Other than the game...

[vapspwi]

Let’s talk about the rest of the gameday experience, not withstanding losing to an unaccountably arrogant mid-major...

I sat in Upper East (224U) for the first time in like 33 years. Not bad. Not good enough to make me move up from the back of lower east, though.

The distancing felt pretty good in the stands, and having the markers designating the allowable seats helped. Distancing outside the stadium and in the concourses wasn’t great.

Mask wearing was pretty good in the stands. Worst offenders I saw were some of the UCF fans that didn’t wear a mask anytime they were seated.

No mask or seating enforcement in our section. People behind me got huffy when the people behind them asked them to stay in their assigned seats.

We’re now one of those teams that plays music so loud before the game that you can’t talk to the person next to you. I love loud music, but it’s annoying when you’re just sitting there with nothing much going on on the field.

Band sounded quieter than usual. Dunno if they’re smaller or if it’s the way they’re spread out. Stadium PA played music or announcements over the band every time we scored.

I didn’t notice if the “Dixie” flourish was gone from “White and Gold,” but I wouldn’t be surprised and would be disappointed if it’s true.

It’ll be good to get a night game so we can see what the lighting effects and app-based light stuff (good luck getting our fans to cooperate) are like.

Turf looked...OK. Noticed a lot of guys (mostly ours) slipping and tripping. Paint looked a little worn, I guess from all the rain and stuff since it was painted.

And I’ll say it again - too many UCF fans in the stands. Inexcusable. Something has got to be done, even if it does piss off some people. The AA needs to balance the feelings of the people left out of the stadium and the people sitting in the middle of opposing fans with the feelings of people who don’t care enough about the team to come to the game or not sell their tickets to the enemy.

JRjr

 

[Walton]

Band is smaller. What I was told is that half of the winds will be at each game; full battery is there (drums). I don't think the front ensemble is included but I'm not sure what they do during the games traditionally.

 

[JJacket]

I think the flourish wasn't there. I noticed it too.

The Horse postgame sucked without the drum interlude

Dump pregame Fantasia

Team run-out wasn't too bad. Like the Wreck stopping at the 50

Nobody seemed to be jumping seats in my section. If it were a UGAg game, I feel the every other row would be impossible to enforce. Being I'm 211, R1 right over the students, I did see some feeble attempts to enforce the distancing guidelines down there.
Overall, the students seemed pretty disciplined about staying put.

The new ticket system worked fine. Had our tix in my Google Pay wallet. Just held near the sensor, light turns green, move to next ticket.

I did see a few ladies get through carrying small purses. I had no issue with it. It is a stupid rule. It's a damn clutch purse.

Too many UCF fans in 211 below the walkway. I hate some of our fans for just seeing season tix as a way to make a quick buck or a way to sell off all but the 1 or 2 games they want to see to opposing fans. I have learned over the years that it is just the way our fans are.

Discounted food before kick. Got a big Coke Zero, popcorn, hotdog for $7 or so. Not bad AA

Liked the little pick and go stand in the LW. Didn't use it, but it is a good idea.

The speakers pregame are wayyyyy too loud, and I like loud music. I was having to yell at our group sitting pregame to get them to hear me. I'm certain people were removing masks, which we were supposed to be wearing, just to scream at seatmates over the music.

What the hell happened to rap music? 2Pac would be ashamed. It has evolved into some sort of techno rap sampling garbage, apparently.

Who voted for that stupid Queen song? Hell, who voted for any of those songs?

I like the new lighting. I pointed out that they weren't on when we entered the stadium, unlike the old lighting that you really needed to turn on early to warm them up and to make sure the damn things worked.

Never could figure out how to get the GT app to give me live stats. I suppose it is supposed to do that. I just ended up at the ESPN website for the game tracker and stats. If our app is running like they want it to, it sucks. I didn't try the online concession stand ordering, so I don't know how that works. Did use my phone and Google pay, which worked fine.

Uniforms looked good. Was a bit hard to see the numbers, but you get used to it.

 

[BigDanT]

What’s the Dixie flourish?

And as long as the speakers didn’t sound crackily then that’s something that can be fixed.

 

[JJacket]

What’s the Dixie flourish?

And as long as the speakers didn’t sound crackily then that’s something that can be fixed.

It is the one trumpet playing the bar from "Dixie" quickly during the "down on the old farm there will be no sound" during Up With the White and Gold

 

[JJacket]

And that is a shame, because, even as a board Lib, I have no problem with the song. Written by a northerner. A. Lincoln's favorite tune.

 

[BigDanT]

And that is a shame, because, even as a board Lib, I have no problem with the song. Written by a northerner. A. Lincoln's favorite tune.

Yeah you’ll have to wait until the full band is there before we know I guess. But yes, there’s something unpleasant about quickly eliminating traditions.

 

[JJacket]

Yeah you’ll have to wait until the full band is there before we know I guess. But yes, there’s something unpleasant about quickly eliminating traditions.

