highwayman
Knows Less Than PJ Fleck
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2009
- Messages
- 8,010
- Reaction score
- 1,708
- Points
- 113
It's probably late to start a new thread, but I wasn't quite sure where to place my observations from 41 hours in "The City of the Crosses".
The City:
Very clean, very modern-at least around the campus area. Every store chain, lots of restaurants. Had breakfast burrito at Mesilla Valley Kitchen. Hot chili home fries and even hotter green chili, eggs and bacon. Seems to be more geared to the native Las Crucians.
Stayed at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, very nice, less than $100. Pool, 2 bars, restaurant, plenty of eating places within a couple blocks.
People are very friendly and gracious.
The Stadium:
Of course small, and very old. Parts were built in 1933 and the stadium was renovated in 1978. Bench seats, you can buy seatbacks. The north end zone is tiered standing room and the south end is grass a grass berm. Scoreboard is large, but the graphics screen was beat up and the picture quality was poor (Aggievision?).
The parking is plentiful AND FREE. We were shocked to pull into the north tailgate lot, which was unattended and only a couple of blocks from the stadium. We found some Gopher fans right away and set up camp. Was met by Mr. Gopher and Some Day...Is Coming! and his family for beers and good cheer. Also met several fans from Tucson, Albuquerque, and Houston who had made the trek.
Police presence was constant but not intrusive. More concerned with broken glass than anything else. Beer not a problem.
THE GAME:
I'd like to think the perspective of how things went for us would be completely different that what was seen on TV or heard on the radio. I'll kind of go with a random stream of consciousness...
Condition of the field was pretty shabby. The NMSU band ripped it up during the pregame. When the sent their horseman around the field, his steed took up big chunks of sod. I'll bet there was about an inch of grass on top of an inch of topsoil. I was surprised that it seemed to hold up throughout. I wonder if cleat selection made a difference.
There was a very strong wind blowing 20 MPH throughout the first half. No flags on the uprights. I was very impressed that Hawthorne hit the 45 yard filed goal. He had to gauge the wind by the US flag that was 20 yards behind the end zone and in the NW corner. The wind dissipated somewhat after sunset, but not a lot. Not too warm, but you had to hydrate. It was obvious that when Maxx Williams went off that it was cramps.
Strangely, they had the NMSU cheerleaders in front of us and the Minnesota cheerleaders on the far side. They didn't show up with Goldy until the fourth quarter, and for one cheer. Weird.
The couple behind us has season tickets in our section at the Bank.
But for basically one play, the defense was nearly lights out in the first half. I don't know if it was noted that someone got a hand on the first NMSU punt. It was so loud that you would have been sure it was blocked. As it was, they got a hell of a roll.
Engel's catch was a great effort. He had to sort of leap at the end to haul it in, which is why he fell at the four.
On the long NMSU punt, M. Jones was standing on the wrong yard line to start. By the time he adjusted, it was too late and over his head.
Williams catch on the ensuing drive was a thing of beauty. It's not hard to believe this guy is going to be the best TE in the B1G soon.
Cobb's TD run was a weaving, churning, beaut as well. A well deserved score. Nice 94 yard drive.
After the NMSU score, Rodrick Williams blew up the Aggies. It was the most dominating, crushing rushing drive by one guy I've seen since Barber or Russell.
Jones' PR was amazing to see live. After he had been crushed (a foul) on the first return, misjudged the second, and then bobbled this one, the ensuing run was fantastic. It totally deflated the Aggies and their fans. I think about 1/4 went home at the half.
Third Quarter was pretty dull, but Hageman's tackle on fourth down made up for it.
On NMSU's 4th down gambit, the QB had it if he had just fallen down forward. Instead, he then went to his left and retracted.
Williams' 17 yard run to the two was as about a crushing run as I've seen. Right in front of us. The popping from the pads and Williams hits on the NMSU players were loud! The Minnesota fans greatly appreciated the effort. His subsequent run was bizarre. He got hit after her was in the end zone and had veered toward the bleachers. NMSU then forced him back over the goal line to the 1/2 yard. Mattered not as Nelson leaped over.
Hill's return was fun as well. As he pulled out of the pile, he had a half dozen blockers with him. His run and score was right in front of us.
In the end, the defense really didn't look that bad. NMSU threw the ball around, but the last score was 2nd team against 2nd team, and the two fourth down stops were just that, stops. Better to have NMSU throwing it about on us week two than Indiana. This experience on the road was a good one for this team. It will pay dividends down the line.
The only downside to the entire evening was a jerk Aggie fan. After the last two Minnesota TD's he ran down in front of some Gopher fans from Texas that had come up from the game. He would do the "Aggie Shootin' Pistols" right in their faces. Why he was celebrating our TD's I don't know--just a jerk. I think he was trying to impede their view. He was warned twice by security to knock it off. The third time, one of our friends from Texas popped him. It turned into a brawl with a dozen or so. Cops came to break it up and some dumb student postured one them and threated a cop, resulting in a face-down on the concrete as he was cuffed. They cleared out the entire section next to us for the rest of the game and cuffed the protagonist and the Gopher fan. I'm pretty sure they ended up with no charges after a damn long talking to. I think the dumbass student spent the night in jail.
