I'm planning on getting my boy Tiger'ized next fall shortly after his 11th birthday. Right now he doesn't seem too interested in watching them on television, although he does last about 2 possessions until it's back to the PS3. I'm thinking the game day atmosphere and Tiger Stadium, a long with seeing Mike at his habitat etc whill change all of that. I do however plan to get down to BR this spring with him for some LSU baseball games, but right now I have a lot going on with school this fall.
I'm bringing my oldest to his first game this weekend...against his will. He's seven, and though I've tried for the last seven years to get him interested, he's just not. Well...we got free tickets, and we're going, dammit! I'll come repost after this weekend and tell you how it went.
My first game was as an 8 yr old for Wichita St in the mid 80s. I remember walking to the game after parking near River Rd and everyone started running. I asked my dad "Is this what you meant about LSU fans sometimes getting really excited?". He said "No, the train is coming. Let's hurry up so we don't have to wait for it to pass." When we finally got to the tracks (near old Alex Box), I could see it coming about a football field away.
My kids were born during the national championship years. I took my eldest to one of the cupcake games when he was 8. Our seats happened to be right under the 2003 championship banner (near student section). He liked the game but I don't think he will be as obsessive about sports like I am and maybe that's a good thing. I had hoped his first game would be during another national championship season and it looked like it may happen until the game that should not be mentioned (he's really into the Harry Potter books and even convinced me to read the 1st one).
I brought my then baby son and my then 4 year old daughter with my then wife to the Ole Miss game (the year escapes me....but it was COLD as fuck and it was JaMarcus's last game at Tiger Stadium). I paid top dollar for the tix for the kids and they were so cold that they bundled up in LSU blankets and fell asleep. It got so cold and my then wife was not comfortable and LSU was losing so she made me go back to the RV with her (only time I'd ever taken an RV to a game) and lo' and behold the Tigers stormed back from behind to beat Ole Miss. Did I mention how f'ing cold it was that night?
I know the night, it was the same night as "Shanestock 1" a surprise coming home party for one of my tours in Iraq. Yes it was cold here in Oklahoma that night as well. We had a band, a bon fire, a half dozen of those turbo jet kerosene heaters a couple kegs, it was bad ass. I think we won it on a FG late or something like that.
