Chattanooga Is Home

We got a babysitter at 6 pm. Talk about cutting it close!

Before we took Fuller to the babysitter, we all milled around the First Tennessee Pavilion taking in all the fans (way more App State fans than UMass fans) and the Coca-Cola sponsored games. Pontiac (a big NCAA sponsor) was there with their car tour, where the emcee doted on our little boy and how cute he is. Then we had an opportunity to teach Fuller about giving by letting him give my bus fare to the Marines for Toys for Tots.

We had a really good time at the actual game. For one thing, my husband and a friend dressed up and had signs as a protest to the Bowl Championship Series. But beyond that fun, we really had a good time just being at the game, watching football, and staying mostly warm. (I didn’t have a coat, but used my gloves to keep my hands comfortable.) 

In the stands we were surrounded by my co-workers since we were in the section that had been bought up by my company. Quite a few Chattanooga businesses purchased tickets to give away or sell, which is an indicator this game is a local event as well as one for the fans.

Speaking of fans, I don’t think anyone from Boone, North Carolina was acutally in Boone on Friday night. They were all at Finley Stadium. My friend Marcus was missing being at the game, but live blogged the highlights. At the end, when App State won he said,

I wish I was in Boone tonight. I know there’s a celebration on King Street.

Well Marcus, there may have been a celebration on King Street, but the fans on the field were celebrating just as hard. The App State fans went over the wall and onto the field before the game was even over! I think there was 18 seconds left when the game was called. I stood on the patio to watch the crowd and take a few pictures, but we left soon afterwards.

This is a great tradition for my family. Congratulations to Appalachian State for their second Divison 1 Champsionship Subdivision Championship (that’s a long title). And Congratulations to Chattanooga for hosting such a great event.

[tags]Appalachian State, App State, Division 1 Championship Subdivision, Division 1 AA, NCAA Football, Football, Chattanooga, Finley Stadium[/tags]