UMass at UConn

To kick off our Labor Day weekend, we tripped to Connecticut to catch a football game.  We set the GPS for the UConn campus and left ourselves about 15 minutes to park and find our seats.  Never did we dream that there wouldn't be a football stadium there. 

We had to stop and ask how to find the game.  The University of Connecticut is set in a beautiful rural farm setting, and sadly, we discovered, is a good 30 minutes away from their home field in East Hartford.  To my credit, I remember driving to UConn 20 years ago to watch my brother-in-law play.  He was a place kicker on the UConn team.  I'm POSITIVE we watched him play somewhere on campus.  I suppose things like growth, division one football and the passage of time have something to do with changes that I haven't kept track of...

In some cases, it certainly pays to do your homework.

When we arrived at the stadium, we did not expect to have to drive right on by and park 1.5 miles away on an old airstrip, then walk a good 20 minutes through fields and past rows of portable toilets back to the gates.  By the time we circled the arena looking for our seats, we were just ready to SIT and be entertained.

We missed the first quarter.

On the bright side, we really enjoy a good football game, SO it's a good thing we were there mostly for the band.  UMass lost 37-0 in an embarrassing contest to a team that we were told is "just okay."

The halftime show was worth the drive, the walk and everything.

There's a reason that the UMass Marching Band is called the Power and Class of New England.  They do not disappoint.

The two bands took the field together  and played a beautiful rendition of  America the Beautiful.

It was pretty great to run into Enrique, too.

He was in top form, and clearly in right in his element.

There was a lot of fun energy there.

By the fifth quarter show put on by the marching bands from both universities, we were starting to drag a little.

The UMass band's signature piece of the evening was Lionel Richie's "All Night Long," and it was starting to feel like the theme piece for our adventure.

We enjoyed the talent and enthusiasm that the band just bleeds into an empty stadium even after the crowds have disappeared.

See the rhythm all in their feet
Life is good, wild and sweet
Let the music play on...

This will be a fun season to watch.