Tuesday, September 8, 2009

College Football

I have been to one college football game in my life. It's been a while so I wasn't sure what to expect the other night when we went to see Alabama play Virgina Tech at the Dome here in Atlanta.

My brother, an Alabama Alumni, sent us a couple tickets. The seats were okay. That is if you like sitting on the 40 yard line, second row, behind the Alabama bench. Really good seats.

We decided to take Marta knowing the games a sellout and the traffic will suck. We live almost at the end of the line, down by the airport, but as soon as we hit the train platform we spot Alabama fans on their way to the game. As we got closer to the Dome more and more Tech and Bama fans piled on the train. By the time we get there it is SRO on the train and it is getting loud. As soon as we exit the train cheers start. First the Bama fans then the Tech fans. Three blocks to the Dome from the train station and it's getting loud. This is a culture I know nothing about. I know of die hard fans, but going to the game with them is something else. You can tell who's a student and who is not by the noise they make. These people are pumped, it's the first game of the season. They have waited for this moment since they left the last game of last season.

So we get in the Dome, we get a beer for $7.50 and a double Bourbon drink for $15.00. We find our seats, we sit and take it all in. The seats on either side of us are empty and I hope they stay that way. No such luck. Soon the place is as full as it can get. A young couple come and sit next to me. The guy, dressed from head to toe in Bama gear turns and shakes my hand and says to me "Roll Tide", so I roll tide him back like the good fan I am. A second later he turns to me and ask if I think Devroux will start tonight. I say no. He ask if I think Devroux will play at all tonight. Again I say no. A moment later I turn and tell the Bama fan I have no idea what he is talking about. I think maybe he will explain his question to me, but instead he looks at me with disgust and makes his wife switch seats with him, telling her "I can't sit next to this guy, he doesn't even know who's playing".