the tunnel

[ponyjim]

i'm really kind of aggravated that BOTH the mustangs AND the visiting team will eneter the field via the tunnel. isn't that supposed to be mustang territory?!

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[SMU00]

maybe it will be like the tunnel at the Cotton Bowl, where the Miami Hurricanes beat the stuffing out of the Texas Shorthorns before killing them on the field!

[ponyjim]

shorthorns, ha ha

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[DiamondM]

At first I was a bit worried about that too. But then I started thinking that it is usually done that way because the lockerroom complex is generally in the same place for both home and away teams.

When the same tunnel is used, the away team comes out first (hopefully to little fanfare and cheering) and then there is a big entrance for the home team. I'm fine with that procedure. Before the tunnel though, there is a different path from the different locker rooms. If the team wants to have some sort of traditional/superstitious ritual before entering the field, then they can do it before getting to the tunnel.

Don't fret, it will work out fine.

[MustangMatt]

I am concerned with visiting teams destoying the facilities, numerous teams are known for that. I say put them at the other end of the field, so they can have their own entrance. At the Cotton Bowl, teams that shared the tunnel always came out at the same time.

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[DiamondM]

Honestly, I have never, ever heard of an away team destroying the home team facilities. I suppose it could happen, but an away team would be pretty stupid to try because we would know by Saturday night who did it, wouldn't we? Besides, if you put them at the other end of the field, if they were bent on vandalism, wouldn't they just mess with that part of the stadium. Why does it matter which part of the stadium they destroy, if they are going to do it?

I don't recall the two teams coming out together even at the Cotton Bowl. The away team filed out, then the announcer announced the SMU Mustangs, who ran through the band lines with the cheerleaders leading the way running across the field and the band running to the student side after the team goes through the gauntlet, just like they did at Ownby. And generally the band has to run through the visiting team that is ALREADY on the sidelines.

If they did come out at the same time occassionally at the Cotton Bowl, it was either (a) it wasn't a true home field so the rules weren't strictly applied, or (b) the visiting team was late getting out of the locker room and spilled over into the introduction time for the home team. (I remember this kind of this happening at a Duke basketball game where the other team waited so long to come out after half time that we were all talking about how annoying it was because it meant that the Blue Devils would either miss a good part of 2nd half warm ups, or would have to come out first and have their thunder "stolen.") Anyway, there is a pretty established protocol to these things, and it's not going to change because the actual entrance to the field is the same for both teams.

Incidentally, I would guess that the entrance for the away team could not be moved to the other end of Ford due to the logistics and location of the All Sports Center (where all the locker rooms are).

[Grider]

I don't think it's going to make that much of a difference either. To my recollection the visiting team at the cotton bowl did come out first. The more they whooped and hollered, the more pumped SMU fans got which led to a big Mustang entrance.

[MustangMatt]

It is not that big of a deal, but there is a place for the visiting team at the other end. There is a large amount of space that people are lobbying for to make the visitor locker room. If they are not placed there, then it will become storage. All a visiting team needs are showers, toilets, and lockers, which can be the ones that the team is presently using.

Some teams are known for not respecting the locker rooms, one of which is Baylor. And if I am not mistaken, the visiting team would use the track locker rooms, so damage could be done.


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[CalallenStang]

BEAT MARSHALL

[Pony ^]

Our entrance in general needs an update:
-fireworks...
-maybe some smoke like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4KuzwxK7io

[RGV Pony]

man...where'd all these people go from back in 2000?

Those that stay...will be champions. Guess some of 'em didnt stay.

[Grider]

I'm still here.

[Mexmustang]

The original plan was to have the visiting locker room at the opposite end of the field. The money was never raised, I believe the plans are still in place. Currently, they dress upstairs, which really makes the opposing coaches angry having to come down a flight of stairs above our (home) lockerroom.

[ponyte]

Well, if we ever get our attendance up to where they close in the south end of Ford, then we can lobby for a separate locker room. Until we win and increase attendance, our penitence is having to share the tunnel with the opponent.

[Mexmustang]

At the TCU cement field, opposing players appear to come down from the press boxes, down at least three flights of stairs, in the corner near the "haunted house" they have for their VIP boxes.