Following College Sports

 This week, I have college sports on the brain. 

The big thing going on right now is the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. I filled out an online bracket, and I'm doing pretty well so far. My team plays their first tourney game tomorrow evening, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Anything can happen, but my team is favored to win tomorrow. Here's hoping!

In different sports news, I placed my order for my team's season football tickets today! It's a reorder, as I've has season tickets for a few years now. I haven't been to a home football game in a couple of years due to Covid-19 precautions, though, so I'm excited at the prospect of being back in the stadium! Also, we have a new football coach, hired after the last season ended. I'm looking forward to seeing the new coaching staff in action.

Duke-Virginia Tech Football Game

George and I went to the Duke-Virginia Tech football game Saturday night. It was the third home game of the season, and the second night game this season. (I love a night game under the lights, especially when it's not too cold!)

After starting the season 4-0, we were hopeful for a Duke win on national TV (ESPN2). No such luck, though. With a bye this coming Saturday, I hope the team can rest up, and otherwise do what they do to get ready for the next game.

We're enjoying the location of our new season tickets, the first I've bought on my own, but I sure miss talking with Dad over the phone about the games. Love you, Dad.

Duke-Army Football Game

View from Our Seats in Wallace Wade Stadium

George and I attended the Duke football season opener last Friday night! The Friday night schedule was unusual for Duke, but sometimes TV scheduling takes precedence. The night game was nice, since it was a hot day.

I was a little sad thinking of Dad, and how this is the first Duke football season without him. I always looked forward to talking with him after each game. He'd ask who played well and how the attendance was. I choked up during the National Anthem too. But once the game started, I felt better and really enjoyed the game!

George and I sat in our new season ticket seats Friday night, and they're pretty good! (They're not the 50-yard line seat that Dad had, but they're good.) We met two nice women in front of us, whose family shares tickets for the two seats in front of us. They have a long family history at Duke, too. I shared this photo on the left of Dad from his Duke football-playing days.

I took the photo above to show my sister the view from our new seats. The Duke Marching Band was playing the National Anthem in their Duke D formation. I didn't realize until after I took the shot that I'd caught the pre-game flyover of some planes from Raleigh on the scoreboard video at the far end of the field.

Duke played a good Army team, and won 34-14, a great start for the Blue Devils!

In Memory of My Dad

My dad made Duke Alumni Twitter feed today, and it made me smile. I sure do miss him.

Blue Devil Fun Fact: Former Duke football player Charles Looper helped take American Candy Co. from a regional business to an international one and was inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame in 2001. pic.twitter.com/tV8CBASDqh

— Duke Alumni (@DukeAlumni) February 16, 2018

2012 Belk Bowl

Bank of America Stadium

As you may know, I'm a Duke football fan, so George and I had the fun opportunity to go to the 2012 Belk Bowl over the Christmas break. Duke played the University of Cincinnati at the Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers. It was my first trip to a pro football stadium, and my first trip to a bowl game in many years.

Georg and Lesley

I reserved a space in a parking lot ahead of time, and we attended the pregame Duke tailgate, which was fun! The weather was nice, but cold for the 6:30 game. Even though Duke lost the game, we still had a fun time!

My pictures from the 2012 Belk Bowl are here.