Interesting/odd things you have seen at Rutgers stadium

[Scott1766]

I was thinking about some of the odd things that I've seen or experienced at Rutgers stadium over the years and I'm sure others have some interesting stories. Here are a couple for me...

In the early days of the new stadium they used to have a skydiver land on the field and deliver the game ball. One time it must have been windy and the guy came in hot and was heading fast towards the closed end of the end zone stands. At the last second he did a hard u-turn to avoid crashing into the stands. Unfortunately he hit the ground hard at about a 45 degree angle and I belive he broke his leg. Ouch.

Another time my dad and I were going to walk up the ramp to get to the upper deck to say hi to my brother. I noticed that there was a golf cart blocking the entrance to the ramp. I thought it was odd but I walked right past the cart and the security guy sitting in it. About half way up the ramp I notice two state troopers looking at us. I turn around and a frail looking governor Corzine was walking up the ramp behind us (post car accident). I sheepishly said sorry to the troopers who smiled and waved us on. Whoopsies.

Who has some stories to share?

 

[RutgersRaRa]

I once saw @RUScrew85 after halftime of a game, and that kinda freaked me out.

 

[WhiteBus]

I once saw @RUScrew85 after halftime of a game, and that kinda freaked me out.

Was he also awake??

 

[RU_87]

I was thinking about some of the odd things that I've seen or experienced at Rutgers stadium over the years and I'm sure others have some interesting stories. Here are a couple for me...

In the early days of the new stadium they used to have a skydiver land on the field and deliver the game ball. One time it must have been windy and the guy came in hot and was heading fast towards the closed end of the end zone stands. At the last second he did a hard u-turn to avoid crashing into the stands. Unfortunately he hit the ground hard at about a 45 degree angle and I belive he broke his leg. Ouch.

Another time my dad and I were going to walk up the ramp to get to the upper deck to say hi to my brother. I noticed that there was a golf cart blocking the entrance to the ramp. I thought it was odd but I walked right past the cart and the security guy sitting in it. About half way up the ramp I notice two state troopers looking at us. I turn around and a frail looking governor Corzine was walking up the ramp behind us (post car accident). I sheepishly said sorry to the troopers who smiled and waved us on. Whoopsies.

Who has some stories to share?

Thanks for the memory....I forgot all about that skydiver breaking his leg. I seem to remember that being the opening of the infamous VT game...anyone know?

 

[wheezer]

Visions of the urinal troughs still haunt me

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Was he also awake??

His internal clock had 12 minutes left on it before he was out, and he made it to his vehicle just in time.

 

[RUforlife]

The oddest thing by far for me was watching Chris Ash attempting to coach college football. Those memories still haunt me even to this day.

 

[Plum Street]

A rail collapsed in the old student student section in the 90s.

The constant booing of LJ smith on the knights in NFL segment.

The amount of Ray rice jersey’s female fans were wearing soon after the elevator incident.

The amount of sherriff’s officers patrolling the lots like they’re about to raid the drug kingpin of New Brunswick’s stash house.

Punting on third down during shea era.

Not blitzing a one legged Louisville quarterback.

When I first saw stadium pictures in the early 1990s when it was built, I was surprised there were no actual seats in the stadium. All benches was disappointing for a fanbase that was used to the comforts of giants stadium seats . Just seemed overly cheap to do this.

 

[rurichdog]

I once watched an invisible lineman run downfield on a pass play vs Louisville. Only me and the linesman saw it, incredibly.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

A rail collapsed in the old student student section in the 90s.

The constant booing of LJ smith on the knights in NFL segment.

The amount of Ray rice jersey’s female fans were wearing soon after the elevator incident.

The amount of sherriff’s officers patrolling the lots like they’re about to raid the drug kingpin of New Brunswick’s stash house.

Punting on third down during shea era.

Not blitzing a one legged Louisville quarterback.

