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The cotton bowl is a shit hole


Mitch Cumsteen

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I know that the service industry is in the fucking dumps but that shit was ridiculous yesterday. I'm pretty sure the concessions in the super dome during Katrina were better. The lines for water/soda/Gatorade had to be, what, 300 deep? It was hotter than hell and they were completely unprepared. I'm surprised nobody had a heat stroke. I wasn't even planning on drinking beer during the game, but that was the only liquid that you could buy without waiting forever. I pounded 5 tall boys at the smooth price of $11 apiece just to have something to drink. 

It also took almost an hour to get into the stadium. Electronic tickets suck. Just a complete shit show all the way around. It's never, ever been close to good there but yesterday was next level bullshit. I never would want the game to move but they should be able to do so much better. 

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I don't want it moved either but believe it will be stuff like this that eventually gets it moved.  I don't even ever walk in there for a game with any illusions of buying any concessions.

Also another funny thing, at least at the gate down by Dos Equis that I went in you could have just claimed you were going to the game and walked right in the Fair.  They had a separate gate they were sending all "football game attendees" to where all you did was lift your hands and walk through the metal detector.  Nobody looked at shit.  

Getting into the Cotton Bowl did take a bit longer than usual, but not an hour where I was.  

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Yes.  I’d never been before but it was bad.  The rest room in our section had no lights and it was pitch black at the beginning of the game.  Someone vomited in the water fountain.  Heard someone telling someone else separately that someone they knew got puked on.  My kids went to the concession stand with 5 min left in the first half and didn’t get back till late in the 3rd quarter.  

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31 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

I know that the service industry is in the fucking dumps but that shit was ridiculous yesterday. I'm pretty sure the concessions in the super dome during Katrina were better. The lines for water/soda/Gatorade had to be, what, 300 deep? It was hotter than hell and they were completely unprepared. I'm surprised nobody had a heat stroke. I wasn't even planning on drinking beer during the game, but that was the only liquid that you could buy without waiting forever. I pounded 5 tall boys at the smooth price of $11 apiece just to have something to drink. 

It also took almost an hour to get into the stadium. Electronic tickets suck. Just a complete shit show all the way around. It's never, ever been close to good there but yesterday was next level bullshit. I never would want the game to move but they should be able to do so much better. 

There were easily more people in that stadium than there were seats.  That was part of the problem. The seats were packed and so was the area under the stands.  Especially in the endzone.  

Edited by chemHORN
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Oh for sure.  A ton of hundred dollar handshakes.  Does that still work?

From what I saw, with the electronic tickets being used yet nobody actually scanning them after halftime (just had to flash the pic of them from your phone), you could text a pic of your ticket to however many friends you wanted to and they could walk right in
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I’ve been every year since 2012 with the exception of last year. I have never entertained the thought of it being anywhere else and have verbally undressed anyone suggesting doing so. But after standing in line for two waters and my limit two beers from the start of the second quarter until 11:04 left in the 3rd I’m fucking done with that cockroach infested shit box.

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Yeah but I love our shithole.  I hope they never renovate it again unless it's in danger of collapsing.  

1 minute ago, chemHORN said:

There were easily more people in that stadium than there were seats.  That was part of the problem.

For sure, but there always has been.  My kids never had their tickets scanned at all.  They scanned mine and my kids had gotten caught behind another party and when they finally got up to the scanner guy they didn't know what to do because I had the tickets.  I just waved them to ignore the guy and walk on in... so they did.   Not even a second glance.  The ticket scanner guys were overwhelmed and anyone who wanted to could've walked right in if they timed it right.  

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8 minutes ago, ousux said:

Agreed, it was a dump my first time there back in the 90's, nothing much has changed.

And you know what? Wouldnt have it any other way. I mean sure it would be nice if the city of Dallas spends some real money updating the heap, but if the choices are shithole or deathstar...give me shithole for eternity.

Edit- as for concessions lines, everyone is having trouble staffing minimum wage jobs these days..the state fair in general, DKR, everywhere. Once the Bidenbucks child tax credits are spent things will normalize. /cr

Why would they update it?   I’m not from the DFW area, but do they hold enough events there over the course of a normal non COVID year to justify the spend?

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Also, never move it to Jerry World. If it has to move, move to a home and home. That would be much better than the sterile environment of an NFL stadium.

Been going to the cotton bowl since the early 70s. I love it but it is indeed a beating. Which is pretty much why I hardly go anymore.

