My Thoughts from the Stadium (Arkansas 2022)

[abw0004 10,332]

Good morning all,

I hope this thread finds each and every one of you well and getting ready for the little kids coming to your doors tonight dressed up as ghosts and Frozen characters.  Here we are, another home game for our very own Auburn Tigers.  As always, here are my thoughts from inside the stadium.

Weather:  The weather was as nice and cooperative as one could ask for.  The temperature had a high of 72 degrees with a slight breeze, which was nice.  The sun was more present than I thought it would be so the stadium felt more like it was in the 80s and I made the mistake again of not wearing sunscreen.  To say my face got sunburned is an understatement.  I also feel like I say that at least once or twice a year so you think I would learn, but that is apparently not the case.

Auburn Fans:  Well, it looks like the fairly full stadium streak this season has finally stopped.  Leading up to this home game, we have had pretty good turn out in the stadium.  It was always full, which surprised me.  It was nice to know the fans still supported our players.  That came to an end for this season as I would say the stadium was only 70% full at its peak.  Most of the upper deck was empty but I don't blame the fans who stayed home one bit.  It was a noon game, which is hard for people who live out of state like me.  We all had a feeling what the outcome would be anyways, which is even harder to motivate yourself to go.

Atmosphere:  What is really confusing in its own twisted way is I did not hear any booing or "Fire Harsin" chants.  You heard that in 2012 for Chizik and definitely for Malzahn in the last years of his coaching here.  Not only that but you really didn't hear any noise at all from the crowd.  It really feels like we are resigned to the product on the field, which is a horrible feeling.  I really hope this is an exception and not the new normal.

Holden:  As everyone knows by now, Holden Geriner was announced as the starting quarterback during the player introduction videos.  It was unexpected, but Holden received the most noise in the stadium all day as the cameraman zoomed in on his face after the introduction videos.  This did not seem like a glitch because the cameramen knew to train in on Holden and they even had some facts on Holden as it was zoomed in on him.  This makes me feel that Harsin specifically lied to the video crew and would not surprise me at all if that happened.

Harsin:  I have never, ever hated an Auburn coach or rooted for his demise.  I have always supported him until the very end.  It is just how I have always been.  That all stopped with this idiot of a head coach who is going out of his way to embarrass our university at every step of the way.  He is even going as far now as to ruining the eligibility of his own players.  What kind of person do you have to be to try to do that to a kid who has dreams of developing into a NFL player just because everyone if finding out you are a fraud of a football coach.  I can't wait until he is fired and I hope it is in the most embarrassing way possible.  The guy has zero respect for this great university.

Mowing forward:  Even after my rant above, I will absolutely be attending the last two home games and watching the away games in full.  Those are still our guys out there on the field giving it their all, despite a coach who is smirking after losses.  Our juniors, seniors and super-seniors have given us everything these last few years and deserve our support in full and that is exactly what I am going to give them.  I said at the beginning of this season that this season will set us on the upward trajectory and I meant it.  It was either going to result in Harsin doing really well and setting us up for success, or ending in him getting fired so we can get the right guy.  It is now clear it is the latter, but with the potential candidates being discussed, I am excited about each and every one of them.  Also, basketball season is only seven days away.  Until next time... 

[Win4AU 4,201]

I’d say the stadium was closer to 85% full.  You had your normal corners of the upper deck being empty but the middle sections were fullish toward the start.  Lower bowl was mostly full.  I bought 2 seats for myself but ended up having about 5 that I could stretch out on.  That was the quietest I’ve ever heard that stadium.  I’ll come down for Texas A&M if it’s an early game.  

[EagleEye67 1,948]

Thanks for the writeup, great info.

 

I was at the LSU game, and JHS was rocking.   Absolutely incredible atmosphere and fan support...when we bullrushed them in the first half the noise was amazing.    When that game went south in the 2d half (big surprise there), you could feel the air leave the stadium.....was just a bitter ending note.

Maybe then the writing was on the wall. 

[abw0004 10,332]

8 minutes ago, Win4AU said:

I’d say the stadium was closer to 85% full.

I would have to respectfully disagree with that.

 

[Win4AU 4,201]

I guess different vantage points

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,091]

The Holden thing is by far the weirdest pregame thing to come out of an Auburn game 

[johnnyAU 3,745]

Yeah, that was bizarre to hear about. 

[I_M4_AU 8,978]

21 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I would have to respectfully disagree with that.

 

Didn’t you post this picture in the game thread showing people leaving at the start of the 4th qtr?  You can see people on the cat walks; why would that happen early in the game?

[Auburn Tiger 1,415]

25 minutes ago, abw0004 said:

I would have to respectfully disagree with that.

 

Your picture was taken well into the game. At this point when your pic was taken, the game was already over. At the start of the game, there was probably 85% capacity, but there was a mass exodus at the start of the fourth quarter. It was sad to see, but Harsin deserves it. Hope that schmuck gets some sort of pie in the face. 

[Auburn Tiger 1,415]

2 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

Didn’t you post this picture in the game thread showing people leaving at the start of the 4th qtr?  You can see people on the cat walks; why would that happen early in the game?

I was there, and you’re right. There was an exodus at the start of the 4th. 

[EagleEye67 1,948]

Ive been to many a JHS game, and I can tell you....for the LSU game....we brought it.   I had some LSU friends (dont hate me) tell me later that it was the best exp they had in an opposing stadium.

 

Then. 

 

 

The second half.

 

 

Nite. 

[abw0004 10,332]

54 minutes ago, I_M4_AU said:

Didn’t you post this picture in the game thread showing people leaving at the start of the 4th qtr?  You can see people on the cat walks; why would that happen early in the game?

 

52 minutes ago, Auburn Tiger said:

Your picture was taken well into the game. At this point when your pic was taken, the game was already over. At the start of the game, there was probably 85% capacity, but there was a mass exodus at the start of the fourth quarter. It was sad to see, but Harsin deserves it. Hope that schmuck gets some sort of pie in the face. 

Yes you are both correct.  I chose the wrong picture from my camera roll.  Here is a photo from 30 minutes to kickoff.

 

[abw0004 10,332]

1 hour ago, Win4AU said:

I guess different vantage points

This picture is a tad misleading as this was during the inspiration video so everyone was standing up, which makes it look fuller than it is.  My picture was misleading as well though as it was taken from the 3rd quarter going into the 4th.