2014 Bowl Selection Vigil

[CameronBornAndBred]

One nice thing we have going for us was our excellent attendance in atlanta last year. Should be a plus this year, though I don't know how
a less attractive venue might change that...

We showed up very well in Charlotte too. Both venues are within driving distance; the real challenge would be is to see how we'd turn out for a distant game, like in Louisiana for the Independence Bowl. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be making that drive, and I don't know what our fan base is like down there. If we wound up in the Pin Stripe Bowl, we'd probably have a solid turnout due to having a decent # of people already in the New York area. The drawback would be for those fans that chose to make the trip to NYC just 9 days earlier to watch us beat UCONN.

[sagegrouse]

We showed up very well in Charlotte too. Both venues are within driving distance; the real challenge would be is to see how we'd turn out for a distant game, like in Louisiana for the Independence Bowl. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be making that drive, and I don't know what our fan base is like down there. If we wound up in the Pin Stripe Bowl, we'd probably have a solid turnout due to having a decent # of people already in the New York area. The drawback would be for those fans that chose to make the trip to NYC just 9 days earlier to watch us beat UCONN.

Is there a New Jersey Bowl??

[CameronBornAndBred]

Is there a New Jersey Bowl??

Close enough. Us southerners consider anything within 75 miles of the Statue of Liberty "NYC".

[OldPhiKap]

One nice thing we have going for us was our excellent attendance in atlanta last year. Should be a plus this year, though I don't know how
a less attractive venue might change that...

Two nice things-IIRC, we sold the largest # of tix for any ACC school for the 2013-2014 FB/bowl season when we played in the Belk Bowl. We're getting quite the reputation. I'd have your same concern about a most distant/less attractive location (but would we really have the "right" to complain given our awful track record for the last 40-50 years) where our alumni presence might be a whole lot smaller.

Agreed, we turned out well for both bowls.

As for this year, I would assume that any bowl in Florida would be well-attended although the Bitcoin Bowl is the day after Christmas (and my separate issues with Bitcoins are well-documented). Charlotte, New York, DC/Annapolis, and Detroit (if we fall that far) should all have great local turn-out too. Not sure about Shriveport or El Paso, those will take some more dedicated travelers I suspect (although we had a ton of Texas Devils when I was there, they seemed to come from the Dallas/Houston area -- probably closer to Shriveport than ELP). Probably draw reasonably well in Nashville.

[Dev11]

Agreed, we turned out well for both bowls.

As for this year, I would assume that any bowl in Florida would be well-attended although the Bitcoin Bowl is the day after Christmas (and my separate issues with Bitcoins are well-documented). Charlotte, New York, DC/Annapolis, and Detroit (if we fall that far) should all have great local turn-out too. Not sure about Shriveport or El Paso, those will take some more dedicated travelers I suspect (although we had a ton of Texas Devils when I was there, they seemed to come from the Dallas/Houston area -- probably closer to Shriveport than ELP). Probably draw reasonably well in Nashville.

For our formidable Colorado contingent, El Paso isn't so bad.

[wilson]

For our formidable Colorado contingent, El Paso isn't so bad.

A mere four segments on the Ticket to Ride board.
https://lh5.ggpht.com/q1lF7N3CKca3vT...3Q-rkqWbF=h900

[johnb]

I'm not too good on the formtatting of this (and ESPN and USA Today haven't updated their bowl projections this week), but ones I see so far are:


CBS (Jerry Palm): Russell Athletic Bowl (Duke-Baylor)
Sporting News: Russell Athletic Bowl (Duke-TCU)
Phil Steele: Music City Bowl (Duke-Texas A&M)
Collegesportsmadness.com: Pinstripe Bowl (Duke-Penn St.)
SB Nation: Orange Bowl (Duke-Alabama) -- this one seems insane and is premised on us being picked ahead of Clemson, which would never happen.

...

When I look up the polls on Sunday, I am confident we belong in the top 25.

When I look at potential bowl opponents, I think we'd have our hands full (especially if we win through the championship game; Clemson loses to South Carolina +/-Georgia Tech; and we get the Orange Bowl slot across from an angry Alabama team). OTOH, going to Florida, Nashville, or NYC would be great for the team and the fans, and if anyone can prep a team with weeks of practices, it's Cut.

