By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

On the outside it looks like something you would find in an episode of The Young Pope. The building looks like 16th century architecture, designed by someone whose last name has a vowel to consonant ratio of 2/1.

On certain days you’ll find its’ patrons standing in line, 3-4 hours before the doors open. And during the winter months, you’ll see those same people camp out on an adjacent square, as if they’re standing in St. Peter’s Square, waiting to see the white smoke billowing out into the sky.

On the inside, you’ll find a cult like atmosphere- people covered in paint, worshipping idols, mocking anyone whose opinions differ from their own. Like any religious gathering there are sermons to be taught, although don’t expect to hear anything about “loving thy neighbor.” This is more of an “eye for an eye” type crowd. It’s absolutely ridiculous. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

There is a reason why the national media swarms to Durham, NC, like Donald Trump to a 2 A.M. Twitter rant, for the UNC/Duke game. History of the rivalry? Yes. The number of great collegiate players and coaches to have participated in the game? Sure. Where both these teams rank in the pantheon of great college basketball teams? Absolutely.

But, why do fans pay close to Super Bowl prices just to get tickets to a regular season game? It’s the atmosphere Cameron Indoor Stadium provides.

With all due respect to places like Lambeau Field, Phog Allen Fieldhouse, and The Pit, experiencing a game in Cameron Indoor Stadium is a must for any sports fan, even if you don’t like Duke.

If Cameron were a 12 year old boy it’d have an inferiority complex over the number of times an analyst has talked about how small it is in comparison to other basketball ball venues.

With a seating capacity of just over 9,300 those analysts aren’t wrong. I imagine if Gene Hackman ever visited he would measure the height of the basket and distance to the free throw line, just to make sure he wasn’t on a playground with 9 foot rims.

The intimate venue is great, but it’s how the seating is laid out that make the entire thing a perfect marriage. Most schools have rowdy students. Most schools do not allow those students to take up an entire side of the gymnasium, and give them arguably the best seats in the entire place.

What allows the Cameron Crazies to have the kind of notoriety they do is the fact they are allowed to sit (or their case, stand) so close to the action on the court. If they were forced to sit in the upper sections, the atmosphere would be completely different.

To watch those things meld together on tv doesn’t always do it justice. Two seasons ago my daughter and I went to a game over Christmas break, against Wofford.

By the time we left our ears were ringing and I felt like I had just sat through a Metallica concert. That was for a game with no students and inferior competition. I can only imagine what that place would be like against Carolina.

There are tons of great places to watch sports, but for my money there is no place better atmosphere than Cameron Indoor Stadium. If you don’t believe me I highly recommend you check it out. You may just leave as one of the converted.