Re: The BIG CHILL
It was an enjoyable event.
Sightlines: I was in row 82, in the corner of the end zone, and I didn't have any trouble following the game.
Michigan Stadium is the perfect venue for this. It was built for football, only, and seats are right up to the edge of the field. No running track, no extra width for soccer. The wide sheet filled out the field even more, and the action definitely seemed closer than at Camp Randall in February. Plus, even the front row of seats is 6-8 feet above field level, so I don't think that anyone had trouble seeing over the boards.
Atmosphere: It wasn't Yost, but not too many places are. 110,000+ doing the goal count and C-Ya chants was an impressive sight. I thought that a lot of people would be football fans who aren't familiar with Michigan hockey's traditions, but the chants were done uniformly all over the stadium. My only complaint was that I couldn't hear the band too well from the opposite end of the stadium, which was strange because that usually isn't a problem at football games.
Not too many people left early despite the blowout. They seemed to be savoring the moment.
Not as much tailgating before the game as for football, but given the time of year, I didn't expect it.
Weather: 39-40 degrees was very comfortable. I could've survived the 20's (Camp Randall was in the 20's in February). Thank God that the rain didn't start until later, because a cold rain would have been much worse than snow.
Game: Not the best game that I've ever seen, but I can't get mad at a 5-0 win. The ice seemed much better than at Camp Randall, and the players did not seem to be struggling with the conditions.
Attendance: The only small pocket of empty seats that I saw was at the very top of the student section. That surprised me at first, until I realized that UM (and MSU) have finals this week, so I'm sure they had a few no-shows. Not smart scheduling in that regard, but they got the record, anyway.
Fireworks: The fireworks after the goals were appropriate, but the post-game display was lame, the one disappointment of the night. The regular Friday shows at Comerica Park are much better, and those aren't special events.
Every year would be too much, but David Brandon said in the paper that he'd consider doing this every 4 years, and if they do, I'll be back.
It was an enjoyable event.
Sightlines: I was in row 82, in the corner of the end zone, and I didn't have any trouble following the game.
Michigan Stadium is the perfect venue for this. It was built for football, only, and seats are right up to the edge of the field. No running track, no extra width for soccer. The wide sheet filled out the field even more, and the action definitely seemed closer than at Camp Randall in February. Plus, even the front row of seats is 6-8 feet above field level, so I don't think that anyone had trouble seeing over the boards.
Atmosphere: It wasn't Yost, but not too many places are. 110,000+ doing the goal count and C-Ya chants was an impressive sight. I thought that a lot of people would be football fans who aren't familiar with Michigan hockey's traditions, but the chants were done uniformly all over the stadium. My only complaint was that I couldn't hear the band too well from the opposite end of the stadium, which was strange because that usually isn't a problem at football games.
Not too many people left early despite the blowout. They seemed to be savoring the moment.
Not as much tailgating before the game as for football, but given the time of year, I didn't expect it.
Weather: 39-40 degrees was very comfortable. I could've survived the 20's (Camp Randall was in the 20's in February). Thank God that the rain didn't start until later, because a cold rain would have been much worse than snow.
Game: Not the best game that I've ever seen, but I can't get mad at a 5-0 win. The ice seemed much better than at Camp Randall, and the players did not seem to be struggling with the conditions.
Attendance: The only small pocket of empty seats that I saw was at the very top of the student section. That surprised me at first, until I realized that UM (and MSU) have finals this week, so I'm sure they had a few no-shows. Not smart scheduling in that regard, but they got the record, anyway.
Fireworks: The fireworks after the goals were appropriate, but the post-game display was lame, the one disappointment of the night. The regular Friday shows at Comerica Park are much better, and those aren't special events.
Every year would be too much, but David Brandon said in the paper that he'd consider doing this every 4 years, and if they do, I'll be back.
( Matt RRRRust!) Agree about the fireworks, but that was just window dressing- didn't expect the type of shows where they actually spend alot and have the safety to make it attractive. 
