adk(roc)CUSE
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adk(roc)CUSEStarter
I wasn't always a causal Syracuse football fan. There was a time in the in the late 80's and 90's when my father and I had season tickets and SU football was just as important to me as the Buffalo Bills and Syracuse basketball. However over time the Bills/and Orange hoops remained passions for me while Syracuse football, the Yankees and Devils hockey all slipped a bit to varying degrees. I still watch them whenever I can. Remain knowledgeable about the goings on. But they don't effect my mood (for better or worse) quite the same way as Hoops and the Bills do. With all this said I admit I sadly do not get out to the Dome to support the football team as often as I like or should. Perhaps a game every few years, where as I regularly attend 3-4 basketball games a year. It's especially sad as at one point my father and I had attended about 60 straight home games over a 10 year period.
This past Saturday I went to my first football game int he Dome since we upset the undefeated ninth ranked Louisville team a few years ago. I brought 3 friends that had never been to a Syracuse football game before. Here are a few thoughts on the game day experience having taken a step back from where I used to be as a fan:
-I've been to the Dome probably somewhere between 125-150 times in my life. Far more than some, far less than others. One thing I had never experienced however was a Syracuse tailgate. My father always liked to hang out by the Sheraton on game days and well, you can't really tailgate for basketball in February. I was a little skeptical about the experience as the guys I was bringing I have Bills season tickets with. We all take our tailgating very seriously and Buffalo is a unique environment. I knew Syracuse could not compare to that scene and warned my friends that we might be the only people actually tailgating. I had bought a parking pass for the UNV lot from a board member and was pleasantly surprised Saturday to see that there were quite a few people with decent set ups and grilling away. I always knew there were some people who set up a across the street from Marshal Square Mall but didn't realize that there were actually quite a lot. Many with very respectable set ups! The guys were happy and the day was off to a great start.
-I forgot just how HOT the Dome can get on a hot/humid day. All four off us were sweating our asses off. I had warned them it would be warm inside but I forgot just how warm it could feel. Back in the days of a packed Dome in September i'm not sure how I survived!
-It was sad to see the place as empty as it was. This is nothing new and it was expected. I remember the place being filled to the rafters, everyone standing, people banging on the air ducts up in the corners and how intimidating it could be. What I didn't expect though was that it was still LOUD in there despite the empty seats. Especially late as we were trying to put the game away and Pitt was in our end for their last gasp drive (which never should have happened, shovel pass???). My crew and I got shot a disdainful look for from down the row for banging on the bleachers to make more noise, but oh well. I was proud of the people who were there and into it.
-A "die hard" fan sitting in front of me and I had a disagreement. He insisted Marvin Graves played for Syracuse in the 80's. I explained to him he must be thinking McPherson. I told him then we had Philcox for a year (or 2?) and Marvin Graves was a freshman in 1990. This annoyed me more than it should but know what the heck you are talking about.
-While we were sitting in section 118 I decided to run up to 329 and take a picture from mine and my fathers old seats. He's still alive but the moment still made me tear up a bit. SO many good memories driving to and from the Adirondacks every week with him to watch so many moments both glorious and agonizing. Crowd spilling onto the field against Texas, Gedney coming up short, McNabb to Brominski, Oklahoma, Tenessee, 66-13.
-All in all it was a wonderful day. I worried that a less than capacity Dome and a tailgate not as intense as Buffalo might sour the guys on their first SU football game, it really stressed me out during the week more than it should have, but truth be told they had a blast and didn't even notice the things that I thought might hinder their experience. We all agreed we will make it a yearly event to attend one Syracuse game. The Orange gained three fans on that day. Myself? I called another friend (SU hoops die hard, casual football like myself) and locked in plans to go to the Wake Forest game November 11th.
It was great being there for football again; now lets go shock Clemson Friday.
Go Orange
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