Eyes On The Prizes

coat

Right now, no coats will be needed on Tuesday.

After spending what (for me) was a small fortune on a bus trip and ticket to the AAC championship game, I settled back in my seat on Bus No. 3 with visions of watching the Owls hoist the championship trophy only to be greeted by this announcement by the bus trip moderator employed by Temple:

“Right after the game, you must leave for the buses, which will leave 30 minutes from the conclusion of the game.”

Several of us screamed out loud: “WHHAAAAAATTTTT?”

We then pointed out to her that around 30 minutes after the conclusion of the game, the team, after going over to sing the Navy alma mater (a tradition), then their own alma mater and T for Temple U will just be STARTING  the AAC championship ceremony. After never seeing Temple hoist a championship trophy or the Owls even involved in a championship ceremony, we weren’t on the mood to be hearing that noise that from our seats as the bus was leaving.

“I’ll check into that,” she said.

Halfway into the trip, she made the announcement: “I checked with my boss. It looks like no ceremony. The bus will be leaving right after the game. Sorry.”

There were audible groans from the packed bus.

return

Temple has made plans this time for the victory ceremony

Right then, at least two of us made plans to Uber it home from Annapolis if we had to because we were not missing any alma mater, fight song or lifting trophy craziness. (We didn’t; we got right on the bus as it was pulling out, but we stayed through everything.)

I dutifully filled out my survey upon returning home and mentioned how insane that to go all the way down there and be asked to get on the bus before a once-in-a-lifetime Temple victory ceremony occurs. Fortunately, the powers-that-be have heard. If Temple wins, the busses will leave one hour after the game on Tuesday; if, Heaven forbid, Temple loses, the bus hightails it out of town 30 minutes afterward.

Fair enough.

Let’s all hope for a late departure because lost in Matt Rhule’s exit, Geoff Collins’ entrance and a team practicing without defensive coaches for a week is the fact that there is not one but three very important prizes to be had.

A winning bowl trophy would be one, a top 25 finish would be another and, above all, a legacy prize of being the winningest Temple team in history (11 wins). Who knows if Temple will ever have a chance to win 11 games again? After the Garden State Bowl, I left Giants’ Stadium assuming Temple would win double digits a few times. It did not happen until last year. While three of the four AAC teams have lost, none of them have the trifecta to gain that Temple has and the Owls need to ball out just like they did a couple of weeks ago in Annapolis. The kids deserve it and the fans deserve to see it.

This time, there won’t be just one prize by three really good parting gifts to lay eyes on before the year is over and out. Let’s hope all of us are there to see them.

Saturday: Finished Business

Monday: Game Preview

Wednesday: Game Analysis

Friday: Season Analysis

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13 thoughts on “Eyes On The Prizes

  1. Win, win, and win. Interesting to hear that some of the coaches, like Fran Brown will be meeting up with the kids to coach directly at the bowl game.

    – Hope they can coach themselves this next week and Phil Snow is back from Cali.

    • Phil Snow and all the defensive coaches will be coaching the game. My only worry is that them not being around most of the time leading up until the game is going to cost them. That’s one side. The other side is that Wake Forest does not present the problems offensively that any team in the AAC does with the possible exception of UConn and Tulane.

  2. still can’t believe they insisted on the 30 minutes. I’m driving this time. Lots open at 8am.

  3. who will be the new OC? is Glen Thomas still going to Waco, and is E. Robinson being considered for the DC?

    Wake Forest will show up, play well with an intact pissed off coaching staff that has something to prove..,

    this is a blue bird game for Temple.., only a handful of teams will finish with conference and bowl championship trophies and a Top 25 ranking.., there are four things in life which don’t come back, lost opportunity is one of them

  4. FYI to those driving: PLEASE NOTE: Parking lots open to the public at 8 a.m. on gameday. Fans are strongly encouraged to arrive early in order to avoid traffic. Road closures for the parade begin at 10:30 a.m., affecting Rowe Boulevard and Taylor Avenue alongside the stadium. Parking gates on Farragut Road and Cedar Park Road (1, 2, 3, 3A, 4) will be accessible at all times. The parade is expected to conclude around noon. For additional information on the parade route and closures, please visit our Parade page.

    • sounds like game day parking information for the new Temple Stadium on campus.., hope our BOT is taking notes

      • I don’t think there will be any bowl parades up Broad Street any time soon. All those parking problems–that did not exist for the AAC title game–are related to a Military Bowl parade. There was no AAC title parade. Plus, I have been on record that I am very doubtful that we will ever see an on-campus stadium due to City Council’s “councilmatic privilege” rule which means that any particular councilman can veto any project in his district and this councilman is a certified stadium stomper. I don’t know how Temple gets around that. I don’t think it does.

      • The Comcast Liberty Bell Bowl at Temple Stadium.., proceeds go to the North Philadelphia Stop Shooting Yourself in the Foot Campaign

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