As a Real Person
This past Saturday, #11 Virginia Tech played #9 Miami in a constant downpour. I went to this game, for the first time, as a real person. As Taylor White. I didn't go as Slideshow Bob's daughter, and I didn't go as a Marching Virginian. I searched high and low for tickets to the game. It was an unfortunate reason why I was able to get two tickets to the game from my Tau Beta Sigma MC Mom, Lauren, but I am grateful to her for letting me have them. Especially since I got them for $10 each when tickets were going for hundreds! Not only were these tickets, they were student tickets. So also for the first time, I got to experience the student section! I've always sat with the band at a game, and sitting with the students was a crazy, new experience. Especially since it was pouring down rain!
The night before the game, I knew I needed to get a poncho. I wasn't about to sit in the rain without one, even in a waterproof jacket! I had read a tweet from one of the local news stations that people were buying out the poncho's at all the Virginia Tech stores. I wanted to avoid that mess. So I guessed that Wal-Mart would be the best bet. I hoped to get a maroon poncho or a clear one to let the maroon show through. (Miami was suppose to be the Maroon Effect game, but people didn't seem to care what color poncho they had on as long as it kept them dry.) I could not find a poncho in Wal-Mart. I looked in the VT section and I looked in the outdoors/camping section. No such luck! Kevin was looking for a portable radio because he wanted to listen to Bill Roth during the game. He was not lucky in Wal-Mart either. On to the mall we went, I to Dick's and he to Radio Shack. I found a sort of clear poncho for $5 and I was happy with that. Kevin found a decent portable radio at Radio Shack, so he settled for that one. (I tried talking him into buying a new iPod Nano, but no such luck!)
While at Dick's, somehow Kevin decided that he was going to get me a winter coat. He does not like my bright orange, puffy coat I usually wear, and he loves his North Face jacket that he got from the Athletic department when he worked with them. I was astounded he wanted to buy me such a nice coat! We looked around, and I found a gorgeous pink/purple jacket that had the inner shell you can take out and wear just that part! I love it. And I am so glad he got it for me, because I ended up wearing it at the game, and it kept me so warm and dry. It was fabulous!
The game started at 3:30pm, so we left the Condo to walk down to the game at 2:00pm. Having stepped out on the Balcony for a bit and discovering just how chilly it was, I knew I wanted to wear my new jacket, and all of it, not just the inner shell as I had planned. It was two miles from the condo to the stadium, and it took us an hour to finally get to the stadium through all the rain and crowds. Plus Kevin had to pee twice on our walk from the condo to our seats in the stadium, even though he had peed twice before we left! He says he drank a lot of tea. But geez!
Anyway...the game was WET. Obviously. It reminded me so much of the Boston College game, where in the last 6 minutes we totally blew the game! At least this time in the last six minutes, we had a comfortable lead. I was still worried they would come back some how in the last minutes and steal our win. But, that didn't happen! Us beating Miami that badly was totally worth dealing with the rain!
Now I want to share some of the pictures I got, while trying to keep my camera as dry as possible!
A unique way to keep a cast dry...
My view for the first half. I'm really short, so even standing on the seat didn't help me see over the taller people in front of me! Luckily a lot of people left during halftime, so I could see better in the second half!
Shannon and Wes! Please excuse her GREEN jacket, but she was just trying to stay dry.
The people behind this guy (they knew him) kept filling up this guy's poncho hood, we were wondering how full it was going to get!
There were a bunch of guys on the field fixing the holes in the field, it just reminded me of Pretty Woman at that horse polo match thing, when all the rich ladies were in their heels filling in the holes!
Shannon texting under Erin's poncho. Totally awkward looking.
They wouldn't let the MVs on the field during halftime because "they would ruin the field," so they played their show in the stands! ...without the woodwinds, because their wussy instruments can't handle the rain. Not like you could hear them anyway! :D
Kevin and I at the game! :)
We win!!!
People rushing the field, despite being asked not to. That poor field! Luckily we have an away game this weekend!
I had a great time at the game! Can't wait for the BC game! It's MV Band Day so a lot of Alumni are coming back to march! (Including me!)
~Taylor~