A Football Game

Football is a big deal in the Midwest.  Folks from all over Michigan come into E. Lansing on football days for the game.  People even buy houses and apartments here in E. Lansing just so they'll have a place to stay on game weekends.  Paula says it's because there's not so much else to do around here.  Yesterday Paul and I took our French friends from Paris who are visiting us to the MSU Homecoming game for a real American experience.  Early in the morning we could hear the drum corps from the Marching Band playing in the downtown.  The town grew crowded and by noon our neighborhood was completely parked for the 3:30 game.  It was a perfect day, 75 degrees with hardly a cloud in the sky.  We walked the path along the river toward the stadium following the crowd like fish in a stream.  The wide green lawns of the campus were filled with tailgating parties.  People in groups were playing a bean-bag tossing game, barbecuing, eating and drinking in every available space.  Everything--the tables, the chairs, the ice chests were green and covered with MSU logos.  Everyone was wearing green or white MSU shirts, little babies in MSU shirts, old men in green and white striped over-alls.  We got to the game in time for the beginning of the spectacle as the MSU Marching Band, nearly 200 strong, marched out double stepping with a quick hop every other step.  They filled the field and played a 5 minute concert. The cheerleaders and Pom Pom girls and the mascot, Sparty came out too.  Last, but not least, the MSU team ran out of the locker room, emerging through a fog cloud, like Demi-gods.  There were 74,114 people at the game cheering the team.  Indiana just quietly appeared on the field.  The MSU fans impressed me, they are loyal, well behaved and serious in their cheering.  The first half of the game was truly lack-luster.  There seemed to be no offense, but no matter, the fans still cheered and stood up for each MSU first down.  When the many television breaks and time-outs happened, the cheerleaders came out on the field and did amazing gymnastic tricks and Zeke, the wonder dog, caught frisbee after frisbee in thrilling leaps into the air.  At the half, the score was 3-3.  In the second half, Indiana scored two more field goals and so with 6 minutes left in the game the score was 9-3.  Finally MSU scored a touchdown and the crowd went wild!  We were ahead, 10-9!!!  Another touchdown by MSU clinched the game.  We won 17-9.  We joined the masses flowing out and walked home, happy for the whole amazing football experience.

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