steelreserve
09-18-2011, 08:43 PM
So we lucked out and got not only suite tickets but passes to go on the field before the game - not the end zone, the actual sideline where the players are - and also got to meet some of the players as they were coming out of the locker room. I ended up with something like 109 pictures, (none of which I'm in; those are all on other people's cameras) and I'm not sure if any of them really do the experience justice, but thought I'd post a few of the better ones that give an idea of how awesome it is when they let you be literally like 5 feet away. A few other things I learned from being there:
- Except for the linemen, every one of these guys routinely runs faster than you or I have ever run in our lives.
- Casey Hampton is the jolliest guy I've seen; he's doing nothing but smiling all before the game and all after the game, and stopping and joking around with regular people on the way in and out. Really nice guy, it seems.
- I should be a lot more forgiving about missed tackles. If any one of these players was running at me and I was supposed to tackle them, I absolutely would not know what to do. Even guys like Hines Ward are pretty intimidating when they're up close and going full speed.
- All this stuff you hear about Ben changing the way he acts seems completely true. He walks out after the game limping and beat up and obviously feeling like shit, and he was at a place where he could've just kept walking down the tunnel out of sight and no one would've stopped him ... but instead he stops and turns around, and waves a bunch of kids to come over, and then stands there signing autographs and posing for pictures until everyone including the adults has had a chance.
- Marcus Gilbert was really cool. He was going out of his way to shake people's hands and was really polite to all the fans, thanking them for coming to the game and saying things like "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all you guys supporting the team."
- For some reason, Aaron Smith and Doug Legursky do not look like they weigh 300 pounds. Smith also doesn't look like one of the oldest guys on the team; he might be in his 20s for all I could tell. James Harrison is one of the most hulking, in-shape people I have ever seen, and has the most intense, laser-focused expression whether it's an hour and a half before the game or an hour after. If there is one guy I would not want to fight EVER, it's him, and that includes professional boxers.
- Finally, I already knew this, but Chris Hoke is awesome. He's a big fan of the Aquabats, so I asked him about that and he stood around for a good 5 minutes BSing with me. Totally cool guy.
Anyway, the pictures ...
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/hampton-farrior-smaller.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/sepulveda.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/LB-huddle01.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/wallace-catch.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/db-catch.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/signed-ball.jpg
- Except for the linemen, every one of these guys routinely runs faster than you or I have ever run in our lives.
- Casey Hampton is the jolliest guy I've seen; he's doing nothing but smiling all before the game and all after the game, and stopping and joking around with regular people on the way in and out. Really nice guy, it seems.
- I should be a lot more forgiving about missed tackles. If any one of these players was running at me and I was supposed to tackle them, I absolutely would not know what to do. Even guys like Hines Ward are pretty intimidating when they're up close and going full speed.
- All this stuff you hear about Ben changing the way he acts seems completely true. He walks out after the game limping and beat up and obviously feeling like shit, and he was at a place where he could've just kept walking down the tunnel out of sight and no one would've stopped him ... but instead he stops and turns around, and waves a bunch of kids to come over, and then stands there signing autographs and posing for pictures until everyone including the adults has had a chance.
- Marcus Gilbert was really cool. He was going out of his way to shake people's hands and was really polite to all the fans, thanking them for coming to the game and saying things like "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all you guys supporting the team."
- For some reason, Aaron Smith and Doug Legursky do not look like they weigh 300 pounds. Smith also doesn't look like one of the oldest guys on the team; he might be in his 20s for all I could tell. James Harrison is one of the most hulking, in-shape people I have ever seen, and has the most intense, laser-focused expression whether it's an hour and a half before the game or an hour after. If there is one guy I would not want to fight EVER, it's him, and that includes professional boxers.
- Finally, I already knew this, but Chris Hoke is awesome. He's a big fan of the Aquabats, so I asked him about that and he stood around for a good 5 minutes BSing with me. Totally cool guy.
Anyway, the pictures ...
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/hampton-farrior-smaller.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/sepulveda.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/LB-huddle01.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/wallace-catch.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/db-catch.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f370/capt_taco/signed-ball.jpg