“The Money Shot” from Michigan Sky Media, captured during the 2022 UM-MSU game. (Photo by Tyler Leipprandt)
“Rival Game” from Michigan Sky Media, captured during the 2023 UM-MSU game. (Photo by Tyler Leipprandt)
Tonight in this pleasant peninsula that is Michigan, our two B1G schools meet on the football field up in East Lansing for the 118th time dating back to 1898. It will be the 80th straight season the schools have met.
On paper, it seems a mismatch. The Michigan Wolverines are 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play, while the Michigan State Spartans 3-4 and 0-4 and currently riding a 4-game losing streak. But you know what they say when the coveted Paul Bunyan Trophy’s on the line?
Regardless of who they are and whatever they may say, I have a pair of giveaways in conjunction with this rivalry game.
Back on September 18, 2025, I was joined by photographer Tyler Leipprandt from Michigan Sky Media on our podcast, Conversations with Sports Fans, to discuss how he captures his stunning aerial images (seen above).
Well, I purchased a pair of 5×7 photo prints of Tyler’s work (totally frame worthy!) from high above both Michigan Stadium (“The Money Shot”) and Spartan Stadium (“Rival Game”) during the 2022 and 2023 matchups, respectively, and they’re now up-for-grabs to whomever submits their interest on this Google Form in advance of the 11:59 p.m. ET, October 31, 2025, entry deadline.
Depending upon your allegiances, these will look great in your home or they’d make a perfect gift for the Sparty or M lover in your life.
Spread the word! I’d love to get these into loving Spartans and Wolverines fan homes.
As noted in the companion post (Where’s the Golf!?! [aka My Time at the 2025 Ryder Cup]), my father and I had our planned itinerary out east get scrambled thanks to the weather forecast … and the generosity of the PGA of America.
We were supposed to finish our travel into Long Island from our Pennsyvlania hotel on Wednesday and stop along the way to check out one of two museums in New Jersey we’d both been eyeballing for sometime: The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center on the campus of Montclair State University and the USGA Golf Museum and Library in Liberty Corner. We’d then hit the other museum on our way out of town on Friday.
With the hurry-up call to get to Bethpage Black Golf Course on Wednesday, we made the decision to head to New Jersey on Thursday and pay a visit to both museums rather than spend another day on what was looking to be a soggy and somewhat deserted Ryder Cup grounds.
Here’s my take on the two museums, as different as night and day, but equally enjoyable in their own way.
But First … Christy Mathewson
About the time we pulled into to visit the Mathewson family plot, a man was walking his dog and offered to take our photo. A pretty special moment to be sure.
We spent the night during our trip east in New Columbia, PA, which is just a few miles from Lewisburg, home of Bucknell University.
My dad, in doing his research before our trip, discovered that Christy Mathewson, one of the Baseball Hall of Fame‘s original class of inductees, was buried in Lewisburg Cemetery. A native of Factoryville, PA, Mathewson was a 3-sport athlete at Bucknell and his wife was a Lewsiburg native.
It was a no-brainer to pay our respects to a name we were both familiar with.
And then we discovered the football stadium is also named for the baseball great so a campus drive about ensued. Which led to a visit to the Bucknell Golf Club and a spotting of its own version of the more-famous Oakmont Country Club‘s “church pew bunkers.”
Clockwise from upper left, the backside of the baseball stadium’s scoreboard; Christy Mathewson’s gravestone; the Bucknell University Golf Course features it’s own version of the “church pew bunkers” from a more famous Pennsyvlania course, Oakmont Country Club; the Mathewson family plot; and the athletic stadium named in Mathewson’s honor.
The USGA Golf Museum
The exterior of the USGA Golf Museum and the map of its interior.
This has long been on my father’s list of places he’d like to visit.
An avid golfer throughout much of his life and a 1-time card-carrying member of the United States Golf Association (USGA), he’s frequently talked about this spot, but never had the opportunity to get there. I determined we’d make a go of visiting and, if the weather permitted, even pay the extra $10 fee to do some putting on the famed Pynes Putting Course. (Spoiler alert, the weather did not cooperate.)
As one might imagine a golf museum, it is stately and, for the most part, a quiet space to brush with the greatest in the game’s history.
There are five rooms dedicated soley to the accomplishments of five notable golf individuals from golf’s history: Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Mickey Wright (widely considered the greatest women’s player, ever).
The Hall of Champions, as the name suggests, features the names of every USGA-sponsored competition winner in history as well as all of the trophies on display.
Finally, there is an exhibit near the back that takes visitors through a chronological history of the game in the United States.
Many of the artifacts are breathtaking and straight from the collections of the golfers (in the case of the five themed rooms) themselves. Reading the names of past winners in the Hall of Champions – especially those of Junior-level winners – is fascinating to see who has/have become household names in the sport achieving greatness in their youth.
Clockwise from upper left, a showcase featuring artifacts from Arnold Palmer’s career; this painting of the 16h hole at Augusta National Golf Club was painted by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and presented to Bobby Jones; this portrait of Jones by Thomas Edgar Stephens was later copied by Eisenhower (the Eisenhower version hangs Butler Cabin at Augusta National); this Jack Nicklaus sculpture is a centerpiece in his namesake room; the U.S. Open Championship Trophy includes the name of 2025 winner, J.J. Spaun; a wider look at all the trophies on display; this “Superpowers” area features plenty about Palmer, Nicklaus, and Gary Player; this Sam Snead hat caught my eye; the jumpsuit of Jack Nicklaus II who caddied for his dad during the 1986 Masters; Mickey Wright’s final round scorecard of her 1958 U.S. Open victory at Forest Lake Country Club in Bloomfield Hils, MI, (I’ve enjoyed brunch there on several occasions!); the Ben Hogan Award; Hogan’s Green Jacket from The Masters; various artifacts from Johnny Miller’s 1973 U.S. Open victory.
Perhaps my favorite item in all of the museum was the drawing of Palmer by James David Chase entitled “Gratitude.” At first glance, as you enter the Arnold Palmer Room it appears to be created by a series of lines or a sketch. Upon closer look, it’s actually words and statements either used by Palmer or by others to describe Palmer, his game, his humanity, etc. The accompanying video interview with the artist indicated it took 12 years to create and for many of the smallest statements he needed to wear eye magnification and hold his breath while writing.
It’s hard to do it justice, but what appears to be a pencil drawing of Palmer’s face (top) is, in reality, a series of words and phrases (bottom two images).
The Yogi Berra Museum
A look at Yogi Berra Stadium (home to Montclair State University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology baseball teams), the outside of the museum, and a famous Yogism.
I’m not a New York Yankees’ fan (I live in Detroit, right!?!), but I am a fan of baseball and the English language which, I suppose, means I’m bound by primal forces of nature to be a fan of Baseball Hall of Famer and Yankees’ legend, Yogi Berra.
Having never seen him play, I only knew about Yogi the ex-baseball player and probably wouldn’t have given a second thought about visiting his namesake museum and learning center on the campus Montclair State University, but I am familiar with the Yogisms and his on-the-field success. The tipping point for me wanting to pay a visit, however, was viewing the 2022 Berra documentary, “It Ain’t Over.” I cannot recommend it enough. A total loveletter from his
While there are some lovely artifacts housed here, I’d categorize the spot as more of a menagerie of things collected through the years by either the Berra family or donated to Yogi by former teammates and other Yankees.
