The best things about Homecoming
1. The sea of red Seawolves: Wearing red on Fridays has never been a consistent thing. But Saturday was filled with students and alumni clad in the school colors. Stony Brook pride was at a record high and for once, it felt like all of campus was proud to be a Seawolf.
2. Record high attendance: LaValle stadium was filled with a record-breaking crowd of 11,301. We may have lost the game, but the crowd showed immense pride and enthusiasm.
3. Wolfstock village: Whether you graduated just last year or ten years ago, the official tailgate of the aumni welcomed anyone into their tents, their games and their side of festivities. The enthusiasm from the alumni seeped into the crowd, adding to the overall togetherness that emanated from the campus community on Saturday.
4. Chris Algieri: The famed boxer and Stony Brook alumnus came back to visit during the game, taking pictures with current students and walking through the crowds. He presented the university with his championship belt, giving us one more thing to celebrate that day.
5. Drunken enthusiasm: Tailgating may not have been on par, but nothing beats a barbeque and good food before the game. Walking through the parking lots and hearing the proud answers of “I’m a Seawolf!”
…and what we could have done without
1. We lost the game: We made it all the way to overtime, but the lost 27-21 against William & Mary. The fireworks show at the end would have been spectacular and momentous had we won, but it just felt a little awkward with that underwhelming loss at our own Homecoming.
2. Tailgating was not so hot: The atmosphere was a little blah this year and the crowd was definitely smaller than last year. Everyone seemed to be in their own group, not mingling with the other fans—the best tailgates are when everyone comes together.
3. The bracelet system needs some tweaking: Bracelet sales were held all week, but the flashy red bands eventually ran out, forcing students to buy them off of other students or grab them from people who made the last-minute decision not to go. Many students who couldn’t find a bracelet were forced to buy a ticket for a game that they should be able to go to for free.
4. Poorly planned event: The Homecoming game was the day after Rosh Hashanah. A number of students go home for the Jewish new year and having to come back for to celebrate with the rest of the Stony Brook community was a hassle. To add insult to injury, the new Homecoming bracelets were primarily distributed during the holiday itself.
5. Poor T-shirt distribution: The few people who were giving out t-shirts really only seemed to throw them to the Seawolf crowd in the end-zone, and there were definitely not enough shirts to give out to a such a large crowd.
Sincerely,
-The Editorial Board
Correction: September 30, 2014
A previous version of this article misspelled Chris Algieri’s name, referring to him as “Chris Algeri.”
