Kyle Field
Home of the 12th Man
Location	Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843
Coordinates	30°36′36″N 96°20′25″W / 30.61°N 96.34028°W / 30.61; -96.34028Coordinates: 30°36′36″N 96°20′25″W / 30.61°N 96.34028°W / 30.61; -96.34028
Broke ground	1927
Opened	September 24, 1927
Renovated	1953, 1967, 2003
Expanded	1953, 1967, 1980, 2000
Owner	Texas A&M University
Operator	Texas A&M University
Surface	Tifway Bermuda Grass[1] AstroTurf - (1969–1995) Natural grass - (1927–1968)
Construction cost	$345,001.67[2] ($4.62 million in 2012 dollars[3])
Architect	HKS, Inc. (North Endzone addition)
Capacity	83,002 (2008-present)[4] 82,600 (2001-2007) 80,650 (1999-2000) 58,292 (1998) 70,210 (1992-1997) 72,387 (1982-1991) 70,016 (1980-1981) 48,000 (1967-1979) 41,500 (1953-1966) 32,890 (1927-1952)
Record attendance	90,079[5]
Tenants
Texas A&M Aggies football (NCAA) (1904–present)

Kyle Field is the football stadium located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. It has been the home to the Texas A&M Aggie football team in rudimentary form since 1904, and as a complete stadium since 1927. It is known as The Home of the 12th Man. Kyle field has a stated capacity of 83,002 (the thirteenth largest stadium in the NCAA), but has hosted a crowd in excess of 90,000.^[6][7][8]

History[link]

Kyle Field ca. 1920

Beginning[link]

In the fall of 1904, Edwin Jackson Kyle, an 1899 graduate of Texas A&M and professor of horticulture, was named president of the General Athletics Association. Kyle wanted to secure and develop an athletic field to promote the school's athletics. Texas A&M was unwilling to provide funds, so Kyle fenced off a section of the southwest corner of campus that had been assigned to him for agricultural use.^[9] Using $650 of his own money, he purchased a covered grandstand from the Bryan fairgrounds and built wooden bleachers to raise the seating capacity to 500 people.^[10][11]

On November 10, 1904, the Texas A&M Board of Directors set this area as a permanent athletic field,^[12] which served as the home for the football and baseball teams. After the stands were built, students supported naming the field after its founder and builder.^[13] Although some believe that the field was instead named after Dr. J. Allen Kyle, a member of the Board of Directors from 1911–1915, the Board of Directors decreed that Kyle Field was in fact named for E.J. Kyle '99.^[14]

In 1921, the November game between the Texas Aggies and their archrival the University of Texas at Kyle Field became the first college football game to offer a live, play-by-play broadcast.^[15]

Facility improvements[link]

The Aggies enjoyed an undefeated season in 1919, accumulating a combined score of 275–0. Aggie supporters began to clamor for a stadium, but only $2,400 was raised by 1920. In 1927, the school chose to build a new stadium, at a cost of $345,001.67.^[16]

The new stadium—the lower half of the current structure's west grandstand—opened later that year. In 1929, grandstands were added on the north and west ends, turning the facility into a 33,000-seat horseshoe. Capacity was raised to 41,500 in 1953 when a partial second deck and a pressbox were added at a cost of $346,000. More of second deck and other improvements were added in 1967 to raise the capacity to 48,000 at a cost of $1,840,000.^[17] In 1974, two large flagpoles were added at the south end of the stadium in memory of Lt. William B. Blocker, Texas A&M class of 1945.

Expansion continued in 1980, when a third deck was added to Kyle Field, bringing the capacity to 70,000. Construction took place during the football season, and students were allowed into the area as each row of seating was added. In 1981, 16-foot (4.9 m)-high letters spelling out "KYLE FIELD" were installed.

