Monday, August 31, 2009

Top 10 Toughest Places to Play College Football

#10: Sanford Stadium - Georgia Bulldogs
Sanford Stadium - Georgia Bulldogs
I've been to a game up at Sanford and I couldn't imagine what a player must be going through while playing "between the hedges." The fans are loud, but overall, they're a pretty nice crowd. -- Matthew Smith, Bleacher Report


#9: Autzen Stadium - Oregon Ducks
Autzen Stadium - Oregon Ducks
Oregon fans are loud. For a place that only seats 59,000, they make it seem like a whole lot more.


#8: Michigan Stadium - Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Stadium - Michigan Wolverines
100,000-plus screaming fans on game day are loud. The fans are passionate enough to make it a tough place to play for a visiting team.


#7: Lane Stadium - Virginia Tech Hokies
Lane Stadium - Virginia Tech Hokies
The fans here are right on top of the action, which makes it one of the loudest places to play. But it loses points because it seats many fewer fans than the stadiums ahead of it.


#6: Ohio Stadium - Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio Stadium - Ohio State Buckeyes
The Horseshoe makes it tough to beat when the pre-game show includes a script Ohio marching out on the field to screaming fans.


#5: Kyle Field - Texas A&M Aggies
Kyle Field - Texas A&M Aggies
The 12th man is a formidable opponent for any visiting team at Kyle Field. They are constant and they never give up — a big reason why this stadium makes it into the top five.


#4: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium - Florida Gators
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium - Florida Gators
Florida has some of the best fans in the country and playing a game there is tough, even once, much less having to do it every other year like some SEC schools. The Swamp has given the Gators the second-best winning percentage at home since 1990.


#3: Beaver Stadium - Penn State Nittany Lions
Beaver Stadium - Penn State Nittany Lions
There is no doubt that the tradition and passion of PSU football gives it a spot near the top of this list. Whether it be JoePa or a whiteout, there's some serious passion among fans here.


#2: Neyland Stadium - Tennessee Volunteers
Neyland Stadium - Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee has a great program and 100,000-plus fans doesn't hurt. They seem to always be into the game no matter the score and the design of the stadium can be very intimidating for opposing teams.


#1: Tiger Stadium - LSU Tigers
Tiger Stadium - LSU Tigers

Tiger Stadium - LSU Tigers

Tiger Stadium - LSU Tigers
The Tigers have some of the craziest fans in all of college football and trying to play in Tiger Stadium at night with 92,000-plus fans around you must be one of the most intimidating things a college athlete can do.

Check out the article at Fox Sports.

Not a bad list... give or take a couple of the entries (VT???). Won't argue with #1, tho... Geaux Tigers!!!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Solar SunFlowers!!!

Solar Sunflowers

Solar Sunflowers

Solar Sunflowers

Solar Sunflowers

Fifteen flower-shaped solar panels have been installed in an open space between a highway and a retail lot in Austin, Texas.

They not only provide a green source of energy, but also bring a fresh look to solar panel design.

Designed by Massachusetts art duo Harries/Heder, the SunFlowers are an art exhibit at heart, and stand over 30 feet tall.

They collect power from the sun by day, and use that energy to power their blue LEDs at night.

Up to 15 kilowatts of surplus power is sent back to the grid as payment for any maintenance fees the SunFlowers incur.

Check out the article at Fox News.

Cool idea! I need some of those for my yard... wonder how much they cost!