Well folks, the day is almost here… Super Bowl XLVIII… “Super Sunday,” the day I have been waiting for, planning for and talking about for six months. I will admit, I do tend to hype things up a bit or occasionally get too overly excited.

I also have made some big promises regarding big days in my professional career that did not pan out—thus effecting my personal life—and my wife can attest to that! But honestly, there is no way to really put into words here how big Feb. 2 is to me—both professionally and personally. It cannot be stressed how huge a milestone this will be on so many fronts but how serious a day it is as well in that it must be a success for me or I may truly have to reevaluate my business and what I am going to do for the rest of my life.

Feb. 2 is a culmination of five years in the streets hustling from gig to gig, I have done hundreds of them, but there truly cannot be any date bigger than this one and I have said it before, if I can’t sell out and be a big hit on the big stage with the big boys on the day of the big game, I don’t belong in the street vending game anymore. Does that put the bigness (I guess that’s a word, got no red squiggly line here) into perspective???

So in one week, the day will arrive. After all my letters and blogs and videos and tweets, social media activity and media appearances, there will be nothing left to do but set up the tent and serve meatballs. Unfortunately, I was not able to raise enough funds to get my new meatball bus to this event, but all of your contributions will be applied to the bus which will makes its road debut in May. That is of course, if I can take the meatball wagon out on this one last hurrah and go out with a bang. Because as I said, if the day is a bust, the future may be dark. Coincidentally it is also Groundhog Day on Super Sunday and I am hoping that Phil has a good forecast. It has been a real rough winter thus far, lots of snow, and I am just praying that it does not snow on Super Bowl Eve because then I don’t know how I will tow the wagon from my driveway to the streets of East Rutherford.

And no matter how this day ends, I will not have another event until May so we’re looking at a good 3 and half months of inactivity for Johnny Meatballs. I will still be taking catering orders and delivering soda and doing whatever I can to make a living and build my truck fund so that I can have it perfect for my birthday which is May 11. That would be a great way to celebrate but that’s a long way off and now I am focused on Feb. 2 and the three months after that will be a lot better if I can sell every last meatball that day. I have put so much money and time and blood sweat and tears into this day and it would be a nice reward to be able to cover all my expenses and take home something extra for my family.

I am not one to ever play the “sympathy card” but things have been rough to start 2014. Our car broke down, me and my wife have had family members in the hospital, not to mention the negative stalkers who still continue to take their shots at me (hiding behind the anonymity of a computer screen of course). I'm expecting plenty of hate mail to come this week. Why am I mentioning this? Well, because we need you good people to counter those haters who love to see when I struggle and come out and help us make this day the grand day that it should be. I can’t control the weather and I can’t control who visits my gigs. All I can do is promote them and invite people. But with this one, it’s just a little different. I am really counting on all you wonderful fans and friends to visit us in East Rutherford on Feb. 2 and support independent small business at my meatball stand on Park Avenue. This day could make or break my career and we truly appreciate the kind words and prayers through our little rough patch, but to see you all in person that day would truly mean the world.

So if you are reading this and live in the New Jersey area or are visiting next weekend, make it a point to visit my wagon as well as my vendor friends Frankie Antipasto and Cupcake Cutie and Rosie’s Weenie Wagon to name a few… I know I have said it many times, but we are all the true representation of the Garden State when it comes to street foods and this is our day to shine. But we cannot shine if nobody shows up. I know I have 5000 facebook friends from all over the world but all I am asking is for 500 of the 5000 to visit that day and get something to eat. That would make all my hard work and planning worthwhile and prove a lot. I can’t wait to MEAT you all! I did it! Balls 2 the Bowl!!! Now come and celebrate with me!

Meadowlands Tailgate Party 2014

Super Bowl Sunday – Feb. 2

A downtown indoor-outdoor festival of food, shopping and entertainment located up and down Park Avenue in East Rutherford, New Jersey

Sponsored by Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, Dunkin Donuts, Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC), Homewood Suites, and The New Jersey Devils

“MEAT-IA” INVOLVEMENT:

In addition to my personal film crew MOY MOTIONS being present to film all day – which will be the grand finale in my docu-MEAT-ary, “The Johnny Meatballs Experience,” I received word that Ottorino and Valerio of i-ItalyNY's TV show on NYCTV will be visiting and filming me for the “Short Italian Tales” segment. Also, PIX11 will be broadcasting their morning show from 8am-2pm and FOX SPORTS will be doing remote feeds as well. So wear your Sunday best because chances are you will be on camera!