridges, the guy they supposedly gave up too much to get from the Nets. And guess what? It paid off.

It’s my son and me at Buffalo Wild Wings watching Deion Sanders, his sons, and Travis Hunter play their very first game with the Colorado Buffaloes. Nobody knew what to expect. They were on the road against a very good TCU team — the same Horned Frogs who had just played for a national championship — and Colorado won a 45-42 shootout after winning just one game the entire year before. That was a special afternoon, and it kicked off a phenomenon that’s still going strong today.

Big Party Picks: Gear We Actually Use

Support Big Party Sports as a grassroots fan hub and do your shopping with us. We only recommend things we’ve used ourselves and believe will be a real asset to you and yours — as you enjoy the big games, and the big games of life. Thank you.

Relaxium Sleep Gummies — The best sleep supplement I’ve found in 6 years of use. One a night does it for me. I never knew that relaxing was my biggest problem getting to sleep — this helped me fall asleep and stay asleep. Great price, and I sleep like a baby.
👉 https://amzn.to/4zNwy5v

All in One Tonic — I will not go without this supplement. All natural, and it gets the blood flowing. Keeps my energy up and I feel so much better. Great for men and women — but guys, I especially recommend it to keep things running the right way. You know what I mean? Blood flow. Try it and find out.
👉 https://amzn.to/45UEUKX

Lucas Fuel Treatment — Save money on gas. This is the lowest price I’ve found online or in person. Great value.
👉 https://amzn.to/4zMNOrt

AutoWorks Fuel Injector Cleaner — As a driver who’s covered the metro area all day for years, this is the best fuel-efficiency product per serving cost I’ve ever used — about $4.50 per serving. The quality and cost are championship mettle.
👉 https://www.shop.com/CEDRICANDLAUREN/Autoworks+trade+Fuel+Enhancer+-559024614-p+.xhtml?credituser=R6664965

Lifewit Insulated Lunch Bag & 12-Can Soft Cooler — This is nice! His or hers, and a great gift — unique and useful. They won’t forget you. Holds 12 cans, works for lunch during the week and keeps your drinks cold in the parking lot on game day.
👉 https://amzn.to/45Vvkrh

Game Day Grilling Apron (Bottle Opener + Drink Holder Built In) — The tailgate MVP. Bottle opener and insulated drink holder right on the apron, adjustable for men and women. Whether you’re working the grill in the parking lot or frying chicken in the kitchen before kickoff, this is how you suit up for the big party.
👉 https://amzn.to/4zPWygA

As an Amazon Associate, Big Party Sports earns from qualifying purchases.

The Golden Age: How I Fell in Love with the Game

I grew up watching the Cowboys as a child — Danny White, Tony Dorsett, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Randy White, Bill Bates, and Tom Landry on the sideline doing their thing. I cried when they lost, and unfortunately I had to watch the Washington Redskins beat them and go win a Super Bowl. That was the agony of defeat.

But then came the thrill of victory in the early ’90s, when we got Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin — better known as The Triplets. And let’s be honest: it doesn’t happen without the stars and the role players. Alvin Harper. A great offensive line. Russell Maryland. Leon Lett. Ken Norton Jr. (before he left for the 49ers, of course). Darren Woodson. Charles Haley wearing number 94 on defense. Too many other players who were so important to that team. And we cannot forget Herschel Walker — because without the Herschel Walker trade, none of it would have been possible.

In my opinion, I grew up in the golden age of sports. I watched the Bulls win championship after championship. I watched Michael Jordan drop 63 points on the Celtics in the playoffs — even in a loss, greatness. I watched him switch hands in mid-air for that layup against the Lakers in the ’91 Finals, and hit shot after shot against the Trail Blazers in ’92 until all he could do was shrug — I don’t know how I’m making these.

Those were the days. Football and basketball, and I have enjoyed the ride ever since — from LeBron to Tom Brady, from the Spurs dynasty to the Patriots dynasty.