And I know most folks don't stay for the Horse, but even if folks can't run around, keep the drum interlude. Maybe have the LEDs flash during that part or something

 

[vapspwi]

There were a couple of amusing open mic gaffes during the game.

The first came on a long completion by UCF. Mid-play, ball still in the air, somebody (PA announcer?) said "he pushed off."

The second might have been a ref mic. I heard "what have you got" followed by "...all the way across the ööööing line..."

Rare to hear that kind of thing at all, let alone twice in a game.

JRjr

 

[GCdaJuiceMan]

There were a couple of amusing open mic gaffes during the game.

The first came on a long completion by UCF. Mid-play, ball still in the air, somebody (PA announcer?) said "he pushed off."

The second might have been a ref mic. I heard "what have you got" followed by "...all the way across the ööööing line..."

Rare to hear that kind of thing at all, let alone twice in a game.

JRjr

That was a ref mic and it was CGC voice you heard, bitching out the ref for blatant missed offsides...

 

[midatlantech]

We are in Atlanta andaccordingly lots of businesses and individuals buy season tickets to resell, give to customers, etc. They are not necessarily Tech Fans and folks should stop worrying about who gets those tickets.

 

[vapspwi]

We are in Atlanta andaccordingly lots of businesses and individuals buy season tickets to resell, give to customers, etc. They are not necessarily Tech Fans and folks should stop worrying about who gets those tickets.

Seems like there's an issue with our priority system if businesses and scalpers can end up with more AT points (and therefore with better access and better seats) than alumni who have been donors and season ticket holders for decades.

The cynical thought is that GTAA gets the same money either way, so they don't care. The idealist thought is that there are long term benefits to be reaped from keeping the actual fans happy.

JRjr

 

[Jacketeer]

There were a couple of amusing open mic gaffes during the game.

The first came on a long completion by UCF. Mid-play, ball still in the air, somebody (PA announcer?) said "he pushed off."

The second might have been a ref mic. I heard "what have you got" followed by "...all the way across the ööööing line..."

Rare to hear that kind of thing at all, let alone twice in a game.

JRjr

Yeah, that needs to get fixed. It cost us 7 point last year aaginst UGAg when AB was fielding a punt and as he is about to catch it, Zombie Nation blares from the speakers. Here is a video, listen closely(time stamped):

 

[vapspwi]

Our in-game production is something that really needs a lot of attention, and some year-to-year continuity. It seems like we have to learn the same lessons (let the band play the fight song, use music to our advantage and not to our disadvantage) every year.

I don't know if it was the weird, disconnected feeling of the game (sitting in new seats, more focused on my surroundings (and reading Stingtalk on my phone) than usual) or what, but I didn't get much of a sense of what we were doing production-wise. We showed scores, which was nice. Played couple of hype videos. I don't remember being bombarded with ads, which was good.

JRjr

 

[CoachTech]

Anyone else hear the background white noise cheering from speakers? Maybe you didn’t because your ears were bleeding from the loud sound system.

 

[vapspwi]

Anyone else hear the background white noise cheering from speakers? Maybe you didn’t because your ears were bleeding from the loud sound system.

Yeah, I noticed it. Thought it was fine - not over the top, fairly unobtrusive but kept the stadium from feeling like a church.

JRjr

 

[JJacket]

Anyone else hear the background white noise cheering from speakers? Maybe you didn’t because your ears were bleeding from the loud sound system.

It sounded like "sounds from a cafe" or something. Like a crowd talking.

 

[vapspwi]

We’ve tweaked Buzz this season. He has solid black eyes now, instead of the clear Icee-lid eyes that he’s had for years. It’s more accurate to the drawn representation of him, but it’s kind creepy, too.

I wasn’t a big fan of our entrance. Without cheerleaders, it looks even weirder to have the Wreck drive out all by itself, with the football team eventually coming out way behind it. I guess now they’re doing it so we can have smoke and fireworks or whatever. Some things just don’t need to be messed with.

JRjr

 

[savbandjacket]

We’ve tweaked Buzz this season. He has solid black eyes now, instead of the clear Icee-lid eyes that he’s had for years. It’s more accurate to the drawn representation of him, but it’s kind creepy, too.

I wasn’t a big fan of our entrance. Without cheerleaders, it looks even weirder to have the Wreck drive out all by itself, with the football team eventually coming out way behind it. I guess now they’re doing it so we can have smoke and fireworks or whatever. Some things just don’t need to be messed with.

JRjr

Buzz looks like he’s there to steal the souls of children. Not a good change.

And Collins, et al completely ööööed up the Wreck entrance. It’s horrible and they should be required to change it. No one gives a öööö about fireworks when it screws up an already great traditional entrance.

 

[JJacket]

Buzz looks like he’s there to steal the souls of children. Not a good change.

And Collins, et al completely ööööed up the Wreck entrance. It’s horrible and they should be required to change it. No one gives a öööö about fireworks when it screws up an already great traditional entrance.

The cheerleaders aren't allowed on the field and we had to get a waiver from the ACC to ride the Wreck out.