Last Saturday, October 2, we were in Boulder, Colorado, at the college football game between the Colorado Buffaloes (the ‘Buffs’) and the Georgia Bulldogs (“GO DAWGS!”). Our son, Aaron, a UGA Alumnus, had purchased 8 tickets to the game, and our family (plus a couple of friends) met in Boulder for a four-day vacation centered around this game. The Dawgs were favored to win and we were psyched! Aaron had warned us all a full week ahead to wear Georgia RED or WHITE attire to the game, because, although Black is a UGA color, the Buffs were having a ‘Blackout’ – their fans would be decked out in black gear (or gold).
Not to worry. GEORGIA fans were descending on Folsom Field like fire ants, filling the stands…
Meanwhile “Ralphie,” the mascot for the Buffaloes, waits in her pen (barely discernable in the buzz of activity in the front right corner of the field). To set off the game she will be set loose, ushered by a group of strapping young cowboys, to run along the perimeter of the field. (Hopefully, well, that’s the plan, anyway.) (See the link here, to learn more about Ralphie, who is, by the way, always a female bison. Yeah, like, what male would put up with that kind of abuse with even the slightest measure of compliance?)
We take our seats and watch as the fans keep filing in.
“GO DAWGS!”
Oh! There goes Ralphie down the sidelines! …
It happens so quickly – she is out, she is running, she is … at the far end of the field, running down the other side now … gone! In about 20 seconds. The crowd is in a complete roar now … time for the kickoff …
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH….OOO! OOO! OOO! OOO! OOO! OOO! OOO! OOO! OOO!” scream the GA fans, pounding the air with their fists. KICK OFF!
Well, from here, I try to keep my eye on the ball and my mindset into following the game. I’m not a seasoned football fan. Colorado scores the first touchdown. But before the first quarter is over, the Bulldogs score a field goal. It’s 7-3 (Buffs) going into second quarter … where Georgia lets loose with two touchdowns to Colorado’s one. At half-time the score is 17-14, – Georgia! –“GO DAWGS!” Georgia Fans are pumped! Some of our group heads to concessions for food, some stay and watch the half-time show featuring the CU Marching Band…
Georgia is entering the field for the second half!
“GO DAWGS”!
Here we are in the stands.
Georgia scores again!
GO DAWGS!!!
Here we are again!
What a great game! Note the, uh, untethered enthusiam maybe? in David’s expression …
Okay, I admit, we’re all just a little nervous here, too, because, uh, the Buffs have also been scoring. (Why would I photograph THAT?) Like, 15 points in the third quarter to Georgia’s 7. Going into the 4th quarter the score is Bulldogs – 24, Buffaloes – 29.
During the fourth quarter Georgia makes a field goal. Then, Colorado misses their field goal attempt! Score 27-29.
OKAY! Georgia is heading down the field for their final drive, trailing by 2 points, with 3:37 minutes left in the game! They are within field goal range -on the 27 yard line! They’ve got time, they’ve got the downs – they are going to make the field goal and win!!
You can read all about it in this CBS Sports News link to glean more details here.
Bulldogs run the ball. Bulldogs … fumble the ball. BULLDOGS FUMBLE THE BALL? Colorado jumps on it to capture the turnover. We stand there frozen as we watch Colorado run the clock out. First down, second down, third down, game over. GAME OVER??
We stand there stunned while Colorado fans break through the sidelines and storm the field. A mass exodus upward and out from the stands ensues. I feel a tug at my sleeve and pressure against my body to move! “Go!” Exit!” as I attempt to shoot a photo with my iphone of the scene on the field.
I try again:
But the crush and frenzy of the situation is too much – I just can’t steady my hand to take a decent photo. Or is it my nerves? My devastation? Too Bad! AARGH!
Well it was just a football game. The Bulldogs lost. In fact, this game marks the first time the Bulldogs have lost four games in a row in twenty years.
But they do play again this Saturday … And it’s only October.
Oh, and come to find out David caught the photo on his iphone that I was trying to capture:
The absolute mayhem on the field.
Our son Aaron, the UGA Alumnus who got us all tickets to the game to begin with, sent me this link – to a great commentary about how storming Folsom Field cheapens the CU Buffs’ win, which, I bet, is how many of the Georgia fans feel about it, too.
You know, I just thought I’d throw that last link in there to provide additional commentary for all of you avid sports fans who can’t stop thinking about, reading about, talking about, watching, interpreting, and attending college football games.
‘GO DAWGS!’ Actually, if I were a serious college football fan, I’d probably be rooting for the University of Idaho Vandals.
That is, if I thought my heart and nervous system could take it.
Tags: CU Buffs, CU vs. UGA Football, Ralphie
The Decompression of a Boomer 
October 9, 2010 at 3:44 pm |
I enjoyed the pics. I can’t believe how many Georgia fans were there. Amazing!
October 9, 2010 at 8:28 pm |
Yeah. It truly was amazing! On our walk home from the game one of the Buff fans yelled out, “Bulldog fans, drive home!” And we muttered, “Yeah, but we all flew here.” Aaron and his friend Kelly flew from Atlanta where the plane was overbooked (and jammed with GA fans) and Aaron almost lost his seat. He showed up two hours early for his flight back to Atlanta.
Yeah, those GA fans are really loyal!
October 9, 2010 at 11:10 pm |
Exciting game! Sorry the Dawgs lost. The pictures are really nice!