Pictures of Tulsa's Stadium Renovation

[ponyte]

JesseTU,
I have been to Skelly Stadium on several occasions. It seem like a nice place to view a game. The renovartions should make it a nice place to enjoy a game.

Will parking improve? For us out of towners parking has alwauys been a bit of a challange.

[smu diamond m]

Yeah, you can only buy real beer in a liquor store up there. And it's expensive -- everything is an import at that point.

[Big Hoss]

All in all, the improvements look nice, but one thing I wouldn't like is that it looks like the seats won't have any backs to them. As you get closer to 40, you notice things like that because your back will be killing you by the end of the game.

[JesseTU]

1) Beer.

If you buy beer cold (gas station, grocery store) in Oklahoma Jesus says it has to be sold at 3.2% by volume. Which is your standard Budweiser/Miller crap anyway. That rule does not apply to keg beer or at bars (lest we have no Guinness, Bass, or any real beer at a bar). FYI you also cannot buy liquor nor wine in grocery stores, on a Sunday, nor on election day. And stores that sell liquor or wine can not sell anything else (no cold beer, mixers, cups, etc.).

Don't blame me. It apperently stops alcoholics, allows distributors to make more money, or appeases the gods. I have no idea.

BUT, we have 2 good brewers in the area. Choc beer and Marshall Brewing Company. If you are in town I HIGHLY recommend any of Marshall's beer (their Pub Ale or IPA are the best IMHO). Really among the best I've ever had. Choc has several pretty tasty brews too. If you're into micro brews, check them out - plenty of hops, nice bitter taste. Choc is bottle conditioned and Marshall is draft only atm. Only available in Oklahoma as far as I know, but really good.

BUT, by the posting of Shiner (OK beer, nothing special but s step above Bud) and LoneStar (same level as Budweiser) I'll assume your not beer snobs. At least no one said Steel Reserve. I home brew about 50% of the beer I drink (usually have a keg of Shiner Bock in there for people that don't like strong beer).

2)
The seat licenses only apply to luxury boxes and loge seating. Joe ticket holder does not have to pay a licensing fee. My season tickets in row 20 on the ~35 were $160 each (I think). That's about as cheap as you're going to get in D-I.

3)
The loge seating and all the seating between the 35's will have seat backs as I understand it. Boxes of course will. If you look at my pictures, the areas on the EAST stands (no press box) that have no seating installed will have seat backs. So most season ticket holders will have them. Allows more butt cramming if need be I suppose.

4)
Short answer: no.

Parking is Pandora's box. Tulsa has bought ~50 more acres in the last decade or so and had to pay dearly for them. The last piece of the puzzle for the grand entrance was an old Route 66 diner (U of Tulsa is on Route 66), about 1/2 an acres... for which we paid $800,000. So more surface lots are not really an option. Parking garages cost as much as $15,000 per spot... so they're out.

There is some more parking on campus, but we added some 350 apartment units. So those occupy all the added parking. If you aren't paying for a spot (donate for the right) your walking. There is a bank not far away, several lots on campus ($5 parking), and plenty of side streets. even to the OU game I didn't have to walk further than 8 or 9 blocks.

So out of towners should plan on catching a shuttle from their hotel, calling a cab, or parking and walking. If you park, head SOUTH of campus. Many a fights have been waged over the parking issue. I'm of the "deal with it" camp.

[SMU_is_bowling]

In the early 2000's That stadium was a dump, the field was bad (not as bad as UTEP) and the locker rooms were smaller than my high school's.

[Big Hoss]

JesseTU, you are certainly a wealth of info. We have many of those same stupid laws regarding alcohol sales - probably due to the fact that we are part of the "buckle" of the Bible belt, I suppose.

I remember my one trip up to OU during my college days and we brought beer with us. People were in awe of us at this one fraternity party because we had 12 ounce beers, where everyone else was relegated to 7 ounce bottles (I think). Pretty strange what/who we would admire when we were in college, right?

I have to say that any improvements around the league will hopefully raise the bar for the whole conference. We should (notice I say "should") be a very competitive conference in the next few years given how similar the four of the schools are on our side of CUSA, with UTEP and Houston being the exceptions.

[CalallenStang]

I like this JesseTU guy...

hey Jesse, how is your team looking this year?

[RGV Pony]

JesseTU, you should meet expony18. Ya'll could hang.

[JesseTU]

I like this JesseTU guy...

hey Jesse, how is your team looking this year?