When I first saw stadium pictures in the early 1990s when it was built, I was surprised there were no actual seats in the stadium. All benches was disappointing for a fanbase that was used to the comforts of giants stadium seats . Just seemed overly cheap to do this.

The booing of former players because of their NFL team is asinine

 

[rubaseball78]

Chris Ash coached win.

 

[dfr1966]

First game in the new stadium, 1994. My wife was 8 months pregnant. We sat down in our seats, leaned back, and the whole bench went backward....we looked up and saw our feet! The bench hadn't been bolted in.. The yellow jacket ushers came running and helped us up and moved our seats for that game. Needless to say we were very careful when we sat down next game.

My wife was fine, by the way, just surprised.

 

[wheezer]

I once watched an invisible lineman run downfield on a pass play vs Louisville. Only me and the linesman saw it, incredibly.

Ouch

 

[wheezer]

First game in the new stadium, 1994. My wife was 8 months pregnant. We sat down in our seats, leaned back, and the whole bench went backward....we looked up and saw our feet! The bench hadn't been bolted in.. The yellow jacket ushers came running and helped us up and moved our seats for that game. Needless to say we were very careful when we sat down next game.

My wife was fine, by the way, just surprised.

Maybe if she was only three months pregnant it would not have happened
😉

 

[RUBubba]

Fence collapsing as students were hamming it up for the camera.

Horse drawing a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty

The incredible number of people that claim to have been to both the infamous Temple game and WVU game in horrific weather conditions.

 

[slyker]

Oddest thing was the yellow lot stripper / go -go dancer that was hired and was dancing at a cold October tailgate in what is now the yellow lot in the late 80's or early 90's. The guys had set up a plywood dance floor and had generators and stereo systems for music ( which was more uncommon at the time) . Big tarps blocked off sections and people were crowded around and standing on tops of cars to see. It was quite a site. The RU cops on horseback arrived to break it all up. It was a wild scene with mobs of people trying to crowd around and see what was going on. Cant say I have seen anything close to that at a tailgate since then

 

[RUnTeX]

A rail collapsed in the old student student section in the 90s.

Yep, recall that all too well. North endzone student section in 1994, first year of the reconstructed Rutgers Stadium. IIRC, after kicking a field goal to go up 3-0 on Miami on their first ever visit to Piscataway, my friends and I were leaning against the fence to get into the TV broadcast camera shot of celebrating the early lead and next thing we know the chain link fence gives way and we all tumble down onto the field.

 

[RW90]

The whole bottle cap thing still gets me to this day. I forget which game it was exactly, but remember ordering a half dozen water bottles for our section at the concession stand. It was during a afternoon game in heat wave conditions. I'll never forget the look I gave the counter person as she proceeded to take the caps off all six bottles.

 

[RUnTeX]

All benches was disappointing for a fanbase that was used to the comforts of giants stadium seats .

A portion of the fan base was used to all benches in the multiple decades of the original Rutgers Stadium 1938-1992.

 

[RW90]

A portion of the fan base was used to all benches in the multiple decades of the original Rutgers Stadium 1938-1992.

Not to mention, sitting among the ivy in the endzone corners.

 

[RUnTeX]

First game in the new stadium, 1994. My wife was 8 months pregnant. We sat down in our seats, leaned back, and the whole bench went backward....we looked up and saw our feet! The bench hadn't been bolted in.. The yellow jacket ushers came running and helped us up and moved our seats for that game. Needless to say we were very careful when we sat down next game.

My wife was fine, by the way, just surprised.

The contractors were clearly in a rush to get the stadium opened on time for the Kent St game and apparently cut corners and missed things like not bolting in a bench. The fence posts for the section that collapsed along the bottom of the north endzone were found to be not set deep enough in the concrete. Shoddy workmanship all around it seems.

 

[Knightmoves]

During an early Sept game in the Flood era my wife became overheated and was brought to the Medical services trailer behind the South stands. When she entered the medical trailer there sat the Scarlet Knight mascot, helmet off, receiving iv to recover from the heat. He said that his horse wasn’t feeling well that day either. It was a hot one that day.

