It definitely did not kill the crowd, i was there. People stayed out there in the storm screaming their butts off. Hardly anyone left during the delay and then as far as i could see no body even sat down throughout the 1st quarter and halfway through the second. It was probably the loudest I have ever heard Neyland for about a quarter and a half (Although Florida of '04 beats that)
Yep, I agree. I thought it would quiet down after the rain and be a lot emptier, but I thought it got louder after the rain delay ended (I was there as well). I think everyone was extremely loud until 34-13 but you could tell after each Oregon score once they broke the 13-13 tie quieted the fans down. It was insanely loud. It just felt like the rain kinda bonded everyone and gave them a little break to come back more energized. My buddy and me actually went to McDonalds during the delay and came back just in time lol.
I do have one thing to say about the standing up in the game, though...
We were asked to sit down by an older couple RIGHT AFTER Tauren Poole broke open the first play for a 30 yard gain. This man about 65 or so tapped me on the shoulders and said "Could you sit down, we can't see the game"...and I'm like WTF we just broke a huge play on the first play of the game and the whole stadium is going crazy screaming and cheering, and this guy is asking me to sit down.
Anyway, someone that left after the rain delay gave us tickets on the 25 yard line lower level which was awesome and the crowd over there was standing up the whole game, too, and chatting instead of acting like we were standing in front of the TV blocking their view as if they were in their living room or something.
The crowd was electric, too, and it amazed me that someone would say that. I mean when Lincoln made that huge 48 yard field goal that rarely happens and the whole stadium was rocking, this guy just mildly clapped his hands about three times and was done.
I almost asked him if he was related to Fulmer...the experience was great, though, for my first game...to bad it turned out horribly after such a great start. The fans definitely did their part.