Independence Bowl: Duke 56, Temple 27

[HereBeforeCoachK]

That’s great news and I think “hoping to” means the same as “will”. If I were gambling, that news would change the line by a TD.

AGREE with your sentiment here^^^. At least a TD...not only will that be the return of two great linebackers, it will lift every players' spirits and confidence.

On another tangent, the article didn't mention what the Clemson and WF games might've done, or not done, to DJ's NFL chatter. He kind of burst onto the scene after the mega game versus that community college 8 miles down the road. I wondered if that burst had, well, burst.

And yes, i realize the NFL chatter started last year, and there was some early season some this year, but the cheats game had brought it back up.

[devildeac]

AGREE with your sentiment here^^^. At least a TD...not only will that be the return of two great linebackers, it will lift every players' spirits and confidence.

On another tangent, the article didn't mention what the Clemson and WF games might've done, or not done, to DJ's NFL chatter. He kind of burst onto the scene after the mega game versus that community college 8 miles down the road. I wondered if that burst had, well, burst.

And yes, i realize the NFL chatter started last year, and there was some early season some this year, but the cheats game had brought it back up.

DJ quote WRT skipping the bowl:

“I certainly plan on playing and I will play in the bowl game,” Jones said. “I’ve never really considered that as something I’d want to do. We are going to finish this season.”

You're right that the article really doesn't address his draft considerations/prognostications and I'm happy those guys mentioned all stated they want to play in the bowl game.

[swiseman]

DJ quote WRT skipping the bowl:

“I certainly plan on playing and I will play in the bowl game,” Jones said. “I’ve never really considered that as something I’d want to do. We are going to finish this season.”

You're right that the article really doesn't address his draft considerations/prognostications and I'm happy those guys mentioned all stated they want to play in the bowl game.

Daniel did answer a couple of questions about his draft thoughts. Here is the quote

“I’ve probably started to think about it more than I did before the Wake game,” Jones said. “I still have a whole lot of work to do and thought to do. I’m not anywhere near a decision there. I’m not sure I’ve done all the necessary homework to figured that out. Thought about it more. Not sure how close I am to really making a decision at this point.”

From what I know, he's compartmentalizing this very well. Never considered taking part in senior day activities. He's finishing up his degree this month so end of semester classwork is very important. He also wants Duke to finish this season strongly. As one of the captains, he's taking that leadership role seriously. He's very nonchalant about the NFL stuff, for now.

Because the coaching staff hit the road recruiting the morning after the Wake debacle, DJ and Cut haven't had a chance have the serious conversations they are going to have with the NFL feedback. I tend to believe he won't make a decision before the bowl game. Once his schoolwork is done and the game is done, he'll dive into that with Cut and his family.

[devildeac]

Daniel did answer a couple of questions about his draft thoughts. Here is the quote

“I’ve probably started to think about it more than I did before the Wake game,” Jones said. “I still have a whole lot of work to do and thought to do. I’m not anywhere near a decision there. I’m not sure I’ve done all the necessary homework to figured that out. Thought about it more. Not sure how close I am to really making a decision at this point.”

From what I know, he's compartmentalizing this very well. Never considered taking part in senior day activities. He's finishing up his degree this month so end of semester classwork is very important. He also wants Duke to finish this season strongly. As one of the captains, he's taking that leadership role seriously. He's very nonchalant about the NFL stuff, for now.

Because the coaching staff hit the road recruiting the morning after the Wake debacle, DJ and Cut haven't had a chance have the serious conversations they are going to have with the NFL feedback. I tend to believe he won't make a decision before the bowl game. Once his schoolwork is done and the game is done, he'll dive into that with Cut and his family.

More great info! Thanks again, Steve!

[HereBeforeCoachK]

DJ quote WRT skipping the bowl:

“I certainly plan on playing and I will play in the bowl game,” Jones said. “I’ve never really considered that as something I’d want to do. We are going to finish this season.”

You're right that the article really doesn't address his draft considerations/prognostications and I'm happy those guys mentioned all stated they want to play in the bowl game.

I am too, and it seems to me, after observing the past two seasons, the NFL scouts and prognosticators are up and down on Daniel. Early last year, some buzz...then nothing during the losing streak. Early this year, some buzz...then with injury and more losing, it died down. He explodes on the cheats, and there's buzz....then the Clemson game and the Wake situation...seems to die down again.

[budwom]

Generally you can't believe what the scouts have to say...not because they're dishonest, but because they don't like to publicize what guys they really like, who might be a sleeper, etc,..

