Insight bowl - You guys have a good time in AZ?

[andyokstate]

How was the whole experience out there? Hope you had a great time.

[OSU-DNA]

We had a wonderful time. Enjoyed seeing Phoenix and the whole area. Did not do the golf thing but we toured everywhere and had some great dinners. Golf would have to fall in the paradise category based on the number of courses.

We stayed in Tempe, plenty of reasonably priced hotels there. Toured the campus, nice place but I love the OSU architecture much more than ASU's.

The Cowboy fans were great, but we were significantly outnumbered by the IU fans. The IU students were over the top in their enthusiasm, they let loose with boos for our cheerleaders, band, and team, okay borderline but acceptable.

Before the game, the stadium announcer introduced 3 serving members of the armed forces, one from Indiana, Oklahoma and Arizona, a very nice message. This was followed by the Air Force Acadamy jump team parachuting into the stadium, one carried the IU flag, big cheers, one carried the OSU flag, big boos. I've never heard of any fan base anywhere booing a member of the armed forces.

On the other hand, after we provided the answering score to their TD in the 3rd quarter, the loudest group around us left stating we did have the better team and we were just too fast for them.

We had New Year's Eve dinner at an Italian restaurant in Old Scotsdale. We left the stadium after the presentations to the outstanding players and drove immeadiately over to the restaurant. As he was seating us, the owner asked us not rib the Indiana fans too much but he added they were almost finished their meal. (Probably left at halftime.)

We took an early flight connecting in Denver to OKC, and the Cowboy fans were still proudly wearing their colors.

[Lewis the Pike]

Loved it , had a great time, and look forward to going back to Phoenix for the Fiesta Bowl next year!!

Left Sunday with Cali Cowboy's car, and ChiPhiPoke and pal. About a 4.5 hour drive.

Stayed in Tempe, I think it was Homestead Suites, 90/ a night. Saw a buddy of mine in Tucson, and hung with the family on Monday

The military entrance was impressive with the parachuters. The Indiana fans were out numbering us, but we rolled out well anyway. I sat in the upper level on the OSU side near the 50, mixed with Orange and Red.


One thing I found hilarious is that our fans cheered louder for Coach Hep's widow than they did for Boone. I know it's comparing apples and oranges, but I got a kick out of that.

The Indiana fans I encountered were fine. I may have thicker skin than most. They were just amazed at our offense. The after party was awesome.

I was surprised at the quanity of Paperclip fans that were there. I'd say 75% were there and just chilled, but approx 25% came just to root against us. They are some freaking clowns...LOL

I would definitely do it again!

[Ivan]

It doesn't surprise me much that ou fans were there, considering they play tonight a few miles away. I would go to a OU game if tickets were cheap and I was already in the town they were playing their bowl game.

[CaliforniaCowboy]

Let me start by saying that I had a great time... but the trip did not turn out as I had planned (except for the Cowboy win!)

It started the day before, for me, my Lady's 19 year-old son actually got a job and had to work, so he cancelled, then my buddy's 11-year old came down with red blotches and went to the emergency room so they cancelled... which left me and my Lady and her 15 month-old grandson to caravan to Phoenix with Lewis and Venni (sorry, ChiPhi, I can't remember your name, so you're going to be Venni until you send me a PM and set me straight).

The caravan was one of the most interesting parts of the whole trip... we stopped more frequently than I mighht otherwise have, but that gave us a chance to chat and laugh a little (seriously Lewis, you need to do something about that incontentance problem).

Anyway, gameday was also a fiasco with Dawn and baby cancelling on me (she was afraid it was to cold for the little fellow. despite my objections, they cancelled and left me to attend by myself).

Now leaving CC to his own devices is not always the best approach, and it didn't help matters much with me thinking the game was at 5:00 local time. Fortunately my CA buddy that cancelled, called and told me the LA paper had the game listed at 3:00, not 5:00, at which point I realized my failure to convert Central time (caused by reading "local" sites like this and the Tulsa World). So thinking that I was leaving my sister's house as the game was starting I dashed out... only to discover (to my dismay) that Phoenix is on Mountain time, and so the game was 4:00 locally, and I had a whole hour to get there. That was some relief... but with finding parking and driving from Scottsdale, it was going to be close.. not to mention the fact that I totally missed the tailgating, the Walk, and everything else that we all love about game day.

I ended up getting to Tempe in plenty of time and pulled into the first spot that I found offering parking... however... my ice chest was still full... so I sat in the parking lot with the attendent and drank some brew for awhile (trying to "catch up" to the tail gaters)... then the attendant (Sean) looks up at the fireworks and says, "well, there's the kickoff".... (keep in mind I was about 1/2 mile away, as it turns out)....

So I stuff a couple more beers into my pockets and head out, I buy a ticket from the first scalper that I passed (which wasn't that great of an idea, but I was worried about time and didn't know what to expect up ahead of me). On my treck to the stadium I hear the fireworks go off a couple of more times.... and I'm thinking to myself, "yea, the Cowboys scored again".... at least I was hoping.

I get into the stadium and I am told my seats are waaaayyyy around on the other side, so I start my sojern to my seats (stopping first to buy another beer.. $7.50 for a stinking bottle!!) I finally work my way from one endzone to the other, at which point I realize that the "row 4, 20 yard line" seat that I had bought was smack dab in the middle of the red fans!!

The score at this point was 21-3, Pokes!! Yea!!

So Instead of trying to get to that side where my seats were, I quickly looked around the endzone for an empty spot to park myself, and there was a guy in red and a guy in orange sitting on the 3rd row practically by themselves, so I thought I'd join them.... you guessed it... Sooner fans there for the Fiesta bowl, just taking in our game (at least the guy wearing Orange was cheering for the Pokes and actually knew some of the players).

I left those seats at half-time (I was out of beer again), and worked my way around toward the Orange side. I found a decent seat without much trouble, and there was this guy decked out in Orange shorts and a #20 jersey that kept leading a bunch of cheers, so it worked out well from that point forward.

I'm glad I went, and I had a blast, despite the relative adventure.

I loved the awards presentation, and watched the team sing to us... it was cool.

On my way out I passed the guy wearing the Grant jersey and high-fived him, and told him he did a great job leading the cheers...

I had fun, saw my Cowboys win big, met some great Poke fans, and most importantly develped a strong yearning for the 2008 season.

I just wish I hadn't gotten lost trying to find where I parked the car, I walked over 3 miles trying to find that sucker, but it all turned out well, and I made it home safely.

Go Pokes!

(oh yeah, in my rush to leave the house, I left my cell phone plugged into the charger or I would have called you Matt and Venni... ah well)

[AggieSpice]

wow...anyone who was on the fence and decided not to go to arizona missed out! it was absolutely beautiful. i wish we had planned a longer trip. IMO it knocked dallas, houston, san antonio, and shreveport out the box. the weather was gorgeous and the cities were beautiful. we stayed in scottsdale at the hotel valley ho, which is quite possibly the coolest hotel in the entire world. but then, we are fans of mid-century modern design, so the hotel & town were right up our alley. and of course, the game rocked. it was fun to see all the orange on our flight to and from arizona. also, the west virginia alumni association was headquartered in the hotel valley ho, so i was sure tell their fans "go mountaineers" whenever i ran into them.

interesting note...apparently jared from subway is an IU fan. he was checking in right in front of us and turned around and was like, "uh-oh, cowboy fans!!!" or something like that. if he was trying to be recognized, he failed as i gave him the same look i give to anyone who makes comments about my orange. good times!