Dec. 15, 2009
By Marc Daniels
UCFAthletics.com
Tis' the season. The holidays are here and everyone feels just a little bit better. Football Santa rewarded us with a bowl game within driving distance. But the week is filled with plenty for UCF fans to attend, cheer and celebrate.
For starters, the Sun Dome in Tampa is where you can find Kirk's guys on Wednesday night. It's a big game for many reasons. The Knights come in 7-2 and face a very talented USF team that is much improved from the squad UCF beat at home last season.
The Knights have posted impressive wins over UMass and Auburn and will face a challenging slate of non-conference games in the coming three weeks. There is no love lost on the basketball court and USF has been a tough place to play. So make the drive over and support Kirk and the guys.
Also on Wednesday, Joi Williams women's basketball team welcomes Florida State to the UCF Arena. The Seminoles are 8-0 and ranked sixth in the country. It's the third of four-straight home games for UCF.
By Friday, you need to get to St. Petersburg because the party will be underway. Part of being in a bowl game is the chance enjoy all the events around and the organizers of this two-year old bowl have done a great job with their event presentation for fans of the participating teams.
There is a Kickoff Luncheon at the Renaissance Hotel and then a Battle of the Bands at 2:30 p.m. at the TradeWinds Island Resort on St. Petersburg Beach. Catch your breath but move quickly over to Ferg's Sports Bar and Grill. It's where Coach O'Leary will join me and Knight fans for his radio program. It's a chance to get the latest news on the team and a breakdown on the matchup against Rutgers.
Ferg's is right by the stadium and it's also where the Bowl Block Party gets rolling. The UCF Alumni Association and you will be there to enjoy the evening before the game.
Gameday gives you the morning to rest up and hang out with fellow UCF fans. But be in the parking lot by 2 p.m. That's when the tailgate gathering begins. UCF will be represented with nearly 20,000 fans on hand. It's the perfect time to celebrate with other supporters of the Black and Gold.
Kickoff comes at 8 p.m. Make Tropicana Field feel like Bright House Networks Stadium West. Do not underestimate the impact on bowl officials, television executives, conference leaders and potential recruits when they see the support for UCF.
A bowl win would be another first for the program and warrant a great celebration for Knights fans. Hopefully the UCF fans will be cheering late into the Knight.
At about that time, I'll head from the Dome to the Orlando airport and catch a 5 a.m. flight to Hartford, Conn. UCF basketball takes on nationally ranked UConn Sunday at 1 p.m. You never stop supporting the Knights.
Marc Daniels' From the Press Box runs several times per month on UCFAthletics.com. Listen to Marc during UCF football, men's basketball and baseball radio broadcasts on the UCF-ISP Sports Network. Each weekday, Marc hosts "The Beat of Sports" on ESPN 1080 in Orlando from 9-11 a.m.