[House G]

For the few and the proud who are coming to Shreveport for the I-Bowl, I want to offer my assistance in any way necessary. I know Shreveport isn’t a destination city and I know the I-Bowl isn’t what most of us hoped for but it is a bowl and I think Temple is pretty good this year. And on the bright side, you don’t have to say you’re going to the weed eater bowl (former sponsor). In case you don’t know, there is an interesting story behind the Walk-Ons sponsor which relates to college hoops: https://walk-ons.com/story.

Here is a little background on Shreveport:
Shreveport is in the northwest corner of the state, about ten miles from the Texas border, and much closer to Dallas (180 miles) than Baton Rouge or New Orleans. Shreveport is located on one side of the Red River and Bossier City sits on the other side. Bossier City is home to Barksdale Air Force Base where the Eighth Air Force is headquartered (mostly B52s). During the Civil War, Shreveport was a Confederate stronghold and briefly became the Confederate capital after Robert E. Lee’s surrender. Civil War battles were fought all over this area (Vicksburg, Mansfield).
In 1933, Bonnie and Clyde were killed just down the road https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-c...nnie-and-clyde
Shreveport has a rich musical history and the Louisiana Hayride (held at Shreveport’s Municipal Auditorium and broadcast on KWKH radio) was where many country music acts got their start (Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, Johnny Horton, Floyd Cramer, Slim Whitman, etc.). https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nahHWEOpCvo In 1954, Elvis Presley (who was 19 yo) made his debut at the Louisiana Hayride https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bLaPnpjw-pc.
Hirsch Coliseum, the domed venue right next to Independence Stadium, was built a long time ago and has hosted concerts, basketball games, rodeos, etc for many years. One of my favorite trivia questions relates to this venue: In 1957, a ten year old boy from a tiny town in East Texas (close to Shreveport) was at a Lawrence Welk concert with his parents at the Hirsch. Eight years later he returned to see a rock band there. Many years after that, the band he went to see was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The boy went on to himself become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of one of the greatest bands of all time. He gave the induction speech for the first band. Who was the boy and who were the bands? Answer:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ioQa26gDc4&t=9s
Shreveport has had its share of prominent athletes and a plethora of quarterbacks:
Terry Bradshaw (Steelers)
Joe Ferguson (Bills)
David Woodley (super bowl QB Dolphins)
Stan Humphries (Chargers)
Bert Jones (Colts) grew up right down the road in Ruston
Doug Williams (Redskins) played at Grambling (by Ruston)
And although he is not from here, Doug Pederson (Eagles coach) was the head coach of tiny Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport from 2005-2008 (I know that’s hard to believe).
——-
Robert Parish (Celtics)
——-
Hal Sutton
David Toms
——-
A couple of things you may not know about Bradshaw. In high school, he was the national record holder in the javelin (https://www.golfchannel.com/video/fe...rprising-sport). This was what he was known for. When he went to Louisiana Tech and played football, he was initially the backup QB to this guy lol (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yFlr19bhncQ).
———
Here is a list of some of the casinos and restaurants around town:
Casinos:
https://www.caesars.com/horseshoe-bo...tm_content=bar
https://www.eldoradoshreveport.com
https://www.samstownshreveport.com
https://www.margaritavillebossiercity.com
Restaurants:
https://www.superiorssteakhouse.com
http://www.2johnsrestaurant.com
https://www.caesars.com/horseshoe-bo...e#.XAk5lopMGhB
https://www.eldoradoshreveport.com/v...s/the-vintage/
http://www.chiantirestaurant.net
https://m.facebook.com/The-Mabry-House-254787381197993/
http://bellafresca.com
————————
https://walk-ons.com/food
http://www.silverstarsmokehouse.com
https://m.facebook.com/Country-Taver...3407878692162/
https://m.facebook.com/silverstargrille/
http://marilynns-place.com
https://www.athenashreveport.com
http://cushsgrocery.com
https://www.frankslakitchen.com
https://elcaboverde.com
https://www.superiorgrill.com
————————
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...Louisiana.html
————————
https://m.facebook.com/fairfieldgrocery6955
————————
http://www.greatraftbrewing.com
https://m.facebook.com/RedRiverBeer
————————
http://www.rwnaf.org

My personal favorites would be:
Breakfast—Strawn’s on Youree. Nothing healthy here but one of the local favorites
Lunch—For a high end lunch, try superior steakhouse. If you’re still here Friday, go to 2Johns right across the Red River (I know the owner so I can help you here). Superior Grill (Mexican food) is the most popular restaurant in town and is great for lunch or dinner—try to go early to avoid the wait. You can also eat late there so it would be a fun place to go after the game. One word of caution—the generic frozen margaritas come out of a machine and are killers. I prefer their top shelf.
Walk-Ons is a sports bar and is quite popular.
Fairfield grocery and Cush’s grocery are both very good. Cush’s almost always has gumbo.
Dinner:
There are 2 high end casino restaurants that are good—Jack Binion’s Steakhouse at the Horseshoe and The Vintage at the El Dorado.
I prefer:
2Johns has good food as does the Superior Steakhouse. The latter is a bigger venue with a fabulous bar, wine selection, cigar bar, etc.
The food at Bella Fresca is good.
Chianti’s is a popular Italian restaurant.
Frank’s Louisiana Kitchen and El Cabo Verde are less expensive and popular and in the south part of town.
Expect to drop some coin at some of these so check out their websites/menu.

