Lettermen's pregame player tunnel big hit at Reliant Stadium
11/5/2010 7:00:00 PM | Football
One of the most exciting moments in the 85th "Battle of the Piney Woods" at Reliant in October was the entrance of the Sam Houston football team on to the turf at Reliant Stadium.
More than 100 former Sam Houston State football players formed a human tunnel for the team and the excitement on the field was electric.
Sam Houston football lettermen who purchased tickets to the "Battle of the Piney Woods" gridiron classic were invited to participate in a special on-field pregame ceremony. Each participant in the football lettermen's pregame victory tunnel met in the south lobby of the stadium at 1:15 p.m., were escorted to a staging area, then made their way to the SHSU dresssing room and on to the field.
"What an experience," formed Bearkat all-America linebacker and NFL star Stan Blinka said. "Everyone who participated says the same. This game at Reliant is only going to get bigger. Everyone who participated says they're coming back next year and is going to bring some of their teammates with them."
Sam Houston threw a scare into the No. 4 ranked SFA Lumberjacks, falling in a thriller 31-28. The crowd of more than 24,000 was the ninth largest crowd ever to witness a Sam Houston game home or away (and that includes 26 games at NCAA Division I FBS stadiums).
"This was a marvelous opportunity for Bearkat lettermen to show support for our new coach Willie Fritz and the 2010 Bearkats," SHSU Lettermen's Association president Murphy Yates said. "From the huge tailgate party in the parking lot at Reliant to the excitement of seeing Sam Houston football in an NFL venue, there's never been a Bearkat football game like this."
