stadiums

The other day I was chatting with a friend who went to the game at UCONN and it got me thinking about all of the away games I have gone to.  After thinking about it, I decided my favorite was the 2006 game at Notre Dame.  Notre Dame was ranked #2 for that game and was supposed to "return to glory" that year.  Also, the winner of that game would be #1 for winning percentage.  As we now know, Michigan dominated 47-21.  That game was truly awesome to go.  Now I must ask everyone else: what is the your favorite away game that you have been to (and if you haven't been to any, then do you have a favorite away game from the past?)

I have been to Spartan Stadium countless times, while in College, and a few times since. That place is a dump, especially relative to the Big House. Under the stadium, resembles High School bleachers, and was really dirty and old. There are Ramps, sorta steep to walk into the stadium. (I saw people tailgating at Parking Structures=with TENTS, strange)

I sat in section 16, the south end zone. There is ONE video Board in the whole stadium, in the SOUTH END ZONE. So, for any replays, the design actually encourages the South side of the stadium to turn away from the field of play to watch the video board. About the Video Board, that is what it was. It had very few Statistics, you had to be turned around looking away from play to happen to catch stats. There were very few replays of questionable plays, and camera angles always sucked.

The crowd was actually turned away from the game to watch some stupid video shell game. I could not believe they were staring up at the Board, screaming "Number 4". Speaking of screaming, I was sitting next to families of Spartans. It seemed to be OK, to yell "Get up P_ssy" when players shaken up. "1,2,3,4 First Down Bitch" It was OK to yell "F U" and Flip the Bird to the Referee, my entire row of Spartans did it. I heard screams of "Forcier is a C-Word" Stay Classy Sparty. (If I hear that stupid "Spartans what is your Occupation?" Cheer from the movie "300" I will puke.

I know this Board constantly discusses game day experiences in the Big House. This offered a very interesting contrast. I have taken my children and their friends to numerous UM Home Games. I can not imagine taking children, EVER, to Spartan stadium.

Discuss.

PS My friend and I stood with four other UM fans in row 14. We kept telling all of the Spartans "The Difference between UM and Spartan fans is that UM Fans always believe they can win and comeback, Spartans on the other hand, believe their team can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

PSS I wore my "Michigan Tate is in Ann Arbor, Not Lansing" TShirt.

I've been looking around a bit on both YouTube and via watching regular TV to figure out which stadiums have seemed the loudest/hardest to play in so far this year. While most of the usual suspects are at the top, the main focus of this was obviously to find where Michigan stands now. Please note that in order to save some space, the video evidence is only linked.

The tops, in no particular order:

1. Clemson - This may seem like an odd pick for a hard place to play because Clemson hasn't done that well in general this season (2-2, 1-1 ACC), it's hard to say that their version of "Death Valley" hasn't been loud; it's been VERY loud, but unfortunately for Tiger fans, it hasn't meant much. Last week's TCU match-up was a very loud game despite only 10 points and a loss for the Tigers.

General Projection for Toughness: Top 5

Video Evidence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI2JLpqnTdo

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2. Oregon - They're obviously one of the "usual suspects" that I mentioned in the intro of this piece. The Zoo has definitely met the bar as far as crowd noise goes this season; they managed to beat a quality Utah team and the crowd saw its high point this weekend against #6 Cal in a lopsided affair.

General Projection for Toughness: Top 5

Video Evidence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpDGn5jid44

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3. Texas - A season after a renovation of their own, the Horns have a lot to be happy about, since the closing in of one of their end zones has seemed to hold in more noise. Although I couldn't find decent video evidence that wasn't ruined by gratuitous amounts of music that I didn't want to listen to, if you watch a game or two on TV of Texas this year I'm sure you'll notice it for yourself.

General Projection for Toughness: Top 10

Video Evidence:
None, but did anyone see Bevo almost maul one of Texas's WRs? Nothing more gratifying than being gored by a peaceful old cow representing your team.

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4. Michigan - I'm putting us here with a grain of salt. As a student who's been to every game an hour early this year, I've had a great time and personally, I've thought it was pretty loud. The thing is, I'd never been to a Michigan game before this year (trust me, I waited for my chance for a long time) so I don't know how it compares to past years. The luxury boxes do create an echo as others have said, but the stadium was absolutely dead against EMU (rightfully so) and not extremely loud against Indy. However, the WMU and ND games seemed legitimately loud, and after watching some of the replay, I buy it, but only to an extent. From the field, I imagine the Big House is probably one of the top 10 (maybe 15) hardest places to play now. Note that we did cause some delay of games against ND...

General Projection for Toughness: Top 10

Video Evidence:
Compare this -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxTAFYU-US4
to this -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7zTselUuB8
and you tell me.

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5. Florida/Alabama/Virginia Tech/OSU - Well, whatever. I'm not going to waste my time explaining this one.

General Projection for Toughness: Top 5

Video Evidence: Not needed.