But yes home and home before fucking jerryworld. 100/100.
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Beers were super duper easy to get, too bad I don't drink. Concessions on the other hand, I had to earn. It wasn't the usual setup and for upstairs only on the extreme ends. But it still only cost me 15 minutes right before kickoff.

After that, wasn't even going to try. Exiting just before half-time and re-entry was probably very doable.


This year seemed weird. Last year was teh Covid year, and they are probably not able to or want to pay for full staffing this year. Hopefully it returns to normal.

ESPN gameday fucked up that entire side of the stadium. They merged gates B and C, but that was better than the main west entrance. But it was border line riot. She only scanned one of my two tickets. People were just pushing past or making their own entry. They were overwhelmed.

It was bad.

BUT NOT AS BAD AS THE SECOND FUCKING HALF OF ONE OF THE WORST FUCKING GAMES EVER. FUCK LIFE

Edited by JohnnyRage
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4 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

Also, never move it to Jerry World. If it has to move, move to a home and home. That would be much better than the sterile environment of an NFL stadium.

It doesn’t have to move and never should. If people are too big of a pussy to go to the cotton bowl they should stay home pissing in their depends and let the people who want to go there have their tickets. I bet they’ll even pay money for them. 

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Just now, JimmyJames said:

It doesn’t have to move and never should. If people are too big of a pussy to go to the cotton bowl they should stay home pissing in their depends and let the people who want to go there have their tickets. I bet they’ll even pay money for them. 

I agree 100%. The more awful that piece of shit stadium is the better. 

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I don't know why concessions haven't been figured out yet in general. Its so stupid that you have to talk to a human to grab a Gatorade or a soda or bottled water. Just fucking have the coolers open access and have a card terminal that charges based on how many you take. Like a vending machine, but much faster and more convenient. 

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Why would they update it?   I’m not from the DFW area, but do they hold enough events there over the course of a normal non COVID year to justify the spend?
No they don't which is why the outside looks it's age, and inside not much better. If that thing is gonna last another decade, us and blowU are gonna have to divert some of our own facility improvement money to the Cotton Bowl. That may sound unrealistic, but no matter how much both fanbases want to keep the game on the fairgrounds..if that thing is condemned for safety reasons we wont have much choice...Jerrah is waiting in the wings licking his chops.

When Dallas let the Cowboys move from their own suburb to one of Fort Worth's (Arlington isnt in Dallas county) without putting up much of a fight, that signaled the city gives zero fucks about football. Dallas is now a Basketball town, and thats more Cuban than the city..wouldnt be surprised to see both the Mavs and Stars in Frisco/Plano at some point in the future. Dallas city hall has been disfunctional and corrupt for decades, don't see that changing any time soon.
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Just now, immamac said:

I don't know why concessions haven't been figured out yet in general. Its so stupid that you have to talk to a human to grab a Gatorade or a soda or bottled water. Just fucking have the coolers open access and have a card terminal that charges based on how many you take. Like a vending machine, but much faster and more convenient. 

One could become a thousandaire with ideas like that. 
 

 

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I waited in line twice for less than 10 minutes each.  They were sold out of most stuff that second time but it was no big deal because I had bought about 3 drinks per person the first time.  If you're coming back from the concession stand early in the game with less than 3 full drink caddies you're a rookie.  

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Also, never move it to Jerry World. If it has to move, move to a home and home. That would be much better than the sterile environment of an NFL stadium.

This is the correct answer for every single regular season college football game IMO - no NFL stadiums
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6 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

Also, never move it to Jerry World. If it has to move, move to a home and home. That would be much better than the sterile environment of an NFL stadium.

Agree 1000%. If/when it leaves the Cotton Bowl it should be home and home. Outside of RRS and Army-Navy, neutral site college football games suck the energy out of the matchups IMO.

Doesn’t the contract with the City of Dallas only run through 2025?

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One could become a thousandaire with ideas like that. 
 
 
Fucking geniuses in Dallas city hall would never entertain such an idea on the grounds of "think of teh lost jobs!!!1" Yet half of those people in those mythical jobs didnt show up this year..
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4 minutes ago, ousux said:

No they don't which is why the outside looks it's age, and inside not much better. If that thing is gonna last another decade, us and blowU are gonna have to divert some of our own facility improvement money to the Cotton Bowl. That may sound unrealistic, but no matter how much both fanbases want to keep the game on the fairgrounds..if that thing is condemned for safety reasons we wont have much choice...Jerrah is waiting in the wings licking his chops.

