AndrewPointon.com

Jacksonville Jaguars 24 Indianapolis Colts 31

Jacksonville Municipal Stadium

When I was a teenager during the 1980s I was a keen viewer of Channel 4 / Cheerleader’s production “American Football” hosted by Nicky Horne. The Sunday night show brought edited highlights of a main game, and a summary of all the action from the rest of the weekend’s matches. Back then I had no real allegiance to any particular team but looked out for the results of the Washington Redskins, LA Raiders, and New England Patriots mainly because I liked the design and colours of their kits, or because of particular team members. The flying close range touchdowns of Raider’s Running Back Marcus Allen were a reason for my interest in that particular team. One year I even had an American football for Christmas, and my mates would play the game on Wolstanton Marsh instead of our usual football or cricket. As time passed my strong interest waned, although I would occasionally watch the annual Super Bowl match. However since my earlier visits to Jacksonville this year I’ve followed the fortunes of the Jaguars, a franchise that was not around when I watched American Football in the 1980s. So far I’ve never been in the country while the season was taking place. Until this December that is…

I picked up a ticket on the day of the game after a very protracted phone call to Ticketmaster who struggled with my British accent. The cheapest seats were $55, and $10 more after service charges and other spurious additions. An expensive outlay but it would be an experience I kept telling myself. So armed with my Jaguars vest, Jaguars teal cap, and my decent camera I perhaps foolishly set off by bus from the beaches to Downtown. I say foolishly because the stadium is very much geared to serving the King Car of course. There are park and ride services, but frustratingly nothing that seemed to cater for the public transport user. Additionally frustrating as the BH-1 bus hurtles past the Municipal Stadium, but does not stop until the Rosa Parks station about 2 miles away. So trying the memorise the route I set off on “Shank’s pony” to the game.

The game was due to start at 8:15pm so I was giving myself plenty of time by arriving at Rosa Parks at 6pm. The weird thing about Downtown is that by that time of night the city workers have gone home and the place is deserted. The only people wandering around are daft nervous Englishmen and the homeless. The first mile was main city streets, empty and yet vaguely threatening. After that as the stadium got closer fans trickled along East Duval Street with me, having parked in streets and private lots in the vicinity for a price considerably less that the official parking’s $25. My route took me past the Veteran’s Memorial Arena where Barack Obama had addressed his followers the day before his historic election victory. As I got nearer to the stadium, which looked like a huge alien craft lighting up the surrounding area, fans were “tailgating” – enjoying food and drink from the back of their cars often under tent like structures, and generally partying before the game started.

I collected my ticket, bizarrely from a young woman from Surrey in England, and wandered around the huge complex. Once in I got myself some sweet potato fries, and taking advantage of a 30% sale ordered myself a Jaguars gameshirt with my name on it. I don’t think I was really prepared for the size of the place and I think I was walking around with my jaw permanently hanging open in astonishment. This was especially the case when I saw where my seat was up in the “Gods” which gave an incredible view of the pitch, and the massive scoreboard to my left. (Stoke City take note – now that’s a scoreboard!)

Jacksonville Municipal Stadium early doors

In true American over the top razmataz the game was preceded by the singing of the national anthem while troops held a US flag so large it must have been about a quarter of the pitch, and the final lines of the song were accompanied by a flypast of 3 airforce jets. The coin toss was conducted by ex-Jaguar Richard Collier who in September had suffered 14 gunshot wounds outside an apartment building in Jacksonville as he and former Jaguars teammate Kenny Pettway waited for two women they had met at a nightclub. The shots, including five to his bladder and two to his lower spine, left him paralyzed from the waist down, and a blood clot later caused the amputation of his left leg above the knee. It was Collier’s first appearance at the stadium since the incident and he received a very warm welcome and great ovation.

Jaguars take to the field

I wasn’t expecting much from the Jaguars given their recent poor form and the Colts more impressive record. However the Jaguars came out firing on all cylinders, scoring two touchdowns with their first two drives. The Jaguars swiftly marched down to the Colts’ 28 yard line, allowing QB David Garrard to find WR Dennis Northcutt with a fine pass for a touchdown. Their next possession was a 17 play drive culminating with Garrard rushing in himself for a touchdown giving the home side a 14-0 lead. However the Colts hit back with the next drive, moving up the field before QB Peyton Manning fired in a 41 yard touchdown pass which exposed hopeless cover in the Jaguars defence. The next Jaguars drive resulted in a punt on 4th Down and the Colts seemed certain to score again as they moved from deep in their own half to the Jacksonville 9 yard line. However the Jaguars defence held out and limited the Colts to a field goal attempt which was missed. In contrast the final action of the first half was a successful Jaguar field goal to send them in 17-7 up at Half Time.

Jaguars first drive

Touchdown dance

Collecting my new shirt delayed my return to my seat and I was shocked to discover in their opening drive the Colts had pulled back another touchdown through a ten yard pass. Yet it was tit for tat again as the Jaguars spent the rest of their 3rd Quarter possession moving the ball up from their own 24 yard line to the Colts’ 2 yard line where Montell Owens emerged from a ruck of players to rush in for a touchdown. Now leading 24-14 in the final quarter it seemed I might have brought a bit of luck to the Jaguars and they were set for an unlikely victory. However the last 15 minutes were a disaster, the Jaguars offense suddenly shambolic, while Peyton Manning for the Colts was inspired. The next two Colts drives produced a touchdown and field goal to tie the game, and the contest was over when Garrard threw an interception which was returned for another touchdown to give the Colts their first lead in the game 31-24. At this point I left, not in disgust, but because I had to get the last bus home. My return journey was once again edgy as I made my way at speed through Downtown Jacksonville and I was happy to make the safety of the bus five minutes before it departed. I later learned that Jacksonville got as far as the Colts’ 9 yard line with their final drive of the game, but Garrard was sacked on the last play as he sought a touchdown to take the game into overtime.

Jaguars snap

One of the benefits of the Channel 4 programme was watching only the higlights of the game without many of the interruptions, and there are quite a few. The stop-start nature of the game becomes frustrating and starts to grate, as players and fans alike await the next play while some commercial break is being run on TV. While the viewers get their commercial dose, those in the stadium watch farcical competitions such as “John from Orange Park” trying to throw a football through a hole in a shed to win a $2000 shopping spree at Winn-Dixie stores, or seven contestants seeing who has the lucky ticket in their price boxes to claim a year’s supply of Bubba Burgers. (And remember folks, Bubba Burgers are THE BEST burgers). The winner looked like he was already quite partial to a Bubba burger so was no doubt delighted with the prize.

The experience was a novelty for me, but I’m not sure I’d be in a hurry to repeat it. I think I’d rather spend less and watch the games on TV. I think the game was like America in microcosm – at times brash, over the top, highly commercialised, self-important, ritualised, repressed and directed. There seemed to be a lack of the natural passion of football (soccer) matches played in Britain where the crowd is a living organic beast on a wave of emotion in a blood and thunder atmosphere. The American crowd only raised the volume when the opposition were in possession, and burst into life to celebrate First Downs and Touchdowns. There were none of the crowds songs, or “mental” celebrations that follow the scoring of a goal in the game I love. What take place on the field can be exciting and full of tension, which is the draw of any sport, but for me it was interrupted too often and too sanitised. A stadium that size needs a few rowsing “Delilahs” ringing around it! 😉

More Photos