Am I really that weird?

Seconded. There's quite a few stadiums I've only driven past -- and more than a few of those I went out of my way just to see. I know I've got pictures of Texas Stadium, Superdome, Astrodome and New Comiskey, even though I've never set foot inside any of them.

 

Never been to a game at the Swamp, but a bud and I were driving up I-75 a coupla years ago and stopped in Gainesville to discover that Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is open to the public. We just walked right in. Made use of the facilities, even. There were people in there walking steps and doing laps around the field. We went in and looked around. Saw the "Best Team in the SEC" painted on the end zone wall. I hate the Gators, but it was still kinda cool.

 

When I was on vacation in NY this summer, we snagged $5 seats to a Yanks-D-Rays game. It was a makeup from an April rain-out, thus the cheap tickets. Directly behind home plate, two rows from the top of the stadium. Believe it or not, the cell-phone camera snagged a good shot, despite its rudimentary technology.

 

Rosie --
I have a photo of myself inside the rink in Warroad. Am I weird?

 

Something similar happened to me a few years ago in Atlanta. A buddy got married in Augusta, I got way too drunk at the reception, and had the honor of driving back home (to Illi-freaking-nois) with a massive hangover.

Had to drop a friend off at the ATL airport on the way, so I treated him to the beauty that is the Varsity. We still had some time to kill, so we walk across I-85 to check out Bobby Dodd Stadium, which is wide, wide open. He decides to run wind sprints. I decide to watch, in an effort to not puke/shit myself. Good times.

 

Rosie, it is not weird at all. I have pics of Coors Field and PNC Park in my cell phone from visits last summer. If I wasn't such a techno-failure I'd have put them into my computer and been able to post them. I'll have to have my niece teach me that one.

If I had it to do over again, I'd have taken pictures of all the stadiums/parks/arenas/colliseums/centers/centres/domes I've been to in my career for a scrapbook.

 

Never. Gets. Old.

 

You've been to Warroad?!

It would only be weird if you were wearing a Roseau jersey.

 

I take pictures of every baseball stadium I see -- Jacob's Field, RFK, Camden Yards, Shea Stadium, Yankee Stadium and PNC Park. There's not shame in it. If I'm normal, you are normal. Check that. ...

 

Two stories along the same lines, and I've got pics of both:

About 16 months ago, I was in Idaho for my brother-in-law's wedding. We left a little early to spend the night with my wife's aunt and uncle in Boise and had time to kill. We drove to Boise State and walked around campus, finding a surprisingly easy walk into the football field.

The JV was on the blue field, practicing. The varsity was in the covered practice area, doing their day-after workout - the guys that would beat Oklahoma. No one much seemed to care I was roaming around.

In a previous trip out west, my wife and I spent a few days on the Oregon Coast drinking and enjoying the views. We met a friend of hers for lunch in Corvallis. I figured there's no way I'll ever have reason to be in Corvallis again, so we found the football stadium.

Unlike Boise, it wasn't open. I struggled to find a space through a gate to snap a pic. Then a burly guy sauntered past.

"You want some pics of the stadium?" "Uh, sure." "Follow me."

He takes me through an entrance with a sign over top: Football Team Only. We walk up a couple flights of stairs and pop into the Oregon State weight room, which has a gorgeous end-zone view of the stadium. Coming from a middling Division III program, it was a sight to behold. What, you have your logos on the equipment?!

"I got one more place to show you." OK.

Back down a different set of stairs and we pop out in the locker room. It didn't look like much - particularly after seeing pics of the Ducks' palace - but it was nice enough and the sentiment was appreciated.

 

This is bullshit. Bears fans pulling the "Noooo" soundbyte is just wrong, it's only funny if Packers fans do it.

 

Actually, it's entirely applicable for the entire NFC Central (Yeah, I said it; not North) to trot that out.