FB: Duke 20 UVA 13; Bowl Eligible Again

[orrnot]

As noted before, TV films the visitors side. I'm not saying attendance couldn't be improved, but this is not fair way to assess attendance, or fan ratios.

I am surprised by how many people critical of attendance don't realize this.

Our basketball arena's reputation is built in no small part on its peculiar television layout; I suppose it's fitting, unfortunately, that Wade's is too.

[SharkD]

I'm surprised we call it the visitors side. How many major programs call 1/2 of their stadium the visitors side. It will be nice when it's just one small section that's reserved for visitors.

Sections 1-2 are for visiting team fans.
Sections 4-6 are season tickets.
Sections 7-9 are employee/staff/faculty season tickets.

NTGAMMVTMHPHKOS.jpg

All around me, in Section 9, were Medical School alumni, most of whom graduated in the mid-1960s and early 1970s; very few of them stuck around past the middle of the third quarter. I can't fault them -- it was sweltering (unlike the home side, we sit in the sun until sunset) and the blue seats are not all that comfortable if you're tall and/or wide.

[BigWayne]

"visitors side" is not just tickets for visitors...it's just that half the stadium. The sections for the visiting teams are just the two at the very end of the stadium. The rest of the side was empty because the mid afternoon sun was baking it like a broiler, so many of those patrons stood elsewhere in the shade. In the few minutes i got to see the crowd at the end of the game, it seemed that that side had gotten much more filled, perhaps as the sun got lower in the sky and it cooled slightly.

That said, to the person who questioned "visitors side" it's just a convenient monicker...much like halves of cameron can be referred to as the visitors bench and duke bench sides, or tv/non tv side. i've heard other football stadiums referred to as home and away sides...so i'm not sure it's something we have to move beyond...

Yes, that and the fact that the visiting football team is on that side of the field. It's not all about who sits in the stands.

[uh_no]

Yes, that and the fact that the visiting football team is on that side of the field. It's not all about who sits in the stands.

Right, that's the point. It's simply convenient to have an easy way to reference the two sides. Very much like "open/closed" end of the stadium. I think some people construed "visitors side" to mean "tickets given to the visiting team" which has been pointed out to only be a very small % of seats on the open end of the visitors side.

[tux]

Sections 1-2 are for visiting team fans.
Sections 4-6 are season tickets.
Sections 7-9 are employee/staff/faculty season tickets.

NTGAMMVTMHPHKOS.jpg

All around me, in Section 9, were Medical School alumni, most of whom graduated in the mid-1960s and early 1970s; very few of them stuck around past the middle of the third quarter. I can't fault them -- it was sweltering (unlike the home side, we sit in the sun until sunset) and the blue seats are not all that comfortable if you're tall and/or wide.

Instead of just more seats, what we really need is a lot more shaded seats!!! Not sure how to do that. Maybe with an extra $10 million, we can install blue seats that blow cold air up our rears...

[tux]

Instead of just more seats, what we really need is a lot more shaded seats!!! Not sure how to do that. Maybe with an extra $10 million, we can install blue seats that blow cold air up our rears...

Here we go -> link

[CameronBornAndBred]

Instead of just more seats, what we really need is a lot more shaded seats!!! Not sure how to do that. Maybe with an extra $10 million, we can install blue seats that blow cold air up our rears...

I was laughing when I saw the latest issue of goduke magazine and they had a picture of the new stadium. Beneath the press box, there is a balcony of seats. The seats UNDER that balcony are going to be prized possessions.

[sagegrouse]

Instead of just more seats, what we really need is a lot more shaded seats!!! Not sure how to do that. Maybe with an extra $10 million, we can install blue seats that blow cold air up our rears...

I was laughing when I saw the latest issue of goduke magazine and they had a picture of the new stadium. Beneath the press box, there is a balcony of seats. The seats UNDER that balcony are going to be prized possessions.

Is there something called a "cantilever?" If not, someone should invent it. Seriously, a steep upper deck, protruding over the lower stands, casts a long shadow as afternoon progresses and, because of its steepness, is quickly in shadow itself. I think Duke's upper deck is more about luxury boxes than grandstands, but it should help the west side of the stadium a lot.

[Mal]

We can't really complain given our atrociously bad schedule. The big difference between Duke and Minnesota is that their loss is far better than ours - @TCU vs @Miami.

Precisely right - I'm sure that now, after TCU just stomped on Oklahoma State, Minnesota's sole loss (on the road; not as close as Duke's loss at Miami, but it never felt like we were going to win that game, and TCU looks like a legit playoff contender) looks even better still. Their wins aren't as good are ours, but on balance it's kind of a tossup. Duke and Minne happen to be the two teams I follow closely, and I'd say they're really quite even. On a neutral field, I'd probably pick the Gophers right now, although I would have gone with Duke three weeks ago. I just have a feeling their straight up the middle, jam it down your throat with a really good RB getting 30 carries rushing offense would give us fits without Kelby Brown, and they've recently developed a significantly improved efficiency in the passing game, especially on play action. Their defensive backfield is a strength, which could take away some of the advantages of having guys like Crowder. If Duke could get playmakers the ball on the edge, or run the option effectively, there are definitely weaknesses to exploit there, however.

In any event, I'm not a big fan of caring about whether we're in the polls or in others receiving votes at this point in the season. Keep winning in the Coastal and things will work out fine. Plus, given where we were pre-Cutcliffe, it's a miracle we're even having this discussion!