On my third hand, however, it's a bit premature to be planning on first tier bowl games when we have half a season of tough games ahead.

[DukeSean]

Agreed, we turned out well for both bowls.

As for this year, I would assume that any bowl in Florida would be well-attended although the Bitcoin Bowl is the day after Christmas (and my separate issues with Bitcoins are well-documented). Charlotte, New York, DC/Annapolis, and Detroit (if we fall that far) should all have great local turn-out too. Not sure about Shriveport or El Paso, those will take some more dedicated travelers I suspect (although we had a ton of Texas Devils when I was there, they seemed to come from the Dallas/Houston area -- probably closer to Shriveport than ELP). Probably draw reasonably well in Nashville.

I think our Shreveport attendance might surprise some people. It's pretty close for us Texan Devils, and while no Vegas by any stretch of the imagination, they've got some entertaining casinos that might attract the casual fan

[Reilly]

Trying to get a handle on when/where these things fall. In date order ...

Friday, December 26 – DETROIT – 4:30 pm - (Quick Lane) – Big Ten
Friday, December 26 – ST. PETERSBURG – 8 pm - (Bitcoin) - American

Saturday, December 27 – ANNAPOLIS – 1 pm - (Military) - American
Saturday, December 27 – EL PASO – 2 pm – (Sun) – Pac-12
Saturday, December 27 – SHREVEPORT – 4 pm - (Duck Commander Independence) - SEC
Saturday, December 27 – NYC – 4:30 pm - (New Era Pinstripe) – Big Ten

Monday, December 29 – ORLANDO – 5:30 pm - (Russell Athletic) – Big 12

Tuesday, December 30 – NASHVILLE – 3 pm - (Music City) - SEC
Tuesday, December 30 – CHARLOTTE – 6:45 pm - (Belk) - SEC

Wednesday, December 31 – MIAMI (Orange) – 8:30 pm

Thursday, January 1 – ORLANDO – 1 pm - (Capital One) - SEC

Friday, January 2 – JACKSONVILLE – 3:20 pm- (TaxSlayer) – SEC

Saturday, January 3 – BIRMINGHAM – 1 pm – (Birmingham) – [conditional for ACC]

http://raycomsports.com/sports_labs_...accfbguide.pdf

(pp. 15-16 of the Guide)

[budwom]

where's the Atlanta chick fil-a? (by that I mean when)...

[DukeSean]

where's the Atlanta chick fil-a? (by that I mean when)...

Chick-Fil-A bowl is now Peach Bowl and part of the playoff rotation and so the ACC doesn't have the same tie-in as it used to.

[Bob Green]

where's the Atlanta chick fil-a? (by that I mean when)...

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...-bowl-schedule

December 31st at 12:30 pm.

The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is not an ACC affiliate this year.

[Olympic Fan]

My personal ranking of the bowls that are available to Duke this year:

1. Orange (Miami) -- it's a longshot, but as of this moment, not impossible.

2. Russell Athletic (Orlando) - the ACC's next-best bowl

3. Music City (Nashville) -- the next five bowls are equal in the ACC hierarchy, but I'd prefer this one because it's reasonably close, but it's a bowl we've never been to.

4. New Era Pinstripe (New York City) -- I love the idea of playing in Yankee Stadium. Pllus an easy trip for all our NE fans

5. Belk Bowl (Charlotte) -- Good location. East to get to. Only drawback is that we were there two years ago ... plus we were there a year ago for the ACC title game (and maybe again this year)

6. Taxslayer Bowl (Jacksonville) -- formerly the Gator Bowl ... not quite a prestigious as it used to be, Still, not a bad bowl in a good city that we can get to.

7. Sun Bowl (El Paso) -- a long, long way to go. But a well-established bowl with a built in sellout from local fans

I would be happy with any of these seven. I could see re-ordering the No. 3-7 bowls in any order. I would consider any of those a major success.

