Texas Stadium

                                                                                                                                     RON JENKINS/STAR TELEGRAM

In less than 1 minute, this morning beginning at just after 7am, Texas Stadium came crashing down.  Piles of cement and steel destined for recycling. 

Being a relative newcomer to Texas, and not particularly a fan of football, I had very little background knowledge of Texas Stadium.  I knew where it was, I had driven past it on my way to various towns in the DFW area, and I knew the Cowboys played there.

Though during news casts, viewers were updated on the progress of deconstruction which officially began in November 2009.  We learned everything from the amount of explosives, the number of holes drilled to hold those explosives to details on the implosion, how it would implode, to how some of the dust would mushroom upward through the hole in the roof - a hole I have since found out, according to local legend was there so 'God could watch his team'  

I had almost forgotten it was all to occur this morning.  But over the last couple of weeks, I did have a vague interest in its 39 year history. Still, I hadn't officially planned on watching the demolition, but as all the local channels were tuned to the emminent demise of the stadium this morning,  it seemed that should I want the TV on, I would have no choice to become involved in the process via live broadcast - I gave up and decided that I might as well, kind of, watch it whilst I read my book.. and secretly (while I am not sure who I was attempting to keep it a secret from, exactly) my interest had a sudden upward surge.  Particularly when they started in with the pretty, sparkly fireworks (no really, it doesn't take much...)

(no really, I'm kidding.  kinda)

I decided it was necessary to muster the girls together to watch the destruction, and the pretty fireworks.  Just as a side note here, even very young teens, eg: 13 year old girls, have an overWHELMING desire to sleep until noon.  She did not appreciate my 7am early bird Texas Stadium call to action this morning.  I got a grunt and that was about it.  My about to be 11 year old had the opposite reaction, and came down immediately to watch.

So we watched.  And yep, it imploded, exactly as it was predicted.  The domino effect, the smoke plume through Gods window...

Texas Stadium is gone, the end of an era. 

I can't help but understand a little of the sentimental value of the place.  Most people though do agree that it was past its prime, it was falling apart and at the very least needed a good coat of paint.  The people who had began to gather there since 11pm last night, and had been until the button was pushed, whooping it up in excitement were now quiet.