Our work conference in Phoenix allowed for free time during the day and while the weather wasn’t as warm as we hoped, it was still decent enough for golf on Saturday at Coldwater Golf Club, about 20 minutes west of downtown. Sunday was new stadium day as a matinee provided the chance to see the Coyotes in Gila River Arena. The team’s supposed struggles in being “financially viable” have been well documented elsewhere, so I won’t rehash that and we’ll stick with an arena review, which began great. We took an Uber out to Glendale early so that we could hang out in the terrific Westgate Entertainment District right across from the arena. This mixed-use section contained an excellent assortment of bars and restaurants that were perfect for a pre-game hangout (Yard House was our choice and look at all the beers on tap). The area looks nice too with dancing fountains to introduce visitors.
Inside the arena, the concourse is adequate enough though it could use a little more space and certainly some more decoration with Coyote displays. What it does have going for it is special amenities including a Mother’s Nursing Room and the arena is certified as sensory inclusive. The rink itself is on the smaller side, which can typically create more intimacy and that happens here with more than half of the seats coming in the lower bowl. However, it is worth noting that those seats were surprisingly on the narrow side and they didn’t have enough of a pitch as they should have as I had a few heads in my way that obstructed the view. See the video for game play to see what I mean. The rows in the upper-deck are quite steep, the problem there is the double-decker (and tall) set-up of luxury suites forces the 200 level to be quite high.
The game was a ridiculous blowout as Arizona thoroughly dominated the Rangers. After two periods, it was 5-0 and the Coyotes had more than double the Shots on Goal. This was much to the chagrin of the many Rangers fans in attendance that probably made up about half of the less than 10,000 or so on hand. I feel bad for Coyote fans that constantly have to put up with road teams bringing in large numbers of people in visiting gear. Those that were for Arizona created an ok atmosphere (though that’s hard given the relatively low attendance). They stood for all goals and at times tried to out yell the “Let’s Go Rangers” chants with “Let’s Go Cay-Yotes”. Expect to hear a lot of howl’s over the sound system as that injects some character. Overall, this was an enjoyable arena visit and one that I recommend given the fun hang out spots in the District before or after the game. I’ll have a detailed review up by the end of the weekend.
On Friday, I’ll be heading to the American Meteorological Society’s Annual Meeting, specifically, the Student Conference on January 5-6, where our company will be exhibiting. This year, AMS is hosting the event in Phoenix, a welcomed destination for the many stuck in the winter blues. The portion that we are attending takes place each evening, so that limits any potential sports activities to the early afternoon’s. The Valley has several winter options that I went through: Arizona State basketball, but they weren’t home. Grand Canyon (WAC) basketball who is at home, but at an un-makeable Saturday 8 PM start. The Phoenix Suns, was potentially doable as they played Friday Night, however our flight arrives just a half-hour after tip. We considered an earlier flight, but didn’t want to leave our in-office crew in a bad spot in case we were dealing with wintry weather. Sidenote, there is quite the battle going on in Phoenix about renovations to Talking Stick Resort Arena that owners want.
That brings us to the last option, who also have their own arena debates: the Arizona Coyotes. A matinee was the only hope and as luck would have it, one of their four afternoon games all year falls on Sunday, January 6th! They play the Rangers at 2 PM and we are heading to Gila River Arena in Glendale for it. While the league may bemoan their arena situation, the building looks great and it’s in a fun spot thanks to the Westgate Entertainment District right across the street. That gives us a great sports day before the conference as we’ll find a sports bar in there to watch part of the early NFL Wild-Card game before heading to the arena. This will be my ninth NHL arena and first in the Western Conference as I look forward to seeing one of the better buildings in the West.
It’s been a very cold and snowy start to the winter here in the East, so I felt fortunate to squeeze this trip in as it is rare to get a schedule to cooperate for two games in the Lake Effect Snowbelt. My drive up to Rochester was uneventful and timing couldn’t have been more perfect as I arrived at RIT’s Gene Polisseni Center right as the gates opened at 5:30 PM. That gave me plenty of time to take a tour at this beautiful facility built in 2014. The entrance is my favorite part of the arena as you enter into an atrium at ice-level that is accented by orange walls and a holographic-like Hall of Fame display. Given that this is the Rochester Institute of Technology, it was cool that they showed their stuff by having a pretty neat Virtual Reality experience. Upstairs, the area above the seating allows more room to walk around, view displays, get food or use the standing rail to watch the game. It’s probably one of the best concourse set-ups I’ve seen for a small hockey arena. The bowl itself rounds the rink in standard fashion and it is adequate, though the seats are a little tight.
