Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl Recap of Fun!
Jenna Laine reporting! I can’t believe the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl has come and gone! The past week was non-stop for everyone involved with the Bowl, which means it’s time to re-cap all the fun things that happened!
December 21st was Kid’s Day Out, where the coaches and their assistants’ children got to spend the morning at the Morean Arts Center and Great Explorations in downtown St. Petersburg. At the Arts Center, we watched a glass blowing demonstration. The artists made a beautiful fish for us! Then we went inside and made stick people with wooden sticks, foam stickers, and scraps of paper. Since the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl doesn’t have a mascot, I decided I’d create one. So guys, meet Betty, the newest member of the family!
Meet Betty - the unofficial "mascot" of the Bowl!
After ‘play-time’ it was off to Ladies’ Day Out for a brunch out on Tampa Bay aboard the Yacht StarShip. This event was for the wives and significant others of both coaching staffs, honoring their contributions that often go unnoticed. I talked to Christi Fedora, the wife of Southern Mississippi head coach Larry Fedora, about the many hats she wears as a wife, mother, and supporter of the team. She talked about making goodie bags for all the players and being a source of encouragement for the team when facing obstacles.
"Captain Jenna" on the Yacht StarShip
On the Yacht StarShip, it was THE most gorgeous day, with the water just glistening under the sun. I even got to play captain for a few minutes! The food was excellent too. The ladies also visited the Chihuly Collection on Beach Drive. The glass ornaments all the ladies received were just beautiful!
Brunch on the Yacht StarShip during Ladies' Day Out
After we were dropped off at Vinoy Harbor, the crew and I quickly regrouped in preparation for the Bowl game. I had been up since 5:45 AM, while our producer, David, has been only getting sporadic 30-minute naps here and there throughout Bowl Week. The game was over around 11pm, but up until then, we had to grind it out.
In my three years working as a sports journalist, both in broadcast and print, I’ve found that no matter what I’m covering, preparation is the key. I have a large binder I use for every team or event I cover and I fill it with newspaper clippings, rosters, stats, possible story angles, and anything else I can find that’s relevant to the team. I used my binder throughout the game when I was on the field, and was scribbling notes in it furiously. I am made fun of sometimes for ‘geeking-out’ when it comes to this stuff. I’m a creature of habit though, and I always process information better when I write it down. Not to mention, there’s no such thing as being ‘over-prepared.’
The Bowl proved to be a true offense vs. defense matchup. The 12th best defense in the NCAA against an offense that averages almost 40 points a game. I could visualize Southern Miss exploiting U of L’s run defense by mixing in some play-action and getting the Cards on short, quick throws. I thought just gutting it up the middle would be too predictable. On the other hand, the Golden Eagles had not seen a team that blitzes like the Cards all season long, with U of L having had the fifth-best pass rush in the nation.
The key for both teams, no question, was stopping the run. Making a team one-dimensional limits a quarterback’s opportunities and puts a lot more pressure on the passing game. The Cards’ offense relied heavily on running back Bilal Powell, who’d averaged 120.7 yards per game, to open up the passing game, particularly with starter Adam Froman out with injury.
It was nice to see USM quarterback Austin Davis break Brett Favre’s career touchdown record though. It was also nice to see the Cards cap off coach Charlie Strong’s Cinderella-season with a win. Either way, the Bowl provided to be a memorable game for both teams involved, as well as myself!
Related posts:
- My Life & Times with Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl
- The Bowl After-Effects
- Lots of Dancing and Cheering!
- Meet the Winner of the 2011 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl Talent Tryouts!
- Game of the Week Recap: Louisville Pulls Out a Close One, UAB Keeps Bowl Hopes Alive
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Very good bless you, I think your visitors would most likely want a whole lot more articles like this keep up the great work.