The theater in the Yogi Berra Museum.
If you find yourself in the area like we did, do take the time to visit the theater, which is built to resemble Yankee Stadium, and view the 2011 episode of “Boys in the Hall” that features Berra. It’s hosted by longtime NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw and provides a terrific backdrop about who Berra was.
Clockwise from upper left, Yogi leads a cavalcade of Hall of Famers onto the field during the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium; an area near the entrance to the exhibit hall; Yogi’s Presidential Medal of Freedom and military medals; several artifacts from his playing days with the Yankees; Yogi was on Omaha Beach during the D-Day Invasion; plaques of teammates Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle from the old Monument Park at Yankee Stadium; the jerseys of fellow Yankee catchers Elston Howard (the first black Yankee), Thurman Munson, and Jorge Posada; some artifacts from his time with the New York Mets; the yellow Yankees’ World Series rings are the ones Berra won; portraits of some New York baseball royalty line a wall; broadcaster and former teammate Phil Rizzuto was fond of saying “holy cow,” this one’s signed by many legends; a look at the exhibit area.
The famous sign at Bethpage Black Golf Course which greets players before they embark on their round was turned oversized for photo opportunities during the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Now, please don’t misinterpret the previous statement.
I believe team golf is one of the most exciting sporting events to spectate. Quite frankly, I look forward to the biennial Ryder, Presidents, and Solheim cups as much – or maybe even more so – than any other major event that doesn’t include a team I have a rooting interest in. Watching how athletes in what is ordinarily an individual competition work to modify their styles of play to conform with a playing partner within the team environment creates some fabulous drama.
The national pride component – especially with the Solheim and Ryder cups – also makes for a different level of energy than what would otherwise be witnessed at a typical PGA Tour stop.
However …
For the general grounds’ pass-holding fan, it’s mighty challenging to actually – you know – see any golf.
The estimates for the 2025 Ryder Cup were 45,000 and 50,000 fans on the grounds for competition days, which means for Friday and Saturday’s Foursomes and Four Ball play, those fans are all clamoring to see one of four groups on the course at a time.
My father and I ran into this predicament at the 2024 Solheim Cup as did I while attending the 2024 Presidents Cup. If you want to be on the first tee for the announcement of each group, enjoy the DJ, and the generally raucous vibe, you’ll need to be there before the sun’s up. And then, you’d best have a plan for where you’re off to next in hopes to seeing more golf shots, because those folks who weren’t early birds are clogging the rest of the first hole and likely Nos. 2 and 3 and probably even No. 4 as well.
All of this was part of my strategy for not attending one of the competition days during the 2025 Ryder Cup. That coupled with the four-figure pricetag for a weekend grounds entry was enough for me to purchase tickets to Thursday’s practice round and, even then, it was the highest priced ticket I’ve purchased in the 25 events to date … AND IT WASN’T EVEN AN ACTUAL COMPETITION DAY!!!
Alas, the best-laid plans.
Somedays You Gotta Take a Mulligan
Following a Tuesday full of travel from southeastern lower Michigan to Lewisburg, PA, my father and I – bellies full thanks to a visit to Gram’s Eatery – were preparing to call it a night when I finally got around to checking my email.
In my inbox was something from the Ryder Cup informing me that due to forecasted inclement weather on Thursday, the Opening Ceremonies would be moved to Wednesday and the final round of the Junior Ryder Cup (scheduled to be played at Bethpage) would, instead, be played at Nassau Country Club (as the first two days had been). The good news, for us at least, is that the PGA of America was depositing into my ticket account a pair of grounds passes and a parking pass to attend on Wednesday in addition to Thursday.
I walked the 10 steps next door to my dad’s room for a quick confab. We were about three-and-a-half hours from the shuttle lot on Long Island’s Jones Beach State Park, we could be on the grounds, I estimated, by about noon, without pushing too hard.
It was decided we’d shoot for Wednesday attendance to see what we could see and play a possible return Thursday by ear.
Where’s the Golf?
Clockwise from upper left, the view toward the grandstand complex surrounding the 18th green and the 1st tee; Rory McIlroy over a chip shot from the round on No. 18; the scoreboard with the Celebrity All-Star matches listed; Tommy Fleetwood strolls off the tee box at No. 18; that’s tennis great John McEnroe walking over the players’ crosswalk to the clubhouse; The People’s Plaza was teeming with, well, people; dad and took time to pose for this photo on No. 18.
At past golf tournaments – namely the 2024 U.S. Open and the 2024 Open Championship – the practice days made for a more relaxed environment, the ability to get – perhaps – a little closer to the players, and generally see the course in a more leisurely manner.
This was all part of my calculus (in addition to the financial savings) for attending the Ryder Cup on Thursday, turned Wednesday.
The added benefit of visiting Thursday would be the ability to see the Junior Ryder Cup’s final round so I could, technically, one day say, “Yeah, I saw the 2025 Ryder Cup” but just keep the “junior” part silent;-)
With our move to Wednesday attendance, there were ramifications. First, there was no Junior Ryder Cup to watch. There was a Celebrity All-Star Match pitting eight American celebrities against eight Europeans over a 10-hole pairs match. Sadly, those matches were in the process of finishing as we walked into The People’s Plaza, the massive fan central-esque located between the entrance and practice range and the No. 1 tee and No. 18 green grandstand complex.
As the celebs left the course, I presumed Team USA and Team Europe would have their time.
I presumed incorrectly.
Though we’d been told by volunteers on the grounds that Team USA had started on the front nine and planned to play all 18 it, in fact, called it a day after the ninth hole (which is at located at the far point of the course). Team Europe was slated to play the back nine (and only the back nine) all along and they were heading for 18 about the time we made our way to the main grandstand which, inexplicably, was to be closed from 12:30-2:30 p.m. so no incoming fans were permitted to enter.
Formerly known as Round Swamp Road, this road runs through Bethpage Black Golf Course. Thirteen holes are on one side, the remaining five on the opposite.
The Opening Ceremonies pre-show was to begin during the 4 o’clock hour, which meant I had a couple hours to explore what I could on the course.
As the hilliness and large footprint of course were posing somewhat problematic for my dad, we agreed on a meeting spot in about an hour and a half. From there, we’d touch base to see how we were both feeling and what we’d plan to do moving forward.
Thanks to a steady stream of spectators returning from the outer reaches of Bethpage, I felt akin to a fish swimming upstream and didn’t get quite as far as I’d hoped.
I did make it across Round Swamp Road – which was renamed Arnold Palmer Way in the leadup to this year’s Ryder Cup – to check out hole Nos. 2, 3, 14, and 13. Back on the other side, I was able to see Nos. 1, 15, and 17.
Clockwise from upper left, the view from the tee at No. 3, a 200-plus yard par-3; a look at the flagstick at No. 14 through some of the native growth behind a greenside bunker; the look up the approach to No. 14, the shortest par-3 on the course; No. 17 is also a par-3; and a look off the teebox at No. 15, a lengthy par-4.
