The Farewell Game

Gary and I were lucky enough to get two complimentary tickets to the final Cowboys game in Texas Stadium. The team will be moving into their new home next season, ending a 37-year run in Texas Stadium in Irving. Saturday’s game was an emotional event for many fans, players, and former players who hold fond memories of the time they spent in that facility. The night was more than just a game; it was the end of an era.

With that in mind, we were really excited about the opportunity to be part of that historic moment. We drove to the stadium area early and had dinner at Pappasitos. The restaurant was filled with lots of other Cowboys fans getting ready to enjoy the game. At a table nearby, we met a few fans who had an extra parking pass for the Blue lots. We jumped on the opportunity to bypass the long walk from general parking — the Blue lots are right next to the stadium.

Delighted, we finished dinner at 5:30 pm and headed to the stadium which, during normal traffic, would be about 10 minutes away. Thirty minutes later, we were pulling in next to the Blue parking lots. We thought we were making good time, but little did we know that parking there would be the “kiss of death.”

The two lane road that leads to the Blue lots was packed full of cars — cars that weren’t moving. Forty minutes later, we had only moved forward a few feet. The parking attendants told us it would be at least another hour before we could get parked.

We continued to sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic, baffled that it was completely stopped. I can’t believe how poorly managed traffic was. I’ve been to games before, and I’ve never experienced anything like it. I know the stadium was packed, but it was ridiculous. Tons of people were bailing out of their cars and walking to the stadium leaving only the driver behind. At 6:50 pm, I finally convinced Gary to leave and meet up with the rest of our group. It didn’t make sense for both of us to miss the game.

After he left, I sat for another 30 minutes barely moving at all. The one highlight of my parking nightmare was that I got to witness the balloon release that happened after the national anthem. Hundreds of blue and grey balloons rose through the open roof of the stadium and were eventually carried away by the wind. It was a neat sight to behold from outside the stadium.

An hour later, after circling the entire stadium in traffic, I ended up at Lot 5 (back where I had started 2 1/2 hours earlier). I knew it was going to be a historic night, but I had no idea that the historic moment I would experience would be a whopping 3 hours of gridlock.

Finally parked, I quickly made my way to the stadium — just in time for half-time. Neat.

Once inside, I was able to relax and have some fun. It was great to see the Cowboys play. And between plays, they would bring former Cowboys “greats” onto the field and interview them about their time playing for the Cowboys — very cool. Unfortunately, the night didn’t end with a win, but it was still fun to be a part of the last game played in Texas Stadium.

After the game, there was a closing ceremony including many of the Cowboys’ famous players and tributes to those who are no longer with us. We stayed for most of the celebration, until the brutal cold caught up with us (it was below freezing and the wind chill was even worse), then we called it a night and walked out of the stadium for the last time ever.

Farewell Texas Stadium!!

Below are a few pictures from the historic evening.

My view for 2 1/2 hours — so close, yet so far

Punting the ball after half-time

The stadium was packed!

So happy to be INSIDE the stadium!

Players and staff on the field as the game ends

Post-game celebration — introducing the Cowboys legends

More post-game celebration