In 2008, my 50th post was about Rentschler Field at the University of Connecticut. Now, 350 posts later, I’m writing for the second time about Milan Puskar Stadium, home to the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Almost heaven, West Virginia, blue ridge mountains, Shenandoah RiverIn 2008, fans streamed out of the stadium in the fourth quarter. In 2010, fans streamed out of the stadium in the fourth quarter, but this time, they were happier than they were two years earlier; their Mountaineers were winning, and winning big.
Life is old there, older than the trees, younger than the mountains, blowing like a breezeAs we got off the buses outside Milan Puskar, one student trainer sitting in front of yours truly noted, “This is nuts. I’ve never seen so many people tailgating.” Welcome to Morgantown.
Country roads, take me home, To the place, I belong, West Virginia, mountain momma, Take me home, country roads
Although the stadium wasn’t packed to capacity—and why would it be for two teams that were coming off of two-game losing streaks?—it was still loud and proud, just as I expected it to be.
All my mem’ries, gather ’round her, Miner’s lady, stranger to blue water, Dark and dusty, Painted on the sky, Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye
I did enjoy the new “sound effects” that the WVU athletic department chose to employ for this game (and presumably they’ve been using them all season). Before certain UC drives, the voice of Steve Carell, who played Brick Tamland in the hit movie Anchorman, would scream one of his funnier lines from the movie: “LOUD NOISES”. I loved it.
Country roads, take me home, To the place, I belong, West Virginia, mountain momma, Take me home, country roads
Although the stadium wasn’t packed to capacity—and why would it be for two teams that were coming off of two-game losing streaks?—it was still loud and proud, just as I expected it to be.
All my mem’ries, gather ’round her, Miner’s lady, stranger to blue water, Dark and dusty, Painted on the sky, Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye I did enjoy the new “sound effects” that the WVU athletic department chose to employ for this game (and presumably they’ve been using them all season). Before certain UC drives, the voice of Steve Carell, who played Brick Tamland in the hit movie Anchorman, would scream one of his funnier lines from the movie: “LOUD NOISES”. I loved it.
Country roads, take me home, To the place, I belong, West Virginia, mountain momma, Take me home, country roadsAs for the game, well, let’s not talk about that. I’m not sure even the most negative of UC fans could have predicted a fall off quite this bad for the team that went 12-0 last regular season. Before the season all eyes were on Jones, who has done this before, taking over for Kelly at Central Michigan and winning two MAC titles as head man in Mount Pleasant.
I hear her voice, in the mornin’ hours she calls to me, The radio reminds me of my home far a-way, And drivin’ down the road I get a feeling’, That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday
Now, it’s three wins in three games for UC to be bowl eligible. No matter what happens in the end, I’ll have photos and more from Milan Puskar Stadium. Did I mention the WVU band? How could I not?
They might be one of my favorite bands in all of America, for only one reason…
They might be one of my favorite bands in all of America, for only one reason…
Country roads, take me home, To the place, I belong, West Virginia, mountain momma, Take me home, country roads
Take me home, country roads...
Hopefully I have more opportunities to go visit Milan Puskar. It’s definitely one of the more fun places to visit it the Big East conference: win or lose.
Take me home, country roads...
Hopefully I have more opportunities to go visit Milan Puskar. It’s definitely one of the more fun places to visit it the Big East conference: win or lose.
