Of course, when you need to get eight seats to accomodate each member of your family, those seats tend to be a wee bit away from the field...
Actually, we all had a grand old time. You have to say this for the Arena Football League -- they sure know how to put on a good show!
Here is the introduction of the players, complete with scantily clad cheerleaders and pyrotechnics...
Arena Football is played on a field roughly the size of a ice hockey rink -- which allows the entire game to occur inside of a normal sized indoor arena...
The game is played with only eight players to a side, and the rules are changed from the NFL to promote scoring. Touchdown passes happen with frightening regularity and fireworks are always around the corner...
During halftime, the real fireworks took place, and if you look closely on the stage below, you can see the entertainment...
And since you can't probably see him, here's a picture of him on the jumbotron...
Yep, it's Bryan Adams.
The sad part, though, is that when they announced his name these three teenage girls behind our seats said, almost in unison, "Who is Bryan Adams?"
You know, Bryan Adams. "Summer of '69." "Run to You." "Heaven." "Cuts Like a Knife."
No?
Geez, I must be getting old when teenagers have no idea who I'm talking about.
Anyway, the Arena Bowl is a time of craziness and excitement which cannot be ignored. There were the mascots from around the league walking through the stands throwing t-shirts to the fans...
We came home with a free t-shirt (well free, if you don't count the $10 to park the van, the $24 in hot dogs, $14 worth of sodas, $4 in nachos, $12 in french fries... well, you get the idea).
The game was actually amazing. The Georgia Force scored a touchdown to tie the game with about 4 minutes left. The Colorado Crush scored the go ahead touchdown at about 1 minute to go. Georgia came back to tie with 18 seconds to go.
Finally the Crush threw a bomb to the 3 yard line and kicked a field goal to win as time expired.
Here is the celebration as the confetti fell upon the arena...
A stage came on the field and the band began to play. A lot of the Arena Football Teams are owned by NFL owners and players. The Cowboy's Jerry Jones owns the Dallas Desparados, for instance. The winning Crush is owned by Bronco's owner Pat Bowlen and hall of famer John Elway -- both of whom stood with the team to accept the trophy...
It's a good thing that the game is played on a hockey rink because the trophy looks like the Stanley Cup.
Here's John Elway handing it to another player...
It really was a fun time. As you can from all the pictures above, you really couldn't help but be fascinated about everything that was going on.
The sounds, the action. The lights, the music, and the fireworks.
The place was rocking and crazy.
The kids had a blast.
Just ask our daughter Alyssa who couldn't take her eyes off the action...
Or see little Malia who was enthralled with everything...
Oh well.
Posts
