Indiana University went to a bowl game for the first time in a crazy number of years. And my big little cousin is one of their defensive ends. So it was my pleasure to end 2007 watching the Hoosiers play the Cowboys of Oklahoma State University. I can't think of any better way to finish off what's been a crazy year...though it was improved by being joined in the stands by Nadia C. (soon-to-be G.) and her adorable fiance Ben. I don't understand football, so the game was kinda secondary for me, but being amongst all those screaming fans, and the cheerleaders and the band was great. I'd forgotten that energy since leaving my sports loving home town. But the game was pretty good. Would have been better if Kellen Lewis would have completed 60% or more of his passes. Or if the Hoosiers had won (hey coach....DEFENSE!). But football is pretty awesome from only 5 rows up. Add some people watching (guy in red pants and wig), constructive advice to the IU dance team (buy new uniforms...something along the lines of the sparkly orange dresses of the OSU girls), and the awesome Marching Hundred (who knew that mainstream marching bands play riding dirty). And we had a blast./ The only downer was not being able to visit with my cousin after the game. For "security" reasons, they wouldnt let family and friends see the players at the stadium. Since I wasn't staying at the hotel, and didn't know what hotel that was, I wasn't able to see him. I was terribly disappointed to come all that way and not be able to give him a hug and give him a hard time about growing up to be a big burly football player. In my head, he's still 12 and gangly, and trying to grow into his feet and his ears. But it's great to see that hes a "grown man", in college, playing football and playing for a team that's getting better every season. So GO BIG RED! And hopefully there will be another bowl visit to kick off 2009. read more

I've attended this bowl game twice. Both times, I left a little into the fourth quarter. Both times, some insane, game-changing play went down about the time I hit the parking lot. Point is: you can pretty much count on a good game and it's not an outrageous ticket price. Tip: take the next day off or make arrangements to go into the office late, so you don't have to worry about a late night out watching football and you can stick around for all the action! read more

GO POKES! Oh yeah, that's right. The sweet taste of victory! Does the Insight Bowl really deserve 5 stars? Well, no. But my alum won, so giving this year's bowl any less would just be, well, worthy of a brutal beating. And I don't want that. My date and I showed up at Sun Devil Stadium about 1/2 hour before kick-off. We easily found our seats and settled in to watch the team bands do their pre-game thing. Then my date went to fetch us some beer. That's when we learned there's an AZ state law that you can only carry 32 oz of frothy goodness at a time. So, we split a Fat Tire before the game. Before the pigskin was tossed about, we had to endure some pretty weird activities, including military men parachuting onto the field, each carrying a flag and one carrying the game ball. Firecrackers exploded overhead to build excitement, I guess (although it got annoying really quickly when they'd fire 'em each time a team scored). Three military choppers flew by overhead. Was this really necessary? Of course not. After the smoke and 'cracker debris settled, a quartet sang the National Anthem. I think I would have preferred to hear Carrie Underwood, though. Uh, yeah. Seriously. At least she can sing. Finally, OSU won the coin toss and the game was underway. I knew this wasn't going to be just any game... and sadly, I knew I was going to get annoyed by the people here, not to mention the fireworks. Oh, the OSU fans were great. Even the Indiana fans were tolerable. It was two other groups of people who made this experience less than stellar for me. One was the family clans - those who attended the game just to have something to do. Those who brought their young children and allowed them to slap people in the back of the head with those air-up stick things. Those who took over our row and, when we took a bathroom break and got another beer, said, "Oh, you're back" in such a way that I wanted to smack 'em silly. Of course we're back. This is MY bowl game and you've taken over my seat, buddy. Did you really think I'd leave at the start of 2nd quarter? Now, move it! Second group - and even more annoying - were the Sooners. I don't care that you're from Oklahoma. If you want to come to MY bowl game and semi-cheer on MY team, do it with respect. Don't prance around in your OU colors and start Sooner cheers. Don't tell me I can't do the standard touch down wave when my boys score. Don't tell me how to cheer. In fact, take your karma-sucking ugly asses out of the the stadium. You're not here to watch OSU win. You're here just to make your presence known, to try and overshadow the REAL Oklahoma state school. You're like the Yankees of college football. Nobody likes you, so leave. Whew. (end rant) So, how was the game, you ask? It was great! OSU had some great special teams, as well as really good defense and offense that allowed us to score 44 points! GO POKES! *does the Cowboy gun salute* It was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon, especially on NYE. I never thought I'd get to watch my Cowboys play in a bowl game, but never say never! My wish came true! I wish I had been surrounded by OSU fans, though. I wish I could have heard the Cowboys band. I wish I could have remembered the words to the school songs! Argh! But, nonetheless, I'm really happy that I got to go to the Insight Bowl. I had alot of fun! (And for all those people who may find my review unnecessarily harsh or rude, then you don't understand team rivalry and respect. But, that's okay. At least one of my Cowboys wasn't shipped home because he was caught shoplifting in Tempe at a Burlington Coat Factory!) read more

