..some nice pics ya might enjoy from last weekend (copy of the original post I put on Bucknuts forum) (for any of you OLD day one EQ players, the 2 guys to my left in the bottom picture, are Trueblade the woodelf warrior and Mancifex the woodelf druid)
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I got to visit first hand the UT-Bama game last Saturday in Knoxville. This all originated from a discussion with a UT fan about who had the best place to watch a game, Neyland Stadium or the Shoe. So last weekend down I went for their big game, and in 3 weeks, my Vol buddy will be here for scUM weekend.
Thought I'd throw in some pics for you guys to see. I still think we do it better, but it's D*MN CLOSE, they know how to throw it out down there. I'd kill for their weather the 3rd week in November, and with 110K, its just as loud as we are. There fans, are 100% identical to Texas fans, super polite and ultra classy and as good as you can get. I HIGHLY reccomend the trip for anyone that wants to experience football outside the Big10. (just take plenty of pepto bismol for all the nonstop SEC hype and 96 Citrus Bowl junk you'll hear over the weekend)
I got to stare at our 98 National Championship trophy we p*ssed away that day against Michigan State, that was painful, couldnt bring myself to take a picture of it.
Anyway, enjoy...
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sorry for the delay, have been swamped this week since being back. I wish I had more pictures, but my host, WHO ROCKED, had me on the move all day Saturday seeing different things, next time I need to hire a guy just to follow behind and take pictures, hehe.
these were our seats, the Adidas Corporate suite, TOLD YA MY HOST ROCKED!!! hehe Gonna be hard to top this Nov. 18 for the Michigan game.
our seats were the first 2 on the aisle, first row, tough to beat.
halftime I got to go down on the field
halftime on the field again
UT WINS!!
Not the best picture, but by this time not many around in any condition to operate a camera. Me in the white, the next 2 in the middle also Buckeye fans, and the guy on the right in the orange is absolutely the m*therf*kin host with most, Charlie V.
Was kinda painful to wear Orange at first, but got used to it. ;)
Helluva Saturday, thanks to any of you I ran into, you're all welcome up on November 18.
(Just for good measure cuz I know you'll like this one)
Go VOLS & Go BUCKS!!
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The Woodson pic is because I learned they hate him even more than we do, with him stealing Peytons Heisman. Think Poszluzny stealing Hawk's Lombardi then multiply it by 1000, they HATE that man.
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SUMMARY OF UT vs tOSU GAMEDAYSEXCELLANT first trip to Neyland!!!! (tOSU vs UT)
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Had an absolute PERFECT weekend and first trip to Neyland stadium. Thanks a TON to all the fans both on here and down at the stadium. My host wouldn't premit me to sport any Buckeye gear, I had to wear Orange all day, only hurt for a lil while I guess, hehe.
Down to it!!!!
PREGAME:
Tailgating-The tailgaiting hospitality was great, everyone I met was VERY gracious. Identical to tailgating back home. Our current president has had a severe crack down on open containers, so your tailgating is what ours was like until the last 3 years, but she's gone after this year, and we'll be back to normal. However, I'd say that at most, you have 25% of the number people tailgating that we do, and that's being generous, I was suprised at that. give that one a TIE.
Vol Navy - that f*kin rocked, don't know what else to say. We have a river right by our stadium, but it's not deep enough to hold boats like that. VOL NAVY KICKS *SS!! EDGE UT
weather - was absolutely perfect, which by the way, so was Columbus Saturday I hear, but many times come Michigan weekend, it can be FREEZING cold, you have about a 50/50 chance. EDGE UT
vol walk - we have a similar thing, same principal. TIE
pregame crowd - this one shocked me a bit. I was very impressed with the hospitality that I witnessed. I have to say though, the intensity of the crowd was similar to a tOSU-Northwestern/Indiana/Wisconsin/etc game. Not merely the small size, but the lack of pregame cheering, etc, nothing. had I not known your big rivalry was Alabama, I would have never guessed I was at a rivalry game. EDGE tOSU
tickets - I'm still speechless about this. I still can't believe how cheap you guys sell tickets for. 4 in a row on the 40 yard line-$600, 2 field level 40 yard line - $300, INSANE. The 2 WORST seats in the house on November 18 will be $1k. You can look at this anyway you want, so I wont put a score on this one, although to me, that shows just what our team means to us, but I don't wanna take anything from you guys and your loyalty.
THE GAME:
Band - The big T was pretty cool, I'll admit. But TBDBITL has its name for a reason, and the big T is by far anything remotely as impressive as script Ohio. EDGE tOSU
Stadium appeal - You guys hold 4k more than we do, but the Horseshoe is FAR more appealing than Neyland. While Neyland shows a great deal of Metal structure and exposed stairways, the horseshoe exposes mostly just the concrete structure and its trademark horseshoe shape. Defiantely gives a look resembling an ancient roman colliseum ready for battle. Much more impressive looking. EDGE tOSU
inside/crowd - I have always LOVED your unique checkboard endzone, and was shocked to see how impressive your crowd looked in all that Orange, pom poms, the entire display of color was impressive. We do the same back home obviously in red, but until this weekend, I had never seen it done anywhere else as well, but you guys are DEFINATELY right there with us. TIE
Noise - I thought I would NEVER hear a place as loud as the 'shoe. I WAS WRONG!! This one is another TIE, and trust me, that is something I thought would NEVER happen. HUGE props to the Vol fans.
crowd cheers - We have our cheers that come out at specific times, i.e.-O-H-I-O, OH-IO, Hang on Sloopy singing, etc. I was VERY impressed with yours as well, like the V-O-L-S, and obviously Rocky Top, wich gets no justice on TV as it does in person. TIE (thanks for the help last week on the 'wooooo' by the way, I stayed away from 'wooooing' sounded like a girl thing to me)
student seating - our students get stuck up top and spread all around the stadium, rather than where you guys place them, down by the field. (at home those are $1k/seat tickets to ANY game, they won't give those to students, only the big $ donors) EDGE UT
after the game/win - our team comes to the sidelines and egde of the bleachers, and along with the band, sings the alma matter, Carmen Ohio, with the crowd. If you guys did anything similar I missed it, and i appologize. EDGE tOSU
POST GAME OUTSIDE:
tailgating - I saw 90% of UT fans packing up and going home, VERY shocked, we stay and party until the last man drops. EDGE tOSU
idiots - it never fails, some moron d*ckhead will either light a couch on fire or a parked car on fire, and put us on the news for the wrong reason. 99% of the time, it's not even a student or former student/alum, but when it makes sportscenter, in the end, it makes us look bad. EDGE UT
SUMMARY:
In the end who has the better gameday atmosphere? Too close to call is my opinion. You guys have things on us that you do better or that we dont do at all, as do we on you. The main diference to me is the type of atmosphere. You guys are DEFINATELY more laid back than we are, and your crowds are MUCH smaller, but from some apsects that was nice to see. Just depends on what youre used to I guess. I think overall, I'd stil take a home game at the 'shoe over anywhere else, but it was AWESOME to be down there and see how you guys do it. The winner was DEFINATELY me getting to experience it. My condo now has it's first piece of funky Orange sherbet colored gear in it, and I now have an official 2nd favorite team. The only looser, is any of you that ever get the chance to come see our house, and pass up on it, because you have a tour guide at your disposal, believe that!! Would love to see loads of yas up here on november 18.
Thanks for all the hospitality, it was more than I could have ever imagined!! GO BUCKS & GO VOLS, keep winning out and maybe we'll see ya Jan. 8.
(I never got any Calhouns BBQ ) did I mention the Vol navy KICKED TOTAL *SS?!?!
