ASU Homecoming

This past weekend was the ASU Homecoming. This year’s theme was Maroon and Golden Anniversary, celebrating 50 years of Arizona State University. I emphasized University because it was 50 years ago that the voters of Arizona approved the name change from Arizona State Teacher’s College to ASU. We are the only University to gain university status through a voter referendum.

There had been activities going on all week, but we took part in the Homecoming Block Party and football game. I was part of the planning committee that designed and ran the ASU Online & Extended Campus booth. It was a lot of fun to see such a huge party with lots of activities, food, freebies, and of course a parade.

Then there was the game. ASU opened a new “bubble” as a practice facility for the football team this year. Everything was fine until a monsoon burst the bubble and ASU dropped six straight games. Ironically, when the bubble was repaired and re-inflated, they started winning again.

Historic Sun Devil Stadium was the home to the Phoenix and Arizona Cardinals (name changed in 2004), Super Bowl XXX (1996), the Fiesta Bowl (1976-2006), and the BCS Championship Game (1999 & 2003). The stadium can seat over 73,379 and they said 61,490 attended a game that at kickoff was 81 degrees.

Washington State is one of the worst teams in the Pac-10 and ASU took advantage of the situation. It was a great game and a lot of fun to watch. We were sitting halfway up the upper level and was in the sun for the first half, but the shadow of the press box fell across us and cooled us off some. The game was a lot of fun, after each time ASU scored, they set off fireworks. Since ASU won 31-0, there were a lot of fireworks.

Hopefully ASU will beat UCLA and our arch rival The University of Arizona, if that happens we will be bowl eligible. Next year we will hopefully have Jack Elway as quarterback. You may have heard of his dad, John.

There are more pictures of the day in the AZ Fun album.