New York Giants

MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford is a massive, modern, dual-purpose football palace that the Giants share with the Jets. When it's a Giants day, the place fills up with blue, and the Big Blue faithful bring an energy that's been building since the franchise started winning championships back in 1956. Four Super Bowl titles, two of them against the undefeated Patriots - yeah, Giants fans have some stories to tell.

The atmosphere at MetLife for a big game is intense. Giants fans from New Jersey, Connecticut, and the five boroughs converge on East Rutherford, and the crowd is a blend of old-school New York toughness and genuine football knowledge. When the defense gets a big stop on third down, the noise is wall-to-wall. Opposing offenses have a legitimate problem communicating in this building.

The tailgate in the MetLife lots is a full-scale operation. Italian sausage and peppers on the grill (it's a very Italian-American crowd), cold beers in coolers, and enough Giants jerseys to wallpaper the stadium twice. The lots open early and the party builds steadily until kickoff.

Before the game, the Meadowlands area has some options, but the real move is eating in one of the nearby Jersey towns - Hoboken and Jersey City have incredible restaurant scenes. After the game, if you're heading back to Manhattan, the bars in Midtown and Murray Hill will be packed with Giants fans breaking down every play. MetLife might technically be in New Jersey, but make no mistake - this is New York's team, and the atmosphere proves it.