We had a couple of beers after the game in a nearly empty parking lot. Made some new friends and came away with a win.
Anyone else that was there can add.
The City:
Very clean, very modern-at least around the campus area. Every store chain, lots of restaurants. Had breakfast burrito at Mesilla Valley Kitchen. Hot chili home fries and even hotter green chili, eggs and bacon. Seems to be more geared to the native Las Crucians.
Stayed at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, very nice, less than $100. Pool, 2 bars, restaurant, plenty of eating places within a couple blocks.
People are very friendly and gracious.
The Stadium:
Of course small, and very old. Parts were built in 1933 and the stadium was renovated in 1978. Bench seats, you can buy seatbacks. The north end zone is tiered standing room and the south end is grass a grass berm. Scoreboard is large, but the graphics screen was beat up and the picture quality was poor (Aggievision?).
The parking is plentiful AND FREE. We were shocked to pull into the north tailgate lot, which was unattended and only a couple of blocks from the stadium. We found some Gopher fans right away and set up camp. Was met by Mr. Gopher and Some Day...Is Coming! and his family for beers and good cheer. Also met several fans from Tucson, Albuquerque, and Houston who had made the trek.
Police presence was constant but not intrusive. More concerned with broken glass than anything else. Beer not a problem.
THE GAME:
I'd like to think the perspective of how things went for us would be completely different that what was seen on TV or heard on the radio. I'll kind of go with a random stream of consciousness...
Condition of the field was pretty shabby. The NMSU band ripped it up during the pregame. When the sent their horseman around the field, his steed took up big chunks of sod. I'll bet there was about an inch of grass on top of an inch of topsoil. I was surprised that it seemed to hold up throughout. I wonder if cleat selection made a difference.
There was a very strong wind blowing 20 MPH throughout the first half. No flags on the uprights. I was very impressed that Hawthorne hit the 45 yard filed goal. He had to gauge the wind by the US flag that was 20 yards behind the end zone and in the NW corner. The wind dissipated somewhat after sunset, but not a lot. Not too warm, but you had to hydrate. It was obvious that when Maxx Williams went off that it was cramps.
Strangely, they had the NMSU cheerleaders in front of us and the Minnesota cheerleaders on the far side. They didn't show up with Goldy until the fourth quarter, and for one cheer. Weird.
The couple behind us has season tickets in our section at the Bank.
But for basically one play, the defense was nearly lights out in the first half. I don't know if it was noted that someone got a hand on the first NMSU punt. It was so loud that you would have been sure it was blocked. As it was, they got a hell of a roll.
Engel's catch was a great effort. He had to sort of leap at the end to haul it in, which is why he fell at the four.
On the long NMSU punt, M. Jones was standing on the wrong yard line to start. By the time he adjusted, it was too late and over his head.
Williams catch on the ensuing drive was a thing of beauty. It's not hard to believe this guy is going to be the best TE in the B1G soon.
Cobb's TD run was a weaving, churning, beaut as well. A well deserved score. Nice 94 yard drive.
After the NMSU score, Rodrick Williams blew up the Aggies. It was the most dominating, crushing rushing drive by one guy I've seen since Barber or Russell.
Jones' PR was amazing to see live. After he had been crushed (a foul) on the first return, misjudged the second, and then bobbled this one, the ensuing run was fantastic. It totally deflated the Aggies and their fans. I think about 1/4 went home at the half.
Third Quarter was pretty dull, but Hageman's tackle on fourth down made up for it.
On NMSU's 4th down gambit, the QB had it if he had just fallen down forward. Instead, he then went to his left and retracted.
Williams' 17 yard run to the two was as about a crushing run as I've seen. Right in front of us. The popping from the pads and Williams hits on the NMSU players were loud! The Minnesota fans greatly appreciated the effort. His subsequent run was bizarre. He got hit after her was in the end zone and had veered toward the bleachers. NMSU then forced him back over the goal line to the 1/2 yard. Mattered not as Nelson leaped over.
Hill's return was fun as well. As he pulled out of the pile, he had a half dozen blockers with him. His run and score was right in front of us.
In the end, the defense really didn't look that bad. NMSU threw the ball around, but the last score was 2nd team against 2nd team, and the two fourth down stops were just that, stops. Better to have NMSU throwing it about on us week two than Indiana. This experience on the road was a good one for this team. It will pay dividends down the line.
The only downside to the entire evening was a jerk Aggie fan. After the last two Minnesota TD's he ran down in front of some Gopher fans from Texas that had come up from the game. He would do the "Aggie Shootin' Pistols" right in their faces. Why he was celebrating our TD's I don't know--just a jerk. I think he was trying to impede their view. He was warned twice by security to knock it off. The third time, one of our friends from Texas popped him. It turned into a brawl with a dozen or so. Cops came to break it up and some dumb student postured one them and threated a cop, resulting in a face-down on the concrete as he was cuffed. They cleared out the entire section next to us for the rest of the game and cuffed the protagonist and the Gopher fan. I'm pretty sure they ended up with no charges after a damn long talking to. I think the dumbass student spent the night in jail.
We had a couple of beers after the game in a nearly empty parking lot. Made some new friends and came away with a win.
Anyone else that was there can add.
