And about the history of the OB, give me a break. Does it have more history than Tiger Stadium or Ebbets Field? These are buildings and when they start to crumble they need to be torn down. Spending 100+ million dollars on renovating that piece of junk and allowing the Marlins to get away would be a crime against this community. All for a small private school that most of its fans didn't attend. Give me a break.

 

A true Marlins fan blog:

 

http://www.floridafishfan.blogspot.com

Actually, I would say it has as much history as Tiger Stadium. Considering it hosted 5 Super Bowls, 11 College Football Championships were decided there, it was home to the Dolphins during the only undefeated season in NFL HISTORY. Many a boxing championship fights were held there in the past. It has also played host to Olympic Soccer matches, not to mention Gold Cup matches.

 

The Hurricanes have been promised renovations to this stadium for years and years and have even pledged a LOT of their own money. With some renovations it is possible for historic fields to remain both tributes to the past and very much comfortable in the present, such as Soldier Field, Lambeau Field, Fenway Park, Wrigley... all these stadiums and parks are filled with history, but have been updated over the years to improve the same things the OB needs improved, such as concessions, restroom facilities, the addition of revenue generating luxury boxes and the exterior facades.

Then they should build an "Orange Bowl" Museum and fill it with warm and fuzzy pictures and memories. They HAVE spent millions since the Dolphins left, in upkeep and renovations and the building is still falling apart. A baseball satdium on that site would have a smaller footprint and allow for more parking. Keeping a building around for sentimental reasons is about as smart as getting attached to a ballplayer that is overvalued. See http://www.floridafishfan.blogspot.com to see what I'm talking about. The post is called 'Loyalty..."

The stadium is not falling apart, like I've said, it can use help, but mostly in the creature comforts of it. In terms of actual football game viewing, there are VERY few places that give you quite the experience the OB does, in fact I doubt there is ANY upperdeck that puts viewers closer to the field then the OB. By your arguement all of our old stadiums would be destroyed, like the ones I mentioned in LAmbeau, Soldier Field, Wrigley, Fenway. I'm not against a Marlins stadium, but put it right next to the OB, That is the ideal situation.

 

And don't kid yourself in terms of how much they've spent in renovations... I've been going there for 16 years, and there have not been major changes there other than some seating changes to allow for handicapped access and seating areas. The changes that are planned now are to address a lot of the things that the city has neglected to take care of over the years, such as a Video Replay Board (which is about 10 years overdue) updating the exterior of the structure, expanding concourses for better concessions and restrooms, and adding luxury suites, plus I believe they are going to close in the open endzone and change all the seating in the stadium to be chairs instead of bleachers(the one thing I don't want, college football stadiums should have bleachers, not comfortable seats since you aren't supposed to be sitting..). Not to mention we voted on this bill to spend the $150 (or whatever) million last november and it passed, so the people should get what they wanted. The Canes have been here for A LOT longer than the Marlins and they deserve this money that they haven't gotten for a very long time. Again, I want the Marlins to have their own stadium, but I don't think the OB needs to be torn down to allow for it.

I've sat in that stadium for a rare sold out game and have felt the entire structure shake. It's a wonder that there hasn't been a calamity yet. There aren't enough bathrooms and speaking of which when you are walking through the labyrinth of tunnels what's that liquid that's dripping everywhere. Gross! OB has got to go.

I've sat in that stadium for a rare sold out game and have felt the entire structure shake. It's a wonder that there hasn't been a calamity yet. There aren't enough bathrooms and speaking of which when you are walking through the labyrinth of tunnels what's that liquid that's dripping everywhere. Gross! OB has got to go.

936815[/snapback]

 

The two times I sat in the upper deck during the playoffs Dolphins Stadium did the same thing.

Yes, because I'm a Florida Gators fan. IMO, college football stadiums should be on or near campus.

Yeah they shoud be near campus...but you try convincing Coral Gables residents to let the University build a 70k seat stadium in their city...lol

I know I'm going to offend a whole lot of you, but why do people insist on being fans of a college team that they never attended? To me, the Miami Hurricane obsession is the single most asinine thing in South Florida sports. We can't get anybody to support our professional teams, but the Canes are sacrosanct. Why doesn't UM get some of their filthy rich boosters to build a stadium (afterall it is a PRIVATE school), instead of using taxpayer money. Every big college team builds their own stadium through Allumni donations, let UM do the same.