The most enjoyable part of the arena experience is the Corner Crew, RIT’s student section. While the rest of the crowd was surprisingly sparse and quiet, these guys and gals in Section 118 made their presence known. They were full of chants and choreographed cheers with my favorites being their rendition of “Happy And You Know It”. Their arm-bopping to “Jump Around” was great too. I got to see their post-goal traditions three times and it involves a siren, bell and “We want _#, It’s all your fault”. I’ll have some videos up on YouTube after the official review. The section doesn’t quite reach the level I saw at Michigan last year, but RIT has a noteworthy solid group nonetheless. The action on the ice was great as Sacred Heart went back and forth with the Tigers. RIT’s goals were quite entertaining, while the Pioneers were quite fortunate. They had a fluky goal in the 2nd period that came from a hot rebound off the backboards. After RIT lost the lead in the 3rd, the game went to OT and with less than 10 seconds to play, Sacred Heart was the benefactor of a bouncing puck that hopped into the air, bounced around, and eventually landed on the goalie’s back, where it barely fell over the goal line. Rough loss for RIT, though Sacred Heart did carry most of the play in the final 25 minutes.
The next day, I briefly stopped back at RIT to get some outdoor arena pictures (never fun with bare hands when it’s 25 degrees) and then made the drive to Olean. Similar to my last trip in 2002, I ran into light snow as I got into the Allegheny Mountains. This thankfully didn’t stick to the roads, but it made for a classic Winter background as I reached Saint Bonaventure. The setting may be pretty, but this is a campus that looks like it is stuck in the 1970s and the generally dull brick buildings don’t help with appearances, though a few statues add unique elements. The Reilly Center has a similar vibe with occasional wood-paneling and white-tile ceiling. It is an especially funky building with its numerous hallways and corridors that lead to many non-basketball things. It’s not everyday that you see a post office, a bookstore, a cafeteria and a replica of the Declaration of Independence all in the same building that houses a sports arena. Inside, it’s a simple facility with sideline seating that is broken up twice by a walkway. On the ends, there are small bleachers that contain students and the pep band before quickly reaching a wall. I was particularly interested by the seats that seemed original based on the wooden armrests and the unique cushions, that were quite comfortable.
Saint Bonaventure has always been regarded as a tough place to play and the Reilly Center was absolutely rocking for this one. Buffalo was in town and they came in undefeated and ranked in the Top 25 for the first time in their history. The Bulls showed why as they ran over the Bonnies, dominating from start to finish in an 80-62 win. Yet, it was the fans I noticed the most as they are so loud and into it. The place went bonkers when the Bonnies cut the lead to 15 (that’s 15!) as people got on their feet trying rally them on. The students were crazy loud, but they were also out of line and exceptionally vulgar. Just before the teams came out, they chanted “F*#& UB”. Thankfully, they didn’t do that during the game, but c’mon it’s a Saturday Afternoon and there were plenty of kids on hand. The rest of the way, the group chants were acceptable (I’m ok with “You Are Ug-ly”), but there were a few individual shouts that crossed the line. I loved the passion and volume of the Reilly Center, but occasionally cringed at the student section, especially from a school that preaches Franciscan Values.
I’m heading back home on Friday, but just for 18 hours as I make a stop at the lone program in Rochester, NY at the Division I status. The Rochester Institute of Technology made the move in 2005, just after I graduated from Oswego and saw the Tigers make a visit to the old Romney Field House. Despite my jealousy in wanting the Lakers to also go from DIII to DI, I’m happy to see RIT at this level and they’ve done quite well, having made quite a bit of noise in their few NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2014, the team left the cozy confines of Ritter Arena to the beautiful, 4,000-seat Gene Polisseni Center. RIT plays in front of their students known as the “Corner Crew” and they’ve earned a solid reputation. The Tigers take on Sacred Heart at 7:05 PM and I’m especially looking forward to this one as my Dad and two brothers will be joining me. I’ll then drive 15 minutes up to my parents house in the suburb of Greece to spend the night.
