And finally... game night!!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zcKMUjvbADryXhrCfVm9wtUBFZqAXB5Cc-zWvQnm62sjRlKlDgkughhwYHznmeG5e24pjj-8JrCI3udMNI_joE-MENJ24aYCK5iHw5vke7-ExAK2bBPZSt1Obgtepv4yqmrjhewFNpzZ/s400/423.JPG)
Todd and I started the several block walk to the Superdome.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSObafe37Di6JJMTANoIgqxG_6UuPv5kW9z6Ki8T6OPXAUVsNNpBeS9ZOuHtoPG1tlEZJYSVl4el5Ito4l2ksbo5HxtMZrn4MI69Fu_IqTz2LHQVeoBoJArt1fyUShFEH6aFfQopqD7p54/s400/425.JPG)
Check out the lights turned on in the tallest building in the picture below.
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And as has been the trend of the weekend, Todd zoned in on this sign!!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ62XD_gWfVnxEKmoHSVGN37URGW4r5oEyYt7CRiItc0rODO4kFavbzjWfaVE_jFX20jeAYtQUfg755hetQSAIKfaVUFnNrWC1cykSJSAdQzBI7c0Kwt0eS-2woA9iGUODy5Er4ZmiQwVd/s400/429.JPG)
HOW in the world did we not get our invitation to the ESPN VIP event?! What!?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHegZrySm9SedKoMLAPV0zSWMfa0iGUzZNBZpstQpsiLNyFqpam272S1E3F51aSr8LQzfm2JnqYhba9GaS3dYAW1zSzTcI3L15IJxFLJo2uYKtb4k51R52sI9kpqrx2JAhYtOki1mU4wQ/s400/430.JPG)
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They did throw me a really cool strand of glowing ESPN beads.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDtqYuey-BRZEWoKkA-qIiUFAB710sMw-_7E2tBo0BOlsE5AaXjjPbpz2M-CpDdGMai_vOBBc9RdR5SI18RpVQghtcKT7QatusI-e_wCVaf4nnHpbTC6Yuixi5yqc8dYUYWKkq-3toi9-/s400/433.JPG)
On our way to the dome, we were once again joined by a little impromptu parade.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtSYOXR67Yv2UFmA-I_nHanfkJQvqH-w6OXFEHs7Fr3CkbDHBtNCIbxs5kUIa2DnKZTg-kBphqb7uTWaQxTSX0zrn2MjwmlmTQY-u7NX9IF0iYYFlrZ-JpzZcrfQidcBVxf8sb9dl_78k/s400/434.JPG)
and the crowd thickened!!
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REALLY, REALLY thickened!!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJ4A4Blkz_eQaBrk4ExWVeQCD9Q-qv4eCm8iZYyM_WnNU3AYAJj5sVYNkEQEGSQq3i0Mq02DKVH2D2oTBOp30fqqU-QFUQ6AYoDdshyphenhyphenXkMLIHWkDKbbx9srUOGIcHlFGAQlUn28euSHrw/s400/436.JPG)
REALLY, REALLY, REALLY thickened!! It was shoulder to shoulder!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjgEil8KY5jVMKUGlsbrFgMgqdVvVNsQx-mmbP8gXcDdwGLc-fHYsymCZDIqpxJjvHaFEDJgEkkF3qFcPRaHlv2lQV4Loc8xfh1NvvLtmKrqeo5evy4tLj_y-8d4W3U-ph3jfLlZ3XDaN/s400/437.JPG)
And remember we were about an hour and a half early!
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Finally, we perched up on hte ramp where we could get a bird's eye view of the crowd.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQ8YQyw0MSeU8kwZxV12bGe_C72_hdYD97icA-fK8TOQikXSAMse2cQEPGQ3uwJz3aiflMgbdGLUbwTcQDcHp_zDH1tqxKxZ40kQmiYGa8dxsjS3_dnpB0Tk_Oa1_k2gzwrwDrW3h3srb/s400/439.JPG)
Todd was readying himself to make it through the crowd and was plotting our course.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdFk2-qcEwNT2fOPM5pHvFAig_G_MEUROVyO2Y1c-lQoeSF-xLFQVlg8WPSuCJyoHI5bn2JIQaTNp1NySOHuoDaFDnueKVMzcevZ0jKE1O37PIeO7RX2qx_TCo-thypztZLgDEaiNgBZ1/s400/440.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYRBjZHTNLcK-kT7u59GQlv_uI8_mCEgYlYFIX4Pla0do1PWWQ4Q5lUSZ4LuF3YwnwpA4u_fADcx3IAtSjer20rWK6M_mpf6tKzcuoDJyY2kxDSan3rTYcC1jkUSr2sDTpl95J36XjF2A/s400/441.JPG)
up on the ramp of the Dome, we saw the ESPN Game Day crew.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcjRgvU2tS-_R8kbGLXKm1z9XV2DUD_Rj9U0sFILv1qKjmCn8jlaA6Mp6m3T99ND3FFWayuoBkXPQpMHhA1hH0uRXVzWvSONODQ8HzdPwT5_eA3iLoUCThTQgkloRGKl5no0uRX9eyhMRR/s400/442.JPG)
Oh, by the way, since the horrible flood in NOLA, Mercedes Benz has done a major overhaul of the dome. Yay for them so Louisiana can once again be prowd of their state's main sport's arena.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis7CK20GWr7_PAOcY3xvYEXmK0jw7Z1wXYEWRR9HhfpZ-aQ7FYNGjp9uWmOjVCtUqCEXlPbqDgZn5ujjr_EXxDALFYNV5FFHlCR8yrH0n5BMGZNz_Mf8iv-ej88DQcAPyoQTG-t4T6tVsr/s400/443.JPG)
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And then they opened the gates.