 

And can someone please explain to me why you're a fan of a team whose school you didn't go to?

Let the Canes play at Dolphins Stadium. No reason to have the Orange Bowl around for just 6 events a year.

As a Cane Alumnus and fan , but also a Marlins fan, I am completely torn on this for all reasons already stated. But what I was most surprised about concerning this story was UM's reaction. I heard an interview with Paul Dee, UM's Athletic Director, and basically what he said was that the Canes had a good realtionship with the Robbies and the Dolphins when they shared the OB and that he was sure they would have a good a relationship with Wayne at DS. I dont know the validity of this proposal, but he seemed almost accepting it as already happening, rather than angrily denying it, which is what I expected from them.

Look I'll admit up front I hate the canes. The OB is an intimidating place for opponents to play but that's the only thing it has going for it. You have to admit that DS is better experience for the fans. Chair backs, plenty of bathrooms, quality concessions (at least better than the OB) plenty of parking. The OB is horrible in all of those areas. I understand the nostalgia, but you be a captive of it when it makes zero sense for the parties involved. People say all the time they don't want public money spent for buildings for private entities. But UM is a private entity and they want to spend more than 100 million of public funds to fix that heap of rubble. The OB has outlived its useful life. That should have been apparent when the OB committee decided to move the big game. Do you think the OB Game would be a BCS bowl if it were still played at the OB? Our town deserves a first class facility. And the both canes (at DS) and marlins would be playing in one if this thing happened and they knocked the OB down.

I'm a canes fan. and I would vote to tear down the orange bowl.

 

Lets face it. It is glaringly obvious that fans don't like going to the games there, unless its FSU or another big time opponent. The VA Tech game didn't even sell out last year, even though it was for the ACC Championship. but last weekend I went to the Wyoming game in Gainseville, and sat in the biggest crowd to see a football game in Florida. I think the canes would have been lucky just to get around 50K for a team like Wyoming. Yes I know it has a ton of history, but do you think reducing capacity, adding a video board, and more luxery boxes is going to draw fans to the games. I only went to one game, after the 5-6 season, only about 35K fans were there, and we still had to walk to the stadium, after paying a cuban 20 bucks to park in his yard, where half the cars had flat tires afterwards. If the canes were selling out games like the Noles, or Gators (even when THEY play 1-AA opponents) then I would see a problem tearing it down.

 

And I belive someone mentioned the renovation of Soldier field. They pretty much rebuilt that stadium from the ground up, mainly angling the stands more upwards for sightlines and even added an upper deck, leaving only the exterior to for memories of old soldier field. and it cost a lot more than what the hurricanes are planning.

 

Besides, the Orange and Teal seats of DS would go great with the Hurricane colors, and the parking is much better .

Ok, as far as being a fan of a school you never went to. At least in my case my mom went to UM and started taking me to games when I was 7, so they have always been my team. Actually, I went to a Penn State Miami game at the OB while I was in the womb...so I guess you can call it a lifetime obsession. I have only missed a handul of games since 89'. Now, yes Miami does have some of the worst fans of a College Football powerhouse (except for the small group of hardcore fans), sitting thru those rough probation years. The comparison to UF is not really fair. You have about 4 times as many students at UF than miami, and over the years, that builds the alumni base that cause that stadium to be sold out.

 

As far as the better experience at DS...I'm sorry, call me crazy, but the OB just has so much more character and is a MUCH better college football experience. Yes the bathrooms, concessions and concourses are better at DS, but watching a game there is just boring, you can't get into it like you can at the OB. Who needs chairbacks, those are completley unnecessary for college football, some of the best stadiums don't have many chairbacks, like The Swamp which you mentioned,Notre Dame, Tennessee...most of the seats are blecaher style. Whenever I go to a game at DS I feel like I can't stand and cheer except for good plays... You just don't feel into the game whereas at the OB I stand the whole game in the West End Zoen. In terms of the renovations, I think they might attract more fans, Luxury Boxes would help with revenue from the stadium and who knows....if its very nice,they might even bring back the Orange Bowl game to the OB. or at the very least some other bowl games.

