The Reflector is rating the road trip experiences for all away games this season in hopes of providing our readers with a reference point for future trips. Trips will be graded on a 10-point scale in 10 catagories and then given a cumulative score.
1. Ease of Travel
The drive from Starkville to Birmingham is about 2 1/2 hours, and mostly four lanes — six lanes once you reach the outskirts of Birmingham. Legion Field is only about three miles from the Interstate 20 exit and is very easy to find. Patches of Highway 82 are being worked on just past the Alabama line, which makes for a few speed traps, but overall a fairly easy trip. (8 points)
2. Parking
Parking is always an issue that can make or break a stadium experience. But we were able to find a pay lot for $8 right next to the stadium. There were several other lots around the area for $5, but for free parking there would have been quite a hike involved. (7 points)
3. Game Day Atmosphere
UAB loses a lot of atmosphere points by not having their stadium on campus. There was a sound system blaring r&b tunes set up across the street by the old Tide & Tiger restaurant, and there were several tents and grills set up that made the area smell like football. But all were on such a small scale that it was impossible to be overwhelmed by them. (2 points)
4. Stadium
Legion Field can’t trade punches with some of its more modern competitors, but it gets major points for cultivating its historic atmosphere without becoming a total relic like War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Built in 1926, Legion Field was the site of the annual Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn for 40 years, and there is a statue dedicated to legendary Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant in front of the stadium. Plus, there are two statues of sleeping lions that flank the main stadium entrance. I have no idea what they stand for, but sleeping lions are definitely cool things to put in front of a football stadium. (7 points)
5. Fan Knowledge
Fan knowledge is a difficult thing to judge, as most people will skew their vision of any particular play to the benefit of their team. The UAB crowd was no different, but they would settle down quickly when they knew a particular call was correct. They did seem to know when to get loud (on defense) and when to get quiet (on offense), so it was obvious that most were interested in the game. But what impressed me the most about the Blazer faithful happened minutes before kickoff. The band played what I’m assuming was the team’s fight song, and the entire crowd sang along. They all knew the words! That is more than can be said for most Bulldog fans, who seem to hum most parts of “Hail State.” (6 points)
6. Friendliness of Fans
Most of the Blazer fans kept to themselves, but the few I talked to were nice. They seemed glad to be playing a non-conference team that wasn’t ranked. (5 points)
7. Concessions
Their selection was pretty standard – nachos, pizza, cokes, etc. They did have one stand that sold funnel cakes and candied apples, which was original. Their prices were high, but not that much higher than most over-priced ballpark food. A hot dog was $3.25, and a Coke was the same price. The best deal was the candied apple at $2. That’s as close to health food as I care to go. (5 points)
8. Band
Their halftime show was nothing spectacular, but they did seem well coordinated and could make formations at will. I guess that makes a band good, right? The one thing about them that I did find to be pretty cool was that at one point in the fourth quarter, a small squad left the main band and went around to different sections of the stadium and played pep songs to the fans. Interesting motivational tactic… (6 points)
9. Local Scene
Birmingham is a huge city, and I’m sure there were plenty of things to do there, but the area around the stadium was drab and run down. It was mostly a low-income residential area, and there were no bars or restaurants that I was able to find within a 10 minute drive in any direction. The game was by far the biggest thing going on in the area. (4 points)
10. Wildcard
On the whole, I enjoyed my trip, but I wouldn’t say it competes in any way with other Game Day offerings. UAB is doing the best with the hand they have been dealt, but they have a long way to go before they become a must-take road trip. (5 points)
Total Grade: 55