I remember it like it was yesterday ... my first ASU football game:
Yup! That's me at my first game!
My professor let us out of class early so we could all go tailgate and attend the game. We were playing Weber State, bleh ... who cares! We got all decked out in our gold t-shirts, face paint, hair bows and walked to Mill Ave. to tailgate. Then, we walked into the stadium, and I knew I was about to experience something like never before. As pre-game began, Sparky appears onscreen in the Stomp the Bus video ... everyone was getting pumped! Pitchforks in the air, anticipation is building ... BOOM!
The fireworks launch into the air and the team comes spilling out of the Tillman Tunnel ...
Wow.
I don't remember a lot of the game, we crushed them ... duh, but what I do remember is all the people I met. All the cheers we did together. That feeling of unity I felt to my fellow Sun Devils.
I live to be in that student section, and here's why you should too:
ASU has a proud tradition of wearing gold to games. We look like a pretty badass and intimidating mass of awesome when we are all unified. When we are not in gold though, we have theme nights including: Maroon Monsoon and Blackout — equally as intimidating and badass though.
Another epic tradition is the Stomp the Bus video in which Sparky is birthed from the sun, lands in Phoenix and walks to Sun Devil Stadium. When the video begins you can hear the roar of the crowd getting excited, then the pitchforks are raised and begin a back and forth motion. Finally, when Sparky reaches Sun Devil Stadium, he just happens to step on the opposing teams bus ... Sorry not sorry! Sparky steps into the stadium and throws his pitchfork down ... that is when the crowd erupts, the fireworks go off, and the team comes streaming out of the tunnel.
Don't forget to jingle your car keys at every kickoff! That is a proud tradition held which is guaranteed (maybe not scientifically proven, but still) to help us be successful on the field. Make sure you have a hearty key chain to hoist when it comes time for kickoff, unlike I did my first game. Shout out to my fellow freshman with our dorm key, mail key and id card on our lanyards. We figured it out eventually!
If you've never done the first down chant at ASU, then you are missing out on a great football tradition. Whenever ASU makes a first down, the student section, and those who know about it, do a chant that goes a little something like this: "1, 2, 3 FIRST DOWN B*TCH!" Yeah, it's pretty great. It's also a fun way to drive your mom mad during parents weekend (Hey, I'm just here to help you out). We truly keep it classy, and I know the team appreciates us getting hyped that they are making progress!
All around, the football atmosphere is electric, and it's only going to gain momentum as we create the Double Inferno. I am truly looking forward to this season; incoming freshman and ASU Football veterans alike should feel the same. We have a great home line up, and I know that the inferno will be lit (pun intended).
Go Devils!
