Driving to Purdue

I arrived on campus at 10:45 AM, and found a parking place within 4 blocks of the stadium.  Parking was only $10, and the lots were not full.  I walked around the campus a little, but it did not take me long to look for a place to warm up.  The Engineering buildings were open, so I just let myself in.  There were some students working on laptops, but other than that, the buildings were quiet.  Most important, the building  was warm.   I walked out the back door, and came upon the statue of Neil Armstrong.  I was unaware that the first person to walk on the moon is a graduate of Purdue University.  Next to his statue are cast impressions of his footprints on the moon.  In what I learned later is the Neil Armstrong  Hall of Engineering, there is a full scale replica of the Apollo 1 command module.  The astronaut Robert Bruce Chafee, another graduate of Purdue University, was killed in Apollo 1 when a fire broke out.   

Outside the Neil Armstrong Pavillion

Casts of moon walk prints near statue of Neil Armstrong

After warming up and looking through this building, I headed to the stadium.  I ran across many students dressed in Halloween costumes.  When I inquired about the wearing a costume a full week after Halloween, I learned of my first Purdue tradition; Breakfast Club.  On the days of home football games, bars open early (7:00 AM).  Students get up, get dressed in Costumes, and head to the bars for some pre game priming.  Its like Halloween seven times a year (though with alcohol instead of candy).    

The Big Drum

The Purdue Marching Band

Before entering the stadium, I was able to catch the Purdue Marching Band and the ‘World’s Largest Drum’.  The band is good, followed by the large drum being pushed by 4 students in silver helmets.  Also in the march, is the X-tra Special, an old time locomotive that many consider an un-official mascot of Purdue.  The X-tra Special also leads the football team on the field.   

Making my way to the stadium

Thats me with the scoreboard in the background

Ross-Ade Stadium, like most Big Ten venues, is an older stadium that had undergone multiple renovations.  It’s named for its two principle benefactors, David Ross  and George Ade.  They purchased the original site and presented it to the University. The stadium seats 62,500 (small by Big Ten standards),  but boasts a large video board for replays and announcements.  It is a friendly atmosphere to watch a game.   

Purdue takes the field

Before the game, the marching band leader recites the ‘I am an American’ speech, while flags are draped across the field.  This tradition dates back almost 50 years.  The marching band breaks ranks and forms the letter P to mark game time.   Kickoffs are highlighted by everyone rattling their keys.  After big plays by Purdue, or possession going to the Boilermakers, the chant of ‘Boiler Up’  goes through the stands.  On first downs, a cheer of 1-2-3-4 First Down followed by a swoosh.  I am pretty sure that many times this cheer is followed by an expletive, but not always.   

Walking around the campus

Purdue - a beautiful campus

The game was competitive through the first half, but slipped away from the Boilermakers in the third and fourth quarters.  The stadium began to empty with about 8 minutes left, after a Purdue turnover left the game out of reach.
It was definitely warmer now, so I walked around the campus.  I have to say, I am very impressed.  This is one of the nicer campuses I have ever seen.  It had a good mixture of trees, bike paths, walkways, and buildings.  The fall colors and cool temperatures gave it a campus feel.  It looked as if a lot of planning went in to the aesthetics of the campus.  The names of many of the famous Purdue graduates dot the campus.  Among those are the aforementioned Neil Armstrong, Drew Brees, and legendary coach John Wooden.  Those are some pretty big names to have in your alumni ranks.   

Pretty good names to put on the side of your buildings

More shots of the campus.

I would definitely go back to Purdue to enjoy the intimate football setting, the beautiful campus, and a lot of proud alumni.  A special kudos to the marching band and the cymbal section.  The band is excellent and the cymbal section unique.  See below for a sample.   

The sidewalk towards the stadium. This looks like football.

Getting off the shuttle, the feeling of collegiate football just engulfed me.  It was a beautiful fall day, the aromas of tailgating filled the air, and the sights and sounds of an exited football community expounded.   It has to be what Walter Camp envisioned when he first set down the rules for collegiate football.   

One of the trails behind student dorms

The campus at Michigan State University is among the finest I have seen.  It is located in East Lansing, on the banks of the Red Cedar River.  It is not overly developed, and there are many wooded and open areas.  This time of year, with the colors of the season at their peak, the campus can only be described as beautiful.   