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Todd and I were crammed in, but we were happy as larks to be there.
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We were still in GEEEEAAUUX TIIIIGERR mode.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVj3ZiFOHfR2FMZVwL1LAchhDrv7BEtX8trHAPp4hDsSrhegr6qFoySel9ApR3mGW9sDs6_Nhq2OPCQsCmWeTLn2gURUtgDVQJJz7oDLT0imd4fHu8Nhiw_-yK4ZNm5XkLGiV1o3AOKmW/s400/447.JPG)
I was shoved over to the female line, and Todd was hanging back in the male line.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YoN-xwtNILEYvwXwQi9zqecBrhWmgfeO2EbEVxp79gSZMaly4UJb54sS7jcOMrzlV_XM3aZMcYuw-qPr12TRh_OC-g_oHIm8HySzRRzqIoqPhY5Wzz_qcrTyhUXCqPjJXdECsLV8DnTH/s400/448.JPG)
Right about here, I was IN and he was still praying to make it through the pat down. They patted down every person coming in that place!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpd8ZmNxq4DG2TIie04K6yYU8_ghjfPrZ7zRqXjp_XN_cW59Gm8cnwZN3zZVhlp6hajW8cm8GTo-ngjCGRXjn7iuM5tfskK_fZT_y5OASqDpwK06Zy2uNPuy3buUO1-bzQ7z-nYZ2GGCkC/s400/449.JPG)
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And because we were so dang early.... check out the EMPTY stands.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl7UuC6BTWiA2JTlB-54-WASPoUugcnw-vPBhNhx_AuAAZaTc1gxZUNAlTdKKRssEHJHqJUTjo7XUsEhqFp0Xwvd7d63yRLaQ9Sv4M9GhiJK4R5pdxNtLLZB50qeZwm4xFd74ZvcgV3dak/s400/451.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkEZeTEbNWIIUOsk2roHT0CTeYiqDbK1kwsK7EaJb9NoNQ11LA4plS75j7ZgDU2U9qyG2GYAJ7UNvQ0_KAuH3vW8UQhL9IARrGomim9LEwablrbZWVCrA9I-f81MXYLQ4PKO7eMDeUTbWX/s400/452.JPG)
But, we were there!!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBDq8Lp-N0Zgb3RcVnu1xTbAw1LdLQH4mVDjzwQOVsUIrw8dmkEzfiK1Q0m68C4yrN1bMlwbp9x4piizBsfH20sUt8Ic4PszVRQVH9VQw3QsDf6a5wjr9Q9Al3zT8Lf-N9SQDYo_ChkO8/s400/454.JPG)
Watching the team warm up! And stretch, and run, and put on their helmets. Nope. We didn't miss even a smidge of the action!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPk2VJsBW6QtoMVqtkOCoPjG4V2HyOyGYuEZk4wIT_5YKDNi4X_Bcbwdjbmc6bAnYY6JKtlvtp9ho-HHJJOPSQDdv4yvNcgSlD1rkhL_V35FDeKKRYyw8vv_RG0LHzCVCo2yftpWFiv6y/s400/455.JPG)
The stands started filling up.
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And the pregame got even more exciting.
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Then the Golden Band came on the field to get the crowd all fired up.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4wjY5WDY6fbHaEyYXzZYU4LrkqSQG0Qmt9-vzHSx1y0FV0lxCDUmhIqWQ0_vO89eytIrKpCGGvZOUMOFKhlL5eyymabz18XLaq8P_hVjXAu3eki4Ihyphenhyphen_GgZNrqRdPqslpAFCmkkQ1s30/s400/463.JPG)
And the National Anthem ALWAYS gets EVERYONE fired up!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG44GXCNWDMUztBhR7fIoHo-AaSasrGByEOOLIPR8qeuEsmwcgdcFYHVbmC_6QJ1ERy8z7Wfsgv1hFULHNvtzWB1hLXTeCCuxxVlLw25EIuSJ_waMhzvrVe2FnYu31T2g2qWYzgMtCQqfH/s400/464.JPG)
The spirit groups lined up awaiting the entrance of the teams, and the air was electric!
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"they" came out.
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And then our TIGERS hit the field!!