 

By the way, I believe that UM is to give a large amount of that money that is to be used for the renovation... I don't know about the specifics but I could have sworn I heard Pau Dee say that they had a lot of their own money to add to what the city is paying. And the city money is going to a city structure, not a structure owned and operated by UM.

I'm a canes fan. and I would vote to tear down the orange bowl.

 

but last weekend I went to the Wyoming game in Gainseville, and sat in the biggest crowd to see a football game in Florida. I think the canes would have been lucky just to get around 50K for a team like Wyoming.

 

 

 

With more than 46,000 students, Florida is now one of the five largest universities in the nation.

 

UM is a small private university.

 

 

And you're comparing the city of GAINESVILLE to the city of MIAMI. All there is to do in Gainesville on a saturday is to go to the college football game with the 46,000 students that go anyway...

As far as the better experience at DS...I'm sorry, call me crazy, but the OB just has so much more character and is a MUCH better college football experience. Yes the bathrooms, concessions and concourses are better at DS, but watching a game there is just boring, you can't get into it like you can at the OB. Who needs chairbacks, those are completley unnecessary for college football, some of the best stadiums don't have many chairbacks, like The Swamp which you mentioned,Notre Dame, Tennessee...most of the seats are blecaher style. Whenever I go to a game at DS I feel like I can't stand and cheer except for good plays... You just don't feel into the game whereas at the OB I stand the whole game in the West End Zoen. In terms of the renovations, I think they might attract more fans, Luxury Boxes would help with revenue from the stadium and who knows....if its very nice,they might even bring back the Orange Bowl game to the OB. or at the very least some other bowl games.

 

938855[/snapback]

 

Word. DS has no soul. I could care less if i didn't have a chairback and if there werent enough bathrooms. I would rather watch ANY game in the OB than in DS. And since when do teams cater to the feelings of OPPOSING fans???

 

 

Like I said before, I would want this if it was the ABSOLUTELY ONLY WAY for the Marlins to stay. But I rather they find an alternative...

Felo

 

too bad there aren't 75,000 other people that feel like you do. But the truth is that Miami has a hard core of of about 30,000 fans and everybody else is a front running phony that only shows up for the FSU game or against some other top ranked opponent. The place is a D-U-M-P Dump. I love it when people try to sell me on that old piece of crap having character. Justg as much character as that purple house in your neighborhood with 50 cars parked in front where the lawn hasn't be cut in 3 months.

I know I'm going to offend a whole lot of you, but why do people insist on being fans of a college team that they never attended? To me, the Miami Hurricane obsession is the single most asinine thing in South Florida sports. We can't get anybody to support our professional teams, but the Canes are sacrosanct. Why doesn't UM get some of their filthy rich boosters to build a stadium (afterall it is a PRIVATE school), instead of using taxpayer money. Every big college team builds their own stadium through Allumni donations, let UM do the same.

 

And can someone please explain to me why you're a fan of a team whose school you didn't go to?

938055[/snapback]

 

Why must one be an alumnus in order to be a fan? That logic is shortsighted. Many Miamians grew up as Canes fans because they represent the local area. Go to an FSU game in Tallahassee, for example, and see how many "locals" go to the games, and how many more that have never enrolled in a class there own tons of FSU paraphenelia.

Felo

 

too bad there aren't 75,000 other people that feel like you do. But the truth is that Miami has a hard core of of about 30,000 fans and everybody else is a front running phony that only shows up for the FSU game or against some other top ranked opponent. The place is a D-U-M-P Dump. I love it when people try to sell me on that old piece of crap having character. Justg as much character as that purple house in your neighborhood with 50 cars parked in front where the lawn hasn't be cut in 3 months.

939753[/snapback]

 

Fishfan, the OB has seen better days, but I have to agree with the others on its character. Perhaps it's a sentimental value kind of thing, but nothing, NOTHING beats the view of downtown from the open east end with the palm trees. Totally unique and totally worth preserving.

