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Wouldnt it be great if players could walk down BLVD before entering stadium before game. There is so much excitement on the VARD and i think it would get the players to see how much support and excitement they have on the VARD. I proposed this to Coach Reinhold and he likes it. The Band and Cherrleaders do it. Okla State does something similar with great results.

larskjenstad wrote:Wouldnt it be great if players could walk down BLVD before entering stadium before game. There is so much excitement on the VARD and i think it would get the players to see how much support and excitement they have on the VARD. I proposed this to Coach Reinhold and he likes it. The Band and Cherrleaders do it. Okla State does something similar with great results.

guess what..this was tried as a "new tradition" in 2000 when the stadium open and for several years later.

A major problem is that they players have to be at the stadium for taping, etc early and most folks don't set up, so the net result is they walk down and vacant BLVD.

expony18 wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnW71i4Olas

Either their players show up late or their fans show up much earlier.

or their players get taped at the hotel during meetings?

A few years ago i remember watching the team walk from Perkins Chapel to the stadium about 2 1/2 hours before the game. i think that would be cool if we could make a big deal about that every home game. similar to several walks that other schools do around the country.

It's a tradition at Ole Miss, but two key factors make it possible -- fans begin setting up the night before gametime and the team goes through early to be taped and put on their uniforms at the stadium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grove_(Ole_Miss)

Statler wrote:guess what..this was tried as a "new tradition" in 2000 when the stadium open and for several years later.

A major problem is that they players have to be at the stadium for taping, etc early and most folks don't set up, so the net result is they walk down and vacant BLVD.

It would be a great new tradition that did not step all over existing ones, but it would require the administration to change the "official" start time on the 'vard from two hours pre-game to at least four hours pre-game. It's a good idea, so it won't happen.

My family and I have been there for the previously attempted walks from Perkins to the Stadium. Unless school does open it up earlier and let more fans there (say open it at noon for 7 pm games) it actually felt kinda lame when it was tried before.

Bouncing and idea off Rheinbold is like bouncing an idea off a trainer. I think the walk will happen in the future as the fans and students become "more into it" after the wins come and many more people realize how fun and exciting gameday can be. If it happened now it would just be some parents, a few students might amble over and then a small loyal following. In other words, more depressing than inspiring for the team.

jtstang wrote:

Statler wrote:guess what..this was tried as a "new tradition" in 2000 when the stadium open and for several years later.

A major problem is that they players have to be at the stadium for taping, etc early and most folks don't set up, so the net result is they walk down and vacant BLVD.

It would be a great new tradition that did not step all over existing ones, but it would require the administration to change the "official" start time on the 'vard from two hours pre-game to at least four hours pre-game. It's a good idea, so it won't happen.

I do not know the exact official start time for the BLVD but I do know that the BUS Stop as well as many other tailgate spots are up at least 3 hours before the game. I got there around 4 last Saturday and most spots were already up and going. Several years ago when the walk to the stadium was advertised somewhat, I believe it took place about 2 and one-half hours before the game. I would participate but the crowd was small although there were a lot of people on the BLVD. It appeared that people either did not know of the walk, were more interested in eating and drinking or had simply forgot. It would probably work if attendance was better organized.

Official start time is two hours before kickoff. No school sponsored events (Alumni tent, individual school tailgates, etc.) are allowed to start earlier than that. I think the official 'Vard time should be at least double that, but the costs would no doubt cut prohibitively into the endowment.

I might add that 4 hours would give enough time for the team to maybe meet at the flagpole for a mini pep rally of sorts and make the walk to the stadium down the middle of the 'vard through all of the tailgating. That way the tailgaters would not have to leave their kegs. It would be perfect.

I have news for everyone. The Boulevard is "Open" early in the a.m. -- as early as you want to get there. I know that because our tailgate is almost always there and set up in time to catch College Gameday. Unfortunately, other than us, the crickets are usually chirping on the Boulevard for hours after we are comfortably ensconced in our tailgate. This is one thing that is not the administration's fault, but the fault of the individuals who don't come set up earlier.

Personally, I cannot understand why anyone would bother to set up a whole tailgate for only 2 hours before a game. Seems like by the time you get everything set up and settle in, it's time to tear down. Of course, we actually go to the games and try to get there before kickoff, which is not the general MO of many others on the Boulevard. And unfortunately, I don't know if a hard shut down time would encourage people to set up earlier, or would just make people not come at all.

I guess my point was that a new tradition (one which does not [deleted] all over an existing one mind you) of having the team make a "Boulevard walk" down to the stadium would require official participation and sanction of the school. With the current two hour pregame window, it won't work.

smuuth wrote:. If it happened now it would just be some parents, a few students might amble over and then a small loyal following. In other words, more depressing than inspiring for the team.

Kinda like when they run onto the field at the start of the game.