9-2-2000

[ponyboy]

Who was there? What do you remember about the game? Anybody still have one of those tshirts or bumper stickers? Or the New Turf, New Team ones?

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

I was there. A great day for SMU (one of the few since the DP). The place was sold out. It was hotter than blazes, but my wife and I were OK b/c we were on the west side. To this day I don't know how there weren't heatstroke fatalities among the HIGHLY intoxicated undergrads on the east side.

I still have the program and my ticket from that game. I also have the DMN sports page from the day after, which had several articles about it and a huge color picture of Caven and the team on the first page. We came out and really hammered KU early. I thought it was awesome how the first TD ever scored at Ford Stadium was by. . . Billy Ford.

I walked away from that game truly believing I was about to witness a new era in SMU football. Those dreams were dashed the very next week (against UTEP I think). Little did I know that the new era we embarked on that day would be even worse than what we saw in the 1990s. I didn't have hope again until the Hawaii Bowl in 2009.

[ponyinNC]

i was there - have a dr pepper or coke with the inaugural Ford Stadium logo on it. pretty cool.

I remember seeing people get taken away in stretchers from the heat.

[FriscoChuck]

I was there. My friend Greg Bruce arguably kicked off the Boulevard tradition with the first real tailgate spot.

[ponywhupp9202]

Yep. I was there. Hot as hell. Good win against Kansas, and I still have my ticket and program from that day.

[The PonyGrad]

I was there. We brought little mister fans. It helped I guess.

[SmooPower]

A sellout crowd of 32,267 braved 107 degree heat at kickoff to witness the Mustangs' win.

And the stadium ran out of water in the 2nd quarter. So hot.

[docabel]

I was there on the east side and my kids still have the t-shirts and I'm still sunburned from that day..

Forgot about the running out of water, but I do remember taking the t-shirts to the bathrooms to soak in water to put over our heads.

[ponyte]

Ibid

The Lettermen's BBQ started with the opening of Ford. So the evening before we got to tour the entire facility. And walk on the field. For an old footballer, one can't describe the emotions of being on a home field, even if it is the evening before.

On game day, we went to our seats early. Walking on the bleacherseats, my tennis shoes literally were melting.

But the results were beyond the suffering of heat.

I will say this, Bennett came and greeted the SMU lettermen at the BBQ. Jones as never made an appearance. Obviously different styles but I did enjoy shaking our head coach's hand. And this isn't a knock on JJ, just an appreciation of recognition by Bennett.

[H-E-B Mustang]

I was there. Got the framed picture hanging on my wall showing the playing surface and crowd right at kick-off.

[CenTXpony]

I was there... Think it was my second SMU game to attend... First one was in Austin unfortunately.

[smusic 00]

I christened the east side bathroom in the second quarter. First guy to get sick in Ford, right here. Started on the blvd at about 8am. Surprised nobody died that day.

[GRGB]

I christened the east side bathroom in the second quarter. First guy to get sick in Ford, right here. Started on the blvd at about 8am. Surprised nobody died that day.

They had the exterior WEST side bathrooms open, and I walked into the stadium from the interior bathroom door...(unlocked)

[Water Pony]

I enjoyed watching the opening of the stadium and the win over Kansas. Great catch by Ford for the win.

[Charleston Pony]

I wasn't going to miss that one and yes, it was hot...but after living here in Charleston and experiencing 95 degee days with heat indexes of 115 just before getting on that plane to Texas, I didn't think it was all that bad. We sat next to the students (in the setting sun at kickoff). I did feel sorry for the teams playing in that heat and remember McCown hurling at one point. That was a great night for the Ponies and I still have the "new turf new team" sticker attached to my large SMU Mustangs trash can that Mrs CP continues to argue clashes with the rest of our bedroom furnishings