Back to the Top of the Hill
Total chaos greeted me when I arrived at the Ryder Cup Shop. There was no queuing ropes or anyone out front to control the flow of people.
After meeting dad we decided to grab a bite to eat and find a spot for him to watch the Opening Ceremonies on one of the video boards while I’d attempt to watch from a bit closer.
One of the highlights of the 2025 Ryder Cup experience was the all-inclusive nature of our tickets. It was the first time either of us had experienced the ability to grab any food and/or soft drinks from the food service areas and go. Unless you were purchasing an alcholic beverage, there was no transaction to be had, which made for an efficient process; just grab the hot or chilled items you desired out of the warmers/coolers, and carry on with your day. I know our 2026 PGA Championship tickets include this feature and I’m already looking forward to its hassle-free nature.
While dad was set up out of the way in the shade, with a breeze, and views of a video board, I set off to visit the Ryder Cup Shop (big mistake!) and, ultimately, make my way over next to the No. 1 tee grandstand to see some of the Opening Ceremony.
Unlike the other major golf events I’ve visited, there was no queuing sytem, ropes, etc., to provide some order to what looked rather chaotic and time consuming. A quick pivot found me snapping a couple of quick picks of players on the practice range (thank you, Justin Thomas, for allowing me to see at least one Team USA player hit a golf shot!) and then back to claim a spot along the top of the hill to see the Ceremony.
Clockwise from upper left, a post with the Bethpage State Park logo on it; a view of the clubhouse; these Team Europe fans, no doubt, had an enjoyable weekend; these three Black Hawk helicopters conducted a ceremonial flyover during the Opening Ceremony; Team Europe player John Rahm hits a shot on the practice range; both teams on the stage following their introduction; the starter hut for Bethpage Black; the view of the sky as U.S. Army Golden Knight’s descend toward the course; my lone American golfer sighting, Justin Thomas, on the practice range.
DJ Jay Jung, the regular in-house DJ of both the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets, kept the crowd entertained by spinning a variety of tunes until the afternoon’s host, NBC’s Carson Daly, arrived onstage to introduce various dignitaries – including a wildly unpopular (with this crowd, at least) New York Governor Kathy Hochul – and, utlimately, the two squads.
If I’m being honest, aside from the people watching leading up to the teams entering the stage, it was a bit underwhelming. And, following the introductions of the two squads, I made my way back over to pick up dad, visit the now-empty Ryder Cup Shop, and head for the shuttle bus pick up.
Would I do it again?
No and, in fact, while we had grounds passes for Thursday – thanks to steady rain and a cloud deck about the height of your home the next morning – we decided to forego the opportunity in preference of a couple of sidetrips (see that post here) that might have been as enjoyable as our time spent on the Bethpage grounds.
Next time, I’ll be watching from home and, unless you’re springing for reserved grandstand seating, I’d suggest the same to you.
Some visual evidence that dad and I made it to the site of the 2025 Ryder Cup.
The view from behind homeplate during pregame at Arlington’s Globe Life Field. (Photo by Tim Russell)
The worst part of any trip is usually the last day.
It’s the same with baseball road trips. Traveling with a few dozen people, you get to know each other pretty well and there’s a certain sense of melancholy with the realization the trip is coming to a close.
So it was when we arrived in Arlington, TX, with Coast 2 Coast Sports Tours Southern Slam tour. There was a twinge of sadness knowing it would soon be over.
But, there was also great happiness after another successful tour and meeting people like Dub and Sue Ann. This was the second tour with them. We had previously met them on the West Coast Swing in 2024.
The couple, who reside in Flower Mound, TX, was on its second bus trip this year. A week before the Southern trip, they were on the Midwest tour. During the Southern trip, they were able to meet up with their daughter and son-in-law, who reside in Houston.
Earlier in the trip, Dub treated the bus members to dinner during a restaurant stop after the game.
It’s meeting people like this couple that makes these bus trips the most fun.
Globe Life Field was supposed to open in March 2020, but since COVID delayed the start of the season, it didn’t open until July 24, 2020. It replaced Globe Life Park, which still stands across the street and was renamed Choctaw Stadium and renovated for football and soccer.
Globe Life Park was only 20 years old when it was replaced, but the Rangers wanted a retractable roof due to extreme heat in Texas during the summer months. The roof is rarely opened for games, except for very early or late in the season.
The new stadium does feel like a cavernous warehouse at times, especially whe the roof is closed.
Clockwise from upper left, the arches were a carry over from the former Globe Life Park and hold the Rangers’ retired jersey numbers; this unique clock is visible to fans along the concourse; the exterior of Globe Life Field; the odd dimensions near center field are visible here; under the left field archways; and a center field view. (Photos by Tim Russell)
Field dimensions are a bit unique at Globe Life Field, with a nod to the Rangers’ history.
It is 329 feet down the left field line, which honors recent Hall of Famer third baseman Adrian Beltre (No. 29). Just inside the left field line is 334 feet, which honors Hall of Fame pitcher and former owner Nolan Ryan (No. 34).
The left field power alley is 372 feet in honor of the 1972 Rangers, which was their first season in Arlington. The right field power alley is 374 feet, for the first winning season in Arlington.
The deepest distance is 410 feet, which is just left and right of center field for second baseman Michael Young (No. 10). Straightaway center field is 407 feet for Rangers’ catcher, former Detroit Tiger, and Hall of FamerIvan Rodriguez (No. 7).
Down the right field line is 326 feet, for former manager Johnny Oates (No. 26). And finally, it is 42 feet from home plate to the backstop, for Jackie Robinson, whose No. 42 is retired throughout baseball.
Another design element is the brick arches beyond the left field wall. It was a part of the old Globe Life Park and liked enough that they brought it to the new stadium. The Rangers’ retired numbers are posted near the top of the arches, facing the field.
Rangers’ public address announcer, Chuck Morgan, in his booth as he always is. (Photo by Tim Russell)
A visit to Globe Life Field isn’t complete without a trip to see Rangers public address announcer Chuck Morgan‘s booth, who has been with the Rangers for 42 of the last 43 seasons. He has announced 3,325 consecutive games. The microphone used for his 3,000th game is in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Martin, who is in his 47th year of professional baseball, is currently second behind the Philadelphia Phillies’ Dan Baker. Baker is in his 53rd year!
During the offseason, Martin is responsible for coming up with the Rangers’ promotional schedule.
Game Result: Texas scored single runs in four of the first five innings against the visiting Atlanta Braves and eased to an 8-3 victory. The Rangers really took control with four runs in the eighth. Catcher Jonah Heim had the only home run for Texas. Ranger pitcher Nathan Eovaldithrew five shutout innings, allowing just three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. Atlanta outfielder Michael Harris II had a home run for the Braves.
No post about the Texas Rangers’ is complete without referencing the Nolan Ryan-Robin Ventura 1993 dust up. (Photo by Tim Russell)
At left, new mates Tim and Ali from England via Florida and I enjoy the River Plate match; at right, Timand I relished the opportunity to witness Lionel Messi’s likely final match for the national team in the Argentina.
My standard answer to anyone who asked about where I was planning to go and what I was planning to spectate on my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project was the following:
Well, you can’t say you’re going around the world if you don’t find your way off the continent where you live.