The Bernard C. Richardson Zone was added in 1999 at a cost of $32.9 million^[18] raising the capacity to 82,600. For high-demand games, temporary bleachers are installed in the south end zone and folding chairs are placed on the sidelines. The current record for the largest crowd at Kyle Field is 90,079, set November 20, 2010 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.^[19] In the fall of 2003, the Bright Football Complex was completed on the south end of the stadium. The facility (named for its principal donor, former Dallas Cowboys owner Bum Bright) includes a players' lounge overlooking Kyle Field, dressing rooms, one of the largest training and rehabilitation facilities in the country, and a state-of-the-art academic center.^[5]

The field had a grass surface until 1969, when Astroturf was installed.^[17] It returned to a grass surface in 1996.^[5] Since that time, the turf has consistently received praise from players and coaches. For their efforts, the groundskeepers were honored in 2004 as the winners of the STMA College Football Field of the Year.^[20]

Notable events[link]

On November 26, 1999, just one week after the collapse of the Aggie Bonfire, the Aggies beat the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns 20–16 in an emotional comeback game before a then-record crowd of 86,128.^[21][22] Two years later, on September 22, 2001, the first game for the Aggies after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the students organized a "Red, White and Blue-Out." Students assigned each deck a different color (red on third deck, white on second deck, and blue on first deck) to wear for the game against Oklahoma State. Despite the short notice, attendees followed the instructions, resulting in a red, white, and blue stadium. More than $150,000 was raised in shirt sales, which was donated to FDNY charities.^[23]

Intimidating venue[link]

Kyle Field is regarded as one of the most intimidating college football stadiums in the nation.^{[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]} CBS Sportsline listed Kyle Field as the nation's best with a perfect score in three categories (atmosphere, tradition, and fans).^[35] Contributing to its reputation in the 1990s, Texas A&M boasted one of the nation's best home records at 55-4-1, including 31 straight wins at Kyle Field from 1990 to 1995 and 22 straight from 1996 to 2000. From 2000 through 2011, however, the record of Texas A&M at Kyle Field is 52–28 (a winning percentage of 65%, down from 93.2% in the 1990s).^[36] Through November 24, 2011, the overall Kyle Field record is 174-148-19 (53.8%).^[37]

It is ranked as the #4 stadium in the nation by The Sporting News^[38] and is considered one of the most intimidating stadiums in the Big 12 Conference.^[39] The college recruiting ranking service Rivals ranked Texas A&M as having the seventh-best home field advantage in the nation with Kyle Field.^[40] In 2002, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit listed Kyle Field's atmosphere the best in the nation. When he was broadcasting a 2010 game at Kyle Field, Herbstreit said that it was the best stadium and fans in the country.^[41] In addition, Texas A&M has been rated No. 17 in the nation by The Princeton Review in the category "Students Pack the Stadiums."^[42]

Stadium features[link]

Bernard C. Richardson Zone

Bernard C. Richardson Zone[link]

The Bernard C. Richardson Zone, named for a 1941 petroleum engineering graduate and a Texas A&M Distinguished Alumnus, is located at the North end of Kyle Field, replacing the former single-deck horseshoe which connected the east and west wings of the stadium. This $32.9 million expansion added over 20,000 seats, and sits 65 feet (20 m) closer to the field than the previous seating. The Zone opened at full capacity during the 1999 grudge match against Texas, setting a then-state-record of 86,128 fans attending. For the next several years the Aggies saw consecutive record-breaking attendance figures for the season.^[5][18]

The ground level of The Zone contains the Texas A&M Sports Museum, the nation's only all-sports museum funded primarily by former athletes (The Texas A&M Letterman's Association). The museum contains rotating exhibits focusing on various varsity sports at Texas A&M, while permanent exhibits trace the history of the school sports and some of the more treasured traditions.^[43]

The Zone contains four levels of seating areas, with the first and fourth deck containing bench seating. One deck is comprised completely of luxury boxes, while the last deck is armchair seating. Known as The Zone Club, the 1900 open-air armchair seats are considered the premier seating area of Kyle field. The Zone Club sits underneath the fourth deck, meaning the inhabitants are protected from rain, wind, and the blazing Texas sun. The area boasts a full-service bar and concession areas, with a pre-game buffet offered for those with seats in the area. The Zone Club also has sixteen televisions stationed in various areas so that attendees can also keep an eye on other games being played around the country.^[44]

