Neyland Stadium...an LSU connection...

Hello everyone! First of all, Merry Christmas!

As many of you know, I live near Knoxville. Well, I work for a local steel fabricator in the engineering department. I'm also transitioning into project management. As my first assignment in project management, I've been given the Neyland Stadium renovation project. Yes, that's right. A genuine LSU fan is the project manager for the renovation of Neyland Stadium.

Let me tell you, I am not impressed with the stadium. After spending lots of Saturdays in Tiger Stadium as a Boy Scout usher and later as a fan, I can say that Tiger Stadium may no seat as many people, but it is far more impressive architecturally.

There is too much steel exposed (and I make my living in the steel industry). It looks too industrial. And there are too many other buildings snugged right up next to the stadium. Parts of the east side and northwest end actually have trusses that span across existing buildings.

But, so far it's been fun. I have even attended several jobsite meetings in the pressroom (the room where the post-game press conferences are held) where I wore my LSU coat. Needless to say, that created many joking comments from the others there (including an assistant athletic director).

I love getting to needle the UT fans I know by telling them I'm going to have all the new steel primed purple. :rofl:

So, next season if you attend the LSU game here or watch it on TV, remember when you see the new club level seating that an LSU fan was at least partially responsible for it!

P.S. If the UT fans think this is bad, they'll really be upset to know that among the contractors there, the PM for the general contractor is a Hokie and two other subcontractors claimed to be UGA and Vandy fans! :lol:

:geauxtige

 

Awesome! :thumb:

 

It would be tight if you engraved LSU somewhere on the steel. Tennessee is on such a low right now.

 

That reminds me of when the new Cleveland Browns stadium was built. When ground was broke, one of the contractors, a Steelers fan, buried a Steelers "Terrible Towel" underneath the field. :rofl:

 

The problem with that is I'd have to have an accomplice in the shop...and half of them are diehard Vol fans and the other half don't understand English...:rofl:

 

Tennessee Tiger, hope this gives you some ideas...

I was involved in a project in West Texas where the plant manager was a HUGE aggie fan. Well, my co-project manager was a Texas Tech graduate....

So when it came time to put up a pipe rack across an open place we got creative. Usually, pipe rack supports are just a simple H shape, with a bar across the top. Well, we decided to save some money on concrete and excavation and used a single center post. The cross-bar on the top was just a bit wider than the one on in the middle forming a perfect double-T of Texas Tech!!! :lol: Saved them quite a bid of money by not using 2 posts that needed to have foundations excavated, so the plant manager couldn't complain!! :lol:

Dave.

 

Unfortunately, the engineer has already designed it. I can't deviate from it. But, I sure would love to get a "LSU" or "Geaux Tigers" hidden somewhere...

 

If you figure out some way to do that, let me know. I'm going to the LSU/UT game next year so I'll look for it. :thumb:

 

You'd have to get tickets in the new club level seating...

 

Isn't their talk of EXPANDING Neyland?