Feel free to message me if you have questions! Hope some of you can make it!

[devildeac]

For the few and the proud who are coming to Shreveport for the I-Bowl, I want to offer my assistance in any way necessary. I know Shreveport isn’t a destination city and I know the I-Bowl isn’t what most of us hoped for but it is a bowl and I think Temple is pretty good this year. And on the bright side, you don’t have to say you’re going to the weed eater bowl (former sponsor). In case you don’t know, there is an interesting story behind the Walk-Ons sponsor which relates to college hoops: https://walk-ons.com/story.

Here is a little background on Shreveport:
Shreveport is in the northwest corner of the state, about ten miles from the Texas border, and much closer to Dallas (180 miles) than Baton Rouge or New Orleans. Shreveport is located on one side of the Red River and Bossier City sits on the other side. Bossier City is home to Barksdale Air Force Base where the Eighth Air Force is headquartered (mostly B52s). During the Civil War, Shreveport was a Confederate stronghold and briefly became the Confederate capital after Robert E. Lee’s surrender. Civil War battles were fought all over this area (Vicksburg, Mansfield).
In 1933, Bonnie and Clyde were killed just down the road https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-c...nnie-and-clyde
Shreveport has a rich musical history and the Louisiana Hayride (held at Shreveport’s Municipal Auditorium and broadcast on KWKH radio) was where many country music acts got their start (Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, Johnny Horton, Floyd Cramer, Slim Whitman, etc.). https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nahHWEOpCvo In 1954, Elvis Presley (who was 19 yo) made his debut at the Louisiana Hayride https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bLaPnpjw-pc.
Hirsch Coliseum, the domed venue right next to Independence Stadium, was built a long time ago and has hosted concerts, basketball games, rodeos, etc for many years. One of my favorite trivia questions relates to this venue: In 1957, a ten year old boy from a tiny town in East Texas (close to Shreveport) was at a Lawrence Welk concert with his parents at the Hirsch. Eight years later he returned to see a rock band there. Many years after that, the band he went to see was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The boy went on to himself become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of one of the greatest bands of all time. He gave the induction speech for the first band. Who was the boy and who were the bands? Answer:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ioQa26gDc4&t=9s
Shreveport has had its share of prominent athletes and a plethora of quarterbacks:
Terry Bradshaw (Steelers)
Joe Ferguson (Bills)
David Woodley (super bowl QB Dolphins)
Stan Humphries (Chargers)
Bert Jones (Colts) grew up right down the road in Ruston
Doug Williams (Redskins) played at Grambling (by Ruston)
And although he is not from here, Doug Pederson (Eagles coach) was the head coach of tiny Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport from 2005-2008 (I know that’s hard to believe).
——-
Robert Parish (Celtics)
——-
Hal Sutton
David Toms
——-
A couple of things you may not know about Bradshaw. In high school, he was the national record holder in the javelin (https://www.golfchannel.com/video/fe...rprising-sport). This was what he was known for. When he went to Louisiana Tech and played football, he was initially the backup QB to this guy lol (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yFlr19bhncQ).
———
Here is a list of some of the casinos and restaurants around town:
Casinos:
https://www.caesars.com/horseshoe-bo...tm_content=bar
https://www.eldoradoshreveport.com
https://www.samstownshreveport.com
https://www.margaritavillebossiercity.com
Restaurants:
https://www.superiorssteakhouse.com
http://www.2johnsrestaurant.com
https://www.caesars.com/horseshoe-bo...e#.XAk5lopMGhB
https://www.eldoradoshreveport.com/v...s/the-vintage/
http://www.chiantirestaurant.net
https://m.facebook.com/The-Mabry-House-254787381197993/
http://bellafresca.com
————————
https://walk-ons.com/food
http://www.silverstarsmokehouse.com
https://m.facebook.com/Country-Taver...3407878692162/
https://m.facebook.com/silverstargrille/
http://marilynns-place.com
https://www.athenashreveport.com
http://cushsgrocery.com
https://www.frankslakitchen.com
https://elcaboverde.com
https://www.superiorgrill.com
————————
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...Louisiana.html
————————
https://m.facebook.com/fairfieldgrocery6955
————————
http://www.greatraftbrewing.com
https://m.facebook.com/RedRiverBeer
————————
http://www.rwnaf.org

