Watching In Relative Isolation...

untcampbell · September 4, 2009

I had a major client dinner last night in TOPEKA, KS, of all places. The restaurant was not set up to be a big TV watching venue, so they did not invest in the "premium package" that would provide ESPNU. I am drinking lots of "water" so that I may make frequent trips to the bathroom to listen to a few minutes of the game. My boss (a UTenn alum) is kindly and discretely feeding me updates throughout the dinner.

With about 7 minutes left in the game, dinner breaks and we run into a crowded, smoke-filled (yes, they are still out there) sports bar across the street, bringing our clients. The Chiefs exhibition is on about 1/3 of the screen with the Boise game and other college games taking most of the other screens. But there is my Mean Green on about 4 of the 40 or so screens strewn throughout the relatively large bar.

I am going crazy, especially on the defensive drive, and am clearly the most animated fan in the house. I meet the following:

** An Oregon fan who comes up and asks, "Beats those two wins over the Hilltoppers, doesn't it?"

** A Nebraska fan comes to our table and asks where North Texas is located. I recounted my story of our loss to NU 15 or so years ago, calling Nebraska fans the most polite of any that I have seen on the road.

** A dissheveled, and highly irritated, "college football fan" who reported that he had put a "fairly large amount of money" on Ball State. He asked, "what happened to you guys?" After a brief discussion, I mentioned that I had put a fairly small amount of money on North Texas.

Oh, and my boss and clients are solid Mean Green fans now. One guy recounted his recall of the University, a true story about a Texas Ranger that was on Carson in the late 60's or early 70's when NT was voted by Playboy as the number one party school in the US. This guy cited Denton as having the first Head Shop in Texas and said the officer credited the very long, paved and relatively isolated and unmonitored Denton airstrip for the high level of drug traffic that was coming through Denton at the time. Oh well...nice to be known for something.

A few more will know us for a pretty nice football win on national TV last night.

GMG

Edited September 4, 2009 by untcampbell