Hurricane Harbor

A writer and a tropical muse. A funky Lubavitcher who enjoys watching the weather, hurricanes, listening to music while enjoying life with a sense of humor and trying to make sense of it all!

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Orange Bowl Goodbye....



I went with my brother Ronnie today over to the Orange Bowl and looked around, walked around, sat on the ground, took pics... said goodbye to a very big piece of my life or my young life. Childhood memories, teenage memories... a few from years later.

I went to the Orange Bowl when I was really little with my Uncle Oscar and the family for some Rodeo which was a big deal in the days when Miami was still very Southern and before the Dolphins were a team. I was little. I remember it.

We went back once for a July 4th party that I barely remember...

Then came the Dolphins... went rarely but once in a while. Games were cheap, they lost a lot... easier to see on TV my father always said though Uncle Oscar enjoyed being "there" even though he was probably most happy to be there when he was hoping the Gators would beat the Canes.

In high school, senior year... especially during the summer when they played exhibition games and the games were really cheap Joe ... Joseph... Joe Geller arranged for a bunch of us to go and sit up high in the End Zone, hot sunny day, storm clouds as always rolling in or hovering nearby, moving east from the Glades. It was a great day, Joe scored more points than the Fins did but they won... and they kept winning... Always and forever, the Perfect Season. Then... Senior Year, Key Club sponsored a few of the football games, a few held there... especially the Miami High game, stood there in my little Key Club see through Jersey (thanks Joe...great design you guys came up with) and well... football team came running out onto the field, through the signs... it was dark, the lights were on, the grass was hard and not real but the Orange Bowl was as always the real deal. Can't remember much about that night except that... the place sizzled with energy, even if for only a high school football game. Whoever I was with.. whichever of the gang... barely remember, it's all a blur but not the feeling of being out there on the field... which I was a few times that year. You just stood there, leaned down..felt the hard astroturf rub against the palm of your hand and thought on how those players felt falling on that stuff. And, then the game began. Coral Park went undefeated that year... possibly the only year they ever did or until State Championships.

We were the Class of Perfection. Not the wild sharks from 71... or the very laid back easy going class of 73 which I really belonged in but got pushed up ahead one year in the beginning of elementary school.


Sitting on the grass at the Orange Bowl today, looking up at the West End Zone..




Can't believe they are tearing it down piece by piece. There were little boxes with poorly printed paper on them like a ring should be inside that had a piece of a rock that read "Orange Bowl" SIC. The seats they insisted they were going to sell with plaques and engraved were piled high with hand written signs that said $39.99... Liars.. they always lie when they want to tear something down. A lady selling the chairs said to me.. "well, at least the money goes to the demolition, better than the tax payers paying for it" my brother's response rightly so was "the tax payers didn't ask for the Orange Bowl to be torn down, I never voted on that!"

Miami...

University of Miami and all their championships...



So the Orange Bowl that sold Miami as a place to live year round in the winter sunshine is now being sold piece by piece to the highest bidder (and soon on EBAY) to pay the City back for the City's decision to tear the place down.

So... I say goodbye... to a stadium rich in history, rich in memories and rich in victory.

I say goodbye to a little piece of my own history, high school and otherwise...

You are still such a beautiful lady... you deserve better than this...

1 Comments:

At 5:46 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Great, warm piece. Thanks.

Miami Mike, now living in London and looking forward to my next trip back!

 

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