Thanks to Gracie B in SF, I was able to attend Insight Bowl this year. Not that I am a crazy football fan-- I really know NOTHING about football, but the entire vibe at a bowl game is really cool. From the National Anthem that always brings tears to my Canadian eyes to the jets flying overhead to the $5 bottle of Dasani water (the small one) to the band playing fight songs to even the actual game-- IT WAS FUN and I am really happy I went! I love that AZ hosts these kinds of events, it brings in great revenue to the cities and just plain fun and camaraderie for everyone. Indiana lost, we were rooting for them but we were defeated. We still had a blast-- but I think the most fun of it all was watching the band leader work his magic. read more

The Insight Bowl is usually cool and the tickets can be had for cheap from a scalper, or free as there's tons of companies who get comped passes in the Valley. The biggest comeback in bowl history happened here in 2006 where Texas Tech was down 31 and rallied to beat Minnesota. Lately, this game has preceded the New Year's Eve "Block Party" along Mill Ave in Tempe. Check out the football game and skip the block party. I sold my tickets and went over to Casey Moore's instead. Oh and the drinks inside the stadium are all like 5 bucks, and 10 if you want a beer. read more

So this was my first college football game experience, and what a game it was! By default I am an OSU fan now, and can appreciate a team that struggles in the shadows of a monolithic entity, like OU (Sooners). Seeing that I am a Redsox fan I know what is it like to dwell in the shadows of a monster like the Yankees. I know what it's like to see apposing team colors and logos and feel anger and frustration. What I couldn't get over was how Sooner fans came to the OSU game and sorta rooted for the Cowboys! It would be like a Yankees fan going to a Redsox playoff game against the Angels, and they wear a Derick Jeter jersey, and just sorta of root for the Sox. I would personally be insulted, and disgusted.... Overall the energy of a bowl game is great, and very fun. There is nothing like seeing the Marching Bands perform, as OSU rocked it out doing 2 Gun's and Roses songs, Sweet Child O' Mine, and Welcome to the Jungle. For an instant I felt like doing the Axel Rose "snake" dance..(just for a second) I did ironically see a car with a Yankees Wheel Cover and a huge OU logo on their car. I though to myself "This must be the anti-Christ" Who can like both the Yankees and the Sooners, it's a geographical anomoly! Oklahoma sports politics aside, I will tell you about the venue and my experience overall. :) 1. Sun Devil stadium must employee homeless people to serve concessions. I swear, even the cotton candy guy looked like he was dragged off Mill St, and give a coat hanger full of bags of cotton candy. 2. The beer selection is pretty weak, and you can only carry 1 32oz glass at a time (weirdest law in the history of laws) So if you go buy 2 beers bring the person with you, since you won't be allowed to carry 2 glasses. 3. The facility is somewhat dilapidated, and bleacher seating isn't the most comfortable seating for a 3.5 hour football game. The bathrooms have the dreaded troff o' piss. Or the big sink that dudes can pee together in, with no separation. I'm not sure what bathroom architect came up with this invention, but this sadist must have enjoyed watched grown men squirm as they have to "share" a large sink to pee into. I mean, in the 21st, century can't I get some separation when I pee? 4. on a good note, there isn't a bad seat in the place, you can see the field pretty well from all over the stadium. Overall my experience was great, I love sporting events live, and it's fun to root for a team and watch them win. I would go back Sun Devil's Stadium, but not until it drops below 90 degrees. Sitting in the sun for a few hours was pretty tough, and it was only 65 degrees on this day. I can't image what it would feel like at 90 - 100 degrees. UGH.... read more