Sunday I had the pleasure of baking in Reliant while watching the Texans send Chris Palmer off in the style to which he has become accustomed. After the game, it was off to Dallas for the MNF game the following night. There were a few interesting things about going back to Texas Stadium after a 5 year absence.
First, and best, was the miles-to-go sign on I-45 after mile marker 214 and before 215. It has the miles for Corsicana and Dallas on it. Some soul with a great sense of humor has slapped a big white sticker out to the left of the 'Dallas' part that says simply '19-10' on it in big, black, easy-to-read numbers. Priceless!! If only I had remembered to bring my camera, I would have doubled back for a picture of it. If anybody ever has a chance to take this picture and post it, please do. I never drive from Houston to Dallas, so I'll prolly never see it again.
Now for the game notes.
You haven't laughed at an NFL game until you see the inflatable tunnel that the Cowboys run through for their pre-game introductions. Both sides of it have these huge 'Levitra' banners. Makes you wonder how they get that tunnel up: air, or Levitra? Also, the whole time they introduced their players, there was a little Levitra logo in the corner of the jumbotron image. I'm thinking if I'm a virile 25 yr old NFL stud, I'm not wanting to be seen by 30,000 women with a Levitra logo next to my name...
Also, when the players run out, the Cowboys have this pair of flame-throwers (where the Texans use fireworks) on either side of the player as he runs out. The flame is real tiny, and then it just shoots this big ol' fireball up when the player runs through. It's pretty impressive, until you think of the scenes in The Wizard of Oz where you hear the booming voice accompanied by the exact same flame effect when Dorothy and Co. are seeing the Wizard in Emerald City. Once you get that image in your head, the intros become pretty comical. Bring on the flying monkeys! Ignore that man behind the curtain! And bring me the broomstick of the Wicked Coach!!
Their helmet shuffle is for Dr Pepper, and it's a cheat! They actually switch views *during* the shuffling, from an overhead kinda view like we get, to a 'side shot' where you can't tell which helmet you were just looking at. And worse, they switch back and forth several times, so you really are screwed if you're trying to impress your kids with your Amazing Daddy Super-Powers of Observation
They introduced Rowdy before the game with a videoboard caption "Let's Get Rowdy!" If only they knew that there is a second interpretation to that slogan, only this one involves a rope and a tall tree
Let's get him, indeed.
It was nice hearing "We Will Rock You" again. I can't recall hearing that at Reliant.
The one thing they do well is playing the proper motivational videos at the right time. You know how we all cheer the pre-game video at Reliant that ends just as the ref lets the opening kick-off go? Well, the Cowboys are quite good at having a number of those that play during some of the commercial breaks where the visitor has the ball, so that when play resumes, the crowd is on its feet and yelling like there's no tomorrow. They did not used to do that 5 years ago. I think the Texans could learn that trick and make our gameday experience even better.
Texas Stadium that night had just just as little air-flow as Reliant did on Sunday. It was a bear. I'm pretty dang glad to be back at work and sitting in the A/C, to be honest. Overall, Reliant and the Texans still kick it. I'm glad to be a Texans fan, even if we can't figure out our freakin' offensive line.
First, and best, was the miles-to-go sign on I-45 after mile marker 214 and before 215. It has the miles for Corsicana and Dallas on it. Some soul with a great sense of humor has slapped a big white sticker out to the left of the 'Dallas' part that says simply '19-10' on it in big, black, easy-to-read numbers. Priceless!! If only I had remembered to bring my camera, I would have doubled back for a picture of it. If anybody ever has a chance to take this picture and post it, please do. I never drive from Houston to Dallas, so I'll prolly never see it again.
Now for the game notes.
You haven't laughed at an NFL game until you see the inflatable tunnel that the Cowboys run through for their pre-game introductions. Both sides of it have these huge 'Levitra' banners. Makes you wonder how they get that tunnel up: air, or Levitra? Also, the whole time they introduced their players, there was a little Levitra logo in the corner of the jumbotron image. I'm thinking if I'm a virile 25 yr old NFL stud, I'm not wanting to be seen by 30,000 women with a Levitra logo next to my name...
Also, when the players run out, the Cowboys have this pair of flame-throwers (where the Texans use fireworks) on either side of the player as he runs out. The flame is real tiny, and then it just shoots this big ol' fireball up when the player runs through. It's pretty impressive, until you think of the scenes in The Wizard of Oz where you hear the booming voice accompanied by the exact same flame effect when Dorothy and Co. are seeing the Wizard in Emerald City. Once you get that image in your head, the intros become pretty comical. Bring on the flying monkeys! Ignore that man behind the curtain! And bring me the broomstick of the Wicked Coach!!
Their helmet shuffle is for Dr Pepper, and it's a cheat! They actually switch views *during* the shuffling, from an overhead kinda view like we get, to a 'side shot' where you can't tell which helmet you were just looking at. And worse, they switch back and forth several times, so you really are screwed if you're trying to impress your kids with your Amazing Daddy Super-Powers of Observation

They introduced Rowdy before the game with a videoboard caption "Let's Get Rowdy!" If only they knew that there is a second interpretation to that slogan, only this one involves a rope and a tall tree

It was nice hearing "We Will Rock You" again. I can't recall hearing that at Reliant.
The one thing they do well is playing the proper motivational videos at the right time. You know how we all cheer the pre-game video at Reliant that ends just as the ref lets the opening kick-off go? Well, the Cowboys are quite good at having a number of those that play during some of the commercial breaks where the visitor has the ball, so that when play resumes, the crowd is on its feet and yelling like there's no tomorrow. They did not used to do that 5 years ago. I think the Texans could learn that trick and make our gameday experience even better.
Texas Stadium that night had just just as little air-flow as Reliant did on Sunday. It was a bear. I'm pretty dang glad to be back at work and sitting in the A/C, to be honest. Overall, Reliant and the Texans still kick it. I'm glad to be a Texans fan, even if we can't figure out our freakin' offensive line.