My personal favorites would be:
Breakfast—Strawn’s on Youree. Nothing healthy here but one of the local favorites
Lunch—For a high end lunch, try superior steakhouse. If you’re still here Friday, go to 2Johns right across the Red River (I know the owner so I can help you here). Superior Grill (Mexican food) is the most popular restaurant in town and is great for lunch or dinner—try to go early to avoid the wait. You can also eat late there so it would be a fun place to go after the game. One word of caution—the generic frozen margaritas come out of a machine and are killers. I prefer their top shelf.
Walk-Ons is a sports bar and is quite popular.
Fairfield grocery and Cush’s grocery are both very good. Cush’s almost always has gumbo.
Dinner:
There are 2 high end casino restaurants that are good—Jack Binion’s Steakhouse at the Horseshoe and The Vintage at the El Dorado.
I prefer:
2Johns has good food as does the Superior Steakhouse. The latter is a bigger venue with a fabulous bar, wine selection, cigar bar, etc.
The food at Bella Fresca is good.
Chianti’s is a popular Italian restaurant.
Frank’s Louisiana Kitchen and El Cabo Verde are less expensive and popular and in the south part of town.
Expect to drop some coin at some of these so check out their websites/menu.

Feel free to message me if you have questions! Hope some of you can make it!

If I didn't have two days off earlier in the week, a full/over-flowing schedule in the office this day and Friday, this fabulous post would have convinced me to attend this bowl and visit Shreveport.
Thanks for taking a huge amount of time to post this!!

[OldPhiKap]

Thanks HouseG !!!!! Great info.

Hope to make the trip, should know soon!

[Reilly]

Temple's coach being considered for GT job, per the internet.

[weezie]

For the few and the proud who are coming to Shreveport for the I-Bowl, I want to offer my assistance in any way necessary...

And he means it! House G is a personal favorite of mine. A fine man who, if he says get the top shelf, follow his sage advice and do so.

Well done!

[budwom]

Temple's coach being considered for GT job, per the internet.

In my perfect, imaginary world, our lads will be focused on the game and theirs will not.

[chrishoke]

I would love to go to the game but can't this year. I did buy a $50 ticket from the GoDuke site and donated it to put a deserving local fan in the stands with a Duke hat on. I hope others can find some small way to support our Devils if you are not able to attend in person. Go Duke! Side benefit - there is no handling charge for purchasing donated tickets.

[Tripping William]

In my perfect, imaginary world, our lads will be focused on the game and theirs will not.

You may get your wish. GT apparently has hired Temple coach Geoff Collins. The story does not say whether Collins will coach in the bowl game.

[chrishoke]

Sources are saying that Ed Foley will be named interim coach for the bowl game.

[BigWayne]

In my perfect, imaginary world, our lads will be focused on the game and theirs will not.

I went to a game in 1989 like that.

[peloton]

I went to a game in 1989 like that.

Thanks for the unpleasant memory, BigWayne . I was at the game and after awhile almost wished that I hadn't made the trip down (further) south.

[budwom]

I went to a game in 1989 like that.

Way to ruin my day. Yup, I know that game, part of the reason I brought this up. Can't help but think the Temple minds would be wandering.
(I never begrudged SS leaving Duke, but I did (and do) begrudge his total lack of preparation for that game.

[Reilly]

...
Shreveport has had its share of prominent athletes and a plethora of quarterbacks:
Terry Bradshaw (Steelers)
Joe Ferguson (Bills)
David Woodley (super bowl QB Dolphins)
Stan Humphries (Chargers)
Bert Jones (Colts) grew up right down the road in Ruston
Doug Williams (Redskins) played at Grambling (by Ruston)
And although he is not from here, Doug Pederson (Eagles coach) was the head coach of tiny Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport from 2005-2008 (I know that’s hard to believe).
...

Don't forget Patrick Ramsey of Redskins head-butting fame ... also from Ruston ...the man who beat out Cut's Heath Shuler with the Redskins ...

[Reilly]

... Can't help but think the Temple minds would be wandering ...

Spurrier hung out through the bowl and our minds wandered; in 2012 Cincy had an interim coach and seemed pretty focused; Cut took over Ole Miss in Dec 1998 and won ...

I would guess the most commonly-occurring fact pattern is the 2012 Cincy/2019 Temple one ... where a head coach bolts before a bowl but leaves assistants behind to run the show ... would be interesting to see how often that has happened in the past ten years and whether the team is considered to have under-performed relative to expectation in the bowl ...