Rhode Island

[Eli]

Great venue, hard to believe it's ours. Loved the scoreboard, but go figured it didn't even last one game without the net holder not knowing how to pull a net up and a ball hitting it with now a pixel out. You saw the guy with the walk-talkie come out and yell at the kid, saw his arms flailing.

 

Really? I didn't know that happened! That's hilarious and sad the same time!

 

Anyone have thoughts on the food? I hadn't gone down to see how it was.

 

I had a hot dog and a pretzel. Each were $4. Dasani water was like $3. That's probably the upper level of what I'd pay but they were good. Service was pretty quick, at least before the game started. I don't know how crazy it got after the stadium was standing room only.

 

UAalum72 beat me to it.

 

Here are some pictures from the still cam as well as my seats (section 204):

 

---------------------

 

You were in Section 205. I was in front of you a couple of rows down.

 

Yeah, we were in 205...not 204...

 

Yeah you guys are right. I had to get 'let in' yesterday because I forgot my ticket at home, and the sections (other than the signs on the course) aren't labeled otherwise. Thought I was in 204, then moved to 205 after I saw my group lol.

 

How was the marching band?

 

EXTREMELY underwhelming. I'm sure part of it was nerves, etc. as it was their first time ever. The song picked was horrible, IMO. Who plays Adele's James Bond theme at a game? You need something LOUD, FAST, and UP TEMPO.

 

They'll get better.

Edited September 15, 2013 by Ilko

[Michigan_Dane]

Yeah, can someone talk about the marching band. If they did show them then I missed it.

 

1) How many members?

2) Quality of performance granting its their first time out.

[Eli]

Probably 30 kids? Pretty small. That's why it was so quiet, not to mention the song just wasn't conducive to a football event. I heard them playing as they were walking from the campus center to the stadium and they sounded MUCH better playing the songs we usually here at basketball games.

 

I think for future games, they need to figure out a way to microphone the band.

 

They didn't mess anything up as far as I could tell (musically - I played in band for 8 years), so that was a plus.

[haggyland]

Great night; great venue.

 

I am tired from over-stimulation from last night so I will keep my observations short:

 

1) It was great to see the revenue streams last night. A beer tent with $7 beers packed for the entire game; concession lines 20 people deep on the concourse, and on the berm. Heck, plenty of cars were even paying $7 to park in Dutch quad.

2) The berm was packed, but I think the chilly September air drove some of the "fair weather fan" students back to their dorms at halftime.

3) Marching band? Cool to see them parade through the parking lot, but Skyfall by Adele? Yeah, not the kind of song to fire up a sell-out crowd, especially when they couldn't even be heard from 50 feet away.

4) Play calling and game result? Let's just say I hope we hammer CCSU next week.

5) I know I can get too focused on one player, but Ngachie got in the game and assisted on the only sack? Color me excited! I think I remember that play...fourth down, great closing speed?

6) Kicking game was blamed on unfamiliarity with the turf.

 

"Whatever" to all of it...that place was fantastic, and this program just took a major leap forward, with a trajectory pointing to a lot more coming....and sooner rather than later!!!

 

Heck, Hofstra dropped football a few years ago, right?

[Clickclack]

Had we lost by 50...still would have been a great night. I can't underscore how incredible our new stadium is... Can't wait for next Saturday... Gotta wait all week... Sigh

[haggyland]

Also, Fiacchi at 17 for 36 for 181 yards?

 

That number should look uglier because his longest completion was a 43 yard wounded duck at the end of regulation on a "Hail Mary" that came up fifteen yards short of the end zone, and which wobbled liking a slowing top.

[Dane Pound]

Yeah, can someone talk about the marching band. If they did show them then I missed it.

 

1) How many members?

2) Quality of performance granting its their first time out.

 

I would say the performance was tentative but most first steps usually are. I'm glad we had them and I'm sure they'll improve. I agree they could have gone with a more rousing musical choice but hopefully that will come.

 

My critiques:

-They didn't need to be right at midfield. Come closer to the main section of the stands so we could hear them better.

-As petty as it sounds, I didn't like that the color guards flags were green.

