The Story

In 2007 I read a want ad in The Star Ledger’s Munchmobile column for Pizza Patrol members. As I was reading it all I could think was “Ahh…. Life is about to change.” I told anyone who would listen (and someone who wouldn’t), from coworkers to family members, to my dog that this would be a life changing event for me. After a few promising emails with the Muchmobile’s very own Pete Genovese I thought I was well on my way, and then I heard nothing, nada, zip! All those people I told thought I was a fraud.

Fast forward two years and the same want-ad is flashing before my eyes like the Batman Signal. I go through the process again only this time, it is a go. At first everyone was excited including my wife, who was 6 months pregnant at the time. I assured her that this would not interfere since the Pizza Patrol would be done in Sept. LATEST and the baby was due in October. It would only be two nights a week, she would probably enjoy some time alone since our lives were about to change. And she could have the privilege of reading about her husband every Friday in the paper. No big deal, right?

Time to meet the Pizza Patrol, I was nervous at first. There are people from all different walks of life. Men and women in a variety of ages ranging from a lawyer to a part-time babysitter with one goal in common, finding the best pizza in all of New Jersey.
The excitement of that first night only lasted for some of us, by week 20 half of the members couldn't eat another slice or devote another night. Next comes October and promises that it was truly almost over. The new baby at home replaced any excitement about the adventures of the Pizza Patrol that my family once shared. Not one person wanted to hear about the Pizza Patrol or cared that I was out to 11 pm eating pizza sometimes more then the promised 2 nights a week, and the occasional weekend (especially my wife). At this point in the elongated pizza eating season, the process turned into a grind. The number of pizzerias to try kept increasing 100 then 200, then finally 333. It was like the Groundhog Day of pizza eating. Members were getting cranky, if you glanced at the Munchmobile driver the wrong way you were in for a long night. The Yankees were in the World Series and instead of watching I was trying to listen in the back round on the AM radio. Friends, family, co-workers and strangers kept telling me about the “best” place that we didn’t go to (even Costco was mentioned, ugh).

By the end my baby didn't recognize me (could be the excess pounds), my dog wouldn't play with me even though I reeked of bad sausage and my wife would complain that I smelled like garlic. What started in a t-shirt and shorts ended in a Northface jacket as we ate our final slice. In the end the people around me still loved me, although some are skeptical that it is really over. I wish I could take all the people who claimed to know the “best” pizza on a tour of the truly outstanding pizza NJ really has to offer. On this wild ride of good nights and better nights one thing I know for sure is that I met a group of people that I always will remember and call my friends.

Would I ever do this again?? I just hope next year it’s called the "Burger Bunch"