When Dallas let the Cowboys move from their own suburb to one of Fort Worth's (Arlington isnt in Dallas county) without putting up much of a fight, that signaled the city gives zero fucks about football. Dallas is now a Basketball town, and thats more Cuban than the city..wouldnt be surprised to see both the Mavs and Stars in Frisco/Plano at some point in the future. Dallas city hall has been disfunctional and corrupt for decades, don't see that changing any time soon.

Yea I’ve heard that observation about the City of Dallas.   I wonder a what point the stadium gets a historical designation which in turn makes it hard to tear down, but opens it up for the use of grants and loans that help for rehab of the landmarks.  If used for public purposes.  

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dallas invested $14M in '93 for the World Cup including $2m for the pitch which costs more than $1m a year to maintain

the 08 renovation cost the city $50m and the schools $57m

in the last 30 years that's more than $150m in to the Cotton Bowl for a single game every year (none of the other games, football or soccer, count, Texas-0u is the only reason the money is spent)

the concessions problem pre-dates the rona with the refusal to sacrifice profit for customer service and easily solved with contracts and service level agreements with professional organizations

CDC has the same problem, but we've been told he runs a WELL OILED MACHINE THAT WE'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO

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1 minute ago, Hagbard Celine said:

dallas invested $14M in '93 for the World Cup including $2m for the pitch which costs more than $1m a year to maintain

the 08 renovation cost the city $50m and the schools $57m

in the last 30 years that's more than $150m in to the Cotton Bowl for a single game every year (none of the other games, football or soccer, count, Texas-0u is the only reason the money is spent)

the concessions problem pre-dates the rona with the refusal to sacrifice profit for customer service and easily solved with contracts and service level agreements with professional organizations

CDC has the same problem, but we've been told he runs a WELL OILED MACHINE THAT WE'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO

If they invested that much, it shouldn’t be a shithole.  Of course it might have need up in politicians and their contractor supporters pockets.    Happens with school districts in South Texas a whole bunch. 

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Also, never move it to Jerry World. If it has to move, move to a home and home. That would be much better than the sterile environment of an NFL stadium.
Home and home would remove the one thing making it the most unique rivalry game in CFB. It would simply become another conference game no matter what name the tv network wants to use in marketing..

But if the cotton bowl truly is removed as a choice, it's better than the deathstar.
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Just now, GreenspointTexas said:

Lol complaining about concessions at a football game is like complaing about sides at a bbq joint. Who fucking cares?

 

its pretty fucking easy. Ive done it 17 straight years. Start to enter the stadium at least 20-25 min before kickoff. If you want concessions, get there even earlier. Its not that fucking hard. Or ya know… you could buy water or beer or food at the fucking fair and eat and drink before.

 

i fucking love that the stadium is built into the ground and there arent “ramps” to go up to get to upper deck seating. Time from inside the gate to my seat was less than 3 min

 

 

good god some of you are women

Yea we’ve gone through a lot of tampons the past 24 hours too. 

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1 minute ago, ousux said:
24 minutes ago, David Dennison said:
Also, never move it to Jerry World. If it has to move, move to a home and home. That would be much better than the sterile environment of an NFL stadium.

Home and home would remove the one thing making it the most unique rivalry game in CFB. It would simply become another conference game no matter what name the tv network wants to use in marketing..

Jerry World would remove it as well. It's unique because it's held during the State Fair at Fair Park. You lose that if you move it to Arlington.

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19 minutes ago, Ghost of Stevie Ray said:

The concessions are the issue.  The lines take you a solid half hour to get through.  
 

I stuck with beer, so avoided it.  But god bless the people with kids that missed half the game for a water and damn pretzel.

It shocks me that people take kids to the Texas/OU game. It is not a family friendly environment.

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42 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

It shocks me that people take kids to the Texas/OU game. It is not a family friendly environment.

Had 5 kids under the age of 12 directly in front of me.  I did my extreme best to watch my profanity.  
 

I had a few ccksckr mthrfckrs that I wish I could have thrown out there.

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1 hour ago, David Dennison said:

It shocks me that people take kids to the Texas/OU game. It is not a family friendly environment.

Probably pretty cool take the kids back to where they were conceived and for the OU side, possible job placement opp with the carnival/ fair going on.  

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1 hour ago, immamac said:

I don't know why concessions haven't been figured out yet in general. Its so stupid that you have to talk to a human to grab a Gatorade or a soda or bottled water. Just fucking have the coolers open access and have a card terminal that charges based on how many you take. Like a vending machine, but much faster and more convenient. 

Line the entire interiors with those vending machines with credit card machines on them. 

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