[Clickclack]

Yeah, can someone talk about the marching band. If they did show them then I missed it.

 

1) How many members?

2) Quality of performance granting its their first time out.

 

I would say the performance was tentative but most first steps usually are. I'm glad we had them and I'm sure they'll improve. I agree they could have gone with a more rousing musical choice but hopefully that will come.

 

My critiques:

-They didn't need to be right at midfield. Come closer to the main section of the stands so we could hear them better.

-As petty as it sounds, I didn't like that the color guards flags were green.

 

I didn't even notice them... They seemed to kind of be off to the side (flags) ... I was glad the marching band was there... They will improve, if they could mic them up or eventually grow it to more people... That would help.

 

Good first step...

Edited September 15, 2013 by Clickclack

[haggyland]

My critiques:

-They didn't need to be right at midfield. Come closer to the main section of the stands so we could hear them better.

-As petty as it sounds, I didn't like that the color guards flags were green.

 

Yeah, but Kevin had on a nice suit, right?

[Dane Pound]

 

1) It was great to see the revenue streams last night. A beer tent with $7 beers packed for the entire game; concession lines 20 people deep on the concourse, and on the berm. Heck, plenty of cars were even paying $7 to park in Dutch quad.

2) The berm was packed, but I think the chilly September air drove some of the "fair weather fan" students back to their dorms at halftime.

 

I had suspected that observations 1 and 2 were connected. It's pretty easy to watch the game from the beer garden and they have beer there.

 

Overall, the night felt surreal to me. I walked around and saw a lot of the people I usually see at games but it was like we were at someone else's stadium. It's going to take a few games for it to sink it that this is home.

 

Also, I don't know what the lower deck is like but the upper deck is awesome for stomping and chanting defense. I had no idea how much noise we were making until I read this morning that people on the field had trouble communicating.

[Dane Pound]

My critiques:

-They didn't need to be right at midfield. Come closer to the main section of the stands so we could hear them better.

-As petty as it sounds, I didn't like that the color guards flags were green.

 

Yeah, but Kevin had on a nice suit, right?

 

He did but maybe you can convince him to get a gold colored drum major uniform and one of those big, furry drum major hats.

[Clickclack]

 

1) It was great to see the revenue streams last night. A beer tent with $7 beers packed for the entire game; concession lines 20 people deep on the concourse, and on the berm. Heck, plenty of cars were even paying $7 to park in Dutch quad.

2) The berm was packed, but I think the chilly September air drove some of the "fair weather fan" students back to their dorms at halftime.

 

I had suspected that observations 1 and 2 were connected. It's pretty easy to watch the game from the beer garden and they have beer there.

 

Overall, the night felt surreal to me. I walked around and saw a lot of the people I usually see at games but it was like we were at someone else's stadium. It's going to take a few games for it to sink it that this is home.

 

Also, I don't know what the lower deck is like but the upper deck is awesome for stomping and chanting defense. I had no idea how much noise we were making until I read this morning that people on the field had trouble communicating.

 

Really? I knew we were making a bit of noise but didn't realize it carried that much... Nice...

[Eli]

 

Also, I don't know what the lower deck is like but the upper deck is awesome for stomping and chanting defense. I had no idea how much noise we were making until I read this morning that people on the field had trouble communicating.

 

Really? I knew we were making a bit of noise but didn't realize it carried that much... Nice...

 

Bringin a little SEFCU to the field . We were definitely makin some noise last night.

[Biggie_Smalls]

I was sitting in Section 103 and I could not believe the net was not up when the kicker was drilling the ball right into the scoreboard during halftime....kick after kick! This is a kink that should have been taken care of. Even the people behind me were saying that the scoreboard will not last if it keeps taking shot after shot. Does anyone know what problem was with the net? I understand the kicker needed to take reps, but damn after drilling it twice, someone should have stepped in.

 

Overall, had a great time. I spoke with some redshirted players' parents and I think there is great hope in those kids in purple track suits.

[Eli]

How did the kicker not realize what he was doing? Have some respect! lol

 

I'm re-watching the game on SNY...our stadium looks gorgeous on TV.