The Big House

October 29, 2011

First trip to the Big House

Debi and I flew to Ann Arbor Michigan Thursday night.  We arrived around midnight.

Airport was very empty after midnight.

We spent Thursday night at the HGI at the airport.  Friday morning I had to some things to do for work so we were delayed getting to Ann Arbor.  We meet Landry at Zingermans Deli in downtown Ann Arbor for a late lunch.  I cant describe it - you will just have to visit the place, its awesome.  We dropped Landry off back at school and went to check in the Hampton Inn in Canton.  After we settled in we travel back to Downtown Ann Arbor and met Landry and the M Den, Debi needed a sweatshirt.  We walked from the M Den to Yost Ice Arena for the Men's Hockey Game.

Fall Foliage

Fall Foliage

Fall Foliage

Fall Foliage

Walking to Yost Arena

In front of Yost

Yost is a very nice Arena and Michigan people like their Hockey.  I have to say it was fun to watch.  I don't understand the rules but I did enjoy the match.

Pre Game

Landry doing a Hockey Cheer

It was Homecoming so the parents of the players were introduced

Warm Ups

Time for Face Off

Between periods these girls entertained us

Second Period

Landry teaching Debi the rules

Student section

Game Over

Game Over

Some Kids on the way out.

The walk back to our car was COLD !  We were quite entertained by all the students in Halloween costumes on their way to PARTY!.  We stopped off at a local Italian restaurant for dinner then off to the 24 hour grocery store.  Landry was cooking a gumbo at his tailgate and needed some supplies.  After the late night shopping we dropped him off at home then on to the Hampton Inn.

Game Day

Landry told me that the Michigan fan tailgate on a golf course but I did not comprehend just how great this is.  They have two 18 hole golf courses across the street from the Big House.  Its $40.00 to park in the closest one and $30.00 for the other.  You drive down the cart path and park on either side.  The fans set up their tents along the fairways.  It is so very nice, like being in a beautiful park.  Kids are running up and down the fairways playing all sorts of games, adults are cooking and consuming.... its just a wonderful atmosphere.  Michigan fans are very nice.

Golf Course 

Golf Course

Tailgate

Tailgate

Tailgate

Landry cooked a gumbo at his tailgate.  His cooking is getting much better however he does not have access to all the ingredient that we have.

Gumbo passed Mom inspection

Landry's friends

Tailgate

Still a Tiger Fan

Adult Jenga

Tailgate

Close to game time the crowd move to the Big House.

That M is the back side of the Scoreboard

Crowd moves to the House

The structure in the background is the press box and suites

Walk to the Big House

Looks cold and YES ITS COLD

Hey guys over here!!!

See that octagon sign with the 17.  Let me tell you how this works.

The press box and Suites are at street level.  So when you enter the Big House its all downhill.  When you locate your gate to enter the stadium you are around row 70.  I would guess and say 1/2 of the rows are up and 1/2 are down from the entrance.  This causes a major back up as fans enter the stadium and move to their rows.  Each gate has a person with a sign like the #17 sign above.  This sign marks the end of the line for entering that section.

View from row 25

The Big House

The Big House

Student section was to our left

Students

Old folks to our right

Students

Old Folks

Michigan does it right.  When the red hat is on the field they roll out some sort of entertainment for the crowd.

Cheerleaders

Cheerleaders

They roll around and spell Michigan

C

H

N

Half Time

Band

Band with Alumni

This is what it looked like

Game Photos - By the way the big M was on the back side of this giant TV.

If you visit the Big House you will never again complain aboout how crowded Tiger Stadium is.  They put 120,000 in the Big House with a shoehorn!

After the game many fans hit the road but many more break out the tents and fire up the grills.

Post Game

Post Game

Post Game

 Landry drove over to our hotel for breakfast Sunday Am.  Debi and I arrived in Laf around 5pm and want to go back......
In closing I can tell you going to the Big House just felt like Saturday !

Next post from Alabama !!