Last Good Bye

Miami will play Virginia on Saturday, making this game their last game in the Orange Bowl stadium before moving to Dolphin Stadium next season. The reason for their move is that because the cost to renovate the stadium was too high and the appeal of more modern facilities was too great. The Hurricanes’ 70th season in the Orange Bowl will be their last. The team never had the resources other college football programs did, but many say they made up for it with their “ attitude, swagger, and national titles.” The Old Stadium had seat less backs, deficient amount of bathrooms, as well as parking. But one of the positive reputations of the stadium was that for nine years a visiting team never came out with a victory. From 1985 to 1994 the Miami Hurricanes put together an N.C.A.A.record 58-game home winning streak, won three national titles (1987 1989 and 1991) and had two Heisman Trophy winners, Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992),titles that were won at the Orange Bowl.

The stadium was built by the City of Miami Public Works Department. Construction began in 1936 and was completed in December 1937. The stadium opened for Miami Hurricanes football on December 10, 1937. The Orange Bowl was originally named Burdine Stadium after Roddy Burdine, one of Miami's pioneers. The original stadium consisted of the two sideline lower decks. Seating was added in the endzones in the 1940s, and by the end of the 1950s the stadium was double-decked on the sidelines. The stadium's home field advantage used to include a steel structure that fans would set to rumbling by stomping their feet. Recent concrete reinforcement has silenced the rumble. Still present is the advantage of the West End Zone, which has a relatively narrow radius that amplifies fan noise. Despite all the structural defaults, The stadium will definitly be missed be the fans.