Sets the standard for everyone else
Written: Jan 08 '01 (Updated Jan 08 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: full of tradition everywhere/Regis shows up occasionally
Cons: none.
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| WBDBaj's Full Review: Notre Dame Stadium |
I've been going to Notre Dame football games on and off for 30 years. Starting as inside the stadium as you go, Notre Dame stadium used to have metal tubes "roping" off sections for the box-seats, with about 8 folding chairs in each section. Today, that's not so, but it is still sectioned off, and comfortable up front. There are two rows of planter boxes, filled each fall with yellow mums for the Gold of Notre Dame. As you go up, One corner, near Touch Down Jesus, is the student section. There are benches there, but, students stand for each entire game. They also play a significant role during each game.
As you go around the stadium, most fans with season tickets sit around the press box area. Not always, but usually. Around the top of the stadium (which is where they added many thousand seats) are the flags of their opponents. Two scoreboards adorn either end, and important scores are put on the scoreboard during the game. Also, the announcing is done by one of our local TV news anchors, and he is very good at it! When you reach the upper levels, on a very cold day, the seats are jam packed! At every exit point there is an army of yellow-jacketed ushers, all of whom are very very helpful and alert to problems. All those winter coats make it very difficult to even move. Rain days you bring a poncho, as no umbrellas are ever allowed. There is also a point when you can see over the top of the stadium, and that's where Touch Down Jesus is visible on the library. His stained glass arms are outspread like, hey, it's a touchdown.
The stadium is en route to the airport for many planes, and you can watch jets and other planes fly over a lot during games. The Goodyear blimp comes once in a while, and docks in Elkhart, nearby. There are streamer adds behind planes, marriage proposals, beer blimps, you name it going on overhead. It's a regular thoroughfare.
Notre Dame has many concession areas, selling the "hot" tee-shirt of the year, peanuts, pop, sausage sandwiches, popcorn, hot chocolate...it's all very good. You will, of course, see priests and nuns, and be prepared, they don't silently pray during the games! (Even more audible is the displeasure registered at basketball games, believe me, nothing holy there!) There are now ramps going up and around the old wall of the stadium, making entry much easier than before.
Additionally, the entire parking lot from end to end of this area, is filled in the daytime with RVs and buses, and cars, and vans doing the tailgate thing like there is no tomorrow. Fans don't care if they don't have tickets ((NBC pays millions per game to air them)). They come from far and wide, and even though RVs are not allowed to park overnight on campus anymore, you can see/smell just about any food or beverage at any location in the parking lots. You will see about any mode of dress, as well. Blue faces, gold faces, bare-chested boys painted with ND on them, it's very very fun.
Additionally, games include the Notre Dame fight song, a very good band, several traditional chants, calls and cheers, and of course, the TV Time Out Guy. When the guy is on the field, there are ads on TV and the game waits for TV. Take blankets, games are kind of long because of this.
I attended Duke University, and when I got there, because of Notre Dame, I concluded they coudln't even finish the entire oval of the football stadium - it isn't enclosed. Well, more than that was missing, as it was at Harvard, Princeton, and several other schools. All I knew was Notre Dame, and who would think it is the best? It is! Parking is the only problem, if you don't have a Hang Tag to be close. Go early, and enjoy it. It is a real treat to see, even if the Irish lose.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
WBDBaj
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Member: Debby
Location: Indiana
Reviews written: 511
Trusted by: 19 members
About Me:
Samaritan Center, Elkhart.
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