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Places I haven't been Impressed with but Probably will be by the end of the year: Penn State, LSU, Iowa, Nebraska

Places I truly believe are overrated: Boise State

Places I believe still rank ahead of Michigan: Florida, Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon, LSU, Clemson, VT, Alabama, Nebraska (eh, maybe)

Conclusion: That's 8-9 places that still seem ahead of us in terms of noise and "toughness." While Michigan should eventually return to the ranks of the elite, hopefully we can make it to that level, too, in more than just being classy and having a fun overall location to visit. In the end, winning matters more than intimidation factors, but intimidation factors can play a big role in winning as well - just ask the Floridas of the world, whose fans hang their reputation in large part on the Swamp.

Personally, I think the stadium is 30-50% louder than before, but I think most the work will be done as the team keeps up the exciting pace under Rich Rod's offense. I realize it's been said before, but I think we can get there. It'll just take some time.

www.douggoon.com

I came across his photography pages and he has a (literal) few pictures of the new Gopher Stadium. It's no Big House, but the high quality pictures that he posted make the stadium look absolutely gorgeous. Looks like a good place for Big Ten football. Thought some people on the board might enjoy a couple of high quality pictures.

I have about a hundred updates for my computer and I have finally gained access to some high speed internet, but now I have to kill time while I wait. One thing I have always wanted to do is see a game at a different venue for the entire regular season. I thought I would share what my plan would be this year if I could make all the trips. So I hope you enjoy my theoretical game plan of travel based out of the Washington DC area.  Attendance numbers – Wikipedia, Mileage – Google, Pre-Season Ranking – Bleacher Report (I know this means nothing)

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/232349-2009-2010-college-football-rankings-full-120-team-rankings

 Week 1:  Lots of good games but a trip up to New York is possible, so I chose Minnesota(43) @ Syracuse(93). Carrier Dome in Syracuse holds 49,500. 374 miles from DC. 6 hour and 18 minute drive. Would be strange being inside for the first game of the season, but should be a good game in which Minnesota wins.

 Week 2: Notre Dame(36) @ Michigan(75). My ticket is purchased. 521 miles. 8 hour and 36 minute drive. You know the rest.

 Week 3: Nebraska(29) @ Virginia Tech(8) Lane Stadium holds 66,233. 265 miles. 4 hour and 19 minute drive. Should be a big game, especially if VT beats Alabama in their first game.

 Week 4: Iowa(23) @ Penn State(4). Beaver Stadium holds 107,282.  215 miles. 3 hour and 45 minute drive.  Both teams should be 3-0 at this point, plus woo night game.

 Week 5: Virginia(89) @ North Carolina(35). Kenan Stadium holds 60,000 and is supposed to be very scenic. 269 miles. 4 hour and 36 minute drive.

 Week 6: Duke(82) @ NC State(48). Carter Finley Stadium holds 57,583. 281 miles. 4 hour and 32 minute drive. Should just stay in North Carolina for the week after the Virginia – UNC game. I’d get to see what should be two easy wins in one state!

 Week 7: Marshall(98) @ West Virginia(18). Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium holds 60,000. 207 miles. 3 hour and 27 minute drive.

 Week 8: Georgia Tech @ Virginia(89).  Scott Stadium holds 61,500 and has what might be one of the longest full names in college football. The Carl Smith Center, Home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium. 111 miles.  2 hour and 13 minute drive.

 Week 9: Miami(41) @ Wake Forest(39). BB&T Field at Groves Stadium holds 31,500. 337 miles. 5 hour and 33 minute drive. Starting to get later in the season, but what should be a solid ACC matchup.

 The next three games are a bit of wishful thinking, but could be done, technically.

 Week 10: Florida State(31) @ Clemson(56). Memorial Stadium holds 80,301. 530 miles. 8 hour and 37 minute drive.  Death Valley!

 Week 11: Florida(1) @ South Carolina(55). Williams-Brice Stadium holds 80,250. 479 miles. 7 hour and 30 minute drive.

 Week 12: Vanderbilt(51) @ Tennessee(34). Neyland Stadium holds 102,037. 483 miles. 7 hour and 38 minute drive. Lane Kiffin drives an orange lamborghini with OMG shirtless Eric Berry on the hood onto the field for their Heisman campaign.

 Week 13: Boston College(76) @ Maryland(65). Byrd Stadium holds 51,055. 0 miles. Yay metro!

 Week 14: Cincinnati(47) @ Pittsburgh(17). Heinz field holds 65,050. 246 miles. 4 hour and 14 minute drive. Brian Kelly in an NFL stadium?

 Week 15: Army(77) @ Navy(32). Lincoln Financial Field holds 68,582.  139 miles. 2 hour and 37 minute drive.  More NFL stadiums?

 15 games. 29 football teams. (Cavaliers twice.) 4457 miles driven. 1,048,374 screaming fans. (If they all sold out). The fall of a lifetime.

 Anyone ever dream of doing something like this? What games on the list would you skip/ replace? What region of the country would you base out of? It’s tough and takes a bit but if you have the time make your own. What games/stadiums have you always wanted to go to? One year in my life I will get to do something like this and it will be epic. Only 15 minutes longer to finish my download!