In a place where the dorms are the most densely populated area of the entire state, Wyoming football would hardly seem like much of an attraction. However, the Cowboys are all that the state has in the way of sports. The most interesting fact about War Memorial Stadium is that it has the highest altitude of any Division I-A football field at 7,220 feet. Driving from Denver to Laramie is a bit of an adventure. Civilization begins to get diluted in the wide-open ranges and mountain peaks. Soon, the mountains are gone and all that remains are rock formations and open spaces. You have reached Wyoming. With the mountains gone, it is natural to think that you have descended. However, the roads rise to meet the mountains and it is evidenced by the ear popping that occurs along I-25. It is wide-open, sparse land that suddenly opens up to a cute college community. The stadium is a beautiful venue lined with pine trees and horizon lines meeting the blue sky. But lately, game day has not been a main attraction, which is mind boggling because your choices on what to do in Wyoming are quite limited. I would think game day would be counted down on Cowboy calendars across the state. In a stadium that holds 33,500, new coach Joe Glenn has been campaigning to average 20,000 per game. In addition, certain stadium amenities seem rather antiquated. For example, the bathrooms are drab and the concessions made me feel like I was in a bad 1980’s movie with old red and white popcorn carts and poor lighting. Maybe it could be viewed as charming, but if you want to pack the stands, you have to update your facilities. One of my favorite moments was going down to field level behind the goal posts. There is a lot of freedom at War Memorial Stadium and many fans abandon their assigned seats to get an up close view behind the fence near the end zone. I witnessed a score right up close, but what followed was hilarious: The kicker set up for the extra point and the net that catches the ball began to raise up behind the goal posts. However, when the kicker successfully kicked the ball through it became clear that the net was not tall enough. The ball flew right over the net, over our heads, and hit the scoreboard breaking a light bulb in the process. We laughed hysterically, but to the Wyoming fans around us, it seemed rather commonplace. I will say, though, as naïve as those fans may be to high-class football, the ones that do attend are die-hard. The tailgating is excellent around the stadium and fans cheer, “Cowboys! Cowboys! Cowboys!” loudly and proudly. “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” plays often and the mascot, a brown and white Shetland pony, circles the stadium with each Wyoming score. War Memorial Stadium is a perfect example of why college football is so great. The city of Laramie can hardly be located on a map, but it still holds an important piece of the fabric of this great sport. It may not be Michigan Stadium, but its quaintness, culture, and enthusiasm make it an intriguing venue to visit.
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Fight song provided by www.wyomingathletics.com |
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