The team is looking good. We have several notable question marks: linebackers and QB foremost. But we have so much talent at QB (starting QB for BYU transfered here, Texas backup transfered here, 5th year senior) that Harrell (broke Texas Techs Harrell's high school records) transfered because he might not get play time. We are STACKED at wide receiver with all of last years back plus a couple SEC transfers and a couple new guys.

Our line on both sides of the ball is nearly entirely back.

We got new kickers 9serious frustration last year).

The outlook is good. But reserved until those two important question marks prove themselves. Ask me in mid-September. We have a legit shot at being undefeated if all goes to plan (a down Arkansas team, Houston and you guys are our hardest games, and UCF at home). But if things don't, we have a shot at falling from grace a ways.

The expectation is to be in the hunt for C-USA and win a bowl. At least, that's my expectation. I'm so happy I have high expectations after so many years in the dark ages (i'm sure I don't have to tell you about that).

Anyway, good luck on all dates but 10/11/2008, and probably one other West division game to give us a bit of padding. Clearly there are high expectations for you, I'm worried about playing you in the future but not just yet (though you usually seem to give US a run even on your down years, jerks).

[couch 'em]

BUT, by the posting of Shiner (OK beer, nothing special but s step above Bud) and LoneStar (same level as Budweiser) I'll assume your not beer snobs. At least no one said Steel Reserve. I home brew about 50% of the beer I drink (usually have a keg of Shiner Bock in there for people that don't like strong beer).

There are a few beer snobs on here - I've just about finished drinking my third batch of homebrew and am soliciting requests for what style to brew and pass out free on the boulevard (tailgating)

[PerunaPunch]

Isn't renovating Skelly Stadium a bit like putting one of those fuzzy carpet covers on a toilet seat?

[ponyte]

BUT, by the posting of Shiner (OK beer, nothing special but s step above Bud) and LoneStar (same level as Budweiser) I'll assume your not beer snobs. At least no one said Steel Reserve. I home brew about 50% of the beer I drink (usually have a keg of Shiner Bock in there for people that don't like strong beer).

There are a few beer snobs on here - I've just about finished drinking my third batch of homebrew and am soliciting requests for what style to brew and pass out free on the boulevard (tailgating)

FWIW

A nice pale ale (English style) that is not too hoped up. I have limited my brewing to specialty beers. Barleywines and Winter warmers. On occasion I will brew a very low alcohol lager beer that has flavor (nothing better after cutting the yard). I would not offer my beers as they tend to be too heavy in flavor for most folks palate.

It seems most folks love canoe beers and have little desire to try more flavorful beers. That is why I think slightly sweet pale ale would work best. It gives flavor while being refreshing during the warmer months.

As the year progresses and it turns colder, then introduce a bit more robust beers (IPAs, strong ales/lagers, a Wee Heavy).

[JesseTU]

Isn't renovating Skelly Stadium a bit like putting one of those fuzzy carpet covers on a toilet seat?

If we wanted to be mean I could say the same thing about putting a winning coach at the helm of the SMU football program... but that wouldn't be polite at all while people are having a civilized conversation.

I have heard Gerald J. Ford Stadium is very nice, never been. Our stadium is nearing it's 80th birthday and needed some work. We kicked in about $31,000,000 worth over the last few years and are happy to be were we are.

I'm also happy you have a nice stadium and the future of SMU Football has some optimism. But SMU football has been in such a slump that in spite of your storied past you are now 26 games below 500 for all-time. So until your stadium has >20K butts in the seats, a season with a winning record, and maybe a bowl game this century... I'd back off the smack a little.

/sorry other Ponies. He taunted me. It's not my fault, I couldn't help it. I blame the internets.

Seriously though, the new stadium should be very nice and fit our needs perfectly. Just like FORD didn't need to be built for 50,000 fans we didn't need it either. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, we both worry about how to fund a much needed expansion.

(sorry again)
- - - -

Per the brewing: I enjoy brewing well hopped DARK ales. Guinness is too smooth and heavy beers don't work well in the summer. A dark ale still works.

I also enjoy under carbonated "pub" style ales. Nice beer for a football game as it goes down smooth but has enough flavor that you don't chug them. Which would be bad, because my beer is often 7% or better.

[RGV Pony]

anyone tried Beck's light? sixty something calories.

Still having a hard time breaking free from Stella though.

[RednBlue11]

i recommend the Czech beer Pilsner Urquell... the original pilsner