Independence Bowl 2008

On a scale of 1-10, the I-Bowl was an 8.

The game was at 7, but I started getting ready around 4:30. I was so pumped. First came getting dressed: under armour (body and legs), a Tech t-shirt, jeans, converses, and a red Magnet hoodie. Then eyeliner and blue mascara. Whataburger chicken strips, 3 episodes of House, and the boyfriend. I'm ready to go.

And so we go.

After wading through cigarette smoke and drunk people, we get through the ticket check, bag check, personality check, and finally to our seats. Great seats too! Right next to a block of students that go to the opposing team. But really, they were good seats. Row M on the 25 yard line. And these seats had backs. Yay! Honestly, it felt like Mardi Gras: loud drunks everywhere and you see people you know every time you turn around. Anyway, the game begins.

So, NIU scores and kicks the ball back to Tech. Tech catches it in their own endzone and runs it for a touchdown. Best play of the game. I had just sent the boyfriend out for nachoes (he saw it on the TV, thank goodness!) and was still gone while Tech was kicking it back to NIU. While he was gone, a man and his wife (I presume) stumble up the stairs... and into the seat next to me. The man was so drunk. He reeked. Luckily, his wife was sober and pulled him up to the next row. He tells the people behind them, "These aren't our seats, but I don't feel like climbing anymore.... we should be ok." Fantastic. The boyfriend comes back and notices the new people. I warn him immediately of how obnoxious they are (the man has been shaking my row of seats and yelling vulgar language) and he points out the two cops that are keeping an eye on him. Seems the man had pulled out a pack of cigarettes and put one in his mouth. Fine. I don't care. It's not lit. Maybe he's got such a bad habit that he just needs one in his mouth. *sigh* It's all fine until he lights it.

The boyfriend told me he was going to take it out of the guy's mouth, but I told him to just go get the attention of the police. Either way, he took care of it. Sadly, this cop was less than stern with the meager, "Sir... could you please put that out? We don't allow smoking" and walked off before he put the cigarette out. I was going to scream. I can't be around smoke and I'd gotten more than a lung-full already that evening. He puts it out and eventually leaves. Drunk college students replaced them, but sadly they were much better behaved. More loud, but I can handle that.

Tech won 17-10. Everyone cheered and we left. Aside from the massive intake of smoke, it was a very good evening!

Oh, and after a little begging and some motivation, I got the boyfriend to take a picture with me! He's about as camera shy as I am. :]