VMI Football Game

On Saturday, we went to a Virginia Military Institute (VMI) football game. It was one of those things on our list to do before we moved, so we were lucky enough to receive some tickets from our neighbor. It was a perfect football game day, chilly but sunny outside. All of the cadets parade onto the field for the National Anthem, then they all sit together in the stands.

It is so awesome to live in a somewhat military centered town. The VMI cadets have to be in uniform all the time, even if they leave campus. It gives me such a patriotic and safe feeling seeing the men and women in uniform all the time. I love their winter uniforms the best, I'll need to get a picture.

After the singing of the National Anthem a B2 Bomber flew over the field. It was so loud. Every Friday, the cadets have to line up in formation and there is a flyover then too. I can always feel it shake my house.

The half-time show was the US Army Silent Drill Team. It was neat to watch them throw and spin their guns in such synchrony. We were out of our seats walking around so we couldn't get any great pictures. Every game there is a kids area with a bounce house and other activities. The girls had a lot of fun. VMI lost 38 -26, so it wasn't an exciting game to watch, but fun none the less. Chuck was convinced his high school football team could have beaten VMI. (Chuck's editorial note: Our high school team won 3 straight state titles. VMI runs a basic option offense with a very rare pass. We would have given them a run for their money, at minimum, because our defense never surrendered a touchdown to an option offense.)

The VMI mascot is a kangaroo named Moe and the athletics teams are called Keydets. Leland kept pointing out the kangaroo during the game, but when he started coming up our aisle, she did not want to go say hi and was a little freaked out. Then a boy in front of us said, "He's passing out candy!" So then Leland was in, and went to get her piece of candy.

I wasn't sure the significance of the Kangaroo, so read about it here, Keydets and Kangaroos. I guess it's kind of like Stanford Cardinal and the Tree.