It’s not particularly pleasing to look at – a mix of styles, with a lot of structural components descending and ascending throughout. But, it is impressive.

Cowboys Stadium. The home of the Dallas Cowboys, and more importantly (at least this year), the site of the high school football championships. 

On Day Two of this year’s championship week, while walking up to the east entrance, a strange noise came blasting out of the stadium. 

It wasn’t strange, it was just loud. Really loud. With good reason, it was the last minute of the Stamford vs. Ganado 2ADI final. 

The two schools had produced a classic. The score was tied and a last-second field goal attempt sailed just wide. The Ganado Indians went on to win their ring in the third overtime period, 30-28. 

The noise from the 7,858 fans of these two small towns alternated back and forth as the fortunes of the overtime period also alternated. The high-pitched roar streamed out of the stadium.

It was a memorable way to enter the stadium and triggered a surge of adrenalin.

A few minutes later, with the 2AD1 title decided, adrenalin levels returned to normal, and it was possible to take in the mammoth structure of Cowboys Stadium.    

There is a lot to take in. The roof actually makes the place look bigger than perhaps an outdoor stadium of the same general capacity. The long curving arches which support the roof and run lengthwise over the top of the stadium are themselves massive supports.

Of course, there is the screen. Even folks who come to the stadium with the intent of not looking at the screen, do so. In fact, the color and acuity of the screen is better than one’s natural vision. So, it goes to figure, that one’s eyes are drawn to it.

In a surreal kind of way however, the characteristics of the screen defeat the purpose of the stadium. Given a live view of amplified color and tremendous acuity (regardless of where on the field the action is taking place) many folks just watched the screen.

Something about that just does not strike an authentic tone. It is related to the circumstance whereby people will watch a live sporting event on television but will completely disregard the same event if it was a replay. Why watch a remote video, even in real time, when one can watch the real thing directly? 

Regardless of the psychological effect of the suspended video screen, it does leave one with a feeling similar to driving under an overpass.

Relatedly, if a stadium has a roof, it has hundreds of connection points in that roof, suspending everything from maintenance walkways to speaker banks, to lights and cameras. 

Designers can try to minimize the industrial look of these connections, but that’s not especially effective. There is nothing particularly attractive about brackets, cables and wire rope – except perchance from a sailor’s perspective. 

It does provide an ever-present subject for discussion should the game be dragging a bit.

‘How often you think those cables are weight-tested?’ ‘Do you think those braces are aluminum or steel?’ ‘How much you reckon that video screen weighs?’ According to the world-wide web, the video screen weights 1.2 million pounds. 

For the record, there was no time for such consideration during the Gunter vs. Woodville game nor the first half of the Malakoff vs. Columbus game. Despite the one-sided final scores of each contest there was plenty of riveting, quality football. 

However, as any untrusting soul might do, it is always good to check what equipage is suspended in the overhead above one’s seat.

Speaking of seats, the Cowboys got this one 50% right. The seats are comfortable – comfortable enough to take in two games with no back discomfort.  

The comfort of the seats is degraded however by how close the seat rows are one behind the other. It does not allow one to stretch one’s legs. The feeling is akin to flying coach class, and the knees pay.  

Paying is something that one will do, even at the state football championships. It’s concessions and parking – widely accepted by the sporting crowd – where one will pay.

To the credit of the University Interscholastic League, one can catch a whole day of playoff football (three games) for a single $20 entry ticket. Despite the echoing public address system which tends to drive one a little batty, the UIL football finals are the best value going. What a deal! 

God bless Texas.