Ford Stadium

[ponytalk]

Check out this link... <A HREF="http://www.sportingnews.com/cfootball/stadiums/wac.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.sportingnews.com/cfootball/stadiums/wac.html</A>

It rated the best stadiums by different characteristics.

I think that poll is pretty much right on. Ford has little history...so far. The fans suck, it should be first on structure, and it should be ahead of Fresno in setting, but behind the ones it is behind. How is Fresno's setting better than ours? Fresno sucks. Overall, it should be ahead of Rice because we have the same fan support but our stadium is nicer and has a better setting than Rice.

It is an interesting link, check it out.

[ponystudent]

Ford is the nicest venue in the WAC, by far...maybe even in the state or region.

What would take Ford over the top is the fans, but we don't have too many of those.

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Go Ponies!

[Hilltopper]

Ford is the nicest stadium in Texas by a mile, and the nicest in the WAC, also by a wide margin. That poll is slanted because of poor attendance.

[jettison]

I'm not sure I'd prefer Mockingbird Lane and hundreds of Mercedes over perfect weather, the sounds of the ocean and a zillion surfboards upon my entrance/exit of a WAC football game.

Like most of us, didn't get to make the trip to Hawaii, but judging by the pictures I wouldn't argue that the Full-Color-Spectrum Warriors (PC?) have a bad playground either.

[Texastang]

Jettison, your right on the money about Hawaii. U of H's stadium is great. That place is top notch from the turf to the locker rooms. Not to mention your weather is always nice. Wish I could go back.

[SMUPonyFan]

I would have to say that SMU's facilities are top of the line and probably the best by far on the list. But that is not what the list is ranking.

Hawaii has the best setting, there stadium is nice, and they draw an awesome crowd, especially for the caliber of team they field.

After all, the fans make the stadium, and we all know about SMU's fans.

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Go Red, Go Blue, Go Mustangs, S M U

[Peruna1]

No, sorry, Ford is not the best stadium in the world as you all seem to think, no offense. Ya'll can bragg all ya like about "how nice it is" and "the facilities are the best by a mile" all you want to. Of course, with some fan support (students), it would be better. Let's face it, Rice has a loser every year. But I'll tell you something you probably don't know, THEY HAVE GREAT STUDENT SUPPORT!!!!! They only have about 2500 kids, but the difference is they're there!! They tear down the goalposts after every home win. THAT'S SPIRIT!! Darrel Royal at Texas is by far the best venue in the state or region or whatever you want to say. Trust me, that place is packed with students every Saturday.

[Peruna1]

No, sorry, Ford is not the best stadium in the world as you all seem to think, no offense. Ya'll can bragg all ya like about "how nice it is" and "the facilities are the best by a mile" all you want to. Of course, with some fan support (students), it would be better. Let's face it, Rice has a loser every year. But I'll tell you something you probably don't know, THEY HAVE GREAT STUDENT SUPPORT!!!!! They only have about 2500 kids, but the difference is they're there!! They tear down the goalposts after every home win. THAT'S SPIRIT!! Darrel Royal at Texas is by far the best venue in the state or region or whatever you want to say. Trust me, that place is packed with students every Saturday.

[PK]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Peruna1:
<B>Darrel Royal at Texas is by far the best venue in the state or region or whatever you want to say. Trust me, that place is packed with students every Saturday. </B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry Peruna1, but I have to disagree with you on this part of your post. That place is not packed with "students". In fact students have a hard time getting in and when they do, their seats are far from good. The Stadium holds about 75k, I think, and even though the student enrollment is 50k+ most of the fans in the packed stadium are alums and Austin residents (same difference). After all, the Longhorns are Austin's "Cowboys". If SMU was the only game in town, we could have kept the Cotton Bowl full like the days of Doak and as such would have had the funds to be like SMU in the days of Doak.

[NavyCrimson]

u nailed it 'pk'!!!!!!! so right!!!!

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[Peruna1]

Whatever you say PK. Just so you know, the Darrell Royal capacity is actually 80,084. Also, just so you know, there are two sections to the right and two sections to the left that are student sections. And I can also guarantee you that if they're (students) are not AT the game, they're WATCHING it somewhere. In actuality, tickets aren't as hard to get as you think. $60 for all UT sports events the whole year.

[Peruna1]

Hey PK! Why don't you check out this website.

<A HREF="http://www.utexas.edu/athletics/gif/footballstudent.gif" TARGET=_blank>http://www.utexas.edu/athletics/gif/footballstudent.gif</A>

and then tell me how many students are at the games.

[PonyFan]

Darrell Royal/Memorial Bombsite is another huge, sterile stadium that puts size over quality -- much like UT on the whole. It's perfect for what it is -- a stadium for an enormous school that offers the only (sports) entertainment in a cute town. And as long as Mack Brown remains head coach, they will continue to clean up in recruiting, raise expectations beyond a level that can be reached and fill that place with thousands of enthusiastic, well-liquored and soon-to-be-disappointed Horn fans. Enjoy.

But to me, watching a game is much more enjoyable when you can actually see the field without dragging the Hubble Telescope behind your SUV on the way to the game. Is Ford the biggest stadium? Of course not. Is it the nicest? Without question. The structure itself is gorgeous. The bathrooms are clean. The sound system is clear without being so loud that you split an eardrum and wet your pants if you happen to be sitting with a light-year of one of the speakers. I prefer to be in a stadium that is clean and pleasant, and where I can sit close enough to realize there's a game going on, not one of those old electronic games where tiny little players buzz around on a metal surface.

You'll never convince me that there's a nicer stadium in Texas. Is it the nicest anywhere? Of course not. But you can't get better in Texas. And the best part is that every time I go watch a game there, I get to see the Ponies play.

[PK]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Peruna1:
<B>Hey PK! Why don't you check out this website.

<A HREF="http://www.utexas.edu/athletics/gif/footballstudent.gif" TARGET=_blank>http://www.utexas.edu/athletics/gif/footballstudent.gif</A>

and then tell me how many students are at the games.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As I said, the capacity was about 75k, so OK, it's 80k. The students sure do get great seats ... I like the nose bleed seats in sections 124 thru 129. The seats in section 32 look great too ... what are they, 20 yards behind the back of the end zone ... so, do the seats swivel? The seats that are actually fairly good go to student "SEASON" ticket holders ... what ever that is (sounds like something more than $60 bucks worth, but I haven't the foggiest idea how that all works). You still can't get half of the student body into the "student" sections. That means that 55k or so are alums and local fans.

Sorry, I stick to my original post, however I never disagreed with the premise that their students are more into their football program than is SMU students. Hell, every school out there has better student support than does SMU.

[This message has been edited by PK (edited 04-25-2001).]

[Peruna1]

I'm tired of disagreeing, I won't argue anymore. I'm glad you get to go see the Ponies play every time you go to Ford. But tell me this; how much fun is it counting the empty seats? Honestly, I take UT at Darrell Royal over SMU at Ford any day.