The Oregon Adventure Was Truly a Unique Experience
Oregon is one of the very few states that I had never visited. So, I didn’t hesitate to undertake the long trip, accompanied by Gary Vogt and Linda Sasavicz, both fellow members of the Massillon Football Museum group, along with Linda’s husband, Harold. What a great time we had, particularly when attending the Massillon vs. NFL Academy-London football game and touching base with the many recognizable Tiger fans.
Leaving on Wednesday, we took a 1-hour flight from Cleveland to Chicago Midway, and then two hours later a 4-hour flight to Portland, Oregon. Along the way, I snapped a photo of Mount Adams, with the infamous Mount St. Helens looming in the background. The travel was uneventful, although it seemed long, especially when a 400 lb. (I’m not kidding) person took the middle seat between Gary and myself. That, of course, was a bit taxing. But we did arrive safely.
Travel time to the Beaverton Comfort Inn was thirty minutes, but involved five different freeways. We concluded that there is not a straight road in Oregon. Thanks to Gary for driving, while I navigated.
Game day. Up rather early, owing to the 3-hour time zone difference. Then, a long wait until the 6:00 am hotel breakfast. At 9:30 am we gathered in the parking lot, having donned much Tiger gear, only to hear the sounds of “TIG.” Of course, we answered “ERS,” only to be met by Big Mike’s mother. What a joyful lady she is. After a few photos we headed for our morning destination, the Raptor Ridge Winery, which is located at the end of a very pleasant drive through the hills of Oregon. Along the way we passed by hundreds of Hazelnut trees enroute to a 10:00 am reservation. 10:00 am? Well, it’s 1:00 pm home time, so it’s surely acceptable to indulge at that time of day. The wine was good, we had the place to ourselves and the view of the landscape was fantastic. We were told that on sunny days, one can see Mount Rainier in Seattle, some 150 miles away. Unfortunately, this day was overcast.
Before leaving Massillon, I inquired about seating at the Nike World Headquarters stadium and was disappointed to learn that very few seats were brought in for the game. Thus, we were concerned enough that we arrived for the event at 1:15 pm for a 3:30 pm kickoff, with parking wherever one could find it. That meant first sitting through the girls’ flag football game, between teams from Alaska and New Orleans. Surprisingly, it was quite entertaining.
But back to the seating. Our first choice was on the 20 yard line at the top row. The top row meaning Row 2! Might as well be sitting in the endzone, where they at least had three rows of seats. We got the impression that Nike really didn’t want any spectators at the game, just media coverage. Later, we discovered a section of around 60 folding chairs in an 8-row section at midfield. However, half of these had restricted sightlines, since there were spotter towers blocking the view of the field on either side. Again, not fan friendly. Fortunately, I ended up in Row-3, with the rest of the party in the row behind and the view was OK. Just the players to see over. Nevertheless, it was fully packed with Massillon supporters. The remaining twenty Tiger fans or so assembled where we began. Word on the street was that around 220 Tiger fans were headed to the game. And that estimate swelled to 600 later in the week. However, in reality there were probably around 80-90 in total.
The event from start to finish lasted about six hours. As such, the fans were sure to be hungry. However, the only food available was a table of candy. Very poorly planned. Again, little consideration given to the spectators.
Regarding the game itself, Massillon looked good in their uniforms and played very well for an opener, except for the penalties, which undoubtedly prevented a running clock. A blowout would have shortened the game and that is something that the promoters surely did not want.
Speaking of promoters, it was a Nike classic, but it was also funded partially by the NFL with a specific final goal; i.e., establish professional football in Europe. They began this endeavor by fielding a quality high school football team in order to drum up interest in the sport within the continent. In essence, they are using these European players as a public relations endeavor, while at the same time giving them opportunities to land football scholarships at American Universities. Some do; most don’t. But it was imperative that the team show well for the viewing audience.
Then there is Massillon. While the coaching staff headed to Oregon with the objective of showing the world how great and wonderful the Tigers are, the theme of the event was entirely different. That is, to promote football in Europe by showcasing the London team. In other words, Massillon was that nameless opponent like the one that faces the Harlem Globetrotters in their exhibition basketball shows, the so-called team called the “Washington Generals.” Except that in this situation the opponent was the better team. That’s why it seemed that every time the Tigers got a 2-score lead, the penalty flags began to fly.
Nevertheless, it was personally a very enjoyable experience to be at the game, especially while watching it from ground level. One receives a whole different impression from that vantage point. The speed and physicality of the game is really apparent. Meanwhile, the players certainly had a great time during their three days on the Nike campus, one that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
As we exited the field proper, we passed several of the Academy players and wished a few well. But they looked absolutely spent. And I instantly recalled looking across the field after the third quarter, only to find the entire Acdemy defense sitting on the bench. One player mentioned after the game that they had never been hit so hard.
Finally, we returned to the parking lot only to find that the exits to the public roads were closed to traffic. One after another. Only when we reached the main gate some distance away within this massive multi-building complex did we find a way out. I guess the football game was small potatoes compared to the eleven thousand employees that work there. And the day had come to an end for them by the time the 3-hour game was over. So night security was now in charge.
Early the following morning we returned to Massillon, with a lasting memory of the shoutout from one of the Portland-to-Chicago flight attendants in support of the Massillon Tigers. What will the next chapter of this football season bring?
Go Tigers!
