1. Lose the community leaders ads - they look like crap, even after the move. I'm still pissed at Jim Crane for this trash. 2. Clean the white roof. How hard is this? Seriously. 3. The teal-ish paint needs a refresh on the outside. Otherwise, great stadium! I think the area will continue to grow around it with all the condos and apartments being built. There should be a legit neighborhood around there very soon.
I'm such a cynic when it comes to stadiums that I worry the dye has been cast by Arlington and Atlanta. Owners now know that cities will cave less than 30 years into a stadium and we'll see what happens when the first market says "No" to its billionaire ownership group demanding more money for a new building paid for by the city. One thing that does make me hopeful is there probably wouldn't be enough land near downtown for a new stadium in 20-something years. Minute Maid Park, BBVA Compass Stadium and Toyota Center have really helped push that part of town into the 21st century (this coming from somebody who grew up in the East End). Watching a game at Minute Maid is great, but I agree with texxx: the "community leaders" signage is hideous. The unobstructed skyline view was one of the stadium's best features and now it looks like a Russian hockey jersey in left field.
Better yet the old ones from the upper deck of Rice's football stadium. A trough with a three foot wall in front of you, looking eye-to-eye with the man across from you who is also pissing, while facing you.
I believe Arizona/Phoenix gave a flat-out "no" when the D-backs recently demanded public money to upgrade/renovate their ballpark. Arlington bends over backwards to keep the team away from the bigger surrounding city... I suppose they take "civic pride" in being the home of major sports teams, once Dallas rejected public funds to be used. Cobb county is similar to Arlington in that respect... although Turner Field wasn't the caliber of stadium that the ballpark in Arlington or MMP were when they first opened. If any of the Houston teams eventually desire to move, it likely would be to an affluent suburb with plenty of land and money to throw at them... but I don't see that ever happening. MMP re-vitalized baseball in Houston... and turned it into more of a baseball city over a prolonged period than ever before.
Well thankfully the 3 foot wall was made of cement and not glass. A glass wall would involve a very awkward view of wieners.
Man, OP hit the nail on the head with what I've been feeling about the Texans for a while. I think the first time you get into a team, I mean really get into a team, there is an emotional connection there that is hard to replicate. I'm this way about the '09 Texans. It was the first year I really got into a team, and I lived and died with the wins and losses of that roller-coaster season. Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, Bernard Pollard, Cushing, Demeco, and Mario are some of my favorite Texans ever, and I've yet to care about the outcome or the players as much as I did in my initial years of fandom. I think mostly its just mental - yes, I did love passing offenses and loved the under-dog aroma of that year's teams, but there's nothing wrong with the new different teams/eras. Try to stop endlessly comparing the new teams to the old ones you love and learn to apreciate them as their own. I am too nostalgic about the early 2000's Astros uniforms and players, but there is a lot to love about the modern day squad.
In terms of MMP, I hope they don't upgrade. It has a very classic feel to me; it's layout is simple and easy to maneuver and the atmosphere just feels like home to me (in contrast to other stadiums that I've been to like LAA or the Pads - really cool looking, but very modern and seem to lack 'character' if that makes sense). The only thing I wish is that we would have more open roof games, the atmosphere of an open roof night game is just more intense and engaging IMO.
If you were the proper combination of young and intoxicated, it was hilarious to just give the guy across from you an unblinking wide-eyed stare and see how uncomfortable he got.
