I went to a couple of SEC conference baseball games yesterday and today. I know everyone talks about the SEC and football but let me tell you, the fans get a little crazy for baseball also! Last night I slept in my car across the street from the beautiful baseball stadium that LSU built a few years ago. If you find that weird, I was with a bunch of LSU fans that were doing the same thing! I was going to get a hotel room but I wanted to experience the “fans”. There were about 50 large RV’s filled with people partying until the wee hours of the morning in the parking lot of Tiger Stadium (where the football team plays). Everyone told me that this was nothing, show up on game day for football and there are hundreds of RVs. LSU beat Georgia 2-1 on Saturday night and there was over 8,000 people at the game (this is for college baseball). I had to buy a ‘standing room only’ ticket! The fans were really into the game, it was very fun and exciting to be there, (I was distracted for some of the game because my Wisconsin Badgers were down 12 at halftime during the NCAA basketball tournament to Oregon, but they came back to win! Go Badgers!) . LSU fans take their sports very seriously, I never felt as much excitement before. I haven’t been to a ton of college sporting venues so I might be a little naïve…. I had to wake up early to drive to College Station, Texas (about a 6 hour drive) to watch Texas A&M take on the Florida Gators.
When I got to the campus of Texas A&M, I was floored by the size of this campus! It was huge, I drove down the main gate, had to be a mile long drive or longer. I saw Kyle Field (football stadium and home to the original 12th man, sorry Seattle) towards the back side of campus. I figured the baseball field would be near that. When I got to the guesstimate location, I was floored again by the sports complex! It had the football stadium, softball field, basketball field house, track and field, etc… the sheer size of their campus sports complex is hard to explain! The baseball stadium was almost new and gorgeous! I was told that Johnny “Football” Manziel was at the sold out game yesterday. Today’s game was cold, windy and I’d say that the stadium was half full save the student section, which was rocking and they were funny! Anytime the catcher for Florida went to the mound to talk to his pitcher and tapped him on the butt, the student section cheered. One time the catcher put his hand on the pitcher’s butt for an extended time, the crowd was cheering loudly and someone yelled, “you need a cigarette”. I have to say that I enjoyed both SEC games. The fans were into the games and they had no problem being very vocal! LSU beat Florida in thrilling fashion in the bottom of the 11th inning.
I highly recommend baseball fans to go to both of these venues. The stadiums are awesome and the people – funny and friendly! Football reigns supreme in the SEC and has a huge presence even at the baseball games! That is all for now! I have to get to Phoenix via El Paso in the next couple of days, 1100 miles…. Check my Twitter @_baseballbuddha to see some of the other pictures I have posted. I will also post a bunch of pictures to my Instagram of random stadium pictures so please follow me there!
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College “towns” are just different and, yes, so enjoyable. One easily gets caught up in the college fan frenzy. 😉 We tend to forget how much fun these kids have rooting for their teams. Whole different world – no wonder they never really want to leave! On your next cross country excursion, you will have to get you a small RV to roam in. Much more comfortable than your car… and no hotel expense and you “could” cook some of your own meals. 😀 You be careful on the road. Stop & relax = stretch those long legs! – take care and be safe.
Great job John. Ive never been into college and some other baseball, because I don’t like or the sound of aluminum bats and they are a somewhat unfair evaluation f a hitter, because they carry farther, but they are cost effective and don’t usually break. Ping! Glad you had fun at LSU. andTexas A&M A couple of cool college venues. Talk soon and drive safely