The second day is another re-visit, as my goal of going back to places where I didn’t have a digital camera nears completion. The two hour drive will go to Olean, NY (ie. the middle of nowhere) as that is home to Saint Bonaventure University. It was all the way back in 2002 when I first went to the Reilly Center, when I had to get my film developed after taking pictures. I remember this visit so well as it was just my 6th overall and the first that really explored a new place that I wasn’t familiar with. It was holiday break from school and I went with a friend, remembering that we caught the beginnings of a storm as snow just began to cover some of the roads. It’s amazing the things you remember as I could still see us pulling in to campus and attendants directing us where to park. The fine details of those first 10 or so stadium visits will always be etched in my memory as I waited years to finally begin this venture. At that time, I was obsessed with college basketball and followed the Bonnies’ J.R. Bremer closely. The game featured former Saint Bonaventure coach Jim Baron returning with his Rhode Island Rams and Bremer dropping 29 in the first half. Not much has changed with this gym and this year, the Bonnies are struggling and it will be an uphill battle as they take on Buffalo. It’s a 4 PM game and I’ll head back to Jersey right after it wraps up.
Villanova’s signifcant renovation coincides with a name change to the Finneran Pavilion
The most noteworthy arena opening is in the NBA, where the Milwaukee Bucks moved a few hundred feet to the Fiserv Forum. Designers did a terrific job making the building unique as the arena really stands out from all the others in the Association. The folks at Arena Digest have a great recap of the new home for the Bucks (and Marquette). There were plenty of other expensive renovations across the league, most notably in Atlanta. An arena not even 20 years old received nearly $200 million in renovations to make it more “social”. Minnesota and Cleveland are undergoing multi-year renovations as well. For those that share their facility with an NHL team, we covered the other arena upgrades in the hockey post last month.
In the G-League, it’s more of the same…move the affiliate closer to the parent and remove any unique likeness from said team. This year, it’s the Sacramento Kings that do the honors as they decided to leave Reno after ten seasons. They save a whopping 1 hour and 15 minutes in drive-time by putting the franchise in Stockton, where they of course are going to be known as the “Kings”. Stockton Arena will now have AHL Hockey and G-League basketball this season, while up in Reno, the departure of the Bighorns means that the Reno Events Center is off The List. The Big Sky’s basketball tournament ended their three year run in the city and moved to Boise. On the flip side, other G-League news includes three new arenas, which is exciting. With a surprisingly generic name, DC opened the Entertainment and Sports Arena this fall. It is home to a team with a name that is anything but generic: the Capital City Go-Go. I think this 4,111-seat facility fits a niche market in a big city and it should be successful for not just the Go-Go, but also the WNBA’s Washington Mystics. While most in the arena world knew about the debut of the DC building, another arena to open was much quieter on the headline front. Close to the Mexican border in the Rio Grande Valley is Edinburg, Texas and despite a 15-year-old arena just 30 minutes away in Hidalgo, we see the opening of glistening Bert Ogden Arena. The Vipers move in to it from Hidalgo as owner and developer Alonso Cantu leads the way in Edinburg. Keep in mind this is also a city that just finished a pretty nice soccer specific stadium in the USL. The other arena change in the G-League is more of a practice facility. The renamed Delaware Blue Coats will use the 76ers new complex in Wilmington which includes a 2,500-seat arena.
Renovations remain the theme as we turn to college basketball. There are five teams that had such a transformation with their arena, that it could essentially be called a new building. Cincinnati, Houston, Northwestern, Portland State and Villanova all have finished an overhaul and as a result, we get to see some pretty nice basketball arenas. These changes were warranted, except maybe in Cincy where Fifth Third Arena was already in OK shape. The other four will enjoy massive changes and a more comfortable, fan-friendly arena. We also can’t forget that there is one new arena opening out of the 353 Division I Schools. Elon is the location as the Phoenix welcomed North Carolina for their opening debut of the Schar Center. I’ve gotta say that they have a snazzy fly-trough preview video and the arena looks awesome. But forward to 1:33 in…what in the world is a “Vomitorium for Team Areas”?!? Sounds disgusting. Also noteworthy are the two schools who have moved up to Division I from D2. North Alabama joins the Atlantic Sun Conference and they play out of long-time home Flowers Hall. The other team has an arena that just opened last year as Cal Baptist adds a sparking facility to the WAC.
