On Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, the all-time, single-game attendance record was set at the newly renovated Tiger Stadium. Following a 10-7 upset of Ole Miss, that capacity crowd stormed the field in an emotional support of a team whom, though we may boo and leave early to drink at Bogies, we love more than anything - even corn dogs.
The debate about the greatest venue in college football will never end. So before we dive into opinion, let's look at the cold hard facts for Death Valley:
- 102,321 capacity. Sixth largest in the nation. Only Tennessee has a bigger stadium in the SEC (102,455).
- Paul "Bear" Bryant, Alabama's legendary houndstooth-hat wearing head coach, once said, "It's like being inside a drum."
- LSU fans once registered as an earthquake. No one else can say that.
Those are the only three facts that matter.
I'm not emotionally attached to very many things. But one of my earliest memories from my childhood is going onto the field in 2000 after LSU upset Tennessee. I don't remember a second of the game, but I can recall my dad letting me off his shoulders on the turf and me grabbing the grass. It was a surreal moment; the field had always seemed like an inverse Mount Olympus that no mortal was good enough to touch. But there I was, like it was my own yard.
And that's how it's always felt since then. I can't remember being more angry than when the 2007 Florida Gators stomped on the eye before kick off. I was in tears. Defeating the Fighting Tebows in that emotional battle will always be the greatest game in my mind because of how I felt personally attacked by their disrespect of the Eye. That's MY yard.
The stadium is the setting of some of my most vivid memories. There's been incredible joy (the Demetrius Byrd catch to beat Auburn in 2007), hilarity (the streakers trying to evade the cops during the rain delay against Oregon State in 2004), heartbreak (Arkansas looked to spoil LSU's national title hopes in triple overtime in '07), and gut-wrenching defeat (Alabama ruined the most fun I've had at a football game with their winning drive in 2012).
But one thing is always consistent : an absolutely bonkers crowd (for the games that matter anyway - let's be honest). It's hard not to feel like we play a role in deciding the outcome of the game. We dance along with the Golden Band from Tiger Land as they play the traditional songs after first, second and third downs on offense. We bow in homage to the Chinese Bandits of 1958 when our defense makes a stop. We spell out T-I-G-E-R-S in unison (almost) after each score. We roar and clap until we are lightheaded and hoarse. We are always yelling something; it may be vulgar, but the noise never stops. Our team loves us, our opponents hate us. That's exactly how we like it.
Tiger Stadium is the best because it has everything: history, lore, noise, emotion, and a damn strong football team. I've been to Auburn, Ole Miss and Alabama, and while they have impressive and loud facilities, the energy isn't the same. Why? I think it's because they pump in music a lot, and until recently, the sounds in Death Valley came from the band or the fans. It's all organic here: no cowbells, no pom-poms, no yell captains (or whatever A&M calls them).
And to me, that makes it authentic and unique.
