Shreveport.com - View Single Post - I-Bowl Team Party Welcomes Alabama & Colorado to Shreveport

sbl_admin · 12-07-2007, 11:52 AM

I-Bowl Team Party Welcomes Alabama & Colorado to Shreveport
Nick Saban Returns… Dan Hawkins: 1st Time in I-Bowl

By: Tom Pace, Executive Editor, SBLive!
December 7, 2007

The Independence Stadium Club level was rockin’ with excitement last night, when the Petrosun Independence Bowl Foundation and partners, officially welcomed this year’s teams and coaches to the 2007 I-Bowl : The Alabama Crimson Tide, and The Colorado Buffaloes. (Both are 6-6 this season).

Of course, seems everybody wanted to see the return of former
LSU head coach, Nick Saban, now head man at “Bama. Plenty of love, too for 2nd year Colorado head coach, Dan Hawkins, who’s plenty excited about coming to the I-Bowl for the 1st time in Buffalo history.

In a One-on-One interview with SBLive!, Coach Saban was very candid about how it feels to be a coaching for Alabama, and what this trip to Independence Stadium means to him.
Remember, last time Saban was here in 1995, he coached Michigan State in front of a sell-out crowd, losing to the LSU Tigers, 45-26, in what is known as the greatest success to date in I-Bowl History.(Click here to listen to Tom Pace & Nick Saban)

Saban also addressed the issue that has dogged him over the past years, about his leaving Miami (saying, “I’m going to be the Dolphins head coach,” and then suddenly leaving to take the coaching job at Alabama. He admits it was an error in judgment on his part, and says that it was not handled correctly.

According to Alabama’s Athletic Director Mal Moore,
the Tide has already sold more than 7,000 tickets to the Petrosun Independence Bowl, and expects to sell even more by
game day. (Kick-Off: 7pm, December 30th, live on ESPN.)
The I-Bowl is the ONLY Bowl game scheduled on that Sunday.

Dan Hawkins, 2nd year head coach for the Colorado Buffaloes, told SBLive!, that he and his team are very excited about playing in the year’s I-Bowl, saying it’s also and honor and privilege to play against such a nationally respected team as Alabama.
(Click here to listen to Tom Pace interview Coach Hawkins).

Ralphie IV, Colorado’s official mascot, will almost make the trip to Shreveport. Weighing in at 1,300 pounds, this 10 year-old American bison is a real crowd-pleaser. (she was adopted from the Ted Turner Ranch), said Coach Hawkins, She’ll (that’s right, Ralphie is a SHE) make a grand entrance in front of the live ESPN audience on game-day, and will be making several guest appearances throughtout Shreveport-Bossier when the team arrives here. This will be Ralphie IV’s 6th Bowl appearance, having also run in four Big XII Championship games.

Hawkins also told us that he expects their fan base to support the team in making the 1,100 mile trip (mostly by air)
to Shreveport, Louisiana. Many alumni are still looking for airline connections to Shreveport as well as hotel accomodations. The formal Colorado Athletic Department booster club is known as “The Buff Club”, and works hand-in-hand with the Colorado Alumni Association.

Tickets are still available, but going fast, for this expected
sell-out. Buy yours now: all the I-Bowl office 318-221-00712,
or log on: www.independencebowl.org.

12-07-2007, 11:52 AM	#1
sbl_admin Administrator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 1,965 Rep Power: 282	I-Bowl Team Party Welcomes Alabama & Colorado to Shreveport I-Bowl Team Party Welcomes Alabama & Colorado to Shreveport Nick Saban Returns… Dan Hawkins: 1st Time in I-Bowl By: Tom Pace, Executive Editor, SBLive! December 7, 2007 The Independence Stadium Club level was rockin’ with excitement last night, when the Petrosun Independence Bowl Foundation and partners, officially welcomed this year’s teams and coaches to the 2007 I-Bowl : The Alabama Crimson Tide, and The Colorado Buffaloes. (Both are 6-6 this season). Of course, seems everybody wanted to see the return of former LSU head coach, Nick Saban, now head man at “Bama. Plenty of love, too for 2nd year Colorado head coach, Dan Hawkins, who’s plenty excited about coming to the I-Bowl for the 1st time in Buffalo history. In a One-on-One interview with SBLive!, Coach Saban was very candid about how it feels to be a coaching for Alabama, and what this trip to Independence Stadium means to him. Remember, last time Saban was here in 1995, he coached Michigan State in front of a sell-out crowd, losing to the LSU Tigers, 45-26, in what is known as the greatest success to date in I-Bowl History.(Click here to listen to Tom Pace & Nick Saban) Saban also addressed the issue that has dogged him over the past years, about his leaving Miami (saying, “I’m going to be the Dolphins head coach,” and then suddenly leaving to take the coaching job at Alabama. He admits it was an error in judgment on his part, and says that it was not handled correctly. According to Alabama’s Athletic Director Mal Moore, the Tide has already sold more than 7,000 tickets to the Petrosun Independence Bowl, and expects to sell even more by game day. (Kick-Off: 7pm, December 30th, live on ESPN.) The I-Bowl is the ONLY Bowl game scheduled on that Sunday. Dan Hawkins, 2nd year head coach for the Colorado Buffaloes, told SBLive!, that he and his team are very excited about playing in the year’s I-Bowl, saying it’s also and honor and privilege to play against such a nationally respected team as Alabama. (Click here to listen to Tom Pace interview Coach Hawkins). Ralphie IV, Colorado’s official mascot, will almost make the trip to Shreveport. Weighing in at 1,300 pounds, this 10 year-old American bison is a real crowd-pleaser. (she was adopted from the Ted Turner Ranch), said Coach Hawkins, She’ll (that’s right, Ralphie is a SHE) make a grand entrance in front of the live ESPN audience on game-day, and will be making several guest appearances throughtout Shreveport-Bossier when the team arrives here. This will be Ralphie IV’s 6th Bowl appearance, having also run in four Big XII Championship games. Hawkins also told us that he expects their fan base to support the team in making the 1,100 mile trip (mostly by air) to Shreveport, Louisiana. Many alumni are still looking for airline connections to Shreveport as well as hotel accomodations. The formal Colorado Athletic Department booster club is known as “The Buff Club”, and works hand-in-hand with the Colorado Alumni Association. Tickets are still available, but going fast, for this expected sell-out. Buy yours now: all the I-Bowl office 318-221-00712, or log on: www.independencebowl.org. Last edited by sbl_admin; 12-07-2007 at 12:26 PM.