Penn State Bowl Tour Report

Saturday, December 28, 2002

The alarm clock rings at 4:30 a.m., and we struggle to fight off the powers of Somnus.  But we're soon wide awake -- it's our big day to leave the shivery Miami Valley behind and join 1,500 other Penn Staters on the Capital One Bowl Tour in Orlando. 

We departed on-time from the Cincinnati airport at 9:25 and, after a brief stop in Huntsville, Alabama, arrived in Orlando at 12:20 p.m.  We gathered our baggage and hopped a Mears Motor Shuttle to the Peabody Hotel. 

"Lavish and luxurious," are the words Janie used to describe the Peabody.  I would certainly echo her thoughts.  It has to be one of Orlando's finest. To give you at least an idea of what we're talking about, here's a photo we took late this afternoon.

Amenities are plentiful within the hotel complex, with a variety of restaurants, shops, exercise facilities, two swimming pools and a huge hot tub, and impeccable service.  Although we brought our swim suits along it was just a bit too chilly to go into this pool this afternoon.

Unlike Janie and me, some of you may have heard about The Legend of the Ducks at the Peabody.  Here's the story, as summarized on the Peabody's cocktail napkins:

"Back in the 1930's Frank Schutt, General Manager of The Peabody, and a friend, Chip Barwick, returned from a weekend hunting trip to Arkansas.  The men had a little too much Tennessee sippin' whiskey and thought it would be funny to place some of their live decoy ducks (it was legal then for hunters to use live decoys) in the beautiful Peabody fountain.

Three small English call ducks were selected as "guinea pigs," and the reaction was nothing short of enthusiastic.  Thus began a Peabody tradition which was to become internationally famous."

Faithfully each day at 11:00 a.m. five Peabody ducks march on red carpet from an elevator to a pool in the hotel's atrium.  Promptly at 5:00 p.m. they march back from the pool on the red carpet to the elevator, and from there they are escorted to their penthouse abode.  

The ducks are quite an attraction, as shown in this photo.  We were fortunate to get a picture of them leaving their pool and marching in file to an awaiting elevator.

But let's not forget why we're here in Orlando.  Enroute to the hotel we met Glenn and Sally Kilburn, of Sidney, Ohio.  They were lively companions as we made our way through the hotel and downstairs to the Registration Area.  Not only were there several registration tables, but a "Penn State Store," and places to sign up for Disney World, MGM, and Universal Studios tours.  

Shown here a few of the latecomers to the registration process.   

The Kilburn's are very keenly interested in joining our Dayton Chapter, and were only too happy to take one of our business cards.  We're sure we'll be hearing more from them in 2003.

During our meanderings through the hotel after registration we saw several (unidentified) members of the football team.  We also caught a glimpse of University President Graham Spanier.  We're keeping our eyes open for Joepa.  If we're lucky enough to catch sight of him you'll hear about it here first.

To keep our faithful readers in the loop as to what's happening on the Capital One Bowl football match up, we'll try to provide news as reported in the Orlando sports media.  Here's a reprint of today's (i.e. December 28th) Orlando Sentinel.

Capital One Bowl -- The Beat

Annual Squeeze Off of citrus replaced

The Squeeze Off is officially dead.  Nearly two decades of tradition is gone -- or at least on hiatus for an undetermined amount of time.

For years players from both teams in Orlando's New Year's Day game competed in a citrus squeezing contest.  The team that squeezed the most juice was the winner.  Over the years, the contest became something of a predictor of the football game:  For whatever reason, the winning squeeze-off team rarely won the football game.

But with the Florida Citrus Commission choosing not to be a title sponsor for the now Capital One Bowl, the squeeze-off was squeezed out in favor of The Two-Minute Drill, a passing competition between five players from each school.

That competition is at 4:00 p.m. today at the CityWalk Plaza at Universal.  entrance is free (except for parking), and fans of both teams are invited.

Re-education process

Two seasons with losing records meant two Decembers without a bowl trip for Penn State, so it's no surprise the Nittany Lions embrace this trip to Orlando.  They spent the first third of their trip on St. Petersburg Beach -- literally, for many players.

Although Penn State is famous for being all business at bowl sites, players are making sure they enjoy their time away from the field.

"It's fun to be back.  We're enjoying it," junior LB Deryck Toles said. 

Penn State's older players are educating younger ones about the dos and don'ts.

"A lot of guys have never been to the (theme) parks, so they want to spend six, seven hours in the park, come home, eat and go shopping for three or four hours," senior DE Michael Haynes said.  "That's too many hours on your feet to have to come back and practice the next day.  So I've told them they have to be careful and not get too carried away with it.  You want to relax some, too."

Conference pride

(To) Auburn FS Travaris Robinson this game is a matter of conference pride.

"I grew up watching the Big Ten, and I've always liked the Big Ten, but I think the Southeastern Conference is one of the best leagues in college football," he said.  "I'm sure they think the same about the Big Ten.  So we'll go out and continue to work hard and try to carry it over to the game."

Etc.

Auburn TB Ronnie Brown said he's not quite full-speed yet for practice but will be "100 percent" by Wednesday's kick-off.  Brown rushed for 11 touchdowns and 824 yards, averaging 6 yards a carry, in place of injured starter Carnell Williams . . . Several Auburn players and assistant coaches played 18 holes at Keene's Point after practice Thursday . . . Florida Citrus Sports Executive Director Tom Mickle will be a guest Sunday morning on ESPN's Outside the Lines.  Host Bob Ley's topic:  college bowls and -- go figure -- whether there are too many.

---  ALAN SCHMADTKE