Soccer, or futbol, seemed the natural sporting event to spectate during any trip to South America. The broader question, of course, was where and when?
As I began researching that very question, Argentina became the leader in the clubhouse. It is, after all, the defending World Cup champions and is known to be a soccer-crazed nation. It’s also home to one of the game’s all-time greats in Lionel Messi. As it turned out, CONMEBOL (aka the South American Football Confederation) would finish up its continent-wide FIFA World Cup 2026qualifying with a pair of matches in early September, one of which the Argentinian National Team would host (against Venezuela).
Could seeing Messi play for the national team in Argentina be a possibility?
This proved to be an exercise in patience as world soccer’s governing body – FIFA (as well as CONMEBOL) – seemed to be in no hurry to announce the exact dates of the matches. Were they going to be August 31 and September 4? Or September 4 and September 9? Or September 9 and September 14? All were, technically, within the first international break of the 2025-26 global club soccer season, but it made securing flights, accomodations, and – most importantly – tickets challenging.
My traveling partner on this journey, Tim (see also the Rose Bowl, Korean and Japanese baseball, and the Midnight Sun Game), and I hoped to visit both Argentina and Chile (it was due to host Uruguay) for a pair of national team matches. Alas, the uncertain timing of matches as well as the language barrier, proved problematic for us securing tickets we were certain would be legitimate.
Then, one day in mid-August almost by accident, I happened upon the website LandingPadBA (BA is short for Buenos Aires). It’s a tour company that – among other things – takes groups to soccer matches in Buenos Aires. After a fairly exhaustive vetting process, I was sold.
No such tour company was readily findable for Santiago, Chile, so Tim and I abandoned the idea of national team matches in two countries and, instead, decided an Argentine Primera Division match would provide us the added soccer fix we sought.
Jed, Hernan, and Nacho from LandingPadBA were all too happy to accept our money and ensure attendance at two uniquely different Argentinian soccer experiences. These are those stories.
River Plate vs. San Martin de San Juan
I know a bit about the English Premier League and less about America’s Major League Soccer. I can unequivocally tell you I knew nothing about the Argentine Primera Division before me, Tim, and another half-dozen folks met at El Cuartito for some pre-match beverages, empanadas, and pizza.
Clockwise from upper left, the interior of El Cuartito pizzeria is a bit of shrine to Argentine soccer, especially Diego Maradona; for those who know me, understand how challenging this slice of pizza was for me; our group of fellow tourist soccer fans; the exterior of El Cuartito in the Cento barrio of Buenos Aires.
And, loading onto our mini-bus bound for Mas Monumental (the massive home stadium of Club Atletico River Plate) where we’d see the home team take on San Martin, I’m unsure I knew much more. What I managed to glean from Hernan, our guide, is that the Primera Division has continued to expand to the point where it now features 30 clubs (15 in two Groups, A and B) and is – my words not his – bloated. We were also reminded consistently that we should wear red, white, and black (River Plate’s colors) and avoid green and black (San Martin’s colors) and, above all else, keep any blue and yellow in our suitcase because those were the colors of River’s primary Buenos Aires rival, Boca Juniors.
We also learned that only recently are opposition club spectators allowed in some stadiums. The ban, which lasted 12 years due to several violent episodes that included deaths back in 2013, was only lifted in July 2025 and is subject to host clubs having the infrastructure to support it.
And speaking of safety, Hernan also gave us the rundown on the procedure for getting into the stadium. It featured no fewer than three security checks, the final one of which would be a breeze for our gathered group who were all primarily English speakers. The police at this screening were looking for members of Argentina’s criminal element and were conducting background checks for those with Argentine IDs. (Our running joke as we were waved through as soon as we spoke English to the officer was that our collective criminal history in the States or United Kingdom was welcome in the stadium.)
Finally, we had our faces scanned to enter the stadium. That’s right, there were no tickets (paper or digital) for this match, as River utilizes facial recognition to admit spectators.
For this match, we splurged for seats closer to field level and boy did we get close. About eight rows up from near the San Martin bench, we were afforded terrific views of the stadium, the fans, and the pre-match fireworks that left a thick haze hanging over the field on his damp late winter’s night.
Shortly after the pre-match fireworks, fans were left to peer through a haze at the action on the pitch.
We also lucked out in as much as all the match’s goal scoring occurred on our end of the pitch. First, River’s Santiago Lencina scored at the 17 minute mark and then, just four minutes later, teammate Maxi Salas netted another to provide all the scoring the hosts required.
For a Sunday night match, the gathered 70,000-plus were in fine form, complete with orchestrated chanting and singing (of which neither Tim nor I fully picked up) as well as drums providing a rhythmic backdrop for it all. It was a festive night, to be sure, and one that we were told by our guide would be markedly different from our next match (should be fortunate to secure tickets).
Clockwise from upper left, River Plate teammates congratulate Maxi Salas on his goal; a River and San Martin player battle for control of the ball; River’s Juan Fernando Quintero takes a corner kick; the River Plate crest adorns the Mas Monumental; fans get in the spirit of things pre-match; and Ayrton Nicolas Portillo completes a first-half throw-in. (Photos by Doug Hill and Tim Parker)
The highlights from the River Plate and San Martin match.
Argentina vs. Venezuela
Believe it or not, when Tim and I walked out of Mas Monumental following River Plate’s 2-0 victory, we still did not have tickets to the Argentina-Venezuela match four nights later.
To say it was a hot ticket was an understatement.
Messi, who’s widely considered one of the best soccer players in history, was now confirmed to be playing for the Argentine side in its final home World Cup 2026 Qualifying Match. Alone, that fact drove both demand (and the price) for tickets to the match up exponentially. Messi, who turned 38 earlier in the summer, is expected to retire from the national team following next year’s World Cup, so this meant it was a final opportunity for this soccer-crazed nation to see its current favorite son in a competitive match on home soil a final time.
While the fine folks at LandingPadBA assured me they’d have a pair of tickets for us, it still meant for a worrisome couple of days. Would they, in fact, be able to secure tickets? And at what cost?
Those answers came a couple days later from Nacho when he contacted me via WhatsApp to let me know he had tickets and when and where he’d like to meet. It felt a bit like a some illicit deal as we met at one of the Palermo barrio’s many public parks and exchanged several hundred U.S. dollars for a pair of tickets.
It was the most money I’d paid to date for a ticket.
It was worth every penny.
Before we parted ways, Nacho provided Tim and I with a couple of tips:
First, arrive early … very early … egregiously early, even! Through his years of experience with national team matches at Mas Monumental, he knew that the upper level (where we would be) is typically oversold. That is, there are more ticket holders than there are seats.
Second, notice how different the crowd is compared to what we experienced for the River Plate match. While we’d be in the same stadium, he noted the national team match will be more of a family affair, with spectators – young and old alike – traveling from all over the country. Though Nacho didn’t say it, I equated the difference between the two matches to those of an NFL playoff game and an NFL exhibition game. The former (similar to the River Plate match) was for the hardcore fan of the club while the latter was more of an event.
In both instances, Nacho was spot on.
As our ride brought us closer to the stadium a solid two-and-a-half hours pre-match, it was evident plenty of folks were arriving early. A phalanx of buses lined virtually every road near Mas Monumental and it was, in fact, a giant party atmosphere as we walked the final half mile or so to the stadium.
