Texas Stadium comes down

[Kill2bme]

http://www.woodtv.com/dpps/news/national/texas-stadium-tumbles-down-implosion-_3311471

 

In this Oct. 24, 1971, file photo, the interior of Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys is shown in Irving. The Cowboys played their first home game in the $25 million structure and defeated New England Patriots 44-21.

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A piece of history tumbles down

After 39 years, Texas Stadium imploded

 

Updated: Sunday, 11 Apr 2010, 9:09 AM EDT

Published : Sunday, 11 Apr 2010, 9:09 AM EDT

 

IRVING (AP/KXAN) - The old stadium for America's team became a pile of dust and rubble, as thousands of cheering fans paid homage to 39 years of fandom at the Texas Stadium on Sunday morning.

 

With the push of a button at 7:08 a.m. Sunday, more than a ton of dynamiate brought down six million pounds of concrete and steel - not to mention 39 years of history.a lifetime of memories for fans.

 

"It's a little surreal," said Lance Davis, 37, of Fort Worth. "We saw a lot of good games in that building. We saw Emmett Smith break the record for rushing yards, a lot of history went on there. But hopefully the new stadium will have as much history as this one as time goes on."

 

In about 30 seconds, down came the building that was home to the Dallas Cowboys during all five of their Super Bowl championships and was the birthplace of those famous cheerleaders. It also hosted events ranging from Billy Graham-led worship services to Von Erich brothers wrestling extravaganzas.

 

"They can blow it up, implode it, dynamite it - but they can't take away the memories created there," former Cowboys star receiver Drew Pearson said Friday. He planned to watch the demolition from a nearby building, "because I don't want anybody to see me tearing up."

 

For former running back Walt Garrison, it's just a building: "The memories are not about where you played, but who you played with," he said.

 

The Cowboys played their last game at Texas Stadium in December 2008, then moved into the $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington last season. The hole-in-the-roof stadium couldn't compete with its successor, or even area colleges and high schools, so leaders in Irving decided to clear the city-owned building for future development.

 

About 2,200 holes were drilled into the stadium's support columns and packed with dynamite. On Sunday, a series of 50 explosions on half-second delays levelled the building. The sound was like a drumbeat, the noise so loud it could be felt in the chest - and a thick dust cloud rolled up and dissipated just before reaching the crowd of an estimated 8,000.

 

The city charged $25 per car to attend what's being billed as "the final tailgate party." The proceeds will go to charity.

 

Clint Murchison Jr., who founded the Cowboys in 1960, never liked their original home in the Cotton Bowl - and he liked it less once Houston built the Astrodome. Dallas officials didn't want to build a stadium for a billionaire, so Murchison convinced suburban Irving to spend a then-whopping $25 million to build one. Murchison kicked in another $10 million.

 

When the team moved in midway through the 1971 season, during an era when players were paid about as much as ordinary fans, players were awed by a facility that would eventually change the world of professional sports.

 

"When we got into Texas Stadium, it felt like, 'This is our new home. We've got to make the most out of it,"' former star safety Cliff Harris said.

 

And they did. The Cowboys won their first Super Bowl that season. The cheerleaders started the next year, and more Super Bowl trips followed. Their glitzy image and state-of-the-art stadium helped brand them as "America's Team."

 

The nickname stuck as the club went from Roger Staubach to Troy Aikman to Tony Romo, Tony Dorsett to Emmitt Smith to Marion Barber, Bob Lilly to Randy White to DeMarcus Ware, Tom Landry to Jimmy Johnson to Bill Parcells.

 

The hole-in-the-roof concept was to keep fans comfortable while exposing players to the elements, which didn't really catch on. It was also said the hole was there "so that God can watch his favorite team."

 

But other concepts did - for better or worse.

 

Personal seat licenses can be traced to Murchison forcing fans to buy bonds to buy season tickets. He also pioneered catering to the elite by building 176 luxury suites, billing them as a "personalized penthouse." They became so popular, the stadium eventually had 360.

 

When Jerry Jones took over, he exploited a loophole in NFL revenue-sharing rules by getting companies to sponsor his stadium instead of his team. He ended up making big bucks from Pepsi and Nike at a time when Coke and Reebok were league sponsors.

 

The building deteriorated over the years, but it always looked great on television. Anyone flying into Dallas' two major airports probably heard a pilot pointing out the place below.

 

"Texas Stadium just happened to bring out the Hollywood in people," longtime tight end Billy Joe DuPree said. "It was always show time on Sundays."

 

The final show happened Sunday.

 

The wireless button to trigger the detonation was pushed by 11-year-old Casey Rogers of nearby Terrell. He won a nationwide essay contest by writing about his charity, Casey's Heart, which provides food and clothes to the homeless.

 

It's one of the few sentimental demolition jobs for Jim Rawson, the project manager for A&R Demolition who has been helping blow up buildings for 20 years. He grew up a Cowboys fan. But his field superintendent, Terry Tejada, is a lifelong 49ers fan.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JjV61zYRkE&feature=channel

[Harry]

Cya rednecks

[Zero Fear1]

Sucks. :russianroulette:

[King Millsy]

Oh... thought it was going to be a terrorist attack :unsure:

[Dan~loot]

fucking fuliminati

[Idioteque69]

Rip..their new stadium is fucking amazing :rolleyes:

[Kill2bme]

Rip..their new stadium is fucking amazing :rolleyes:

 

Yeah bro, I live in OKC

 

My uncle and I used to drive down nearly every week to see them play at Texas Stadium.

 

A bit of Football history blown to bits today

[Bull Mc]

Seen earlier.

[Addy-Zach]

dang

[2krazykills]

cya old stadium

[erik]

Oh well

[Andrew]

Its all a cover up, the Fuhluminati did it

[Rob56]

Its all a cover up, the Fuhluminati did it

[Alfy]

Saw this on the news, sick shit

[Numbers`]

blame the Fuhluminati