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And it was time for kickoff!! ![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjphyphenhyphenyRh91QlHvZJ0AB4pO1U5p-JiTXCFCsLKQfMEGQAhJj7SYyjBnJ4H3ZWCM0bJS8LV7yD3lFrHSqvtAGOcRIP7Su1X9dodGw_Zt6f-iN27Kte8jX7oyFk8fVmd3XqsckTKbm_PV2ZuD/s400/470.JPG)
Can I tell you how weird it was that the dude down here in the black hat is from West Monroe? I noticed him and said, "HEY, Dr. King. And he turned around just about as surprised as I was.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssmDQXigItdooZZff4LVP3Z2TsAO8zxQstlEiS9CiYDZBP1Sljeb3fE1mscBbfG6cwn-a44lxbjXlT_g12uVLcPNCC7bYT3ykC9s6BKQPKtUkBJrme52rLZZfz4VPOXJGrKDZ3uRVPLAJ/s400/471.JPG)
And not only that, but of the 80,000ish people in the dome, that guy right there in the white shirt is a physical therapist from Lafayette, who I went to undergraduate school with in the late 80's. Is that just bizarre? I knew THREE people within the five or so rows from where I was sitting.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrFrOkdB8cmK7fbRNYSYbZ-K7IkYn4PtpW57dnEIsepiknYUv6oFUg01lF3Uild5uXlTpzO92ZtGwjtL-ddNqc6MWVaLjRZ9npUvxOXSQ1AmQfwYij3ZeNF_zk7q6SMCx36GgGljCMXjs/s400/472.JPG)
Oh, hey. I know HIM too! And he is looking GLOOMY!! Must've been about the third quarter!!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVZfddXOCBhphLeLsOL5epfDpRW4Hl8QUMtp0HA9ehRR_B826y48KeAkoK5ZwKJ23TBmUPagozBFesgGIDIC3JEe4CBrhLS4sjEc0d2R7KM_1q4Mi0snvuUJBQ6RqyiaUhPemUOBl4WWt/s400/473.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCRmDJ0iS3ffoKa8OK5rJRjq6WAEao37Ivhd-x6sEXOdv32AXDGvB0ukeWFQJaKPC6r8JxhdqMU0HsVAEwT_L6Kkb9pr54Jq64cdZr8fsByZQd965y8ZfRotDB9vlM5RZ-weSrk2MqAjB/s400/474.JPG)
Hey Polly, do you read my blog?! This dude on our row looked JUST LIKE Mike W!! I was so freaking out at how much he looked like him! I had to sneak this whole stalker-like pic of him.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Yug4BPou2AVxch4qLNs0knANPnCEyqANov-J38Noby_sapxgdiGvf5rVvDBB6qWp5vYQxAl98_Aov9yQqpzIURsUs4OvDtXT3t2rrV6vQw3V1tH3Eghd8FEWyythxZpi07gx5pYQelaZ/s400/475.JPG)
Seeeeeee???
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnp0ukOAro1vx8GvIV4REAmLrAA2d78M9T0qL7yNl6HWS_8SCtf9ZSols2NJGHh9LIHij1PwIYZuDrr6sGbdbA0vynd9wkO27bHy9sLDjN4eYFRVBAc_NmXbPsmGMPT9BtdgfAduJzfCz/s400/476.JPG)
During the fourth quarter there was a sea of purple and gold heading back to the hotel rooms.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnOHyTS5lj3yKPLxQErePCL1U7UqOV8OWa8s9ae9FgHLh4AZFDi3z-lvgXAw_lzp26jr4sF_7RevsQ22ROM66AKNxKtM9srnma27XWdtueK1mE8Q8VTjyeKGQEax6ddFrbZvI0qf9r5Ej/s400/478.JPG)
I mean, who wanted to hang around for red and white confetti and a bunch of screaming, elated fans?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cyKhR-3l1x3HoMGrM3o_SMjf9_ApndUbSVL9vAnH00xQdfIpmKeftHQS7WKjYjuAKp4aQWB0R5QcXMJod-nDOgwpzoCOeYJjmLVqbXzM1c2bc8BNQPrWqmpQ_JK9PBBUByi0Ew6ww_PX/s400/479.JPG)
NOt bad losers. Just not wanting to hanga round for the shame of a total shut out!! Gotta tell ya... we are still BIGTIME Tiger fans! Looking forward to another winning season. Hope to be right back here next year!
MO
3 comments:
Great pics of you and Todd. My goodness that was a crowd! Love all of the pics.
Oh i recognize that room! Last time I went to NOLA we ended up staying in that Wyndham...it was a last resort thing, probably wont book there again...just a little far and on the 'dark' side.
OMG! there is a guy behind yall when yall are going into the dome. he is wearing purple polo shirt. i went to school with him. his name is jeremy wood. he was a year behind me. small world! out of all the people in your pics you got someone from ferriday/jonesville.
Yea a night of excitement that lead to pure disappointment for us Tiger fans. Still love em too even though ole Nick gets his way again. GEAUX TIGERS!!!
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