Sporting News
Ranking the Big Ten football stadiums
June 29, 2006
Three down, three to go in our informal rankings of the nation's most intimidating stadiums by conference. Today, we give you the Big Ten, where life, love and the pursuit of hard-hitting linebackers are a way of life and scoring points is evil. Deep breath, everyone. We'll get through this together. Or at least I will, and you can fire away.
1. Ohio State: Come on, of course the Shoe is No.1. It's enormous, it's loud and the fans ... let's face it, they're sick. Frankly, I'm intimidated minutes before kickoff by the Best Damn Band In The Land.
2. Wisconsin: Love Bucky's place. Beautiful campus setting, raucous atmosphere and devoted junkies that feed off the Badgers' lunch pale attitude. And then there's the Fifth Quarter.
3. Iowa: Kinnick always has been a pit over the years, even when Hayden Frye's teams were underachieving. Now that Kirk Ferentz has built this program into an every-year monster, the place is downright nasty.
4. Penn State: If the 'Nits aren't winning, an afternoon at the science center is more intimidating. When they are, it's a loud joint. And that constant Lion screech piped through the PA system? Enough already.
5. Michigan: Look, if you want storied tradition and pageantry and all that fluff stuff, Michigan Stadium is at the top. Personally, I'd like more than just one loud, crazy atmosphere every other year. And you know which game I'm talking about.
6. Purdue: Hey, at least Joey T. makes things exciting. Used to be going to a game at Ross-Ade meant no atmosphere and getting your arse handed to you.
7. Michigan State: Sometimes I think Sparty basically built this enormous edifice just to keep up with the rest of the league.
8. Minnesota: If the place is full, and if the Gophers are rolling, the Hump Dump gets loud. Can't wait to see Minne shoot up this list in a few years when the new outdoor, on-campus stadium is finished.
9. Illinois: If you had tickets to the Michigan-Illinois game in 2000, count yourself as one of the 72,524 who can say, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Memorial Stadium can be a snakepit.
10. Northwestern: The soccer moms at my nephew Matthew's soccer game are more intimidating. To say nothing of their beauty.
11. Indiana: Pffffft.
Ranking the Big Ten football stadiums
June 29, 2006
Three down, three to go in our informal rankings of the nation's most intimidating stadiums by conference. Today, we give you the Big Ten, where life, love and the pursuit of hard-hitting linebackers are a way of life and scoring points is evil. Deep breath, everyone. We'll get through this together. Or at least I will, and you can fire away.
1. Ohio State: Come on, of course the Shoe is No.1. It's enormous, it's loud and the fans ... let's face it, they're sick. Frankly, I'm intimidated minutes before kickoff by the Best Damn Band In The Land.
2. Wisconsin: Love Bucky's place. Beautiful campus setting, raucous atmosphere and devoted junkies that feed off the Badgers' lunch pale attitude. And then there's the Fifth Quarter.
3. Iowa: Kinnick always has been a pit over the years, even when Hayden Frye's teams were underachieving. Now that Kirk Ferentz has built this program into an every-year monster, the place is downright nasty.
4. Penn State: If the 'Nits aren't winning, an afternoon at the science center is more intimidating. When they are, it's a loud joint. And that constant Lion screech piped through the PA system? Enough already.
5. Michigan: Look, if you want storied tradition and pageantry and all that fluff stuff, Michigan Stadium is at the top. Personally, I'd like more than just one loud, crazy atmosphere every other year. And you know which game I'm talking about.
6. Purdue: Hey, at least Joey T. makes things exciting. Used to be going to a game at Ross-Ade meant no atmosphere and getting your arse handed to you.
7. Michigan State: Sometimes I think Sparty basically built this enormous edifice just to keep up with the rest of the league.
8. Minnesota: If the place is full, and if the Gophers are rolling, the Hump Dump gets loud. Can't wait to see Minne shoot up this list in a few years when the new outdoor, on-campus stadium is finished.
9. Illinois: If you had tickets to the Michigan-Illinois game in 2000, count yourself as one of the 72,524 who can say, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Memorial Stadium can be a snakepit.
10. Northwestern: The soccer moms at my nephew Matthew's soccer game are more intimidating. To say nothing of their beauty.
11. Indiana: Pffffft.
