The weekend that was Part 3 of 3

This last weekend was one of the best weekends ever. Friday night was the Dave Matthews Band. Saturday was tailgating and the I-State vs. Army football game. Sunday I was at the Vikings vs. 49ers game in Minneapolis (maybe the best finish I have seen in person).


Last up is the Sunday Vikings vs. 49ers experience.

I got home around 11:30 from the Army game. A little too excited to sleep so being the uber geek that I am rolled my toon CTMcGee around Northrend for a few hours, that was dumb as I was having Zac come over to my house at 5AM to leave for Minny.

Zac was there right on time. Zac was going up because the 49ers are his favorite team and his b-day was in August so I convinced Jamie Lou that I should get him tickets for his birthday. It is a little tricked I learned from Jamie Lou to get a little juice for yourself. More commonly seen by buying yourself things you need right before Christmas and your birthday so that when gifts come that you already have you can take those back and get new things. Double dipping I'll call it.

Up North we headed, uneventful trip, intern Steve slept in the back seat most of the way up. Steve too loved the 49ers, and had a ticket so he tagged along with the brothers Christensen. on a side note I really need to start taking pictures of these trips... I have really none from it.

When we got to the cities we parked about 6 blocks from the dome off of 5th. the street spots were all taken but we found a lot for 6 dollars. While the walk is a bit far it is more than paid back by being 34 bucks cheaper than the lots closer to the dome and being able to leave town in a jiffy after the game as the ramp to the interstate is 3 blocks away from where we park.

We then wandered up past the dome and a few blocks beyond to Grumpy's. Zac and I had some egg bake and beers while Steve opted for buffalo wings and beer. It was a bit strange to be on a patio with smokers now that it is verboten in Iowa, but the sun and good times made that not such a big deal.

After Grumpy's it was off to the dome, we got there 45 minutes before kickoff. Always fun to boo the visitors as they come out of the tunnel to warm up and to hear that viking horn blow and cheer the boys in purple. Particularly fun for me was the fact the Jim Marshall blew thew horn to call out the team, he is a big BIG man. you can kind of see him int he photo below:




The first half was going famously, getting ready to go up 16 - 7 and receive the ball in the second half only to have the field goal blocked and returned for a TD by San Fran. Memo to Steve Hutchinson: you are great but you have to get up out of your stance when the ball gets hiked...dick. So instead of 16- 7 and getting the ball we were now down 13 - 14. I will say though that so far this year we have had to special teams TDs against us and we won both those games, so maybe it is a good luck kind of thing....maybe.

An amazing kickoff return by future RoY Percy Harvin got the crowd back into it. He is so amazingly fast in person. And to be able to run 101 yards and not have a finger touch you is even more amazing.

Vernon Davis' touchdown with around 9 minutes put San Fran up 4 but I still had a good feeling. When the Vikes went for it on fourth down and failed to convert at midfield, I didn't have such a good feeling. When the people started streaming out even though we still had 3 timeouts I felt a little worse. The the niners we ultra conservative with 3 runs in a row I felt a little better. When they kicked it in the end zone and we only need an 80 yard TD with 1:29 I even felt a little better. When Greg Lewis caught a 50 yard laser from Favre for the game winner with 2 seconds left, I really couldn't believe what I saw. I had never been to a game that finished like that. I have seen goal line stands, I have seen field goals made and missed to win games. But I have NEVER seen in person an ending like that.

The poor 49er fans went from happy to sad with the flick of a wrist. Even with thousands of people having left early that is the loudest I have ever heard that stadium get. It may have even been a touch louder when the play was confirmed.

Some even more exciting things coming up form me in the coming week or two. You can read about those fun things here when they are posted.

The weekend that was Part 2 of 3

This last weekend was one of the best weekends ever. Friday night was the Dave Matthews Band. Saturday was tailgating and the I-State vs. Army football game. Sunday I was at the Vikings vs. 49ers game in Minneapolis (maybe the best finish I have seen in person).


Second up is the Saturday I-State vs. Army experience.



Unfortunately our friends Ty and Jess couldn't make the Army game. While we did miss them their tickets didn't go to waste as cousin Lauree and Dan were going to go in their stead. Well Dan called in sick with a sandy vagina but second cousin Keegan filled in quite perfectly.



The day started with us meeting at 12:30 at T and D's and packing to go up to Ames. The trailer hitch shelf that we got some years back is turning out to be quite a useful purchase. It allowed 5 people, the next bigger than the last, and 6 chairs and 3 coolers and 3 plastic totes and 1 grill and one small tent with USA cover to fit in to the Envoy. All those years of Dr. Mario and Tetris in college really is paying off better than my degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science on a daily basis I am finding.



We got to Ames at around 1:45 and started to unpack. We are becoming quite efficient if I do say so myself. it was around 1:46 I remember seeing the grill's gas regulator and tank sitting in T and D's garage back in Granger. That was a low point of the day for me I think. But Jamie Lou was still in Des Moines coming up later so she was able to make it out there and pick it up for us. Double lucky for us are the nice people we have been tailgating with this season as we were able to use some one else's Roadtrip gas tank until Jamie Lou could make it up to Ames.



Eventually Jamie Lou did make it along with Brazilian coworkers Flavio and Renato. It was Flavio and Renato's first experience with American football and Iowa Sate tailgating. I am positive they left the country really enjoying both.



It was burger, beers and brats for lunch. Tried some new pineapple stuffed brats and people seemed to enjoy them. I only picked up four so didn't personally get one, but judging by the fact they all got snarfed down they couldn't have been too bad. I also for the first time picked up some thin sliced pork loins. I covered them in A-1 on both sides grilled them up and tossed them on some buns. They worked out quite nicely. Tastey, quick, easy can't do much better than that.



As has become our tradition we leave our tailgate up during the game. This is done for two reasons 1) so that we can come out and have some beers at half time (so glad they still allow pass outs) and B) instead of fighting traffic, it is just as easy to fire up the grill and eat dinner and let the traffic clear out rather than fight it and get mad.



As the game was against Army once every hour on the hour two howitzers were shot off. Man o man were they loud on that side of the stadium. We caught a couple Go Army national guard mini footballs, so that is always fun. We tried to find family of some of my friends, but with that many people around it is almost impossible. We did get to meet up with one of Lauree's friends so that was nice. At half time of the gave 13 current I-State student swore into the Army and would be recognized as officers upon their graduation. I hate to say it but when the ceremony started and the man in charge said "Repeat after me. I, State your name" the lady in front of me and I both said aloud at the same time "I state your name" she got a head slap from her husband, I got the "dumb-ass" look from Jamie Lou. I blame Mel Brooks.



The game itself was a nice game by our Clones. A nice solid win with decent passing and better running being displayed. 3 -1 at this point is right where I thought they would be. I am hoping for a win this next Saturday vs K-State. that would put them at 4 -1 and need only two more W's to be bowl eligible. With this new staff and the young players that extra practice time they would get would be invaluable.

Next up Sunday......