Hello everyone.
I'm Mike, CS 98, moved to the Chicago suburbs just over a year ago, and bought my first snowblower about 2 months ago. I started googling "Chicago Georgia Tech", joined the LinkedIn group, and next ended up here. It looks like a pretty nice group so I'm glad to have found this community. I'm currently reading threads here and elsewhere an am strategizing how to go about getting a ticket to the Notre Dame game next September and where to stay and all. (I'd like to spend a night there and explore the town and campus a bit.)
I can't believe how cold it is here, how much property tax I now pay, how sucky it is living without QT coffee, and that I graduated in the previous century, but nevertheless I'm really glad to be here.
Happy Friday, y'all!
There is not much to explore in South Bend. The town itself is rather small, the campus is about a 20 minute walk from the city center. In '97, we only found one bar open and there were 3 other people in it.
Getting tickets - Obviously stub hub or one of the other broker services if you do not want to wait.(saw some for around $150 recently) The visitors section is in the south end zone high up, the visitor band is typically in the south east corner low.
You can also wait for game day and buy tickets from scalpers.......The last two times Tech has played, I bought them immediately off the exit ramp from the interstate. Once tickets are sold through GTAA (and unless you are a donor you will not get any) you might find some on Atlanta area craigslist from people that have a change of plans.
There is a huge field on the north end of campus used for tailgating....I partied with lots of Tech people there in '07, including several players parents.....Calvin Johnson was even spotted walking around. There is also a lot of activities on campus run by students. The Tech Alumni Assoc. has also had a tailgate function in the past somewhere close to the stadium (usually something catered with beer/wine at around $75 / person)
As for hotels.....I have never stayed there.....it is my understanding that hotels close in book up early. The last two games I have just left at 4 am to get there at around 9 (coming from metro Detroit) They open the tailgate lot at about that time.....both games I have gone to have started at 2 pm Central time....since ND is not controlled by espn. DreesedCbeese has a brother that went to ND so he has a lot of inside knowledge of going to games there.
I will add once again, that the ND fans are great and gracious, the campus is beautiful and lots of tradition both before and during the game.