I find it hard to believe people still read and use Xanga. I'm amazed this hasn't died to stuff like Blogger. If you skip all the way below to the italics, there is a news story taken from the scarletknights website. It is on the student ticketing policy for the Rutgers versus Syracuse game. I highlighted some of the more important information. If you've been living under a rock or just not paying attention to sports. Rutgers for the first time in school history has set records and has become the talk of the nation. For example, the RU-Louisville game was the highest rated college sporting event in New York since ESPN started rating college events. I remember people had asked me whether we could beat Louisville, and some were surprised to hear me say yeah, we have a good chance this year. Now those same people who didn't believe in Rutgers are making big deals of the recent win. Try to have some more faith next time guys, we're not undefeated for no reason, we have a good program this year. People like me who once had little interest in Rutgers now look at the football team with keen interest, wondering what they'll do next... The last football game versus the Louisville Cardinals was one of the best sports games I've ever seen in my life. I say that with all honesty. After the first half, I believe it was 7 to 25. Could this be a redo of last year when the Cardinals took us 56 to 5? I could sense the feeling of dread in the air, that maybe this was the end of Rutgers incredible run through the rankings. The crowd did not lose hope though, the chanting never stopped, and the energy was uncontrollable. I will probably never know what Coach Schiano said to his players during half-time, but it was probably along the lines of "keep chopping". It is a major part of the philosophy on the team. Stay on point and remain focused. You see, over the past six seasons, Schiano has made it his mission to rid Rutgers of the inferior football it has played. Rutgers was the birthplace of college football in that it was part of the first football game ever played. It is now something to be proud of. During the second half of the game, you could see that something had changed. The crowd was inexorable still with chanting and cheering. The team however showed why they had some of the best defense in college football. Louisville came to Rutgers with the nation's second best offense in yards per game and scoring. They never scored after the first half. Brian Brohm of the Cardinals had the worst statistical game of the season and was sacked five times. The Cardinals finished with a season-low yards of total offense. A stadium with a record crowd of 44, 111 witnessed the biggest victory in school history, 28-25 RU vs Card. Fans decided to rush the field with 1 second left on the clock, basically saying "Fuck it, it's over, we win!" After the 1 second expired, there was the real rush. People were climbing over each other, jumping fences and stairs, and elbowing people in the face to get to the field. It was all red. I've always wondered why sports were so important, why athletes got so much glory, why people were willing to pay way over for admission to a high profile game. After all, engineers, scientists, and medical doctors are the people who progress the world and make it better for the rest of the ungrateful filth that is society. I guess it's like a magic act. The magician gets all the glory for the magic, for being an awe-inspiring and entertaining symbol. No one cares about the people below the stage. I'm going to end this entry now by emphasizing that the rise of Rutgers football now has instilled in me a sense of pride for my school. It has reinforced the idea that anything is possible if you keep "chopping". That phrase means so much to me because I have such high and seemingly unattainable goals like getting a Ferrari F430. I found it interesting that the RU team color is red and Ferrari's traditionally come in Rossa Corsa which means Racing Red. Many people don't realize what owning a Ferrari means so they say things like "well, if I spend 30k on my Lancer Evolution, it will be faster than a Ferrari". Realize that Ferrari owners don't go out and find you to beat. They are the benchmark. That's why people gloat and brag when they beat Ferraris with their modified cars and not the other way around. Owning a Ferrari for me isn't about exclusivity or having a road legal racecar, it's about realizing a dream. Ever since I was interested in cars, Ferrari has held that mystique and my attraction to it is undeniable. I realized that they went from nothing to being the pinnacle of motorsports and production cars. I hope to one day own a piece of that greatness. Now I think about the Rutgers football team and their efforts to be recognized as college champions and to strive to become the football benchmark. They saw a dream and so far they are living it. You can goto the ScarletKnights website and see how many records and "first time doing (whatever))" that Rutgers has set. It's rather unbelievable. Student tickets for the final Rutgers home football game of the 2006 season, against Syracuse on Saturday, November 25, will be distributed on Saturday, November 18. The time of the game will be either noon or 3:30 and will be determined following this week's game at Cincinnati. There will be 10,500 student tickets available and students with a valid ID may pick up tickets at the west gate of the stadium starting Saturday morning, November 18, at 9:00 am while tickets last. Students will not be able to line up for tickets before 5:00 am. Students will be given the option of a ticket in the student section (107-115) or in temporary end zone bleacher seating under the scoreboard. Students may obtain one ticket per valid ID and must be present to be given a ticket (multiple tickets will not be given to students). Extra campus buses will be added on Saturday morning beginning at 4:30 am to accommodate those students wishing to receive tickets. The bus stops for these special buses will be on College Avenue: Rutgers Student Center, Scott Hall and the SAC building; Cook/Douglass: Red Oak Lane, Food Science, Biel Rd., Henderson apartments, Katzenbach, New Gibbons and College Hall; Rockoff Hall; Livingston: Livingston Student Center, the Quads and Towers A limited number of student parking passes will be available on Monday, November 20, starting at 8:30 am at the Rutgers Ticket Office at the RAC. You must have a valid ID and show your game ticket to purchase the parking pass. Only one parking pass per student (multiple parking passes will not be sold to students). Residence Halls will be open on Saturday, November 25. Dining Halls will open Sunday, November 26. The exact times will be determined once a game time has been set. "Our students were outstanding last Thursday night and showed a national TV audience what great student support we have," said Rutgers Director of Athletics Bob Mulcahy. "We can't thank them enough and look for that same type of atmosphere to be at the Syracuse game." Rutgers students going to the game this Saturday at Cincinnati will be able to get their Syracuse student ticket at the Rutgers player/guest gate at Nippert Stadium with a valid Rutgers student ID. | 