Photoessay #1087 - From Tunnel 52

I took my camera to the football game last night and got some good shots before the game. Didn't think it would be too smart to take pictures during the game. Maybe I'll try that next.

If you follow college football, you would know that last night's game featured an extremely exciting ending (2 OTs!) Washington came out victorious 35-34 against Oregon State in front of a deliriously excited crowd. 65K in attendance and very few left before the end ... even though it was well past 11pm. So I learned what happens in a tied Pac 10 football game. They turn off the clock, before each OT they flip the coin. Each team starts on the 25 yard line and run their offense. Then the other team plays on the same side on the 25 yard. If they are still tied, they do it again. Each team scored a touchdown, Oregon State tried to go for a two point conversion ... and failed.

The whole stadium rocked during the OTs. Everybody EVERYBODY was on their feet screaming their heads off, stomping their feet, waving whatever they had. The Washington defensive players on the field motioned for more noise and the crowd reacted. Some of the football players on the sidelines on the north side, left the sidelines and joined the cheer staff jumping up and down waving their arms exhorting their fans to scream louder.

The folks sitting around Tunnel 52 stomped and screamed with the rest of them. The supervisors with their radios scowl and talk into their radios. This is a lot of people going nuts. I'm worrying about the tremendously drunk (or drugged out) woman in my first row hoping she's not going to fall over the rail. I high-fived everybody in my section on their way out "Go Dawgs!" Now that I've been here for 3 games, I'm starting to recognize people. My huge disadvantage is that I don't have anybody with me. I have my buddies in the next tunnel, they come by to break me, I asked their advice about my falling down drunk lady.

First shot shows my view (I've got lots of other shots) that I took as soon as I got there. That practice field is set up with lots of tables and tents and restaurants that serve food and drink. This is 3 hours prior to game time, it will be filled by people and the Husky team enters through there. Behind, you can see the yachts which will fill the whole bay, Lake Washington, Bellevue and the Cascades beyond. From the lower part of the South upper deck. I've got the best view!

Then I turned around and snapped my fellow ushers at their tunnels. They want the ushers there 1/2 hour before the gates even open. You can see people in yellow coats in every section. Being by myself, I have nobody to talk to and I have to stand there a long time!