Last week, I said I didn’t mind the cold as long as it was dry. I lied. My 155lb body struggles mightily to retain heat and the 40 degree, 30 MPH conditions on the Main Line just outside of Philadelphia made it a bear to get through the football game at Villanova. Despite the few fans in attendance, I struggled to find a spot in the stadium that was protected by the wind until the second half, where I decided to stand in a corner to get some wall protection. In between, were trips to the tiny bathroom under the main stand, where others joined to crowd around a space heater. It’s too bad that Villanova’s Stadium disappointed as well. There is a set of bleacher stands on each sideline, but they are pushed back because of a track and they are low to the ground, meaning that sightlines throughout are poor. Even worse was the lack of a concourse as two tiny openings under the bleachers led to a bathroom. People maneuvering around the stadium need to use the track or a walkway in front of the seats. Just a poor facility all around. Most of the fans abandoned the game in the second half and they missed a late Villanova comeback. The Wildcats were down 24-7 to William & Mary in the 4th Quarter and they eventually cut the lead to seven. Villanova had a pair of attempts at the end, but they fumbled and had a loss of downs to lose 24-17. Before the game, I did take a bit of time to walk around campus and it is a really pleasant one. Most impressive is the Saint Thomas of Villanova Church. I’m looking forward to getting back here for a look at their renovated basketball arena.
The next two hours were spent warming in the car on the way to Hershey, PA, where I would have my second look at an AHL facility that is at the tops of the arena rankings. Giant Center is a great building that is really clean and features plenty of historical displays that rightfully honor minor league hockey’s most storied franchise. The inside has an excellent design for hockey. The arena has some character (like the chocolate coloring all around), while checking off all the requisite boxes. I did note a few things that I didn’t pick up last time: the concourses are very crowded and some of that has to do with unnecessary merchandise stands that stick out into the walkways. Also, the upper deck here is really high as the middle suites and wall seem taller than normal, thus pushing them upwards. When I do the re-review in the next week, we’ll see if Hershey holds it place at the top and I have a hunch they will as the place still shines. Fans remain great here and though the arena was 60-70% full, it was a loud building. They make the atmosphere stand out with their “B-E-A-R-S Wooooo” cheer after goals and their old school jeering of referees and heels from the visiting team. Even after the game, calls of “Woooo” resonated throughout the parking lot as fans went home happy with Hershey beating Springfield 3-2. Getting out featured a lot of congestion as a high school football game at nearby Hersheypark Stadium finished around the same time. Otherwise, it was smooth sailing on the ride back home.
Football games in November are tricky as it is a roll of the dice for weather. The stadium experience can be awful if the weather is horrid and that thankfully does not look to be the case this coming Saturday (November 10th). I’m fine with cold and dry, plus the sunshine will help as I make my way down to the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia. That is the section known as the Main Line and it is where we find Villanova. Basketball gets all the attention and while I’m hoping to get to a game sometime soon at their redone arena that debuts tomorrow (Finneran Pavilion), I’m going to be at the football stadium on Saturday. The Wildcats frequently have had pretty good FCS teams, but this year has been strange. After a win against Temple, the team has faltered in conference play and they even were shutout in back-to-back weeks. They got a win last week and we’ll see if they finish up strong on Senior Day against William & Mary.
With the Villanova game taking place at 1:00 PM, I kept my eye on schedules to see if I can find something at night. I’ve been to nearly all the stadiums in this section of PA, thus making a re-visit was the best option and there is none better than the Hershey Bears. Their home, the Giant Center, is the top Minor League Arena that I have visited in my Rankings list. That visit came all the way back in 2006 and since I’ve done a lot of refining in reviews since those first 40 or 50 visits, I’m eagerly looking forward to getting back and seeing how the Bears experience stands up. It is a beautiful arena that is built well for hockey and Hershey is always one of the AHL’s top draws, so I’m expecting it to be a great event. That game is at 7 PM and the ride in between the two locations is less than two hours, so I should be good on time. I’ll have a recap of the day next week, along with detailed reviews not long after.