Press box[link]

Press box located on top of west deck

The Kyle Field press box has won numerous honors as one of the finest in the nation. It is located at the top of the west deck of the stadium, sitting over 120 feet (37 m) above the field. The pressbox has two tiers, accommodating over 250 members of the press, with print journalists stationed in the upper tier and radio and television journalists sitting in the lower tier.^[5]

During the singing of the Aggie War Hymn, in which Aggie fans link arms and sway in unison throughout the stadium, the entire west upper deck (including the press box) actually sways, even though the press box is supported by three concrete pillars. This often startles journalists who haven't covered an Aggie home game before.^[45][46] In 2003, the Press Box was declared a high-rise building, and Texas A&M was forced to renovate it to meet federal, state, and local regulations regarding fire safety and the Americans with Disabilities Act.^[47]

12th Man TV[link]

12th Man TV

During the 2006 offseason, the older Jumbotron was removed and replaced by a 3,954-square-foot (367.3 m²) Mitsubishi Diamond Vision enhanced resolution LED videoboard, at the time the second largest in college athletics and one of the ten largest in the world. The Texas A&M Athletic Department has dubbed the new screen "12th Man TV," although some fans refer to it as the "Gigatron".^[48] The 110-foot (34 m) tall structure contains 590,000 pixels on 154 video panels with a screen size of 74 ft (23 m) by 54 ft (16 m). The athletic department also updated the media equipment to allow production and broadcast of enhanced definition video to the screen. This addition to Kyle Field was accompanied by LED ribbon boards were installed along the facade of the second deck encircling the stadium. At 1,130 feet (340 m), it is the longest ribbon board in collegiate sports and second worldwide only to Sun Life Stadium in Miami.^[48] In conjunction with this project, additional upgrades included video board upgrades to Reed Arena and Olsen Field.

Reveille[link]

When the first Aggie mascot, Reveille, died, she was buried at the north end of Kyle Field so that the score of the Aggie football games was always visible from the site. Subsequent Reveilles were buried alongside her. Construction of the Bernard C. Richardson Zone disrupted the mascot graves, so the graves were temporarily moved across the street from the stadium. Following the completion of the addition, an improved graveyard was dedicated directly outside the Zone and a small electronic scoreboard was mounted on the Zone so that the score would remain visible.^[49] When a current or former Reveille passes away, a military funeral is held at Kyle Field. Over 10,000 people attended the service for Reveille IV.^[50]

Other events held at Kyle Field[link]

During summers, young athletes are invited to Kyle Field for football training camps. In the fall, the stadium plays host to various Texas high school football playoff games. The stadium is also home to the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets annual Parent's Weekend Review and Final Review.^[20] It is also the venue for the "Cross-Town Showdown" high school football game between the Bryan Vikings and the A&M Consolidated Tigers, arguably the most popular game of the Vikings/Tigers football season. Traditionally the last game of each team's football schedule, beginning in the 2006 season, Texas A&M University requested that the game be held earlier in the year so not to interfere with Aggie games. Kyle Field also hosts the Texas A&M University football team for the Maroon & White practice scrimmage during Parent's Weekend each spring.

On April 8, 2009, the USA FIFA World Cup Bid Committee announced Kyle Field is being considered in a list of 70 potential stadiums should the United States receive the bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.^[51]

Largest Crowds[link]

Listed below are the top ten largest crowds in stadium history:

• 1. 90,079 November 20, 2010 vs #9 Nebraska
• 2. 88,654 November 24, 2011 vs #25 Texas
• 3. 88,253 November 23, 2007 vs #11 Texas
• 4. 87,555 November 23, 2001 vs #5 Texas
• 5. 87,361 October 15, 2011 vs #20 Baylor
• 6. 87,358 September 24, 2011 vs #7 Oklahoma State
• 7. 87,206 September 29, 2001 vs Notre Dame
• 8. 87,188 November 11, 2000 vs #1 Oklahoma
• 9. 86,951 September 4, 2011 vs SMU
• 10. 86,934 October 29, 2011 vs Missouri

References[link]

External links[link]

• Kyle Field
• Aggie Athletics Press Release regarding 12th Man TV
• Virtual Views per Section Website

Texas A&M University portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kyle Field

Kyle Field is the artist behind the band Little Wings.

