alamobowl, does anyone care

[tonylongoriafan]

well i'm going because i'm an option holder, like football, and love to tailgate. but is anyone else going to Missouri/Northwestern?

what do you think of this match up? obviously, missouri has underperformed this season and northwestern is ranked higher, so it may be a good game!

but does anyone care...i know i do...i bought my tickets in april, but what's the temp of the locals about this event?

btw, why the fuck is the game on a monday...the last two were on a saturday and we were able to tailgate like mofos!

[tonylongoriafan]

By Brent Zwerneman - Express-News


Missouri coach Gary Pinkel loves San Antonio not only for the River Walk, but for the football played on the high school fields within an afternoon's drive of the celebrated tourist destination.

“We've got 28 players from Texas, and eight starters on our team from Texas,” Pinkel said. “That's one of our No. 1 recruiting areas, besides the state of Missouri.”

Those players get to come home soon — in uniform. No. 25 Missouri will face No. 22 Northwestern, which has 10 Texans of its own, in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 in the Alamodome, the bowl announced Sunday. The programs haven't played in 21 years.

The Tigers (9-4) won the Big 12 North but fell 62-21 to Oklahoma in the conference title game on Saturday night in Kansas City. Missouri never has played in the Alamo Bowl but was in the Big 12 title game a year ago in the Alamodome, losing 38-17 to Oklahoma.

The Wildcats (9-3) of the Big Ten won three of their last four games, including victories to close out the regular season at Michigan and at home against Illinois. In its lone Alamo Bowl appearance, Northwestern lost to Nebraska 66-17 in 2000.

“I cannot express in words how excited we are to come down to the great state of Texas,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said.

The Wildcats have steadily improved under Fitzgerald, a former Northwestern standout linebacker in his third season as the program's head coach. He finished 4-8 in his first year and 6-6 in his second.

“We're very excited to be at the nine-win mark,” Fitzgerald said. “Ten wins would be a huge milestone for our football program.”

Northwestern, 1-5 all-time in bowl games, hasn't won 10 games in a season since 1995, when Fitzgerald played under then-coach Gary Barnett. Former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz heads up the current Wildcats defense, which ranks 23rd nationally in scoring defense.

“There's no greater turnaround statistically and on the field from a results standpoint than from our defense and the job Mike Hankwitz has done,” Fitzgerald said.

The Tigers, 11-14 overall in bowls, are led by senior quarterback Chase Daniel, a one-time Heisman Trophy contender from Southlake Carroll High.

A touchdown or less has decided the Alamo Bowl's last three games, including Penn State's 24-17 victory over A&M a year ago.

Count Missouri athletic director Mike Alden, too, among those happy to be headed for the River Walk for the holidays.

“The Alamo Bowl and the city of San Antonio are outstanding in what they do,” Alden said. “I can say without hesitation that (bowl president and CEO) Derrick Fox and his staff are among the very best at running a first-class event.”

[DMX7]

I care, I may or may not go but I'll certainly watch it on TV.

[Blake]

bleh. the Big Ten stinks.

[JudynTX]

i dont care

[samikeyp]

bleh. the Big Ten stinks.

+1

The Big 12 south is better than the Big 11.

[tonylongoriafan]

but if your a local and like college football, how can you not care? i mean, i drive an hour and half most saturdays in the fall to see texas play and would jump at the chance to see any big college football here locally (that's why i'm so excited about UTSA football)

so what the hell? too many things going on around the holidays? is $60 too much for lower level seats? these are issues i can understand...but the big ten sucks, c'mon...last year i saw a penn state team that was in contention much of this year AND SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING, i don't understand, this thing should be sold out every year.

[Blake]

but if your a local and like college football, how can you not care? i mean, i drive an hour and half most saturdays in the fall to see texas play and would jump at the chance to see any big college football here locally (that's why i'm so excited about UTSA football)

so what the hell? too many things going on around the holidays? is $60 too much for lower level seats? these are issues i can understand...but the big ten sucks, c'mon...last year i saw a penn state team that was in contention much of this year AND SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING, i don't understand, this thing should be sold out every year.

it's two teams I care nothing about. It may as well be the Yugoslavia Tigers vs the Honduras Wildcats.

I've got a lot better ways to spend $100+ bucks around the holidays.

[tonylongoriafan]

I've got a lot better ways to spend $100+ bucks around the holidays.

that's why a buy them in april...the holidays are a time of giving...$100 = 5 lap dances :toast

[word]

The Alamo Bowl is generally considered the kickoff to the real bowl games. Most people care about it. This year maybe not as much, but generally, it's the first 'legitimate' bowl in many's eyes.

[j-6]

The Alamo Bowl is generally considered the kickoff to the real bowl games. Most people care about it. This year maybe not as much, but generally, it's the first 'legitimate' bowl in many's eyes.

I could see that considering that it's usually the first game to have a ranked major conference team playing in it. I don't know about ''most people'' caring about the Alamo Bowl but mid-Big 10 versus mid-Big 12 is usually more compelling than anything else scheduled before it. Though this year I'm kinda excited to see TCU play Boise State.

[tonylongoriafan]

next monday! i'm pretty excited...should be a lot of points scored...anyone gonna be tailgating? i've got a few passes but a monday? eh!

[tonylongoriafan]

i heard the alamo bowl director on the radio yesterday and he said they give both teams 250 psp's as a part of their gift bags! is this normal, do the larger bowl games do the same...isn't that against some kind of ncaa student athlete rule...

...they can give players gifts, but alumni/boosters can't take them to lunch?

[Doug Collins]

Is UTSA in it? If not, I don't care.

[dolacheck]

Ill be at the game, but I have to work =( Damn ESPN

[tonylongoriafan]

probably the best football game i've been to at the alamodome...

...and it was empty...i seriously doubt there was 55,000+ there

[chode_regulator]

was fun to watch on tv

upper level looked really empty

[tonylongoriafan]

was fun to watch on tv

upper level looked really empty

the lower level was scattered empty too...we sat corner endzone...there were 2 entire rows empty about 2 rows down...



http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/32/l_d8e02b0486174e7ea43bf141f1c59cb8.jpg




...i think the monday after christmas is a bad draw. next year new years day is on a friday, maybe we'll get that sunday/saturday night slot!