Home-Field Advantage: The Most Memorable Venues in the NFL

Home field advantage, is one of those features, that has been around pro football, and sports in general, for a long, long time. Nothing beats the joy, of giving your favorite fans a good show, for hard earned money, or, if you're truly sadistic, going into their home, and embarrassing them. Some stadiums, for their park, stand out as great places to play, to defend, and if the team plays well enough, a good setting for the playoffs.

Now, these aren't in any particular order, but then, experience is the best teacher.

First off, is Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks. This, to their effort, is a rowdy, loud, and if you're visiting, hostile territory. Loudness, comes into the game, both for the players, but the coaches as well. When the Seahawks are playing well, no one wants to go here. This stadium has been around since 2002, playing previously at Husky Stadium, and then the Kingdome, before that.

However, for all it's loudness, it's got one glaring problem. No championships. It also doesn't help, that the Super Bowl is played at a neutral site each year.

Second up, would be Gillette Stadium, as well, constructed in 2002. Before this stadium was built, Foxboro, was home for 30 years....and well.....a lot of teams hated it. Frozen conditions. Cold locker rooms. During the slow years, fan support was dependent on the weather, as some fans, obviously are more hearty....same situation that goes on, in places like Cleveland, or Buffalo.

For their fans, these Patriots have 3 rings, against 2 losses. This club has also been around since 1960, starting out in the AFL.

Lincoln Financial, home of the Philadephia Eagles, houses a fan base known for two things. Fans that are vicious, and, fans that aren't very forgiving. Many stories have been told, like pelting santa claus with snowballs, but to know this club, there's a lot of hatred, that's been around. Consider, that the Eagles haven't won a title since 1960....that's a long time to go, waiting for another....but nothing compared to the Cubs, right?

Invesco Field. Yes, home to the Denver Broncos. A nice upgrade from the old Mile High Stadium, however, leaves some fans with mixed feelings. Some of the old guard, who had been with the Broncos from day one, discovered with a new stadium, tickets were expensive. Also, since the change from Mile High to Invesco, and Elway's retirement, the Broncos are still looking for the stellar QB to take over the team's reins. Current selection, Jay Cutler, has a lot of support, and both the media, and the fan base is behind him. Every sunday, but especially during division games, count on the stadium to be packed out.

Oakland Alameda County Coliseum. Yes, you can't go through stadiums, without a trip to the dark side. This here, is the club that made castoffs and oddballs into champions. Likewise, it's fan base of rabid fans, first in Oakland, then up to LA, before coming back, was something to see. Images of Darth Vader, walking the stands with a shield, or the two featured in the picture above, very few clubs have fans that specialize in embracing the Raiders' "Nation" image.

For these fans, they've had 3 treats, twice in Oakland, and then one more in LA. What probably also stands out, for most people, is that the Raiders seem to have fans everywhere. Visiting towns, out of the way places. Once it was asked, if you pulled the Raider Nation together, how many in all would it entail?

Pretty simple....you'd run out of room, at Alameda, pretty quick....and California would probably double out.

Hope you enjoyed the short read, in a week, i'll toss out a few more stadiums, plus a small glimpse of some NBA places, where fan noise is louder than aircraft!