bitflipper
You shoulda been there when they played in the old stadium. The designers had apparently found a book on acoustics written by Monty Python, in which every formula was reversed. The end result was the worst-possible acoustic environment outside of Carlsbad Cavern. And frickin' LOUD.
Some teams have a built-in home field advantage. Florida has heat, Denver has altitude, Green Bay has extreme cold, Oakland has random gunfire. We're just leveling the odds.
People don't realize what the altitude in Denver or Co Spgs does to them until it happens. I lived in Co Spgs in the early 70s, hitched out there and had a ball... I really was an amateur pharmicist. Literally, I had some of almost every illegal substance that you can think of, exotic stuffand large quantities of some things. I sent a buddy in GA 100 tabs of some purple substance so he could sell them and come out to CO. He did and he got there. The guy I shared a house with was a really quiet and shy guy. Rather than talk he continued to roll 'em and pass 'em. I went to sleep and he and my friend went through about 3/4oz of some sort of herb ;-). The driveway went up a hill to the house (imagine that, lol). The next my friend and I were going to walk somewhere, all I remember was we were starting down the driveway and the altitude (aong other things) got him. He took a step then a longer step, then a really long step then passed out headlong down the driveway. It was funny later but he got pretty scratched up with "road rash". A few days later his lips began to split and crack. It took a couple of weeks for him to acclimate. I can only imagine what playing football at a mile high does to anyone who is used to living at under 1k ft above sealevel or lower... I don't care how in shape or young you are.
Do you remember when you had to stop and adjust your carburator as you drove across country, especially when you hit the front range. People just don't realize that going across the "great plains" you are steadily ascending until you hit the front range and what looks as flat as Missouri is now a mile above sea level, you're right. It makes a difference.
The Falcons are in a new stadium deal. I do not know why they need a new stadium but two historic Churches are going to be torn down or moved to accomodate it. There is an alternative site just north of the GA Dome where they wouldn't have to tear things down but they don't want that... there must be politics involved because it makes no sense. I just hope the tickets dont cost more. They are around 80 bucks a game for a seat now. I don't count the two pre-season games. I figure they are freebies. So lower level, 8 home games, two seats was 1650.00, I guess that isn't too bad really but if we get in the post season I spend more. Plus parking is 20 bucks a game, I could take MARTA but I prefer to drive and park in the CNN deck across from the center where the Hawks play. It is a short walk over to Falcons landing where all the outdoor activities and pregame concerts are.
I guess the Falcons advantage is having to brave semi-dangerous urban culture t get to the stadium (we have a lot of that in Atlanta... lots of thugs) heck we have thugs on the team. LOL. BTW, you are right about that Florida heat too... I like to visit Florida but after a couple of weeks of constant wind, ground so hot that you cannot walk barefoot, biting flies if you get off the beach, and sand in everything... I am ready to come home. I have never experienced the extreme cold and do not want to... I guess I'd take extreme heat over extreme cold any day because I can always take off more clothes but if it is cold enough... I can't put on enough clothes to stay warm. I cannot imagine what it must be like for an athelete, a football player trying to catch a football in near 0 weather. I guess these days thay have better gloves and warming devices on the sideline, but I bet it used to be really bad when they had leather helmets etc.
I started watching football with my dad when Bart Starr was the king, then there was this new guy Johnny Unitas, then later another new guy with the Jets who played in womens pantyhose... had a rocket arm.
We play the Dolphins in Miami next Sunday at 4:00, then the next Sunday night we get the Patriots at home, next week the Jets away. We have to play the 49ers, the Seahawks, Cardinals, and I can't remember all offhand.. of course we play NOLA, TB, and Carolina twice each. Saints already beat us once, we'll get them next time. Our season is a LOT harder than last season and it is Gonzales last season. I have no idea how we are going to do, well I hope.
I love the NFL and NCAA football. That Alabama/Texas A&M game was really good... and I don't know what game it was but did you see the play where punter released the ball to punt and a defender grabbed it between hands and foot and ran for a touchdown... Love it.!!
Any given Sunday... anyone can beat anyone. That is what makes football so great to me. You can be up by 20 points with 2:00 left and get beat. An amazing game. I hope the safety police leave it alone.
J