I'd be less happy with the ACC's second tier bowls:

8. Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit) -- at least it's against a Big Ten opponent

9. Military Bowl (Washington) -- good location, but poor (AAC) opponent

10. Duck Commander Bowl (Baton Rouge) -- Just a personal distaste for anything to do with the Duck Commander group (I can't go into why without getting into PPB territory).

[Bob Green]

My personal ranking of the bowls that are available to Duke this year:

6. Taxslayer Bowl (Jacksonville) -- formerly the Gator Bowl ... not quite a prestigious as it used to be, Still, not a bad bowl in a good city that we can get to.

Please correct me, if my memory is faulty, but going back to the 70s, was not the Gator Bowl considered the 5th most prestigious bowl game after the Rose, Orange, Cotton and Sugar Bowls? Specifically, I am talking the pre-Fiesta Bowl era.

[blazindw]

My personal ranking of the bowls that are available to Duke this year:

1. Orange (Miami) -- it's a longshot, but as of this moment, not impossible.

2. Russell Athletic (Orlando) - the ACC's next-best bowl

3. Music City (Nashville) -- the next five bowls are equal in the ACC hierarchy, but I'd prefer this one because it's reasonably close, but it's a bowl we've never been to.

4. New Era Pinstripe (New York City) -- I love the idea of playing in Yankee Stadium. Pllus an easy trip for all our NE fans

5. Belk Bowl (Charlotte) -- Good location. East to get to. Only drawback is that we were there two years ago ... plus we were there a year ago for the ACC title game (and maybe again this year)

6. Taxslayer Bowl (Jacksonville) -- formerly the Gator Bowl ... not quite a prestigious as it used to be, Still, not a bad bowl in a good city that we can get to.

7. Sun Bowl (El Paso) -- a long, long way to go. But a well-established bowl with a built in sellout from local fans

I would be happy with any of these seven. I could see re-ordering the No. 3-7 bowls in any order. I would consider any of those a major success.

I'd be less happy with the ACC's second tier bowls:

8. Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit) -- at least it's against a Big Ten opponent

9. Military Bowl (Washington) -- good location, but poor (AAC) opponent

10. Duck Commander Bowl (Baton Rouge) -- Just a personal distaste for anything to do with the Duck Commander group (I can't go into why without getting into PPB territory).

Quick clarification, the Military Bowl is now in Annapolis, and the Duck Commander Independence Bowl is still in Shreveport. Still, can't go wrong with Maryland blue crab or cajun food!

And as a native Detroiter, if Duke was in the Quick Lane Bowl, I would go SO hard in downtown Detroit for it! Alas, it's lower on my list only because at this point, going to that bowl means we've probably lost the rest of our games, which I don't think anyone wants.

[OldPhiKap]

My personal ranking of the bowls that are available to Duke this year:

1. Orange (Miami) -- it's a longshot, but as of this moment, not impossible.

2. Russell Athletic (Orlando) - the ACC's next-best bowl

3. Music City (Nashville) -- the next five bowls are equal in the ACC hierarchy, but I'd prefer this one because it's reasonably close, but it's a bowl we've never been to.

4. New Era Pinstripe (New York City) -- I love the idea of playing in Yankee Stadium. Pllus an easy trip for all our NE fans

5. Belk Bowl (Charlotte) -- Good location. East to get to. Only drawback is that we were there two years ago ... plus we were there a year ago for the ACC title game (and maybe again this year)

6. Taxslayer Bowl (Jacksonville) -- formerly the Gator Bowl ... not quite a prestigious as it used to be, Still, not a bad bowl in a good city that we can get to.

7. Sun Bowl (El Paso) -- a long, long way to go. But a well-established bowl with a built in sellout from local fans

I would be happy with any of these seven. I could see re-ordering the No. 3-7 bowls in any order. I would consider any of those a major success.

I'd be less happy with the ACC's second tier bowls:

8. Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit) -- at least it's against a Big Ten opponent

9. Military Bowl (Washington) -- good location, but poor (AAC) opponent

10. Duck Commander Bowl (Baton Rouge) -- Just a personal distaste for anything to do with the Duck Commander group (I can't go into why without getting into PPB territory).

