cto
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... and which was the best experience? And the worst experience? (Not talking about the game outcome... just about the day's experience).
Watching the Army-Navy game today, I was reminded how much fun it is to attend a game at West Point (Michie Stadium) and was prompted to think of other fun venues (and some that were not so much fun).
I've attended football games in more than 20 venues:
Archbold Stadium,
Polo Grounds,
Old Yankee Stadium,
Old, old Yankee Stadium,
New Yankee Stadium
Met Life Stadium,
Giants Stadium,
Rutgers Stadium,
BC Stadium (whatever it's called),
Yale Bowl,
Rentschler Field,
The old UConn field in Storrs,
Wien Stadium (Columibia),
Michie Stadium,
The Dome,
Ohio Stadium,
Purdue's stadium,
Notre Dame Stadium,
The old Orange Bowl,
The old Cotton Bowl,
The stadium in Orlando for that forgettable Champs Bowl game,
SuperDome,
Rose Bowl,
Foxboro Stadium,
And probably some others.
Tailgating experience? Yale Bowl. First, a huge parking lot surrounds the stadium and is very accessible and very inexpensive. Second, alums of all decades show up with amazing food spreads and set-ups. Everything from linen table cloths, candelabra, gourmet food and fine wine on folding tables ... to set-ups and food offerings that would match the Fine Mess feast. And everyone seems to want to share with everyone else. It's all very old-school... very genteel.
Entire game day experience? Based on attending a Michigan game there when both teams were highly rated, I'd have to say Notre Dame. Interesting campus (an actual tourist destination), very accessible tailgating, and a great game experience (two world-class college marching bands out-dueling each other all day, the ND Leprechaun doing his push-ups after each score, and a 17-17 game that was in doubt until the last second). I am sure the presence of a highly-ranked opponent enhanced the experience, but, hey, it's what I experienced.
Worst experience? Not close. That old Orange Bowl for the 1999 Orange Bowl game. Rat-infested, dilapidated, firetrap in a terrible part of town. That was the last Orange Bowl played there, and the stadium has since been torn down.
Watching the Army-Navy game today, I was reminded how much fun it is to attend a game at West Point (Michie Stadium) and was prompted to think of other fun venues (and some that were not so much fun).
I've attended football games in more than 20 venues:
Archbold Stadium,
Polo Grounds,
Old Yankee Stadium,
Old, old Yankee Stadium,
New Yankee Stadium
Met Life Stadium,
Giants Stadium,
Rutgers Stadium,
BC Stadium (whatever it's called),
Yale Bowl,
Rentschler Field,
The old UConn field in Storrs,
Wien Stadium (Columibia),
Michie Stadium,
The Dome,
Ohio Stadium,
Purdue's stadium,
Notre Dame Stadium,
The old Orange Bowl,
The old Cotton Bowl,
The stadium in Orlando for that forgettable Champs Bowl game,
SuperDome,
Rose Bowl,
Foxboro Stadium,
And probably some others.
Tailgating experience? Yale Bowl. First, a huge parking lot surrounds the stadium and is very accessible and very inexpensive. Second, alums of all decades show up with amazing food spreads and set-ups. Everything from linen table cloths, candelabra, gourmet food and fine wine on folding tables ... to set-ups and food offerings that would match the Fine Mess feast. And everyone seems to want to share with everyone else. It's all very old-school... very genteel.
Entire game day experience? Based on attending a Michigan game there when both teams were highly rated, I'd have to say Notre Dame. Interesting campus (an actual tourist destination), very accessible tailgating, and a great game experience (two world-class college marching bands out-dueling each other all day, the ND Leprechaun doing his push-ups after each score, and a 17-17 game that was in doubt until the last second). I am sure the presence of a highly-ranked opponent enhanced the experience, but, hey, it's what I experienced.
Worst experience? Not close. That old Orange Bowl for the 1999 Orange Bowl game. Rat-infested, dilapidated, firetrap in a terrible part of town. That was the last Orange Bowl played there, and the stadium has since been torn down.
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