My experience at the game today was unlike any other game I've been too.
I've always sat on the 50 yard line on the west side. The "Sooner" side. We sit on the top level, so there is the tradition of walking up 8 ramp inclines. Then stopping at concession to grab a Sooner Nacho, or a slice of pizza, or a chili cheese dog. After your first half snack is in hand, you walk in the entrance to see Owen Field and all its glory. And the turn to climb steep concrete stairs to the 24th row to my bleacher seat. On cold days, I'm in multiple OU layers, a hoodie and an ear warmer. And mittens. I live for football weather.
The OU in the center of the field faces the west side. And that's the Sooner sideline. I love looking to my right to watch replays and highlights and the new "There's Only One Oklahoma" on the big new screen over the seats in the south end zone. I love looking left to the north end zone whenever the Sooners score to see the RufNeks bang their paddles on the field.
I love yelling "Sooner" in the Boomer Sooner Chant. I love watching The Pride of Oklahoma make the OU at the beginning of the games and marching it 100 yards down the field.
The experience at the games means so much to me. I realize that every fan feels that way about their team, and their home games. It's just special to be apart of that. That little area I sit in is so much fun because everyone gets into it, and we're all cheering and hollering, and we all stand together at each kick off and hold up our arms and yell "Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo U!"
Today was really different though. Really different. Better? Maybe. But not a different that I would want permanently. Today I sat on the east side. But that isn't what made it so different. We had Club Level seats. I had no idea what that meant or what to expect. We took an elevator to the 3rd level. When we got off the elevator I was amazed. I had no idea such an area existed at Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium. Wooden floors. Restaurants. A TV lounge, with enough TV's that play every televised game at the moment. A dessert bakery. With chocolate raspberry cake. (yes, I had a slice.) There was a coffee bar. It was soooo cool. The glass windows facing the field had a marble bartop that ran from one end to the other and had the most comfortable bar stools I've ever sat on. Impressive. I knew this was the ritzy area, and I was clearly out of my element.
The concession stand had much more food choices. There were garden burgers. Cheeseburgers on gourmet wheat buns. Cinnamon rolls. It. Was. Awesome.
Once the game started, we walked out to our seats. Still on the 50 yard line, and three rows up from the balcony edge. But the seats were like movie seats without the cushion. And comfortable. Much, much better than the bleacher seats I'm used too.
But then I realized it just wasn't the same. It was weird to look down on the field and see the OU upside down. I felt completely out of place yelling "Boomer." And my neck started to hurt looking to the left at the big screen for replays and highlights. I'm the kind of person who really gets into the atmosphere of being at the games, and I think it was the 3rd quarter when I realized I was being "that girl."
This area I was sitting in cheered at a good play, or groaned at a missed tackle or a dropped pass, but they didn't stand on the kickoffs. They didn't hop out of their seat on a good run. This isn't the crowd that willingly cheers so loud they lose their voice. That's me, though. And I carried on in my natural fan element. Then I realized I must have seemed incredibly annoying to everyone around me. I didn't care though. Sam was back and I was proud. Kevin Wilson was calling passing plays and I was excited and inspired. Brent Venables didn't call a blitz on every. single. play. I had a lot to cheer for. These people didn't understand.
So, after reflecting on my experience at the game today, and being a part of the glitz and glamour fan experience, I say, they can keep it. Give me my 8 level ramp hike and my cold, uncomfortable bleacher seat and my rowdy "Sooner" crowd any day.