An older picture of the Nassau Coliseum. The building has been renovated and will be hosting 20 New York Islander games this regular season
Personally, the most exciting change in the hockey world is the return of the Nassau Coliseum. The New York Islanders’ ill-advised move to the Barclays Center has failed on so many levels. It doesn’t matter that fans long knew Brooklyn’s arena would suck for hockey, what matters is that financially it wasn’t working for all parties. While a deal for yet another New York Metro arena (costing nine figures) gets negotiated in Belmont, we can all enjoy a return to the heavily-renovated Nassau Coliseum. Sorry, I mean NYCB Live! I’m curious to see how the spruced up old barn works out as the previous version may have been a dump, but the atmosphere was electric. The Islanders are going to split their time between Brooklyn and Uniondale for the next three seasons and the final 10 games this year will be at the Coliseum. For the rest of the NHL, multiple arenas are getting upgrades that are mostly focused on technology, concourses and premium seating spaces. Bridgestone Arena (Predators), Capital One Arena (Capitals), Enterprise Center (Blues) and Wells Fargo Center (Flyers) are the NHL buildings that will be seeing changes this season. I also can’t leave out the high comedy playing out with the owners in Detroit, where they are changing the seats at Little Caesars Arena from red to black. Try as you might, but you won’t avoid shaming at @emptyseatsgalore
Elsewhere, the remarkable ascension of the Colorado Eagles continues. The very successful franchise out of Loveland has gone from the defunct CHL to the ECHL and now to the AHL as they become the 31st team in the circuit as the affiliate of the Avalanche. Also departing the ECHL is Quad City, however we’ll still see hockey at the Taxslayer Center as the Storm join the SPHL. Replacing those two departing ECHL teams are a pair with awesome names and logos: the Maine Mariners and the Newfoundland Growlers. Both are welcomed back as professional hockey rightly returns after a brief absence in Portland, ME and St. John’s, NL. Another team worth watching is the Florida Everblades, the reason being to see if Hertz is able to weasel its way into coinciding their arena naming rights agreement with an all-out paint job that would turn the exterior of Estero’s arena to bright yellow. Boo. In the far lower leagues, we say goodbye to the Mississippi RiverKings and a big hello to Elmira, as they and First Arena return as the Enforcers in the FHL.
While all is quiet in the College ranks, we do have one new arena in Junior Hockey and it comes from the Q. The teams from the Maritimes have some impressive facilities and you can now count Moncton in that group. The 8,750-seat Avenir Centre is the new home for the Wildcats as their days in the Coliseum end. That former AHL building will focus on hosting trade shows. Junior Hockey in Canada starts in September and what a lovely sightseeing/hockey trip one could make during that time to Saint John, Moncton, Charlottetown, Halifax and Cape Breton. Back in the States, Muskegon did a big renovation at LC Walker Arena, essentially giving it the Minor League Baseball treatment by adding a plethora of social spaces (beer garden, party decks, suites, etc.).
It was a cool, drizzly start to the day as my brother and I headed out from New Jersey, just after the Morning Rush. The nearby steady rain moved faster to the northeast than our drive and it was nice that our walk around the area would be mostly dry. Boston is one of the cities I vow to never drive in, so we parked in the Alewife Station and took the T a few stops to Harvard. More on that horrible train station later. Cambridge is a cool hybrid between a city and college town and we explored on foot before taking a tour of Harvard. If you want to save money, avoid the ~$20 “Hahvahd Tour” that is advertised in the Square and head to the Information Center building on Dunster Street to sign up for a free, student-led tour. Our guide did a nice job and we enjoyed the introduction to the famed school. Campus had it’s nice spots, but I’ve been to plenty of other Universities that were much more appealing. Dinner was an early one at the Russell House Tavern.
It was a 15-minute walk down JFK Street from dinner to reach Harvard Stadium. The sight was one to behold as the historic building appeared and I felt we were a world away in Greece. The concrete exterior full of open archways gave way to a horseshoe-shaped interior that featured a walkway around the top, framed by Greek-like columns. Even more ancient were the seats, err, I mean concrete slabs that were equally fascinating and uncomfortable. While the debate between comfort and nostalgia raged in my head, there was no denying the terrific sightlines in the bowl and the close proximity to the field. The game below featured a 2-0 Crimson team that took on Rhode Island and it was the Rams that got the road victory. Their QB, JaJuan Lawson didn’t seem to miss in the first half. As Rhody slowed down in the second half, Harvard made a comeback and they cut the lead to 23-16. However, their four chances with possession in the final seven minutes all failed to get a touchdown and the Rams went back to Kingston happy.
The walk back to the T station in Harvard was pleasant thanks to the acoustic outdoor vibes as people were enjoying a Friday Night out. The subway ride was simple enough, but it was the awful Alewife station that hampered the departure. Aside from the fact that the parking garage itself is literally a hazard by falling apart, we could not find our way back to the car thanks to the lack of signage. Arriving from a part of the station that is not connected to the deck is not obvious for visitors. After figuring out where we were via Google, we then searched forever for a pay station and while signs are abundant to pay for exiting, machines are just the opposite. I gave up as the place started to get creepy and we ended up at the actual exit with no way to turn around. As I put my flashers on to go on the hunt again, a worker came up from the crypt to let me pay with a Credit Card. Ugh that place is a disaster.
