Features

Well, once again the disappointment of another bowl loss is stinging as I sit here in the lobby of the San Diego Marina Marriott writing this. The hotel is swarming with Oregon Duck players, coaches, and fans, who all arrived here yesterday in preparation for next week’s Holiday Bowl matchup vs. Oklahoma. I’m envious because they still have their game in front of them and so much to look forward to.

As a CSU fan, I wish the Poinsettia Bowl was still in front of us. I wish the Rams could have a “mulligan” as Gary Barnett would say. The game was frustrating to say the least. After a great first two drives resulting in 10 points, I thought the Rams really made a statement that they were ready to play and would be the aggressors in the game. But, it went downhill from there, and resulted in one of the more frustrating games I’ve seen as a CSU fan. Navy was better than I gave them credit for, but if Navy is better than CSU by 21 points, then this program is in trouble.

Watching a less-talented Navy team dismantle CSU was difficult to watch. I paid particular attention to the Rams’ demeanor on the sidelines and on the field, and there was very little fire during a scoreless second quarter that was the beginning of the end for CSU. To win that game, the Rams needed to get ahead early and continue to put pressure on the Midshipmen. They got ahead…but the defense was no match for Navy’s triple-option, which in my opinion was made successful on one play--the very first play of the game. Navy’s play action pass off the option on their very first play from scrimmage for a touchdown softened up the Ram defense as they became unsure of themselves, hesitant, and on their heels for the rest of the game.

But, you all saw the game, so I won’t rehash it anymore. I do want to talk about everything else though.

We arrived at Qualcomm Stadium yesterday about three hours prior to kickoff. Navy had two giant tents set up that spanned the equivalent of about a football field each. At that point, you understood just how outnumbered Ram fans would be in this game. The place was packed with Midshipmen and fans. They were everywhere. CSU’s Alumni Association tailgate party, albeit about 10 times smaller, was nice, and fans were having a good time. Navy fans were gracious and cordial.

One of the best moments of the day came during the pregame, when the Navy cadets marched onto the field to be announced. In unison, the thousand or so cadets cheered “Go Rams”, and simultaneously tipped their caps to the CSU side of the stadium. They then followed with a similar cheer for Navy, which brought a thunderous roar from the Navy faithful.

CSU’s band represented well, as the 233 or so of them was a significant difference from the Holiday Bowl days when the Rams had around 100 or so band members and were dwarfed by the opposing band. They had a nice performance before the game and at halftime.

I watched the first half from my seats in the club level. The atmosphere in the stadium was very good, particularly considering the announced crowd was 36,000-plus in a 70,000-plus-seat stadium. Navy’s crowd was enthusiastic and loud. The Ram contingent, while obviously much smaller, still was able to roar significantly during the Rams’ big plays. Just before halftime, I decided to leave the seats and go watch the rest of the game from the press box…and from there, CSU’s small but mighty noise was even more noticeable as they were on the opposite side of the stadium and yet, their cheers were surprisingly loud.

One particularly nice moment was when the PA announcer asked fans to give Navy a round of applause for their service to our country…and the CSU sections noticeably cheered louder than everyone else.

The press box at Qualcomm Stadium is below NFL standards, to be sure, and the stadium itself is old and outdated. But, the Poinsettia Bowl officials really treated the press, and by all accounts the participating schools, like first class and did a wonderful job with everything. They treated the game with as much importance as the Holiday Bowl, and it was exceptionally well run. There was also a sizeable fireworks show at halftime.

After the game, it was fun to watch the likes of Tony Phifer, Randy Holtz, Natalie Meisler, and Mike Brohard scramble to get their stories filed before deadline, which due the late kickoff and length of the game, made for a tough assignment. I hitched a ride back to the hotel with those guys and it was past midnight by the time we got back to the team hotel. Needless to say the Ram post-game party at the hotel was dead. People gathered within the hotel lobby’s bar and had a few beverages before retiring off to bed.

As I worked on my laptop in a quiet area of the lobby, Kyle Bell came and sat down to chat for about 15 minutes. Guys like him are why I enjoy coming to bowl games--no matter if CSU wins or loses. Talking to players like him, and rubbing elbows with coaches like Sonny Lubick, and other staffers like Gary Ozzello and Tom Ehlers make you proud to follow this program no matter how disappointing they can be on the field at times.

In addition, spending a couple of days surrounded by fellow Ram fans who are there for a common purpose make bowl trips one of my favorite things to do, and regardless of the Rams’ success or lack thereof, I highly recommend making such trips in the future.