FanHouse BullPen

This season, FanHouse writers take their cameras to NFL stadiums to document what happens when you stop being polite and start getting real. Or something. We've cleverly titled it "FanHouse in the Stands."

The end zone seats at many stadiums are usually where you can find some of the most passionate fans. They are the closest seats to the field that are semi-affordable to regular fans.

At Reliant Stadium, there is a section of seats in the north end zone that the Houston Texans call "The Bull Pen." It's a section where standing the entire game is pretty much mandatory, and they don't recommend families sitting in that area.

Last Sunday, courtesy of some friends, I sat in the front row of The Bull Pen, and I wanted to give you a flavor of what it is like. This entry includes semi-vulgarity, fashion don'ts and cheerleader dancing video....very up close...for those of the FanHouse readership who like that sort of thing.

The Bull Pen is the lower level endzone seats in Reliant Stadium that is the Houston Texans' version of the Dawg Pound, only less canine and battery chucking.

Yesterday, a diehard season ticket holder, (and also a nice guy known in the Texans fanbase as "Overalls" as that's what he wears), was told to leave the Bull Pen because he was uh .... standing up cheering his team. Apparently, the people behind him objected to him standing up and told ushers.

This, of course, is crazy, because most people in the Bull Pen stand up. Corporate and ticket broker seats have infiltrated the Bull Pen, so there are some folks watching the game there who prefer a more sedate atmosphere.

Even so, standing up in the Bull Pen is one of the few traditions that the young Texans team has, and it is even written about on their website:

[F]ans within the Bull Pen are encouraged to stand throughout the game, sing, cheer and otherwise support the team in an enthusiastic manner and therefore this section may not be a good fit for children or families.

I emailed the Texans to find out more information about why their ushers would boot out a season ticket holder for standing up, but haven't heard back from them yet. (I don't blame them because I am guessing most are in their post-season vacations already). So much for the Texans 2007 marketing slogan about how the fans are "The Homefield Advantage."

Personally, I think if you want to sit down an entire game to eat your nachos, you should stay home on your couch. I've been asked to sit down before at a game, but unless the people behind me have some serious physical disability that I can see or am told about, I'm not about sit down and golf clap my way through a freaking football game. I think fans should be booted out of the Bull Pen for not standing up. What say you?