Once we got out of Alewife, the hotel in Waltham provided a good night sleep and we headed out to Boston College a little after 9 AM. We weren’t a season-ticket holder, nor planning on tailgating for $40, so we used a satellite parking deck in Needham, then took a shuttle over to Chestnut Hill. Not that I’m advocating getting rid of jobs, but the folks at LAZ Parking should reconsider how many are needed to direct cars into the 5th floor of a parking garage in a business complex on a Saturday. It was comical to the point of laughing out loud at the double digit number of employees it took to “direct” you up a ramp and then point to the obvious location of the shuttle bus. Well, it’s better than the opposite and if I have to park away from the stadium, BC did a great job making the process seamless. We purposely got there early, so that we could walk around and take in the sights on this gorgeous campus. Everyone will want to go check out Harvard, but Boston College is the prettier one and well worth a look. As one of the first college’s to be designed in the Gothic style, Gasson Hall is exquisite and Bapst Library beautiful. Campus is hilly and to get to Alumni Stadium, we walked down several flights of stairs, where we reached a nice mix of tailgaters along Campanella Way.
The Stadium itself isn’t anything special as the bleachered layout features a complete lower deck and then four, separate sections comprising of an upper deck. I did find the attachment with Conte Forum to be unique and was happy to see it open for exploring (they even use concession stands inside as they share the area with the stadium). I also found Alumni Stadium to be intimate and the setting to be nice, especially from the East Stands with Gasson Hall in the background. The game was against Temple, making it a “Conference” game in my fantasy world. You see, I’m a firm believer of geography dictating conferences and I was one that really disliked BC’s move to the ACC. I get it, but don’t like it. So, my conference (let’s call it the “Big East”) would be: Boston College, Buffalo, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pittsburgh, Penn State, Rutgers, Syracuse and Temple. Hate away Happy Valley! The game was a high-scoring affair and BC continued piling up points with their no-huddle offense. They won 45-35 and RB A.J. Dillon was stellar again with 161 yards and 2 TD on the ground. At times, the game was entertaining, but I still am astounded to see how college football doesn’t get more flak for game length. This one was eight minutes shy of 4 hours and it featured way too many replay reviews. My brother and I passed the time by quoting Step Brothers and seeing how many situations we could apply the “Trophy Fish” line. The crowd was slow to arrive and for the most part, tepid, though they did rise to their feet and give a nice pop during touchdowns. Students showed up for the first half and then remarkably disappeared for the second half as less than 50% returned to their seats after the break. I did enjoy their sing-a-long to “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. Didn’t know this was a new tradition and it was a nice surprise. I also liked “Ring the Bell”, something that made sense given the daily chimes that go off on campus.
Friday football games may not be traditional, but they offer up the perfect opportunity for a stadium trip as they become part of a double (or triple) header. The schedule has set-up nicely for a Boston-area college football trip coming up this weekend. I say “kinda” in the title because neither campus is technically in the city of Boston. My brother will join me for an annual Fall tradition as we leave Friday Morning to reach Eastern Mass by midday. Our afternoon will be spent in Cambridge, an impressive city in its own right. We’ll see some of the sights and try to squeeze in a campus tour of Harvard University. Dinner will be somewhere in the vicinity of Harvard Square before we cross the Charles River for the 7 PM Crimson game against Rhode Island. The school may be in Cambridge, but Harvard Stadium is technically in Boston as the other side of the River is that city’s neighborhood of Allston. This will be my 7th Ivy League stadium and I’m hoping to complete the Ancient Eight next year (Brown-Patriots trip?).
On Saturday, Boston College is the setting for Stadium #203 and the Eagles will take on Temple in Alumni Stadium. I had to wait awhile for the game-time announcement and the Noon start made me reconsider options. We were planning on spending time in Boston on Saturday, but by the time we navigate the T and where our car needs to be parked for the game and after the game, it’s too much of a pain and not worth the limited available time. So, we’ll just head home after BC-Temple finishes. No worries, as there are plenty of facilities within Boston that are going to give some chances to see all the city has to offer down the road. We plan on arriving on “The Heights” well before game-time to walk around BC’s campus and see the unique Gothic architecture that it is known for. Back next week with a wrap-up on how it went!
