Alterations, but Still Reality - Time Out #269

Covid-19 continues to plague the world, and affect everything out there again, and again, and again........

This week, let's chat about the virus' impact on the entertainment world, more specifically the sporting/athletic elements, familiar to most people.

I guess I never really thought in my lifetime, I would see a PGA-sponsored golf tournament on tv, with almost no one on location, except the players. This was one of the first sporting events I saw televised after the pandemic had grabbed us, and I was thrilled to watch golf, even though I am not a golfer! Just to see and feel the professional athletes actually participating in a competitive match, while the world was wrestling with dreaded Covid, was very relaxing for me. Alas, when professional basketball, and, later, professional baseball resumed/started their abbreviated seasons, my attention was instantly drawn back to the stationary entertainment box in our home. Unlike the golf broadcasts, I found myself having to really adjust to the cutout/imaginary fans-in-the-stands, and the frequent, simulated crowd noises. All my personal sport-viewing

was elevated to a new level of disbelief, however, when college and professional football games began to be shown on the television sets everywhere. Of course, of what I speak, are these absolutely HUGE football stadiums all over our U.S. of A, with a pair of teams battling it out on the gridiron, and the stadium seats completely empty. Talk about a Twilight Zone experience! For help with that remark, all those under 40 might (?) have to ask your parents, or phone-a-friend with an explanation of what is the Twilight Zone?

Fast forward from the late summer to a few weeks ago, when I was graciously given a pair of OSU home football tickets to attend an Saturday afternoon encounter in Our Town's Boone Pickens Stadium, A dear, lifelong friend had two extra tickets, and he ask me if I would like to have them? Since our youngest child, Mr. Robbie, now 37, and his bride, CeCe, were visiting us, driving up from Dallas, I told my buddy I would love to have them, and thanked him for his generosity! Ms. CeCe and my bride, Ms. Debbie, had a ladies' afternoon out on Our Town together, while their men enjoyed their 4-hour football experience. It was definitely a win-win day for all concerned.

What an eye-opening experience for the guys that cool weather afternoon!

For a little background, I have closely followed our Cowboy footballers since 1953. Forever it seems, I made the adventurous trip to then formerly-named Lewis Field, first with my father, Col. C.H. Breedlove, later with my Our Town buddies. Each time, I always hoped I would see a home team victory. For most of the 1950's-1960's, however, the local wins were sometimes not as many as I would like to have witnessed. Remembering walking up those long concrete ramps, leading to the inside stadium seats. still sticks in my mind. Also, in my memory, was the abundance of rust on the stadium's external supporting steel structure, along with lots of long flat rows of uncomfortable aluminum stadium seats.. Well, those previously mentioned memory items went totally "bye-bye", courtesy of OSU mega-$$$ donator and alum, Boone Pickens. When Boone opened part of his vast bank account to his OSU alma mater, our dream, the incredible Boone Pickens Stadium (BPS), was created for all to enjoy. And, enjoy it we have, and, in addition, its construction has led to much success for our university football program.

Now, for my recent return to BPS in acute Covid times. Here are a few of the high points of my experience: 1) Very little game day traffic, because in my ease in driving to the event, I had the crazy idea the game may have been canceled due to Covid?, 2) Total ease in locating a parking spot. In fact, the pay parking lot we chose, was so uncrowded, the attendant told me to park my truck "anywhere" , 3) No waiting at a fan entry gate, the employee merely scanned our printed, on-line, paper tickets, and we were inside, 4) No waiting at the concession stands, but also no waiting to purchase a game program because none were available!, 5) Finally, walking inside BPS, there were very few spectators. Certainly, not actually no fans, but when only 1/4th of the tickets were made available for sale, the beautiful stadium seemed virtually empty. Yes, some OSU excitement was there, added to by the socially-distanced band in the far northwest corner of the stadium, but other necessary fixtures, like the cheer squads, were relegated to the large video screens. Like may other actual game-day experiences, many aspects were virtual, as in pre-recorded, attempted to be brought-to-life by the video/audio magic effects. Not exactly the REAL things, folks!

Being the true Cowboy fans we are, Robbie and I, did get plenty excited; however, especially since our beloved school was victorious at the end of a hard-fought game.

Happy, happy, happy, we were after experiencing an extra weird football Saturday afternoon in Our Town. Another group of personal memories were made in these exceptional viral times...