Sparty, the 7' tall statue

On this game day, the tailgating was in full force.  There was plenty of imbibing, but nothing that would raise red flags.  There are many families, young children, and past generations of MSU alums.  Throwing footballs, playing toss games, jump houses, and other family activities are the norm.    Though I missed it, the team walk to the stadium is a highlight of the game day experience.  I took a walk over to see Sparty, the Spartan bronze statue that has been the victim of vandalism by visiting teams in the past.  During the week of the Michigan game, members of the band stand guard at the Statue to insure that their arch-rivals do not desecrate this famous piece of the MSU campus.  The sounds of the band wafted through the campus until their anticipated march into the stadium.  

Enjoying a great football atmosphere

The longest lines of the day were those to get into the stadium.  In what can only be described as TSA training, fans were thoroughly searched prior to entering.  All bags, jackets, hats, and baggy pockets were fair game.  Spartan stadium, like most Big Ten venues, is an older stadium.  It has aluminum bench seats (cold on Winter days, I’m sure), but everything is convenient.  The scoreboard is not modern by any means, but does provide instant replay, and current scores around the Big Ten.  It is not as loud as other stadiums, but the fans are more on top of the field as anywhere I have been.   

 
The cheer ‘Go Green/Go White’ was heard throughout the game.  It got old after the first dozen times.  Clips from the movie ‘300’ were played on the scoreboard throughout the game.   Gerard Butler was in attendance on this day, and was often shown recreating his famous lines as King Leonidas in ‘300’.  The half-time show by the band was very good, and the intermission period was capped off by another MSU tradition; Zeke the Wonder Dog, and his Frisbee catching prowess.  Not to dis a tradition, but Ozzie would embarrass Zeke, who I have now nicknamed ‘The underachieving Frisbee dog’.  Ozzie, of course, is my Australian Shepherd.  

Ozzie, aka "The Frisbee Slayer"

Heard in the stands:  It is true that college football fans are full of doomsday scenarios.  After Illinois scored first (3 points), it was as if the entire season was now lost. I heard everything from “I can’t believe we are going to collapse now” to “This is just like 2001 after we beat Michigan; we got killed the next week”.  This was after a 3 – 0 score halfway through the first quarter.  Calm down everyone.  

Just a reminder that football is not the only game in town

To Number 42 on the Spartans defense:  There was a cute blond in Section 6 who is quite a fan.  I’m not positive that she knows you (she only referred to you as “Number 42”), but she has decided that she wants to have your children.  She was especially enamored with how you filled out your football pants in your line backing stance.  I’m telling you this because I am sure you did not hear her screams to you.  I was only a couple of rows behind her, and I could barely hear her. Her shouts to Number 42 never stopped for three quarters of the game. When she left at the beginning of the 4th quarter, there was a noticeable sigh of relief from section 6.  

Can you pick out the Illinois fans in this picture

As the first half was winding down, and the score tied at 3, Illinois was being forced to punt.  Everyone in the Stadium was yelling for the Spartans to take a timeout.  They did not.  It was obvious they were going to let the clock expire after they got the ball.  When the Illinois punter’s kick was in the air, everyone was unified in their chants of “Do not catch the ball”, “Let it drop”.  Well, the punt returner muffed the kick, Illinois recovered, and scored to take a 6-3 lead into halftime.  I have heard countless coaches and players tell of how they never listen to fans, never concerned with what the average fan thinks.  Well, maybe you should listen more often. That was one of the worst examples of clock and game management I have witnessed. Coach Dantonio, be grateful you won.  If you had lost because of this, there would be little sympathy for your medical condition.  

Walking up to the stadium

When Coach Dantonio left the upstairs box and took to the sidelines near the end of the game, the uproar and cheers were the loudest of the day.  Michigan State is now a top ten team, with victories over Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Michigan (not to mention power-house Florida Atlantic). Excitement is running high in East Lansing, with a huge test on October 30 in Iowa.  

Walking on campus, next to the sports complex

When I began the day, I was dreading the long drive to Spartan Stadium.  Driving back, I was glad I made the trip. It’s a world class campus, good fans, and a great football atmosphere.