As Syracuse Orange Get ready to release the latest upgrade to the JMA Wireless Dome, we’ve allowed the old man here to contribute a series of Greg Cote-inspired essays for your (hopefully) entertainment.
Benches!
Since the opening of what was then the Carrier Dome, Syracuse fans have flocked to these aluminum beacons of hope. No longer exposed to the harsh elements of Central New York, Orange fans could enjoy an improvement over the crumbling concrete of Archbold Stadium.
Who cared about comfort and legroom when you were cramming all your buddies into one row and then standing up and booing John Thompson’s Hoyas? In the 300s, you didn’t need a seat back because you were standing on your feet in 11 rows, spilling beer on winter jackets while you yelled after a brilliant Pearl idea or a perfectly executed freeze option.
We only needed the benches to stand up and yell at Jim Burr or make more noise before an opponent made a crucial 3rd down conversion. The benches allowed for a quicker exit to the Skytop buses – have you ever tried to climb down 20 steep rows of folding seats after a dozen Blue Lights? There’s a reason we’re in the stands and not on the field/court, you know.
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Set number: X32564 TK2 R2 F15
A few decades later, people are already complaining about the seats…
Blue is not the right color.
Why are there no armrests on level 300 seats?
Why don’t they have cup holders?
Armrests? When you are not holding food and drinks in your arms, you should clap or put the cup around your mouth to shout. You know where to put your cup – between your lips, otherwise it is your Dome foam falling downstream onto the unsuspecting Air Monarchs below.
What’s next? Are fans demanding that these chairs be replaced with massage chairs? Should we bring yoga mats so you can concentrate?
I’m glad I won’t be around when Section 311 becomes the La-Z-Boy VR Lounge.
Remember folks, when you buy a ticket to a Syracuse game, you’re paying for the whole seat, but you only need the edge…. I’m Kevin Wall, and that’s how it was at Back in My Dome.