Field was born in Alabama, the son of a college football coach, but his family quickly moved to California where he grew up to love surfing.

Music[link]

Field contributed bass and vocals in the band Rodriguez with M. Ward and Mike Funk.

In the late 1990s, Field formed the band Little Wings, of which he is the only permanent member. The band released several albums through K Records, including Light Green Leaves and Magic Wand.

Field has played with a number of bands, including The Microphones/Mount Eerie, YACHT, Bobby Birdman, Lee Baggett and Be Gulls.

Art[link]

Field is also an acclaimed visual artist. His first book of drawings was released on the label Ahornfelder.

Personal life[link]

Kyle Field lives near San Francisco, California.

External links[link]

• Field's official website
• Interview with Kyle Field
• Interview with Kyle Field about his artwork
• Label where Kyle Field's first book will be released
• Flash version of the book

This article about an American musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Alia Shawkat
Shawkat in October 2011
Born	Alia Martine Shawkat (1989-04-18) April 18, 1989 (age 23) Riverside, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1999–present

Alia Martine Shawkat ( /ˈæliə ˈʃoʊkɑːt/; born April 18, 1989) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Maeby Fünke in the Fox series Arrested Development.

Personal life[link]

Shawkat was born in Riverside, California, to actor Tony Shawkat and Dina Burke. She grew up in nearby Palm Springs.^[1] She has two brothers.^[2] Her maternal grandfather was actor Paul Burke.

Shawkat is of Kurdish descent on her father's side and Irish and Norwegian^[3] descent on her mother's side.

Career[link]

Shawkat made her acting debut in both film and television in 1999. In that year, she played the daughter of the character Amir in the feature film Three Kings, in which her father Tony Shawkat played a member of the Iraqi Republican Guard, and appeared as a young Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie on one episode of JAG. She landed her first starring role in 2001, playing Hannah Rayburn in the television sitcom State of Grace, which aired in the United States on the cable television channel Fox Family (subsequently renamed ABC Family) until 2002.

As Maeby Fünke, Shawkat was a regular cast member of Arrested Development for the entire run of the show (2003–2006).^[4] The series received nearly universal positive reviews, with Shawkat's performance occasionally singled out for praise; pop-culture commentator Brian M. Palmer remarked that she was "one of the brightest lights on a show populated solely by bright lights,"^[5] and Scott Weinberg of eFilmCritic described her as "one funny young lady."^[6] In an interview with The A.V. Club in 2010, Shawkat remarked that many of her "formative moments" as an actress took place on the Arrested Development set: " [Show creator] Mitch Hurwitz was like a father figure to me...In a way, it was great to be around [the cast], because I feel that my understanding of comedy was able to grow really well during that time."^[7] Shawkat, along with the rest of the main cast, are set to reprise their roles in the upcoming Arrested Development feature film.

Since the end of Arrested Development, Shawkat has continued to act in feature films. In 2009, she played an Arab-American teen in Cherien Dabis's film Amreeka and appeared in Drew Barrymore's directorial debut Whip It alongside Ellen Page. In 2010, she appeared in The Runaways, a biographical movie about the band of the same name, playing a fictional version of the band's bassist.

In 2009, Shawkat appeared in Whip It co-star Har Mar Superstar's music video for "Tall Boy", which also featured Eva Mendes and Eric Wareheim. In October 2009, it was announced that Shawkat, Har Mar, and fellow Whip It co-star Page would produce and write a show for HBO called Stitch N' Bitch.^[7] According to the Hollywood Reporter, the show "follows two painfully cool hipster girls as they relocate from Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood to Los Angeles' Silver Lake enclave in hopes of becoming artists – of any kind."^[8]

Shawkat, along with Arrested Development co-star Mae Whitman, sang guest vocals on a number of tracks from indie-punk band Fake Problems' newest album Real Ghosts Caught on Tape.^[9]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Alia Shawkat at the Internet Movie Database