Stade Experience: Just Say No, To The Big O

[Chuggabunch]

Just Say No, To The Big O

I'm trying to be positive during a dark week. Literally dark at 4:30 and our Alouettes are out for the season too. Not the winter tire change up week vibe I was wishing for. Old tires and the Big O have enough in common. Ok just one. Useless under most conditions. Many sentimental miles put on, but garbage no matter how much Armor All is used.

I have some thoughts on why we should not return to the east end abyss, even for one game, and stay where Alouettes football truly belongs, on the mountain.

I haven't been back to the Big O since our loss at the Grey Cup in 08' until last Sunday. Thought I'd stop my non-sense mentality, “If I'm not there, were sure to win”. I should be banned from the cement tomb cause my mojo, is a no flow, at the Big O.

Instead of staying at the Four Seasons we booked a room at the No Tell Motel. You know the one. The tacky heart shaped jacuzzi, the bolted down remote control along with the coin slot to make the bed rearrange your spine. Ahh good times till the day after.

So here we go.....

The promos over the speakers were insane. I'm usually all in with noise, but wow, “Why are they yelling at me”. I feel like I took an audio bullying from the bouncing sound. When a classic James Brown tune is as appealing as bagpipes when hungover, we got problems. I usually stick around for the halftime show but the thought of hearing The Sam Roberts band playing in an acoustic toilet makes me wanna puke. There was no way that place was going to ruin a really good band for me.

Aside from the loyal fans, it has no personality. I'm sure it was fun for some to relive old memories of the Expos, Alouettes and rock shows but let's not mix a bad aftertaste with something special. Kinda like mixing raisins in with chocolate chip cookies. If that makes sense.

If there is one thing I know best at ball games, it's the suds. $7 draft beer served in an medium sized dixie cup. C'mon, Should have kept with the tall boy beers for $9.

The view and vibe isn't comparable. The only thing from keeping that place from looking completely hideous are the cheerleaders. When a big black curtain is the best option to give the place the illusion of .... who knows what. I'm not sure what the scent of despair is, but the Big O has managed to captured it and put a big lid on it.

If the parking is slightly better,only just, from what I'm told, why trek all the way out there?

Something I heard from a die hard fan was “I don't mind it for one game”. I've heard the same fan say “I love games on the mountain” Huge difference.

Slamming those old seats relentlessly in the name of defence was the one thing I truly loved about the place. It was one helluva' game. Probably the most exciting of the season but...... I hate that damn stadium. Perhaps a poll would be in order.

Vote 1: Yes I enjoyed the Big O experience and we should return for another playoff game.
2: No. On the mountain is where the Alouettes belong for every game.

Peace out
Le Chugg.

[West Coast Als Fan]

While my preference would be to have all games played at Molson Stadium I wouldn't be opposed to staging playoff games at the Big-O...provided, of course, that they can draw 50,000. But if all they're going to get is 33,000 like they did last Sunday then it's not worth it.

The Big O gets a lot of grief from people but I never had much of a problem with it and while it may not be the 8th wonder of the world I have certainly been to worse venues in my time. It's not as good for football as Molson nor as good for baseball as old Jarry Park but it's better for both than the Skydome or Exhibition Stadium in Toronto ever were. And if you want to discuss "ease of use" issues like being able to get from Point A to Point B inside the stadium when it's full, again it has a lot of other venues beat. BC Plce, even after a half-billion dollar renovation, is very cramped in the concourses. I went there a couple of weeks ago to see the Als stink out the joint and even with a crowd of only 35,000 it was claustrophobic on the concourse at halftime. The Big O's concourses, by comparison, are vast. And I remember noticing that fact the last time I was there for the 2008 Grey Cup game. There were twice as many spectators at that game than there was a couple of weeks ago here in BC yet there was more room to move at the Big O. The seating is also not nearly as cramped as Skydome.

I've also been to the old Kingdome in Seattle which was built around the same time as the Big O. There's no comparison. The Kingdome was a dump compared to the Big O.

Incidentally, a couple of months before my last trip to the Big O, I was in Paris and took in a Paris St. Germain soccer match at Parc des Princes Stadium which was built by the same architect (Roger Taillebert) as the Big O. It was built a couple of years before the Big O and isn't nearly as big but there are many similarities. It's easy to see how the same guy designed both. But even so, Parc des Princes is a bare-bones facility compared to the Big O.

What it comes down to is size. The sheer size of the stadium is both a blessing ansd a curse. It all depends on how many people show up. If it's full there's no place better. When it's near empty there's no place more depressing. But if they ever tear it down you can forget about ever seeing another Grey Cup played in Montreal because there isn't enough room on the mountain to put in the 30,000 additional seats you'd need to host the game.

[Mum Yash La Légende!]

2: No. On the mountain is where the Alouettes belong for every game.

The only reason why the Als are playing it there is for the fans attendance$$$
Once a year, if we do the east final, we full the Big"O" whit 55 000 fans and more...
It's some money to consider... Just hope that we invest that money for players or it just goes in Wetenhal pocket...
I would love to play next semi final at Percival Molson.
We have good wheater all year long . Even in november we still have warm days . Last Sunday was perfect to play outside!
Like i say, next semi-final we should try at Percival Molson. Maybe we will love it and even do the east final there in the future!!!
And by the way I hate the seats at Olympic stadium plus too many other things...
I agree whit you Ray

_________________________________Mum Yash La Légende!!!___________________________________

[ro1313]

I dont mind the Big Oh Oh for 1 game

Parking....I walk to the Big Oh
Slaming the seats is cool and having an exact place for your butt with a back rest is nice as well
7$ beer...I dont drink so I dont care however McGill sells coke while the Big Oh Oh sells Pepsi

[Lillikins]

Although I prefer games at Molson Stadium by a long shot, I still enjoy seeing crowds of 45,000+ show up for the Als for a play-off. On the down side is the risk of low attendance, which even though is more than Molson Stadium can hold, is depressing. If the team is hot going into the play-offs, the fans show up.

[Mum Yash La Légende!]

I dont mind the Big Oh Oh for 1 game

Me too! but if it's the semi-final whit a half full stadium... no way Jose
The planet gets warmer so in early november it is still warm.

East final no problem whit that. We need that$$$

Slaming the seats is cool and having an exact place for your butt with a back rest is nice as well

Come on Ro! Dont tell me it was very comfortable to seat in these tiny seats. I know you're about my size! Whit all the big coats of others. We where jam pack! Personally I'm more comfortable at Percival. And I dont know a stadium that you dont have your own seat assign. I understand too that is cool to play a game every year in the Big"O". But I dont know why, since i got season tickets, i think little bit differently. I love my old stadium in the mountain!

[ro1313]

Come on Ro! Dont tell me it was very comfortable to seat in these tiny seats.

What I mean is, quite a few times people are taking up more than than 1 spot and you get pushed out of your seat. I am in seat 6 and one game we were pushed so far that when the person in seat one showed up, there was no no room for him. We had to yell down to have everyone move over

I love and prefer Molson's but for the playoffs I vote the big oh

[Jonnys]

Je vote Stade Molson!!!!!!!Puis pour un match de série qu on y rajoute des estrades temporaires...Du genre 2 a 5 mille du coté des buts Est en arriere de RDS ca peut surment se faire!Estrade comme au Grand prix!