Mix together typical American homes with welcoming folks, well-appointed lawns, tree lined streets, a dash of cornfield and just a sprinkle of charm and you have West Lafayette, Indiana.  Ross-Ade Stadium lies in this town as a landmark at Purdue.  Like most of the buildings on campus, the stadium looks as though it had been attacked by a red-bricked monster.  This architectural style is contagious throughout the area, but despite its cookie-cutter structures, Purdue is a fantastic place to spend an autumn Saturday.  Visitors get a sense of West Lafayette's midwestern appeal as soon as they begin their search for parking because many of the locals happily open their lawns to cars from out-of-town areas.  Once at the stadium, fans are surrounded by a flurry of activity from the antics of Boilermaker Pete to true American tailgating.  Once inside the stadium, the American piece continues with entertainment from Purdue's All-American band which is nothing short of powerful and dramatic.  Their squad comes equipped with the world's largest drum, which is paraded around the stadium like a Lamborghini.  Following this pomp comes a tribute to America which is concluded with the crowd shouting, "I Am An American."  The words are uttered with a sense of gratefulness and loyalty.  But, I offer a word of advice to those who travel to Purdue:  Be sure to stand up during the star spangled banner and remove your hat.  This is standard in all stadiums in America, but at Purdue, failure to comply may result in a scolding.  I have witnessed other fans suffer the wrath of fervent patriots in this stadium and I know that they take being American to a high level.  Nevertheless, their devotion to both Purdue and America is inspiring.  Ross-Ade Stadium is a special place with all the bells and whistles - and I mean that literally.  Aside from the band, train whistles blow, drums are pounded, a canon is fired, and a bell from the Boilermaker Express is rung.  There exists so much history in the old building and it makes for a classic Big Ten atmosphere.  The experience is worth many return trips.

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