My First Game From the Press Box

     A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to watch the Rutgers-Arkansas football game from the press box at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. It was my first time to cover a game in a press box.
     Just getting there was an adventure. Before the season started, I bought the student Razorback Access Pass, which gets me into all home sporting events. However, in order to get first priority for the LSU game at the end of the year, I must attend all five Fayetteville games prior to that game.
     So when I was told of my opportunity to be in the press box, my first thought was, "Can I still get my Access Pass scanned?" I do NOT want to miss the LSU game, no matter how bad Arkansas is this season.
     I went to the student entrance to the stadium, told them my situation and asked if they could scan my Access Pass so I could get credit for being at the game, and they told me to go to the media entrance.
     I walked all the way around the stadium, told the people at the media entrance my situation, and they told me to go to guest services a little further around the stadium.
     I got to guest services and, yup, you guessed it, they told me to go back to the student entrance. I had to walk ALLLLLLL the way back around the stadium. Finally, I told the people my situation again and they wrote my name in a book that will (supposedly) give me credit for being there.
     Taking no time to rest, I walked back around to the other side of the stadium to the media entrance. I didn't know it at the time, but I had a really bad sinus infection and ear infection. All I knew was that I felt like crap, but I wasn't missing out on this opportunity for anything.
     Once I got up in the press box, I walked around in awe for a little bit. Pretty much everyone associated with Razorback media was there. I saw Chuck Barrett, Aaron Peters, Bo Mattingly, Nate Allen (and his son, Nathan), Rick Schaeffer, and many others that I just can't remember. I also saw Frank Broyles, as well as several NFL scouts.
     And it only got better from there. They had free BBQ and unlimited soft drinks for us. At halftime, we got free hot dogs. I had unlimited access to all the up-to-date stats I could ever want. I was in heaven!
     One HUGE challenge for me was the "no cheering in the press box" rule. That just sucks. I'm a lifelong, diehard Hog fan; cheering and calling the Hogs is something I do out of habit.
     For the first time in 18 years, I didn't cheer as Arkansas ran onto the field through the "A." Don't worry though. I still tapped my foot to the beat of the Fight Song. They can't stop me from doing that!
     Of course, Arkansas ended up losing, but it was still a great experience.
     After the game, I got to walk down to the field and go into the Broyles Center, where the Hogs run out before the game, for John L. Smith's post-game press conference. I was taking pictures on my phone unashamedly.
     I can't wait until next time! I love being a sports journalist!