Finally Home; Impressions of the Game and Ireland

[Lexjacket]

We're finally back from Ireland via Dublin to Frankfurt, Germany to Atlanta. I woke up at 4AM (9AM Dublin time) feeling tired but good, which is not bad for a 65 yr. old surviving a 10 day epic vacation of walking, climbing stairs, going down stairs, driving miles and miles on the left side of the road in the sun, wind and rain.

I am grateful to Georgia Tech football for so many memories and experiences over the many years I've followed them. But, the Ireland trip and the football game was 'the best' of all. As I am starting a new Ireland thread (moderators forgive me) I'm going to intersperse commentary with pictures. We left our hotel for the game on the Dublin tram called LUAS to Connolly Stationthen DART commuter train to Aviva Stadium.....

The stadium personnel were extremely courteous and helpful, one look at my white hair and they ushered us to an elevator that took us took us to our seats in section 503. Aviva stadium is beautiful, has comfortable seats and the best acoustics of any stadium I've ever visited (stereophonic, loud but not blaring or distorted. I think the shell makes it surround sound.

The weather was rainy to drizzly, the grass on the field was long and I'm sure made the track slow and slippery. The Tech fans were LOUD and PROUD (the Irish newspapers said we were 'fanatical') and the BC fans (greatly outnumbered) were weak and meek.

I just finished watching the game on GT Bob's youtube download and came away with a new appreciation for our team. This was a very good win for us. I know it wasn't pretty, but for a first game our team did well. I did not realize their team was so big, fast and physical. They were a much better team than I realized. WE DID GOOD.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

We're finally back from Ireland via Dublin to Frankfurt, Germany to Atlanta. I woke up at 4AM (9AM Dublin time) feeling tired but good, which is not bad for a 65 yr. old surviving a 10 day epic vacation of walking, climbing stairs, going down stairs, driving miles and miles on the left side of the road in the sun, wind and rain.

I am grateful to Georgia Tech football for so many memories and experiences over the many years I've followed them. But, the Ireland trip and the football game was 'the best' of all. As I am starting a new Ireland thread (moderators forgive me) I'm going to intersperse commentary with pictures. We left our hotel for the game on the Dublin tram called LUAS to Connolly Stationthen DART commuter train to Aviva Stadium.....

View attachment 1840 View attachment 1841

The stadium personnel were extremely courteous and helpful, one look at my white hair and they ushered us to an elevator that took us took us to our seats in section 503. Aviva stadium is beautiful, has comfortable seats and the best acoustics of any stadium I've ever visited (stereophonic, loud but not blaring or distorted. I think the shell makes it surround sound.

The weather was rainy to drizzly, the grass on the field was long and I'm sure made the track slow and slippery. The Tech fans were LOUD and PROUD (the Irish newspapers said we were 'fanatical') and the BC fans (greatly outnumbered) were weak and meek.

I just finished watching the game on GT Bob's youtube download and came away with a new appreciation for our team. This was a very good win for us. I know it wasn't pretty, but for a first game our team did well. I did not realize their team was so big, fast and physical. They were a much better team than I realized. WE DID GOOD.

How was the game time atmosphere, particularly the stuff the Irish stadium guys did between plays and during timeouts. I can't stand piped in loud rap music between plays. I don't imagine you had any of that?

 

[Lexjacket]

How was the game time atmosphere, particularly the stuff the Irish stadium guys did between plays and during timeouts. I can't stand piped in loud rap music between plays. I don't imagine you had any of that?

Cheese they played a little rap/hip=hop pregame but mostly they let the bands play. Someone posted the halftime show which had Riverdance style dancers that gives a little sound of the accoustics.


this is pregame.....


and don't forget this, the Irish loved it....

 

[Lexjacket]

We stayed at a castle the first week we were in Ireland, on the Irish west coast about 15 miles north of Galway. I found it several years ago on vrbo.com (vacation rental by owner) and 'put it in my pocket', waiting for the opportunity, which the Tech game gave me. Libertyturns told me I needed to hang a Tech banner on the Carraigin Castle walls and claim it for Geogia Tech! So I did.....inside and out......

Carraigin Castle was built in 1254 by Norman Conqerors and the present owner refurbished the ruins in 1970 - 1976 and you can rent it for the same amount that you could rent a 3 bedroom condo in Destin. This is the web site.....

https://www.vrbo.com/307437

 

[Lexjacket]

I wanted to say everywhere we went the people in Ireland were aware of the game and everywhere we went we ran into Tech fans. The Georgia Tech fanbase are great ambassadors and we were told more than once from the folks in Ireland they were pulling for us and thought we were 'funny' (in a good way), they were saying we had 'personality'.

I also wanted to say I love the Irish people. They have a lot of personality and will initiate the conversation and love to tease with a touch of sarcasm.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I wanted to say everywhere we went the people in Ireland were aware of the game and everywhere we went we ran into Tech fans. The Georgia Tech fanbase are great ambassadors and we were told more than once from the folks in Ireland they were pulling for us and thought we were 'funny' (in a good way), they were saying we had 'personality'.

 

[Lexjacket]

Cheese it was more like this......

 

[Lexjacket]

One thing about the game, and this year's team. I'm seeing a lot of opinions that extrapolate last years team performance to the BC game. I'm not a detail analyst of X's and O's. But I have watched a whole lot of Georgia Tech football teams over the years. This year's team does not look like last year's team. They have guys that are making plays when plays need to be made; I didn't see that last year. There were many reasons why any football team wouldn't play well, first game, strange country, odd (but cool) looking stadium, jet lag (yes, even young people have it), constant rain/drizzle and playing against a dang good team with size and speed. Last year's team would have lost, this year's team is different. So, I know it's an engineering 'thing' but stop extrapolating so much.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

One thing about the game, and this year's team. I'm seeing a lot of opinions that extrapolate last years team performance to the BC game. I'm not a detail analyst of X's and O's. But I have watched a whole lot of Georgia Tech football teams over the years. This year's team does not look like last year's team. They have guys that are making plays when plays need to be made; I didn't see that last year. There were many reasons why any football team wouldn't play well, first game, strange country, odd (but cool) looking stadium, jet lag (yes, even young people have it), constant rain/drizzle and playing against a dang good team with size and speed. Last year's team would have lost, this year's team is different. So, I know it's an engineering 'thing' but stop extrapolating so much.

I wonder about the jet lag aspect. I never understood why they traveled on Wednesday night rather than Tuesday night or even earlier. COULD have made a difference.