To say Tim and I were a bit gobsmacked when we made our way into the stadium and saw how many fans were already inside (still about two hours pre-match) would be an apt description.
Clockwise from upper left, my version of a timelapse of Mas Monumental filling up. The first photo was upon our entrance about two hours pre-match; the next is from 90 minutes before; the third is about hour out; and the final is about 45 minutes before.
And the gathered crowd was fully engaged: Singing, chanting, and generally enjoying the party atmosphere that was evident from the moment we left our car.
To fully describe how ready this crowd was for the match is challenging. What struck me most sitting in our seats sucking down lukewarm overpriced Keurig coffees attempting to stay warm (temperatures were heading into the lower 40s) were the live helicopter views of the Argentinian team bus approaching the stadium. Beamed on the scoreboard, it seemed with every turn the bus made, the crowd cheered a bit louder and, when the bus was finally in the facility, forget about! The savy scoreboard operator then began showing players heading from the now parked bus to the locker room. When Messi’s visage flashed on the screen, the crowd went bonkers.
Lionel Messi arriving at Mas Monumental.
The fever pitch only grew until, finally, Messi appeared on the field with his Argentine teammates for warmups. Cameras seemed to know where he was at all times and as the fans chanted “Mess-ee! Mess-ee!” he gave a slight wave and seemed to need to regain his composure.
The match itself was rather anti-climactic.
Venezuela was outclassed by the hosts and Messi ensured everyone would go home happy when he scored his squad’s first goal in the 39th minute (sadly, my camera was not recording:-( and then scored a second time in the 80th minute that – for reasons still only known to the soccer gods – I was recording. Check it out here.
Messi’s final competitive goal for the Argentinian national team in Argentina.
Like they already weren’t, but for the duration of the night all eyes were on No. 10 in the blue and white.
When the final whistle blew on Argentina’s 3-0 victory, handshakes were swapped, and Messi met with the media on the field, no one left.
No one!
It was truly one of the more remarkable things I’ve witnessed during this project … or ever! Until he walked down the tunnel and exited the view of the spectators, no one in attendance was budging from their vantage point. It was an incredible tribute to a player so beloved by his countrymen.
And totally worthwhile to experience it!
Clockwise from upper left, Nacho was correct, the upper level was oversold, note all the fans standing in the aisleway; as the sun sets fans stream in toward Mas Monumental; these youngsters were fired up for the match; I needed some Argentinian gear and a stocking cap seemed appropriate with temperatures forecast in the lower 40s; the Venezuelan section featured ample security and fencing; vendors after the match were selling their wares on the street; the finish of the match; the area surrounding the stadium was filled with pedestrians and buses post-match.
A big lovefest between players and fans at Mas Monumental.
The view from behind homeplate at Houston’s Daikin Park. (Photo by Tim Russell)
When you take these baseball bus tours, you meet lots of different people who root for many different teams.
On Coast 2 Coast Sports Tours‘ Southern Slam tour this past summer, we had 15 people, rooting for eight or nine different teams. But with so many different rooting interests, it’s quite easy to get along with everyone on the tour.
Apparently, baseball brings people together:-)
So after a quick trip to New Orleans, we moved down the road toward Houston for the penultimate game of the trip.
Daikin Park was first called Enron Field from 2000-2002 and then Astros Field for a few months during the Enron scandal. It became known as Minute Maid Park from 2002 to January 1 of this year.
It replaced the Astros’ former home, The Astrodome, which was the world’s first enclosed stadium and still stands today, but is not used for anything. It cannot be destroyed due to its designation on the National Register of Historic Places.
Daikin Park park features a retractable roof, which is a welcome relief to the Texas heat. Typically, the roof is only open during games in April and May.
There are unique features both in and outside the ballpark, which has a capacity of 41,168.
The first one is the Houston TogetherCommemorative Baseball Wall, which may be the first thing you see if you enter at the home plate gate. It features customized baseballs from fans all over Houston.
Houston Together is a community-based, non-profit organization that focuses on creating a healthier social environment and improving balance to the community’s livelihood.
You’ll also see a large astronaut sculpture at that entrance, signifying Houston’s Space City nickname.
Clockwise from upper left, fans are greeted by this spaceman statue as they enter Houston’s Daikin Park, an ode to Houston’s Space City monicker; the Houston Together Commemorative Baseball Wall; the Astros celebrated Christmas in July during my visit to Daikin; a look at the Crawford Boxes and Home Run Locomotive above; and a close up of the Locomotive. (Photos by Tim Russell)
Once inside, you’ll likely notice the locomotive high above left field. It is a replica of a 19th century train and coal tender, which weighs close to 50,000 pounds. It runs on an 800 foot track in left-center field.
The train keeps connection to Union Station, which stands next to Daikin Park with a nod to Houston’s railroad history.
In the early 20th century, the railroad helped create Houston with a base of wealth and culture. Union Station was built at the corner of Texas Avenue and Crawford Street and dedicated on March 2, 1911. By the mid-1940s, Union Station was handling 5,000 travelers daily.
Back to baseball, down the left field line, you can see the Crawford Boxes, which run parrallel to Crawford Street. It is only 315 feet down the left field line, one of the shortest in Major League Baseball. But there is also a 19-foot high wall in front of the boxes. The wall contains the hand-operated out-of-town scoreboard.
Here are the other outfield measurements: left-center, 366-399 feet; 409 feet to center; 370 feet to right-center and 326 to right field.
From left to right, a long view of the Astros Hall of Fame; a pair of HoF members’ plaques, Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell; the Phillips 66 Home Run Pump; and a view of left and center field. (Photos by Tim Russell)
The Astros also have a pretty extensive Hall of Fame behind the Crawford Boxes in left field. There are statues of Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio outside the stadium as well.
In the same area, you’ll see the Phillips 66 Home Run Porch. It features a classic gasoline pump that counts the total number of Astros home runs since the park opened.
When Daikin Park first opened, it had some unique features that are no longer there, namely Tal’s Hill. It was a 90-foot wide incline in center field. It was in the field of play along with the flag pole until 2016, when it was eliminated due to injuries.
Game Result: The Athletics pounded out 12 hits while Luis Severino held Houston to just two runs on four hits with no walks and eight strikeouts en route to a 5-2 A’s victory. Houston’s Taylor Trammell had three of the Astros’ six hits.
A few sights from our visit to New Orleans, from left, a building in the French Quarter; the inside of famed St. Louis Cathedral; and the exterior of the cathedral. (Photos by Tim Russell)
A ill-timed rain storm washed out our game action in Biloxi, MS, but there was still Buc-ee’s! (Photo by Tim Russell)
You don’t often look forward to a visit to a gas station.
But Buc-ee’s is more than just a gas station. So it was with great anticipation to get to this part of the Southern Slam tour with Coast 2 Coast Sports Tours in July.
For those that don’t know, Buc-ee’s is a chain of mega-sized convenience stores, based in Texas with many locations throughout the South, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Texas, and Virginia.
They are known for many, many gas pumps. Most have between 100-120 pumps, along with electric vehicle charging stations. They also have a reputation for spotless bathrooms, even winning “Best Restroom in America” in 2012.
