1. There is a grand sense of serenity in being alone in LSU’s Death Valley.
Under the big, yellow “Welcome to Death Valley” sign, high-definition screens
proclaim it as the “cathedral of college football.” While fans will tell you it is a religious
experience to be in the stadium on a Saturday night, there is no comparison to being in the
silent fishbowl filled with ghosts of football legends.
The goal posts topped with ribbons that wave at passing clouds stand guard at each
end of the field. A dragonfly weaves in and out of the south end zone, mimicking plays from
games past.
Death Valley is a vortex. Time slows. You can feel the pulse of the stadium gently
beating around you. If you listen close enough you can hear it matching the beat of the
pregame song the Golden Band from Tigerland plays as it marches down Victory Hill.
It is impossible to walk into Death Valley without feeling the remnants of glorious
triumphs and heartbreaking defeats. The walls permeate with the screams of fans
encouraging their beloved Tigers.
As one of college football’s most feared stadiums, the irony of the welcoming
atmosphere is not to be overlooked. While the stadium opens it arms to the purple and gold
nation, it is a menacing dragon to anyone who dares enter wearing the opponent’s colors.
For those who grew up on Tiger football, there is no greater love affair to
experience. There is a bond that forms the moment that you step foot in Death Valley, and it
is nearly impossible to break.
Lifelong fans can tell you there is no greater place on Earth than Death Valley on
Saturday night. No matter what age you are, there is a direct correlation between the
atmosphere in the stadium and the strength of the bond.

2. Despite the quiet that surrounds you in the empty stadium, stories resonate along
every passageway and row of golden bleachers. Remnants of first loves, family squabbles
and new friendships litter section after section of seats oozing with tradition.
Closing your eyes to imagine the sun setting over the edge of the towering monster
that is Death Valley, there is a moment of unadulterated joy. It is in that moment that you
fall in love with the legendary stadium. It irrevocably cements itself into the deepest part of
your soul and fills you with the security of having somewhere to call home.