20161112 FAU vs UTEP - Veterans Day Game

My husband and I were invited to attend the FAU vs UTEP football game, which  would honor veterans that attend the university. Neither of  us are big football fans, and neither of us have attended an FAU game before, but we accepted.  We were shown to an MVP box next to the Presidential Suite,  with other FAU vets (student and professor).

The food was complimentary and delicious. It's nice to have a tasty and filling vegetarian  option. The view was fantastic. The glass has a wall-sized sliding window, opened for perfect viewing. If games were like this all the time, I'd go more often.

As we got there, the Army's Silver Wings jump team parachuted into the stadium. I didnt think to get shots then, but they were honored at half time and I was able to get a shot of the whole team (via the television broadcast of the Jumbotron). 

One of the benefits of  fancy box at the Vet's game is special guests. We met Johnny Bench, veteran, Cincinnati Red's catcher in the Hall of Fame. He's a 14-time All-Star selection and a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, was a key member of The Big Red Machine, which won six division titles, four National League pennants, and two World Series championships. ESPN has called him the greatest catcher in baseball history (Wiki). I managed to alienate Shane and myself to this legendary fellow. He asked if I had a job lined up after I graduate in December, and I said Trump was going to put me out of a profession, as an environmental educator. I may have used the words "internment camp"... [see my #SafetyPin?]

After, I had a lovely conversation with our usher, a woman that works at the Jupiter Honors College. She mentioned my comment about Environmental Education, and after chatting CVs, we commiserated about Trump and the racial violence that has followed his win. I told her the purpose behind my safety pin, and we ended up going back to the game, but it was a lovely chat. I am very happy to have met her.

Legendary Coach Schnellenberger stopped by the suite, too. I've met him before (he didn't remember me, but that's ok.) This time I got a photo. He's pretty easy to talk too, if you're a lady.

"Howard Leslie Schnellenberger (born March 16, 1934) is a retired American football coach with long service at both the professional and college levels. He was most recently the head coach at Florida Atlantic, retiring at the end of the 2011 season. He previously held head coaching positions with Oklahoma, Louisville, Miami, where his team won a national championship, and the Baltimore Colts. He also worked extensively as an assistant coach at the college and pro levels, including as part of the staff of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. Schnellenberger is also famous for recruiting Joe Namath to Alabama for Bear Bryant in 1961.

At age 64 he was named director of football operations for Florida Atlantic University, with the task of building a football program from scratch: coming up with a strategic plan, raising funds and selecting a coach. He was able to raise $13 million in pledges, lobbied the state legislature, and by the time then-FAU President, Anthony Catanese, asked him to find a coach in 1999, Schnellenberger selected himself. Schnellenberger described his interest in FAU by noting "This one is so different. The others, we were working with adopted kids. These were our kids." (Wiki).

The The Florida Atlantic University Marching Owls did each military song from oldest to newest uniform service. Meanwhile, the color guard salutes with their left hand.... And a trumpet badly out of step. I was outed as a band Nerd by someone nearby after I complained. The vets in the sweet sang along.

The game itself was pretty riveting . We had an early touchdown, then then OTEP matched us TD for TD and led us by a couple points the whole way. There were so many drops and sacks and whatnot. I was learning the game along the way, by the way. A friend texted me for the score, and I got really into it, texting him whenever something significant happened. We ran a fantastic 36 yard touchdown, then they kicked a 60 yard punt to make it 14:17. Whe we were 20:24 they made first and 10, then made the TD for 20:31. I though that was it. SOMEHOW we pulled off a TD and 2 point conversion to make it 28:31. Id I'd have been happy with that. Then, with 25 seconds left, we managed another touchdown. 35:31. We had control, and kneeled to run out the clock. It was amazing, There was much cheering. It was wonderfully nailbiting. Husband joked that I went from "what's a first down" to screaming "RUUUUUN!"

I love new experiences, and this was a winner. Best case scenario. I never need to go to another football game again, because it cannot get any better.