The stores are about 65,000 to 75,000 square feet.
It’s not every gas station convenience store that fit a full-sized pickup trick inside. (Photo by Tim Russell)
But a stop here is more than just a gas stop. You might spend anywhere from $20 to $500.
You can shop various tchotchkes, including Buc-ee the Beaver souvenirs, clothing, home décor, fishing gear, and barbecue grills.
The most popular item would be the Beaver Nuggets, which is a corn pop snack with several flavors. Other food items are the brisket barbecue sandwiches, breakfast tacos, fudge, pecans as well as jerky (either freshly made or hanging on the 30-foot jerky wall).
There is a whole wall of fountain drinks, with any combination of flavors. And there is a wall of equal length for the coffee connoisseur, with a small section devoted to tea or hot chocolate drinkers.
Despite the size, everything runs fairly smooth at the pumps and inside at the registers, with very little wait times.
It’s definitely something to experience, if you happen to be travelling down south.
As you enter or leave, you can shake hands with the Buc-ee Beaver statue outside each entrance.
The Trash Pandas and Shuckers didn’t work the day of our visit, but the Shuckers’ chef was in fine form! (Photos by Tim Russell)
An in-house chef put together a nice spread of a Banging Shrimp and Crab sauce over rice. There were also huge homemade biscuits, as well as hot dogs, fresh vegetables, and desserts.
The food was great but, unfortunately, the game never started due to rain and was eventually postponed.
Our view during dinner told it all. No baseball tonight:-( (Photo by Tim Russell)
The marquee out front of Detroit’s Little Caesars’ Arena. My first-ever title fight!
When I was a recreational golfer (been retired for over 15 years now) I became very familiar with “hitting a provisional” off the tee.
In golf vernacular a provisional is the extra shot you hit following an errant tee shot that may not be findable once you get out there. With as far-ranging as my tee balls flew, I hit a lot of provisionals!
When my friend Wayne contacted me shortly after I’d returned from Event No. 22 – Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo – to see if I might be interested in attending the Claressa Shields-Lani Daniels Ladies Heavyweight Championship Fight at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, I hemmed and hawed because I’m not really a fight fan. Then it dawned on me, attending this Detroit card would be like hitting a provisional in the event I either don’t make it to – or my available budget prevents me from getting to – my preferred venues of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas or Madison Square Garden in New York City.
And, to be fair, Little Caesars Arena does have Caesars in its name!
So, I went, I saw, I stayed up really late, and I’ve reaffirmed that live television is simultaneously a great thing for sports and a pox upon the live sport spectating experience.
The Card
It seemed fitting that Gordie Howe, always one to drop the gloves if warranted, has a statue in the concourse at Little Caesars Arena which hosted the fights.
I’m a product of the late 1970s and 1980s, so I was a decent boxing fan in my younger years, what with the Sugar Ray Leonard, Robert Duran, Marvin Hagler, and Thomas Hearns quartet duking it out for supremacy in those middle weight classifications. I was also aware enough of Muhammad Ali and some of the other heavyweights of the day – Larry Holmes and Leon Spinks – to hold a conversation. Of course, I also got sucked into the Mike Tyson later that decade when he was kicking arse and taking the names of anyone who dared enter the ring with him.
But I will not pretend to have heard of anyone on the card of this fight night, save one: Claressa Shields.
And to be clear, I’d heard of Shields primarily because she’s from nearby Flint, MI, and gained metro-Detroit notoreity by winning Olympic Gold Medals in both 2012 and 2016; the first American fighter to have ever done so. Shields was also the recent subject of the 2024 docudrama, The Fire Inside, which received a fair amount of hype in southeast lower Michigan.
Line up the other 21 fighters on this 11-bout card and I could not name one let alone confirm they were even boxers.
Here’s who squared off:
Heavyweights: Demetrius Banks vs. Sardius Simmons
Light Heavyweights: Devario Hauser vs. Kahmel Makled
Middleweights: Joshua Flores vs. Jaquan McElroy
Featherweights: Dominique Griffin vs. Cameran Pankey
Super Middleweights: Martez McGregor vs. Da’Velle Smith
WBC Silver Featherweight Title & WBC World Title Eliminator: Licia Boudersa vs. Caroline Veyre
WBA Super Lightweight World Interim Title: Victoire Piteau vs. Samantha Worthington
Heavyweights: Robert Simms vs. Pryce Taylor
Middleweights: Edward Ulloa Diaz vs. Tony Harrison
Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship: Lani Daniels vs. Claressa Shields
Wayne and I made our way through the gates while the second bout was underway. Also underway was Mother Nature working her magic on my 58-year-old bladder so a quick stop at the men’s room was the first order of business. Consequently (and I was reminded of this all night long) we missed the evening’s only knockout as Makled took care of Hauser in a Technical Knockout in Round 3 of the four scheduled.
(Unbeknownst to me at the time, Makled was a classmate of my son, Jake’s, at Eisenhower High School.)
Kahmel Makled won his bout by TKO in the third round. (Photo by Salita Productions)
A Long Night
Wayne had attended a couple of boxing matches in the past, which are a couple more than I had. I once did a feature story on boxer James “Lights Out” Toney when I wrote for the Ann Arbor News, but that was as close as I’d gotten to a boxing match outside of the Rocky franchise.
What neither of us were certain about was the start time. As noted, there were 11 bouts and we knew the doors opened at 4 p.m., but beyond that it was all rather murky (to us at least) and even contradictory based upon the publication referenced.
We targeted our arrival on the early side but we weren’t sure how early we’d be. Turns out it was really early! How early, we quite easily could have attended the Detroit Tigers 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays down the block, had a post-game beverage, and still been back in time for the main event.
Oh, there was boxing to watch and plenty of up-and-comers on the undercard, but we were there for the Shields-Daniels fight and – based upon the lack of many others in LCA – so were the rest of the fans.
Things moved along swimmingly for the first five fights and then, as it often does, television intervened.
Because DAZN (it’s a real streaming platform, honest) was broadcasting fights beginning at 8 p.m., the proceedings essentially went into the rope-a-dope until the bell tolled eight times. No fighting and plenty of music played during what seemed like an eternity but was probably closer to 45 minutes.
All of which probably would have been fine had the remaining six fights not all gone the distance.
Shields and her entourage – including a drum line! – didn’t begin their march into the arena until 11:46 p.m. and the fight didn’t conclude until a few ticks before 12:30 the next morning.
So, on one hand, boxing matches (and I presume UFC matches as well) could be the best value buy for a sports fan because, conceivably, you’d be watching on-and-off action for over six hours. But on the other hand, I never want to hear a major musical artist ever mention a mandatory curfew again as the reason they need to leave the stage because nearly 16,000 fans just left LCA at oh-my-goodness-it’s-late o’clock.
Of course the cynic in me thinks we could have been out of there at least an hour earlier had television not required the mandatory hold and then had lengthy breaks between each of the six televised fights for unnecessary bloviating by the experts.
A Fistful of Observations from My First Boxing Card
Samantha Worthington celebrates here split decision victory over Victoire Piteau to secure the Super Lightweight World Interim Title.
