by Jeff Brooks and Fred Seely
Staff Writers
As the Jacksonville Jaguars took the field Sunday for pregame warmups, Jorgie Lockhart and her son Perry had just finished their exercise for the day, settling into their seats in Row HH in the west stands at Alltel Stadium.
The Lockharts traveled from Tallahassee for Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins. Jorgie Lockhart purchased their tickets on eBay for $35 as a birthday present for her son. Though they have attended several games in Alltel Stadium, she wasn’t sure where their seats were located.
“I didn’t know where they were, but they were cheap,” said Jorgie Lockhart, who was wearing an orange and blue Florida Gators bathrobe. “We parked in a lot by Metro Park and we were joking on the way in that we were probably in the top row. We kept walking and walking and lo and behold, here we are.
“I’ve got my quota of exercise for 2002.”
To the uninitiated, they’re the nosebleed seats. You climb the seemingly-endless ramps and finally get to the upper deck, and you still have 96 steps to climb.
To the top row.
The field seems to be a mile below. In fact, it’s a good 300 feet from the top. The players are reduced to TV size. You are about 10 stories in the air, looking down at the field on what seems straight down but, in reality, is more like 45 degrees.
You can’t read the names on the players’ backs and, unless you have excellent vision, you can get 6s and 8s confused. Steve Spurrier’s visor is no more discernible than Tom Coughlin’s cap.
But for the fans who find themselves sitting in the last row of the stadium — in many cases by choice — the skyline seats are the best in the house.
“We have good scenery, we’re in the shade and I don’t have to worry about getting in a fight with somebody who spills beer down my back,” said Jorgie Lockhart, relating an incident she experienced during a trip to the Orange Bowl in Miami. “These aren’t bad seats at all.”
• • •
Wayne and Ruby Seibold have been sitting in Row HH in the west stands since the Houston Oilers defeated the Jaguars 10-3 in 1995. The first game.
“I can see the plays develop from up here,” said Wayne Seibold, adding he makes sure to bring binoculars to every game. “I can stand up and nobody tells me to sit down. And there’s nobody spilling drinks on your back.”
“I like the breeze up here,” added Ruby Seibold.
The Seibold’s love of their seats has spread to their friends. Since the second year, eight of their buddies have purchased seats in Row HH.
• • •
For the last six years, Jay Zajan and his family have made the two-hour ride from Oveido, an Orlando suburb. They have always been on the top row of the east stands.
“We could have moved down [to seats on a lower level] but we like it here,” he said. “You can really see the plays develop.”
They sit in Section 442 in the east stands at Alltel Stadium at about the 10-year-line, and another lure is the fact that it’s the family section. No drinking, no smoking, no swearing.
“We can stand up anytime and not bother anyone,” he said.
• • •
Lawrence Thompson is a recent FSU Law School grad and he’s had Seat 1, Row HH in Section 437 since the Jags started in 1995.
“I wouldn’t sit anywhere else,” he said. “I’m really into football. Up here, you can see all the adjustments. You have a completely unobstructed view.”
“I like the breeze up here, too” he said. “You can go down 4-5 rows and it can be stifling.”
But, how about the cold weather games?
“There really haven’t been many,” he said, “but I do remember the Cleveland game in 2000 . . .”
• • •
Joyce Lewis is a Jaguars fan but, on this day, she was wearing a Redskins jersey.
“She grew up near the Redskins’ practice fields,” said husband Bob. “She’s a big Jaguar fan, but not when the Redskins are here. You should see our house; she has a whole room filled with Redskin stuff.”
They are on the 50-yard -line of the east stands and will never move.
“You have a view of the world, God’s view, up here,” she said. “It’s cool with the breeze, you can stand up and not bother anyone, and you can see the plays develop.”
They bought these seats when one of her fellow workers moved to Atlanta and had to sell.
“Ten bucks a game,” she said. ‘This is great.”
And Bob?
“I go because of her,” he said. “I’d rather be home watching TV.”
• • •
A friend back in Kingsland, Ga., couldn’t make Sunday’s game so he offered his three tickets to Eddie Jenkins.
“We take ‘em anywhere we can get ‘em,” said Jenkins, introducing son Corey and son-in-law Chris Alsip, who were working on trays of nachos. “I had a gut feeling we’d be way up here. But, we came last year and we were way up on the other side, and we liked it fine.”
They left at 9 a.m. and parked at Gateway Mall, then took a bus to the game. They were among the first in the stands.
“It was a long walk up here,” said Jenkins. “They boys stoked up on the way.”
• • •
For Antonio Oruga and Leanna Stewart, this is their first year as season ticket holders, and yes, they specifically requested seats in Row HH.
“We like the freedom up here,” said Stewart. “You can see the whole field and the breeze is nice. We plan to renew these seats for the next three years.”
Not surprisingly, getting to their seats in the only problem.
“The hike is the only thing about these seats,” said Stewart. “You have to put on your walking shoes to come up here.”
• • •
Shawn Savarese is another first-year season ticket holder who requested a seat in the last row.
“It’s a nice view of the stadium and the price was right,” said Savarese as he watched the teams warm-up. I can stand up and not have to worry about anybody behind me. I really like it up here.”