Cross another stadium — and sports experience — off the list.
On Saturday I ventured to Baton Rouge, Louisiana — and more importantly, Tiger Stadium — to watch Louisiana State University (or LSU) face Western Kentucky University (WKU). For a half it seemed as if the Hilltoppers were ready to play up to the Tigers, but then the host stepped up and flexed its muscle. LSU eventually won 48-20 and remained undefeated at 7-0, while WKU collected a paycheck and is 5-2.
As always when I write on this blog, the game is secondary to the experience and all of that good stuff. Let’s break it all down, but first you should see a picture I took.
Here is a view of Tiger Stadium from the outside. Those clouds let loose with some rain.
- Whomever first said “It never rains in Tiger Stadium” is a liar. Well, maybe not since maybe what fell on or heads in volume on Saturday wasn’t rain. “I’ve never felt warmer snow in my life,” one fan sitting next to me said as he adjusted his poncho. You can’t fault him for having a sense of humor. Hurricane Patricia definitely sent her regards to Baton Rouge, though.
- This was the fifth college football stadium I’ve been to as a fan. Here are the rest in no particular order: Delaware Stadium, Villanova Stadium, Darryl K. Royal Memorial Stadium (Texas) and Kyle Field (Texas A&M). If you count the Georgia Dome (2015 Peach Bowl), then that makes six. Kind of funny that three of the stadiums I’ve been to are among the largest in the nation with Kyle Field and Tiger Stadium coming in at fourth and sixth.
- As expected, LSU fans were welcoming to a newcomer. I heard good things about them, but they were reinforced Saturday. I wandered around and had my share of white bean jambalaya and Bar-B-Q. Can’t go wrong there.
- Tiger Stadium was incredibly loud at half capacity. I can only imagine what it was like last week when rival Florida came knocking and lost 35-28.
- If you want to hear the spectrum of accents, sit in the upper deck of Tiger Stadium. Truly felt as if I was an extra in the movie “The Waterboy.”
- LSU fans run a gauntlet of emotions in one drive and I’m pretty sure they work themselves through the seven stages of grief, too. Look, it’s just an incomplete pass on first down. And it’s OK if Les Miles chooses to run the ball when it’s pouring down rain. Your team has the best running back in all of college football (Leonard Fournette). He deserves to have the ball. As an aside, if Fournette wins the Heisman Trophy — and it’s looking more and more like he will — it’s pretty cool that I got to see him live. Fournette had a good game Saturday, rushing 26 times for 150 yards and one touchdown.
- Walmart ponchos do the trick. Spent $5 on my way to the game and it was a very worthy investment. Need one in a pinch? It will do just fine.
There might be more as I reflect more, but if not, there you go. Enjoy another pic.
Here is a view from outside the stadium as I left to go back to my car.