Despite having witnessed in excess of 70 rounds of boxing, there really weren’t any of those flurries of activity that I recall from so many of those aforementioned fights featuring Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, and Tyson. I didn’t expect a lot from the heavyweight bouts, but I was certainly thought we’d see more action in some of the lower weight classes.
With the clarity of the above-the-scoreboard big screens, I caught myself constantly watching the action on the screens rather than what was occurring 25-feet below them. Which makes me wonder if attending a fight night is indeed worth the investment?
On a card featuring many Michigan-based boxers, neither Wayne nor I were much surprised by the turnout (official attendance was 15,366), but what did surprise us – but maybe shouldn’t have – was how skewed the attendees were to female. While we’ll never know, it certainly felt like a 50/50 split male/female, but it might well have been 2-to-1 in favor of women.
The boxers’ entrance into the arena is quite the production. As noted above, Shields came in with a full drum line. She also had a Detroit rapper leading the way and enough people in the official (?) entourage to fill a lower-level section it seemed. Tony Harrison, a Detroit-based fighter, had not one but two rappers leading him and he leaned fully into his Detroit status by featuring the Lions’ Honolulu Blue and Silver as his color scheme.
Bless her heart, but I’m not sure how interested in fighting Claressa Shields’ opponent, Lani Daniels, was. She spent much of the opening rounds doing a fair amount of dancing and staying out of harms way. When she did engage, Daniels seemed a bit overmatched by the self-proclaimed, G.W.O.A.T. (Greatest Woman of All Time), an opponent seven years her junior and five pounds heavier. In the end, the unanimous decision in Shields’ favor was correct and almost seemed pre-ordained.
Clockwise from upper left, Little Caesars Arena was sparsely populated during this undercard bout; home state favorite Claressa Shields strikes a post prior to her bout with Lani Daniels; Shields and Daniels square off; by the time the main event started, LCA was mostly filled with spectators.
Despite having never played a game at Truist Park, Henry Aaron’s presence looms large. (Photo by Tim Russell)
Doing these bus tours, there can be a lot of returnees, so you see a lot of the same faces.
It’s natural since most people are chasing ballparks. And it’s nice to reconnect with people you met on previous tours, but it’s also nice to meet new people as well.
On the Coast 2 Coast Sports Tours Southern Slam tour this past summer, I was able to do just that. I met Tara and Rodney, both Milwaukee Brewers‘ fans. The Brewers currently have the best record in Major League Baseball just recently became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.
Tara and Rodney are veterans of Coast 2 Coast tours. They live about an hour from Milwaukee’s American Family Field.
If you remember from Miami, Tara was the one that won the score contest, picking the exact score and beating me in the process.
So, we move on to the third leg of the trip: Atlanta’s Truist Park.
Truist Park just hosted the most recent All-Star Game in July after opening in 2017. It replaced Turner Field, which was built for the 1996 Summer Olympics.
The remnants of now-demolished Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium still offer some nostalgic reminders of its history. (Photos by Tim Russell)
Part of the reason the Braves wanted to leave Turner Field was Atlanta’s traffic congestion, making it tough to get to games on time. They also said most of their fan base comes from the suburbs, so they built Truist in Cobb County, about 10 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta.
There are cool features inside Truist, which we will get into, but one of the better features is The Battery, which is a mix of shops, dining, and livable space around the park. It is part of the trend to create huge entertainment districts, like Ballpark Village in St. Louis, Texas Live in Arlington, and Stateside Live in Philadelphia. Metropolitan Park in Queens, NY has been proposed, but not built yet.
A look at the exterior of Truist Park from The Battery. (Photo by Tim Russell)
Around the outside of the stadium are statues of former Braves players: pitcher Phil Niekro, pitcher Warren Spahn, and manager Bobby Cox.
But the nicest area would be Monument Garden, inside the stadium behind the home plate area. It is highlighted by a huge Hank Aaron statue and a 755 sculpture made out of baseballs. Aaron hit 755 career home runs which stood as the record following his retirement in 1976 until Barry Bonds broke it with 762.
Some more of the Henry Aaron mementos found in Truist Park’s Monument Garden. (Photos by Tim Russell)
Around the statue is a two-tiered walkway with Brave memorabilia on both sides, including uniforms, trophies, and the Braves’ Hall of Fame.
Inside the stadium, you have a more intimate feeling with the seating configuration. They have placed a higher percentage of seats closer to the action than any other stadium in MLB. The middle and upper bowl seating is pushed closer to the field.
More importantly, though, there is air conditioning on each level, as well as overhead fans, to help deal with the oppressive Atlanta heat.
Another cool feature inside the stadium is the batter’s eye area, which is similar to Coors Field, with boulders, three evergreen trees, and a fountain. The fountain activates during Brave home runs and victories, shooting water 50 feet in the air.
An interesting fun event only happens during weekend games. The Freeze will race a random fan for a prize package worth $100. The race is 160 meters, from left field foul pole to right field foul pole. The contestant gets a head start and The Freeze tries to catch them, which usually happens.
Some shots of the interior of Atlanta’s Truist Park. (Photos by Tim Russell)
Dimension-wise, the stadium is 335 feet down the left field line, 385 feet to left-center, 400 feet to center field. It is 375 feet to right-center and 325 down the right field line.
While Turner Field is still in use, theAtlanta-Fulton CountyStadium site is just a parking lot. Although the outline of the park is marked and the piece of wall where Aaron’s 715th home run (breaking the previous record of 714 established by Babe Ruth) still stands.
Game Result: It was all San Francisco in this one. The Giants roughed up Atlanta starting pitcher, Davis Daniel, for four runs in the second inning. San Francisco starting – and winning – pitcher Landen Roupp and three relievers combined to shutout Atlanta, 9-0. The offensive stalwarts for the Giants were designated hitter Wilmer Flores (four RBIs), thirdbaseman Matt Champan (two hits, including a run-scoring first inning triple), and Rafael Devers (two hits and two runs scored).
When I first began sketching out my “dream big” schedule for this project, I actually included two rodeos on the list: The Calgary Stampede and Cheyenne Frontier Days. The fantasy was to attend a day or two in Calgary, enjoy a drive south through the Canadian Rockies into Montana, check out Yellowstone, Devil’s Tower, and whatever else spurred my interest before arriving in Cheyenne.
It’d be perfect, attend two of the world’s most-recognizable rodeos in an epic 2-week road trip and see some of North America’s most glorious natural scenery along the way.
Then I began costing it out …
… so a single rodeo was in the offing and it needed to be Frontier Days because my wife, Carol, and I would double-up and count it as our state trip for the year (50 Years, 50 States don’t you know).
Our adult daughter, Helena, decided to join in the fun so it became, collectively, our first rodeo.
Take the Tour
Clockwise from upper left, that there is what’s known as a “Cheyenne Souvenir” if you happen to step in it; this tunnel is what’s used to move the animal athletes into and out of the arena; the massive stage is on wheels and is transported out onto the arena floor each evening for concerts; our tour guide told us about the grounds, the history, and provided us a CFD primer; to those in the know, this rodeo is the “Daddy of ’em All” because of its historical significance; Chute 9 is where the roping events enter the arena from.