The Moments We Never Forget

It’s the Raiders and the Patriots in the snow, and the Tuck Rule controversy. It’s the epic finishes. The moments we will never forget:

  • Emmitt Smith vs. the Giants — playing the last game of the season with a separated shoulder, gutting out 168 rushing yards and over 200 total to win the division. One of the toughest performances I’ve ever seen.
  • The greatest comeback in NFL history — I watched the Bills fall behind the Warren Moon–led Oilers and that run-and-shoot offense 35-3, then come all the way back behind backup quarterback Frank Reich to win 41-38 in overtime. On a cold January day, I saw it live. Epic.
  • LeBron in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals — 51 points against the Warriors, out of his mind, only for J.R. Smith to dribble out the clock thinking they were ahead. And the story afterward that LeBron hurt his hand punching something in the locker room. But it’s also LeBron and the Cavaliers coming back from 3-1 down to beat that same Golden State team in 2016.
  • Boise State’s Statue of Liberty — winning the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma on a trick-play two-point conversion, and then running back Ian Johnson proposing to his cheerleader girlfriend on live TV right after. That was epic.
  • Terrell Owens and the Star — T.O. celebrating on the Cowboys’ midfield logo, and George Teague sprinting in to knock him off it. You don’t disrespect the Star.
  • Randy Moss vs. Dallas — the Cowboys passed on him in the draft, and he lit them up every single time he played them. Can you believe that happened?
  • Barry Sanders dancing behind the line — shaking and baking so hard he’d lose the cameraman and the defenders. It looked like one versus seven, and he still won. Who added the special effects?
  • Jerry Rice, for the love of the game — with nothing left to prove, coming back from an ACL tear when that was a career-ending injury, then joining Heisman winner Tim Brown and Jerry Porter on a pass-happy Raiders offense that went all the way to the Super Bowl. They fell short against Warren Sapp and the Buccaneers, but that was a special run. Just win, baby.
  • Shaq breaking backboards. Michael Jordan vs. Dominique Wilkins in the dunk contest. 5-foot-7 Spud Webb winning it all. Dee Brown pumping up his Reeboks before takeoff.

Those are the moments we loved, cherished, and will never forget.

Underdogs, Comebacks & the Love of the Game

We love to watch the rookies — the first games, the first years. We love the comeback stories, and the stories of players who were forgotten or given up on — like Sam Darnold, written off around the league, who just led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl LX championship over the Patriots.

We love the fire in their hearts. We love the pure skill set of a Kyrie Irving. We love the “how is he doing that?” of Luka Dončić — not an athletic bone in his body compared to the freak athletes in the NBA, but somehow he gets past anybody he wants. Unbelievable.

We love the team nature of the sport — the Patriots coming out of the tunnel before the Super Bowl as a team instead of being introduced individually. That was unheard of. Don’t name us as individuals. We come out together.

We love the underdogs beating the big teams. I really enjoyed watching the Indiana Pacers go all the way to the Finals and nearly take down the Oklahoma City Thunder — I don’t think that was on many people’s bingo cards. Some of the most entertaining playoff basketball I’ve ever seen.

We love the veterans people call washed up: Randall Cunningham resurrecting his career in Minnesota and nearly carrying the Vikings to a Super Bowl. Ray Allen helping the Heat win a title after already winning one with the Celtics. DeMarcus Ware leaving the Cowboys after nine seasons and finally getting his ring in Denver. And just this past season, DeMarcus Lawrence — another longtime Cowboy — leaving Dallas and winning a Super Bowl in his first year with Seattle. Sometimes the missing piece is simply knowing your role and playing together as a team.

And then there’s Indiana football. Two years ago they came out of nowhere and had a great season — until Ohio State showed them the difference. It was close-ish at halftime, then the Buckeyes pulled away. But the very next year? Indiana came back as the real deal. They faced No. 1 Ohio State again — this time in the Big Ten Championship Game — and beat them 13-10, their first win over the Buckeyes since 1988. Then they ran the table, finished 16-0, and won the national championship over Miami. That is what sports is all about.

Friday Nights: The Norview Pilots & Hampton Roads

We here at Big Party Sports are such big fans that we cannot forget high school football. We’re talking about the level of the game and the love of the game. We’re talking about Friday nights — family, friends, and alumni who are there to root on their team. It’s all about the love, the support, the atmosphere, and the community.

Honestly, I’ve never been to a high school basketball game in my life — but that changes this year. We’re going. This season we’ll be following the Norview Pilots football and basketball teams, plus other games around the Hampton Roads area.

What We Cover — and Why You Should Stick Around

I’m a big Cowboys fan and a Virginia Cavaliers fan, but trust me, I’ve got a lot of other interests across both sports that are going to make this year interesting. Last season I followed the Cleveland Browns because of the Shedeur Sanders storyline — that one had my attention all year.

So hang on tight, because Big Party Sports is going to bring the insight in very interesting and fun ways — football and basketball, high school, college, and pro. When the games come back every year, that’s why we come back — every Friday, every Saturday, every Sunday. And every time, we have a big party. Because it’s what we love, and it’s what we do.

We hope you join the conversation. It would not be the same without you.

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