Gear Up for Game Day!
The first thing you need to think about before you go to the stadium or plan to watch a game at home is the amount of time it is going to take for the game to be played. If you are going to the stadium you also have to account for the length of time it will take you to park, walk to the stadium, and find your seats
So how long does a game last? There are four quarters lasting 15 minutes each and a 20-minute halftime… an hour and 20 minutes, right? Wrong! There are timeouts called for a myriad of causes, including but not limited to:
· Injury of a player… timeout lasts until player can be removed from the field
· Foul and resulteret thing penalty ... Referee kill two move the ball for the penalty
· Media / TV timeouts… for commercials
· Instant Replay… when a play needs to be reviewed to see if the officials on the field made the right call
· Timeouts called by the coaches… each team has three timeouts per half
· Clock adjustments… the referee needs the time remaining on the clock (s) to be changed
· Bringing out the chains… measuring to see if a first down has been made
· Coach's Challenge… each head coach has a red flag that he can throw twice in a game when he wants to challenge a call. Only certain types of calls can be challenged.
You can count on a game lasting 3-4 hours plus more if the score is tied at the end of the game and it goes into overtime.
Ideas for how to dress for cold gamesHow to Dress for a stadium game will depend on where you live. In general, for late August and September games it will be hot.
Be sure to take sunscreen , lip gloss or chapstick, and sunglasses , a visor or a cap to shade your eyes and reduce glare. Do not forget to put sunscreen on your knees if you wear shorts as they will be exposed as much as your arms and face. T-shirts or jerseys with your team logo / name / mascot are always appropriate and fun to wear.
I live in the Piedmont region of North Carolina (two hours from the mountains and 4 hours from the beach), so I would not have a clue how to dress for cold weather in states that have more frigid temperatures. If you live in those areas, you know far better than I how to dress to be warm for the length of a game.
I do know layering and “long underwear” help. Silk “long underwear” is very thin and warm and can usually go under your regular clothes. You might think about ski pants and down coats, a scarf , toboggan , and warm gloves as part of the wardrobe too. Thick-soled shoes / boots help keep your feet warm, as do wool socks .
Now let's talk about rain . If you live in a particularly rainy area, I would invest in a good rain suit . I had one that I could get on over jeans and layers of tops and a coat and I always stayed dry during rainy games. It would be well worth the cost!
Some stadiums will not allow umbrellas (because it obstructs others' view) so if you do not have a rain suit a poncho of some sort will do.
Lightning at the Stadium: When you hear thunder, lightning is likely within 8-10 miles away… close enough that it could strike at your location. Lightning can strike from clear blue sky and with no rain falling.
The stadium will probably be evacuated until there has been no thunder or lightning for 30 minutes.
At night, you can see lightning in the clouds from much further away, so that might not mean the storm is a significant threat where you are. Officials will rely on hearing thunder and actual seeing lightning to determine if another 30 minute wait is necessary before play resumes.
Another thing to think about is that some stadiums will only allow clear containers to be brought in . No purses unless they are clear, no tote bags. Different stadiums have varying rules about food and beverages that can or cannot be brought in. Most require you to buy those items within the stadium.
Many college football stadiums have started serving wine and beer at games. If someone in your group plans to partake, be sure to have a designated driver so your day does not end in a bad way!
Simple tailgating at the stadiumA word about Tailgating : It can be as simple as a blanket or card table by the car in the parking lot, or as fancy as a tent, generator, tv, coolers, grills, etc. It all depends on your location, the traditions for your school, your budget, and your wishes.
Tailgating can be an art form at some localesFor Game Day at Home you can go as casual or fancy as you desire. I like to wear my team t-shirt or sweatshirt to watch games. If you are having a group of friends over who pull for “the other team (s)”, it's always fun to have everyone wear their team jersey or t-shirt to spark some good-natured rivalry.
A game like corn hole is a fun way to get up and move around during half time or long timeouts. It's also another way to have fun with rivalries… school against school!
Cornhole is an entertaining game for a group of peopleAgain, think about the time involved with a game when you plan your day. Snacks are a must. Party ham rolls (see recipe below) are a favorite of mine because the recipe makes a lot of them and they can be made ahead.
Chips and dip are always good to have. So is popcorn. Whatever you like to munch on will work. If the group tends to congregate at the same house all the time, insist on everyone helping to provide snacks and beverages. If the game is late afternoon, a pizza delivery about halftime is a good and easy dinner.
Another note: if you have children , plan something for them too so they can stay occupied while you are watching the game.
Have some kid-appropriate snacks for them. It might even pay to hire a sitter if the children are infants / toddlers or preschoolers who can not very well entertain themselves. Split the cost among the couples with kids.
Include them in the pizza dinner for some family together time then go back to what everybody was doing during the first half. Or use half time to get baths and pajamas on so when bedtime rolls around you have that already done.
For groups who like to watch football, why not have the guys at one house and the girls at another once in a while (since you will know all about the game after reading this site!)?
If there are kids who like to play together, switch off every weekend. Let the guys watch them one Saturday while the girls take their turn the next time or hire a sitter for the game duration!
Plan short (so you are not worn out) outdoor outings with the kids earlier in the day so they have something special to do and maybe they will be ready for some quiet time when the game starts.
And remember, game day does not have to turn into a big deal… Just you and your significant other or you by yourself watching a game can be just as much fun as a group!
Party Ham Rolls
Ingredients:
3 pkg party or slider rolls
3 tbsp poppy seeds
2 sticks margarine or butter - softened
3 tbsp mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pound thin slided ham
3/4 pound thin sliced swiss cheese
Directions:
1 Mix margarine or butter, mustard, poppy seeds and Worcestershire sauce
2. Cut rolls in half so you have tops and bottoms
3 Spread both sides with butter mixture
4. Layer ham and cheese
5 Put tops back on rolls, cover with foil, and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
6 Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese melts
At this point they can be served, covered and put in the refrigerator, or wrapped in foil and put in the freezer. When ready to serve, warm in oven or microwave.
Note: Poppy seeds can cause positive drug screen results ....