Champs Sports Bowl!!
I worked for ESPN for the 2005 Champs Sports Bowl held at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Below are pictures from the game, including an animal that I have never seen before live! (and you might have not either...how's that for a teaser...check it out!!)
This is their "mascot" (notice the quotes on the term "mascot" here)...I don't know what they call this guy at Boulder.
This is their MASCOT. His name is Ralphie. They drove Ralphie 35 hours from Boulder, CO to Orlando. The handlers would let him out to graze at times, which makes you think about the people passing this grazing buffalo, wondering why the hell he is grazing there. The University of Colorado has one of the most unique entrances in college football. They run with Ralphie ahead of the players. Back when Colorado was a good team, that was pretty intimidating.
This is ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe. She decided to run with Ralphie in the second half. Rowe even used her broadcaster's trick, she wears tennis shoes because no one sees them on camera anyway. It didn't matter. She faceplanted and made a complete ass of herself. Holly had to make friends with the guys in the trailer so they wouldn't send that video out of her falling.
This is ESPN Analyst Bob Davie. Davie used to coach Notre Dame, prior to Ty Willingham. Davie was real nice and we had a quick conversation on how sucky the game was tonight (Clemson won, 19-10). Play-by-play guy Ron Franklin didn't go to the catered food and took off, so I didn't get to meet him.
This is my friend Jen. She told me that whenever something came up like this again that I should bring her along. I did, and she had a great time.
Here I am with the Clemson Cheerleaders before the game (they wanted me...I think).
More Clemson chicks :) I think these are the colorguard.
Clemson Crowd. They were awesome.
Clemson coming out of the tunnel to warm up.
That's Ray Lewis. That asshole wouldn't let me take a picture with him, yet signed autographs and stuff. He was there to watch his son play a peewee exhibition game before the bowl game.
These are Clemson coach Tommy Bowden's (Bobby's son) group of South Carolina State Police that travel with him to every game. They are his bodyguards pretty much.