I can’t speak for other rodeos, but Cheyenne Frontier Days offers visitors a free “Behind the Chutes” tour twice each morning before the competition begins.
It gets visitors out onto the arena grounds, close to some of the pens where the animal athletes are awaiting their moment in the spotlight, an up close look at the chutes, and plenty of historical nuggets about Frontier Days’ history.
Though crowded the Sunday we were there (probably 200 people on the tour with us) it was enjoyable to slip behind the scenes a bit, learn about the history of this rodeo, avoid stepping in some of the “Cheyenne Souvenirs” some of the animals left behind, and get a crazy cool photo of us standing behind a chute gate.
Sitting Higher Up is Cooler (and Drier)
Yep, that’s us in the last row where we had shade and breezey conditions much of the day.
When I called the box office several months ago to secure tickets, I put my full faith in the ticket agent assisting me.
Her advice, for a first-time attendee, was to sit behind the chutes (as opposed to the opposite side of the arena) not only for a closer view, but to also sit higher up to ensure cover from the elements. For us, the Sunday we attended, the main element to avoid was the searing sun. With high temperatures forecast to touch 90 degrees, I as grateful for that pro tip from the agent.
Though we marched all the way to the final row of our section (which provided for some terrific views of the pens behind us) there was both a breeze and full-time shade for the entirety of the nearly three hours at the venue.
In full transparency, the sections closest to the chutes below us did have the benefit of the cooling misters (water pumped through a fan) for the better part of the afternoon. I never ventured down there to see how it felt, but it certainly had be cooler than roasting in the mid-afternoon sunshine which beat down much of the day.
How many cowboys does it take to lead a bull away?
Where do the bulls go?
Animal Athletes?
For Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, the animal athletes are the bulls (at left), broncos and bulls (upper right), and the steers. During our tour and for most of our stay at the arena, they were all over the place.
If our tour guide used the phrase “animal athletes” once he used it a dozen times during our hour with him prior to the day’s competition.
As a naive rodeo first-timer, I found myself skeptical.
Then I saw the number of veterinarians on site, the number of livestock contractors, and the way the animals and humans worked together (especially in the roping and racing events) and my skepticism waned and I became believer.
But About Those Cowboys … and Cowgirls
Clockwise from top, one of the Barrel Racers makes the turn for home; the a Team Roping duo chase down a steer; the rodeo clowns and barrel man are important to the safety of riders in the bucking events; this Saddle Bronc rider hangs on; as does this Bull Rider.
The stars of the show, though, are the men and women who mount up and ride … and wrestle … and rope.
All totaled, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo features 11 events and, mercifully, prior to each there was a Rodeo 101 video for the benefit of us first-timers that assisted our understanding – at least a little;-) – for what we were about to witness. Following is the list of the 11 events with a link to the Rodeo 101 video for each. The descriptor is from the CFD website.
Bareback Broncos – Bareback riding is one of rodeos most physically demanding events. It grew in popularity in the early 1900s when there were no set rules, so some riders would hold on to the horses mane, or a loose twisted rope around the horse’s girth. A rigging similar to the one used today was introduced in the 1920s by Earl Bascom who invented it.
Tiedown Roping – Beginning as a chore that can be traced back to the 1800’s at the old working ranches of the west, derived from roping calfs for medical treatment and branding, tie-down roping started when ranch hands went head-to-head to see who was the fastest roper.
Bull Riding – Gaining popularity in the nineteenth century, Bull Riding started as a competition among cowboys to determine who was the toughest rider. Starting on small ranches and moving to wild west shows and finally going on its own, bull riding has become the rodeos most popular event to-date.
Women’s Breakaway Roping – Women’s breakaway roping is comparable to men’s tie-down roping, except the cowgirls are not required to dismount and tie the calf.
Saddle Bronc – Saddle Bronc riding was the first rodeo event introduced to Cheyenne Frontier Days and is often considered the classic event of rodeo, embodying the sport’s roots. This event demands finesse, balance, and agility from competitors who use a modified western saddle, typically custom-made to their specifications. Unique to Saddle Bronc riding is the buck rein, which is attached to a halter, and the rider must decide precisely where to place and hold it.
Ladies Ranch Saddle Bronc – This event was founded in 2016 and the rider must maintain possession of the rein with the original riding hand for the full eight seconds. The rider can use her free hand to hold the saddle horn or night latch/rope.
Team Roping – Team Roping started in the old working ranches of the west, when two ropers were needed because the size of the animal was too much for a single man. One cowboy would rope the steer around the horns while the second would rope the legs to allow for branding or vaccination.
Steer Wrestling – Steer wrestling or Bulldogging is an event where men try to wrestle a 600 pound steer to the ground. Steer Wrestling has a long history at Cheyenne Frontier Days, first being introduced in 1904. It is said that the event is influenced by working cattle dogs who would grab the cattle when they were unruly. Steer Wrestling has evolved and now has a hazer and the Bulldogger. Cattle dogs are still used on ranches today to help manage the cattle.
Barrel Racing – Barrel Racing evolved from the relay races in the old wild west shows. Introduced into rodeo as an exclusive event for women on horseback, our barrel racing is sanctioned by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.
Wild Horse Race – One of the first rodeo events and as western as the word itself, the wild horse race started in the 1800’s as a competition between ranch teams. From its roots as a race through town with only wagons as fences, the wild horse race is now a fully grown rodeo event. In today’s wild horse races, true wild horses are no longer used. Instead, cowboys race ranch-raised horses.
While each event was enjoyable (and, at times, head-scratching) in its own way, my personal favorite was Team Roping. I think because it involved two participants working simultaneously (a Header and a Heeler), was an event that both men and women could compete in, and the skill it has to take to not only lasso the horns but also the back hooves, all made it a favorite of mine. Couple that with the fact, that only six of the 11 teams we saw successfully completed the task told me there was a fair amount of skill involved.
My wife and daughter, meanwhile, found themselves often times rooting for the calves or the steers to make a clean getaway from their ropers or wranglers. I’m not saying I could blame them because, to the casual observer, it appears a somewhat barbaric event, leaping off a gallopping horse onto a steer attempting to wrestle it to the ground. In the end, however, whether roped and tied or wrestled to the gorund, the animal always got up to its feet and, somewhat merrily, went on its way back to the stables for whatever feed was being served up.
Without question, though, the most bananas event I witnessed was the Wild Horse Race.
Handlers brought “wild” (they’re no longer wild but rather ranch-raised) horses across the arena onto the track where teams of three were charged with nabbing a horse, saddling it, and then riding it around the entirety of the track. The names of the three-person teams sound even wilder: Mugger (charged with holding the head), Shanker (holding the rope), and Rider (who must saddle and ride it around the quarter mile).
Honestly, I’m not sure which one of this trio has the toughest job.
Nuts!
The early portion of the Wild Horse Race during the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo.
Some Final Looks
Clockwise from upper left, this statue of champion bullrider Lane Frost who died at the CFD Rodeo in 1989 at the age of 25 after being thrown and struck by the bull. The statue, by artist Chris Navarro was dedicated in 1993; Carol is always interested in what’s going on; beyond the big concerts during Frontier Nights, there are also small groups playing in Frontier Town; part of the parade entering the arena prior to the rodeo’s start; a look at Frontier Town.