 

Maybe UM has a lot of front-running phonies...but they sure as hell make it tough on opponents, especially those night games.

The OB doesn't even sell all the 6 games played there and they are definately King in South Florida after Dolphins. Why? the place is a dump

 

I would love to attend UM games in DS, where you can park easily and tail gate before the game. In addition, I hate the pod smoking on the OB ramp. Is not the best when you attend to the games with kids.

 

I have my grad degree from UM (for those questioning wheter I'm a fan or not).

 

When you have limited resources, you have to make though decisions. That's the case for the City of Miami.

I love the Marlins. I really do. I would do absolutely anything to keep the Marlins in Florida since they might very well be the most important thing in the world to me, but like Meatloaf says I just can't tear down the Orange Bowl. The Orange Bowl is the Yankee Stadium of college football, home of the most feared team of the past 20 years in their entire sport, of a team so ridiculous that it has stories pinned to it that no one can match. I would not be in favor of doing the same for The Swamp, The Big House, Doak (heh, especially not Doak, what would become of the Wide Rights), The Rose Bowl, or any historical building in any major sport. The Orange Bowl is Miami. It is a museum, and like Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway Park it should exist and be played in for as long as the structure permits.

 

There's no other stadium I've been to where the fourth quarter starts in a tight game and you can just feel the ghosts of Hurricane past propelling themselves onto the balance of the game. Where legends spend the entire sideline standing shoulder to shoulder with their successors. Some of the greatest games ever played have been there, why are you going to tear this down?

 

Unacceptable.

I know I'm going to offend a whole lot of you, but why do people insist on being fans of a college team that they never attended? To me, the Miami Hurricane obsession is the single most asinine thing in South Florida sports. We can't get anybody to support our professional teams, but the Canes are sacrosanct. Why doesn't UM get some of their filthy rich boosters to build a stadium (afterall it is a PRIVATE school), instead of using taxpayer money. Every big college team builds their own stadium through Allumni donations, let UM do the same.

 

And can someone please explain to me why you're a fan of a team whose school you didn't go to?

938055[/snapback]

 

Why must one be an alumnus in order to be a fan? That logic is shortsighted. Many Miamians grew up as Canes fans because they represent the local area. Go to an FSU game in Tallahassee, for example, and see how many "locals" go to the games, and how many more that have never enrolled in a class there own tons of FSU paraphenelia.

939759[/snapback]

 

Calling me shortsighted doesn't explain why people are loyal to a team that they have no reason to be loyal to. I don't understand the logic of being a fan of an organization that you are in no way associated with, and why that team should get preferential treatment to a local professional team. Can you explain that to me?

I know I'm going to offend a whole lot of you, but why do people insist on being fans of a college team that they never attended? To me, the Miami Hurricane obsession is the single most asinine thing in South Florida sports. We can't get anybody to support our professional teams, but the Canes are sacrosanct. Why doesn't UM get some of their filthy rich boosters to build a stadium (afterall it is a PRIVATE school), instead of using taxpayer money. Every big college team builds their own stadium through Allumni donations, let UM do the same.

 

And can someone please explain to me why you're a fan of a team whose school you didn't go to?

938055[/snapback]

 

Why must one be an alumnus in order to be a fan? That logic is shortsighted. Many Miamians grew up as Canes fans because they represent the local area. Go to an FSU game in Tallahassee, for example, and see how many "locals" go to the games, and how many more that have never enrolled in a class there own tons of FSU paraphenelia.

939759[/snapback]

 

Calling me shortsighted doesn't explain why people are loyal to a team that they have no reason to be loyal to. I don't understand the logic of being a fan of an organization that you are in no way associated with, and why that team should get preferential treatment to a local professional team. Can you explain that to me?

939814[/snapback]

 

they are a dominant team in the history of college football, that draws attention in this town. nothing wrong with that.

By the way, oh gracious message board, FAU still plays its home games at JRS. Might want to resolve that conflict.

 

And FL, I'm a Canes fan because both my parents are alum (been rooting for them almost literally since birth) and would have gone if not for monetary considerations.

don't sweet Juanky, this is not happening