Last night I was at our game and was thinking how different it is from my days in Illinois. First off, the town where I teach has a population of 30,000, the football stadium seats 15,000. Tickets are $7, reserved seating. Jumbotron scoreboard. Instant replays. Giant custom inflatables for the players to run through. Sixty or so players on the side with 16 coaches. 30 or so cheerleaders (boys and girls). The marching band has about 80-100. Various other dance and pom pom groups. Everything is sponsored, first downs, red zone, stops, you name it. Away teams arrive in 6 to 8 school buses, often times with custom graphics on the vehicles and a police escort from their town with sirens and lights blasting.

Last night I was at our game and was thinking how different it is from my days in Illinois. First off, the town where I teach has a population of 30,000, the football stadium seats 15,000. Tickets are $7, reserved seating. Jumbotron scoreboard. Instant replays. Giant custom inflatables for the players to run through. Sixty or so players on the side with 16 coaches. 30 or so cheerleaders (boys and girls). The marching band has about 80-100. Various other dance and pom pom groups. Everything is sponsored, first downs, red zone, stops, you name it. Away teams arrive in 6 to 8 school buses, often times with custom graphics on the vehicles and a police escort from their town with sirens and lights blasting.

 

 

Sounds almost as good as high school basketball in Indiana.

I'll bet they both are pretty close. Middle of winter, packed in a gym, the noise deafening . . . These kids are on TV constantly, fans can tell you about freshman and sophomores who are expected to make an impact.

I past by the UT/OKST game on my way to see my new nephew. 100K stadium, packed. Man, that's a great site to see. Behind my house I can see Tx St/Lamar play to 15k. Football is football.

I thought the renovations before joining the WAC made Bobcat Stadium bigger.

Sounds alot like Ohio HS football. They captured it nicely in the 2001 documentary called "Go Tigers" about Massilon football.

Sounds alot like Ohio HS football. They captured it nicely in the 2001 documentary called "Go Tigers" about Massilon football.

Ohio HS football really is excellent. I believe the state of Ohio has more high school football players (or maybe it's HS football teams) than any other state in the country, which is surprising since states like Texas/California are so much bigger.