Here Come the Seminoles - with Chief Osceola and Renegade
F-18 Flies over Doak Campbell Stadium. It was really hot - at least we got tickets in the shade.
All pictures and videos - taken with an iPhone 4S
They do college football differently in Tallahassee.
Today - we left our home at 5 PM - driving the 3 miles to the stadium on our Honda Scooter. Lulu and I parked the scooter near where we usually tailgate. The sun was still high and it was hot and humid,
We walked to our favorite ticket buying area. Since the Noles were playing a cupcake team from the State of Murray - many of the Seminole faithful decided to stay home and have friends try to sell their tickets. Two folks offered us pairs of tickets - they were good seats - face value was $40 for this game. Lulu insisted we get seats on the shady side in front of the super boxes - so I turned down the two pairs - they wanted $20 each.
All of a sudden a booster guy with a big drink in his hand asked Lulu if she needed tickets. She said yes. He asked her if she was a Noles fan - she assured him saying she was a professor. He handed her two free tickets - he even offered us extras. The seats were on the 30 yard line - shady side - about 60 rows up.
Two $40 tickets on the 30 yard line. Some guy gave them to Lulu free.
We thanked him and went inside. We were lucky to be in the shade the whole game because we were already covered with sweat.
It was about 5:50 when we sat down - and time for supper. Lulu packed a very nice lunch including drinks. What she did not know was I had one of my frozen daiquiri bags in my pocket. We ate and tried to cool off some.
We are on the 30 yard line in the shade. I can't imagine how hot it was on the other side. Notice the big patches of empty seats. This is for a team that beat Notre Dame last game in a bowl.
Always a highlight to me is the opening flyby. This year is was an F-18 form Pensacola Naval Air Station. This is where they train the Blue Angels - who just happen to fly F18's when they perform. They use F-18 Hornets at Top Gun now.
The game itself was a bit boring. Murray State got the ball first - got almost zero yards. They punted to FSU - and the Noles ran the punt back for a touchdown. That is all the points they would need - FSU won 69-3. Ever since the NCAA allowed teams to ad another opponent - FSU has taken the easy way out. They find a cupcake - pay them about $700,000 to come to town to be massacred. What is the sense to that. FSU fattened up their batting average - yards gained - first downs - points - you name it. Murray State left town with enough money to run their entire sports program for a year. Teams beg to be a human punching bag - like Bowling Green - like Temple.
They announced that Bobby Bowden was inducted into the FSU Hall of Fame last night - but Bobby did not come to the game today. Bobby is still pouting over being fired - and he has every right to be miffed. He produced 33 winning seasons in a row - and is officially the winningest coach in major college football. Bobby deserved better. We love him - but I wish he went out on is own terms. This place owes him big time.
FSU looked sharp in some aspects against this weak sister. Both quarterbacks had great games. Still - they did not play like a championship team - there were tons of stupid penalties - late hits - and all the stuff that gives the Noles a bad name.
ATT and Verizon put up more cell towers - so the service was better than last year - but not excellent. I was able to send pictures and texts to friends - but videos did not go out.
The stadium seats 82,000. FSU claims they sold 42,000 season tickets - I doubt it. I would say the game started with 60,000 fans - maybe 25,000 were left at the end. At halftime - when the game was in hand - maybe 75% of the students left. This year students can get their free tickets over their cell phone. This makes it easier to get a ticket - but nearly impossible to sell it.
In our seats on the 30 yard line - there were plenty of empty spots. Supposedly this area is just season tickets for people that pay a bundle just for a seat license to buy tickets. Boosters pay $300 to $25,000 - just for the right to buy tickets at face value. The more your pay - the higher up you go on the pecking order. It is so much fun sitting among these diehard fans - them paying a fortune - and us sitting there for free. It is just cool karma to me. Lulu and I give to the university every year - but we give to a scholarship fund for library science students - not for the athletic budget which has way too much money to spend. If they can pay Jimbo $3,000,000 - they do not need my cash. they paid Murray State $450,000 to come to Tallahassee.
We had a beautiful full moon - but there was lightning in the northwest sky. We had no rain and after the sun went down - the air was nice - but we were already coated with sweat salt. The medics were servicing a guy in front of us that had a heat flash.
The game was over about 9:40. The walk to our scooter was eerie because there was not a big crowd - and most of the cars had gone home early. I can't imagine driving up from Tampa or Miami for a game - then leaving with a quarter left. Why not just watch it on TV or computer where you can see the action better. I am near-sighted - and when I watch the game on the TV after we get home - I am amazed that it is the same game. Maybe it is my short term memory loss.
This first game was on ESPN3.com - for free.
We were on our scooter at 9:50 - the police had the one way streets going the other way - there were no red lights - by 10 PM we were in the pool at home.
FSU plays the first 4 games at home in September - I only expect Clemson to give them trouble in that stretch.
FSU has 18 guys that weigh over 300 pounds. I was dumb struck that they did not run better on this weak sister. I am sure they were playing their best - but something is missing in this scheme. We like the Noles - but without Bobby - they are just another football team. If I paid $25,000 to be a Golden Chief - I would probably be unhappy and ask for a refund. But since Lulu and I got in free - we got our moneys worth.
Next week - the team from the "State of Savannah." Someday - I expect the Noles to play the "State of Kutztown." Lulu and I wouldn't miss it. :-)
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