Greetings from Seattle

Dick, photographer Scott Winterton and I just arrived here in Seattle and are en route to the hotel. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of BYU fans on the flight. There were also a lot of Yankee fans on board — I presume they’re going to watch the Yankee-Mariner game tonight at Safeco Field.

The weather here is pleasant and sunny. No hint of rain.

The Cougars are scheduled to get in this afternoon and will hold a fireside tonight at a chapel in Kent.

While BYU has never won a football game here in Seattle, few road teams have had a lot of success at Husky Stadium. It seats more than 72,000 fans and is widely regarded as one of the most picturesque settings to watch a game. Husky Stadium, located near Lake Washington.

Tom Dienhart of the Sporting News put Husky Stadium on a list of five college football stadiums every fan should see before they die. MSNBC.com rated Husky Stadium No. 5 on a list of its Top 10 stadiums. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit rated it No. 6 in best stadium atmosphere.

And here’s a Cliff Claven trivia question to impress your friends. Husky Stadium is one of only two college football facilities that fans can get to games by boat. (The other is Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium.)

Here’s an excerpt from the Washington media guide for more facts on Husky Stadium:

Nestled high above Union Bay in Lake Washington, Husky Stadium has several characteristics that make it unique among stadia:

A seating capacity of 72,500 allows Husky Stadium to rank as the nation’s 15th largest on-campus facility. It is the largest stadium, college or professional, in the Pacific Northwest.

With nearly 70 percent of the seats located between the end zones, Husky Stadium can be one of the loudest stadiums in the nation. During the 1992 Nebraska contest, the first night game in Husky Stadium history, ESPN sideline crews measured the crowd noise at 130 decibels.

Tailgating takes on a whole new meaning at Husky Stadium. Boat moorings are available for fans to travel to Washington games via the water. Members of the Husky crew team shuttle fans back-and-forth between their vessels and the docks adjoining the stadium grounds. The north upper deck offers sweeping views of Mt. Rainier, the Olympic Mountain Range and downtown Seattle.

The Huskies have won 70 percent of their home games in the stadium, posting an overall record of 298-126-21. Against the Pac-10, the Huskies have recorded an even more impressive 77-26-2 (.743) record at Husky Stadium.