With 2009 football season tickets going on sale last week, it’s officially time to start counting down to kickoff.
According to the UH athletic Web site, it begins in 65 days (64 if you’re reading this in the afternoon).
With little else going on, it’s time to break out the top 10 reasons to watch the Cougars play at Robertson Stadium, or make an occasional road trip. This list is for readers who have never gone to a game or forgot what happens there, besides the actual play on the field.
10. Plenty of seating
Robertson Stadium has a seating capacity of 32,000, and many of those seats aren’t filled during most games. Even if fans arrive late, they’re bound to find a good spot to watch the game. This is especially true at Robertson Stadium, which has only three levels of seating.
The Sept. 26 matchup with Texas Tech could sell out, but there will be plenty of seats available for matchups with Conference USA foes.
9. Bleacher Creatures
These ‘school spirit enthusiasts’ roam the stands with painted faces, inciting rowdiness, which the student section does the best job of complying with.
The members of the student section could be described as bleacher creatures in their own way – emphasis on creatures. If students aren’t ready to stand for the entire game, and lose their voices in the process, they may need to find another section to enjoy the game.
8. Watching Shasta get buff
Fans are treated to a display of strength every time the Cougars score, as Shasta does a pushup for every point scored.
If UH’s offense is as potent as it was last season, Shasta may be due for a larger jersey this season. The long-standing tradition once saw him do 800 pushups during a 95-21 victory over SMU. Many fans lost count during last season’s game against Tulsa, when the Cougars dropped 70 points on the Golden Hurricane.
7. Cheerleaders
This squad epitomizes school spirit and is always a welcome addition to the on-field action.
No explanation is needed to show why they are so popular. But for those who don’t know, it’s because of their gymnastic prowess and frilly pom-poms.
6. Heckling opposing teams and players
From the misspelled T-shirts to the boisterous cheers aimed at the opposition, Cougars fans have a knack for making those not sporting Scarlet and Albino feel unwelcome.
The best time of year to do this is during the annual Bayou Bucket battle with cross-town rival Rice, when UH students can tell the Owls and their fans where to stick their SAT scores.
5. Keenum’s arm
Following in the footsteps of UH quarterback greats, such as Andre Ware and Kevin Kolb, Case Keenum proved adept last season at slinging the ball around the field.
In 2008, he became the second player in school history to throw for more than 5,000 yards while finishing second in the nation in passing yards. Meanwhile, UH ranked first nationally in total offense for the regular season. With illusive wide receivers who can rack up yards after the catch, Keenum doesn’t need to throw the ball a mile to put points on the board.
4. Speed, speed, speed
If there’s one football adage that always rings true, it’s speed kills. The Cougars have wholeheartedly bought into this.
With players like Tyron Carrier and Isaiah Sweeney bringing their track and field speed to the gridiron, fans might want to avoid blinking. They might miss one or two touchdowns.
Running backs Bryce Beall, and incoming freshman Charles Sims posses break-away speed. Combine this speed with ankle-breaking moves, and a three-yard run becomes a footrace that Beall and Sims usually win.
3. Avoiding homework
Weekends are supposed to be spent catching up on homework and projects. In reality, Saturdays are meant for college football.
If anyone questions students’ sense of responsibility, one can always justify it by saying they were performing a civic duty by supporting their university.
2. Tailgating
Here’s where the real party is; getting to the stadium as early as 8 a.m. for barbecue and flag football. But don’t forget about drinking from kegs of sweet tea and lemonade. Students 21 and older may opt for libations of the adult variety.
By kickoff time, students are usually full of school spirit and ready to cheer their butts off.
1. It’s free
Free, that magical four-letter word that turns a 50-50 proposition into a sure-fire reason to get out of the house.
Most students think their ID is good for only checking out books and equipment, but it’s also gets them into all sporting events at UH for free.
When you think about it, the University probably charges or charged a fee that actually pays for free entrance. Therefore, not taking advantage is like wasting money.
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