The (Big East tri) champs are here
December 29, 2011 by Mike Casazza
(No idea why, but the YouTube clips won’t embed. I’m … sorry?)
Whahey! Note the defensive coordinator conspicuous by his presence.
This arrival thingy was a very big deal, orchestrated with roughly half the Miami-Dade Police Department and their K-9 units, plus water cannons that shoot at one another from across the tarmac and create an arch for the arriving plane to pass through. Intense stuff. Look at the players struggle to contain themselves.
They knew what was awaiting them at the bottom of those steps …
Citric swag!
The players were hurried off to the side and Don Barlay, Najee Goode and Dana Holgorsen had brief press conferences. It was not windy.
This was all very loose and carefree, what with just three of about 150 WVU people asked to do anything. The rest made fun for themselves.
Interesting fact about Obie: He’s a cannibal!
Part of Holgorsen’s discussion with the assembled media was about the obvious advantages of a week-long presence in South Florida.
I cut that off before he called academically ineligible freshman running back Vernard Roberts a “reserve, backup guy of little importance.” Wonder if he’ll be back next season.
Still, I found this conversation interesting because in the background you can see a bus. It is this bus:
WVU has two of those. Those two and four other generic charter buses and two equipment trucks were waiting on the team Thursday. And how awesome would it be to be Matt Lindamood, Devon Brown, Cody Nutter, Ivan McCartney, Bruce Irvin and/or Taige Redman right now? You couldn’t stop me from taking pictures of myself next to myself.
Anyhow, the logistics of the city and the way the bowl sets things up for the participants means WVU will travel a lot this week. The team hotel is the Fontainbleu in Miami Beach. It’s 12 miles and about 20 minutes without traffic from Miami Shores and where they practice at Barry University.
The hotel is 30 miles and at least 45 minutes from the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa where there are press conferences for the defense Saturday, offense Monday and head coaches Tuesday.
There’s a dinner Sunday at Fogo de Chao, a a Brazilian steakhouse 15 minutes from the team hotel and then a visit Monday to The Baptist Children’s Hospital that is 20 miles and at least 30 minutes from the team hotel.
Then there’s the game, which will be played 15 miles and at least 25 minutes from the team hotel.
There is no mistaking who is in that bus, which is awfully handy when you strive to have a presence in South Florida like WVU does.
And that was that today. No news, really, except word that Clemson’s second-leading receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, has joined his teammates. Hopikins suffered a concussion in a car accident earlier this week and didn’t arrive with the team Tuesday. He was at practice Thursday, but didn’t do much.
Speaking of not doing much, Holgorsen said WVU has a nightly curfew, one that will vary depending onhow late the team is out for practice and functions — if they’re out late, curfew is early, and vice versa. Virginia Tech’s kicker — and that’s the backup kicker after the starter was arrested and suspended last week — was sent home Thursday after missing curfew Wednesday.
“I will be more than happy to send somebody home,” Holgorsen said.