Top 10 Stadiums

I am sitting here watching the Boston Red Sox play the New York Mets in their brand new stadium, Citi Field. The New York Yankees have also moved into their new stadium, Yankee Stadium (left). Is there a traditional stadium that any major pro sports teams play in any more? This trend of the new modern stadium started with Camden Yards in Baltimore with the Orioles. I am a traditionalist when it comes to stadiums, I want to eat a hot dog and drink a beer at the game; not eat sushi and have a cocktail. The other thing is these stadiums are all starting to look the same and when games are on television you can never tell where the game is being played at because all the backstops like the same. So this got me thinking about making my list of the top 10 stadiums in America.

10. Yale Bowl: Ok, so maybe you can't see the best football game in America here but you can at least enjoy the stadium and its architechture. This stadium is the original bowl shaped stadium that you see most college football games played in, those Yale boys sure know how to create simplicity. Plus you can say that you have been to a National Historical Landmark when going to this stadium.

9. The Palestra: The who, what are you talking about??? You know the Cathedral of College Basketball, no this is not where Kentucky or North Carolina play, quite the opposite. The Big 5 of Philadelphia play here; University of Pennsylvania, St. Joeseph's, Temple, LaSalle, and Villanova. What a marvelous venue to attend, with history on its side.

8. Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Simply known as the Brickyard because the entire track was made of bricks. Now it is an asphalt track with the finish line made of the original bricks held by one of the best traditions in sports. The winner of the Indy 500 kisses those bricks, I wonder how many have been sick after that.

7. Notre Dame Stadium: For $750,000 that is what you get, one of the best college football programs ever. To see the golden domers run onto the field with all the tradition going through the tunnel is spectacular; I have never sent it myself but I have heard stories. This goes beyond explanation, all I have to say is "Play like a champion today."

6. Paul Brown Tiger Stadium (Massillon, Ohio): Ok so I am a little biased when it comes to this stadium. I have watched many high school football games, yes I said high school football, my high school. First of all this stadium is named after legendary coach Paul Brown, father of football. Secondaly this stadium holds over 20,000 people and close to 35,000 when they play rival McKinley (Canton, Ohio). The state playoff championship games are held at this stadium and there is now an on campus workout and practice facility that most college programs would be jealous of.

5. Yankee Stadium (Old): The house that Ruth built, the stadium that played host to Mickey Mantle, Lou Gerhig, Joe DiMaggio and 27 World Series titles. This was one of the places that you could still go and get a hot dog and a beer. It was the monster stadium that if the wind was blowing in the right direction the ball would never leave the park.

4. The Cotton Bowl: One of the most underrated college football stadiums in the country, unfortunately its last game was played with AT&T Cotton Bowl on January 1, 2009 as Southern Methodist University (SMU) will be playing in a new stadium. But think of this; Doak Walker played here, the 1966 NFL Championshp game was played here between the Packers and Cowboys. Oh yeah and The Red River Rivalry game played here every year since 1932; Texas and Oklahoma.

3. Astrodome: Sounds like a space ship, but this was the first dome stadium in any professional sports history. Created because the owner felt that baseball games where being rained out to much, how ironic that the Astros now play at Minute Maid Park; outdoor but does have a retractable roof. This dome lead to the Lousiana Superdome, the Hooiser Dome in Indianapolis, the Metrodome in Minneapolis and many many others. The only thing this dome did wrong was plant grass for a seaon, it turned brown because of no sunlight.

2. Fenway Park: The Green Monster, Pesky's Pole, Monster seats! Yawkey Avenue, this is where balls land and keep on going. Buckners legs, the curse of the Bambino, history and cold weather baseball. Sit back, eat a Fenway Frank and enjoy the game. Where else can you go and have the experiance of a lifetime while sitting down the entire time.

1. Wrigley Field: Ok, so I am a baseball purest, shoot me! There is just something about ivy on the brickwall, 100 year curse, the loveable losers, and the bleacher bums. Oh yeah, watching a baseball game with no lights is the best, Wrigley plays all the home games in the daytime, the first night game was 20 years ago- talk about tradition and longevity!