 

[Rutgers Chris]

Mic drop...

 

[beaced]

Visions of the urinal troughs still haunt me

Was in there,at the troughs,when two young ladies(?) came in claiming their facilities were overcrowded and needed to tinkle. It took many shouts, of bringing the cops in, before they left.Were probably buzzed.

 

[Mike from MD]

In the mid-1990s an unmarked plane buzzed the stadium a couple of times during a game in the early evening hours.

 

[beaced]

I once watched an invisible lineman run downfield on a pass play vs Louisville. Only me and the linesman saw it, incredibly.

Giving Bridgewater a pass that day was STUPID.That was our game to take and it was given away.

 

[RUTax]

James Gandolfini and son in line at concession stand in late 2000s.

 

[WhiteBus]

The kid who didn't know that it was a 40 foot drop between the end of the Southeast side of the Stadium and the grassy hill where many would watch the game. He ended up paralyzed and died some years later IIRC. Back then they sold beers at the concessions. That ended alcohol sales for nearly 40 years at Rutgers Stadium

 

[mdh2003]

Mic drop...

View embedded media

In his defense, you’d smell him before you saw him.

 

[rurichdog]

Another bizarre scene from Rutgers Stadium: watching a snowplow plow the field at halftime. I understand this happens before games when there has been a major snowfall, but never expected to see a zamboni at halftime at a college football game.

 

[RUChoppin]

The "no water" game, when none of the toilets would flush.

 

[RUChoppin]

Another bizarre scene from Rutgers Stadium: watching a snowplow plow the field at halftime. I understand this happens before games when there has been a major snowfall, but never expected to see a zamboni at halftime at a college football game.

I was so angry they did that - took away something that was working to our advantage. My wife was just angry we were still there, lol - she had stepped in a huge puddle and soaked one foot on the walk to the stadium, and hasn't come to a game with me in any kind of weather since.

 

[Plum Street]

Fence collapsing as students were hamming it up for the camera.

Horse drawing a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty

The incredible number of people that claim to have been to both the infamous Temple game and WVU game in horrific weather conditions.

Horse was at giants stadium

 

[RC1991]

A portion of the fan base was used to all benches in the multiple decades of the original Rutgers Stadium 1938-1992.

A mention of those benches would be incomplete without mentioning the splinters that came with them!

 

[Plum Street]

The kid who didn't know that it was a 40 foot drop between the end of the Southeast side of the Stadium and the grassy hill where many would watch the game. He ended up paralyzed and died some years later IIRC. Back then they sold beers at the concessions. That ended alcohol sales for nearly 40 years at Rutgers Stadium

Damn that is a horrible and sad story . How come I have never heard of this ?

 

[Knight Shift]

A fan having an egg confiscated due to homeland security rules.

 

[WhiteBus]

Damn that is a horrible and sad story . How come I have never heard of this ?

Its 40+ years ago. Before the internet.

 

[Plum Street]

Its 40+ years ago. Before the internet.

Yeah but you think someone would have mentioned it here . I am not saying I don’t believe you, it just seems like an infamously sad story that would be remembered

 

[kupuna133]

I was so angry they did that - took away something that was working to our advantage. My wife was just angry we were still there, lol - she had stepped in a huge puddle and soaked one foot on the walk to the stadium, and hasn't come to a game with me in any kind of weather since.

Our entire section was going nuts. Trying to get people on the sidelines attention, before they made too much progress. We finally did and one of the facility guys reaction was so Rutgers. "He's almost done and like that will make a difference."

 

[kupuna133]

Yeah but you think someone would have mentioned it here . I am not saying I don’t believe you, it just seems like an infamously sad story that would be remembered

It definitely happened. Remember my dad telling the story. He was chaperoning a group and witnessed the emergency response.