Plus the Bitcoin Bowl the day after Christmas in Tampa/St. Pete I think.. But Bitcoins are not real, and I am not spending Christmas on the road given the YoungPhiKaps.
(For those who do not visit the off-topic board, my struggles with Bitcoins:
http://forums.dukebasketballreport.c...hlight=Bitcoin )

[Olympic Fan]

Please correct me, if my memory is faulty, but going back to the 70s, was not the Gator Bowl considered the 5th most prestigious bowl game after the Rose, Orange, Cotton and Sugar Bowls? Specifically, I am talking the pre-Fiesta Bowl era.

Yes -- prior to the rise of the Fiesta, the Gator was No. 5 -- although in that era, there was a HUGE gap between the Big Four (Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton) and the Gator.

The Gator was No. 5 in 1962, when an 8-2 Duke team turned down a bid. The official story was that Duke didn't play in "minor" bowls. The real story is that the players were so upset about how hard Bill Murray worked them before the 1961 Cotton Bowl (the 1960 season) that they didn't want to go through that again. Which goes back to WHY Murray worked them so hard leading up to the Cotton Bowl. He was upset that after they got the bowl bid, his team had a nationally televised game (rare in that era) at UCLA ... his players treated the game as a vacation trip, went through the motions and lost 27-6. His hard work was partially punishment for that lapse. It did pay off in a 7-6 victory over Lance Alworth and Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl -- Duke's last bowl win.

PS blazindw ... thanks for the corrections on the locations of the Military and Duck Bowls. The Quick Lane Bowl is in Ford Field ... is that downtown Detroit or out on the suburbs? I hope it doesn't matter -- any of the three bottom bowls would mean a lousy end to the season.

[sagegrouse]

Yes -- prior to the rise of the Fiesta, the Gator was No. 5 -- although in that era, there was a HUGE gap between the Big Four (Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton) and the Gator.

The Gator was No. 5 in 1962, when an 8-2 Duke team turned down a bid. The official story was that Duke didn't play in "minor" bowls. The real story is that the players were so upset about how hard Bill Murray worked them before the 1961 Cotton Bowl (the 1960 season) that they didn't want to go through that again. Which goes back to WHY Murray worked them so hard leading up to the Cotton Bowl. He was upset that after they got the bowl bid, his team had a nationally televised game (rare in that era) at UCLA ... his players treated the game as a vacation trip, went through the motions and lost 27-6. His hard work was partially punishment for that lapse. It did pay off in a 7-6 victory over Lance Alworth and Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl -- Duke's last bowl win.

PS blazindw ... thanks for the corrections on the locations of the Military and Duck Bowls. The Quick Lane Bowl is in Ford Field ... is that downtown Detroit or out on the suburbs? I hope it doesn't matter -- any of the three bottom bowls would mean a lousy end to the season.

Interesting story in the Jay Wilkinson memoir, mostly about his years at Duke, 1960-1964. His Dad, during an off-week for the Oklahoma Sooners, visited Duke and watched a practice. He told Jay that he never worked his team that hard so late in the season because he wanted to keep them fresh.

[Reilly]

Plus the Bitcoin Bowl the day after Christmas in Tampa/St. Pete I think.. But Bitcoins are not real, and I am not spending Christmas on the road given the YoungPhiKaps.
(For those who do not visit the off-topic board, my struggles with Bitcoins:
http://forums.dukebasketballreport.c...hlight=Bitcoin )

The Bitcoin Bowl is at 8 pm on 12/26. So reachable by traveling on 12/26 and not on Xmas if you don't have too far to go ...

As for your struggles and the thread comparing Bicoins to Tulips, would you feel better if it were named the Tulip Bowl ... at least then we could plant some Tulips under the Cut statue that will go next to the Wallace Wade statue (w/ its roses) ...

[Reilly]

...

4. New Era Pinstripe (New York City) -- I love the idea of playing in Yankee Stadium. Pllus an easy trip for all our NE fans...

Disagree strongly. I didn't enjoy seeing a baseball game there (night Jeter became NYY hit king; night before Duke/Army in 2009). It's not *the* Yankee stadium, either (realize you know that). It's not a good area around the stadium. It'll be cold. Of the yuckier destinations, I'd rather be in Annapolis or Shreveport than NYC (for bowl game purposes).