Bowl Road Trip Diary Tribute Video

I'll admit it. I am way too proud of this video, but it cracks me up.

Bowl Road Trip Diary Days 4 (cont'd) & 5

Ten men. Two vehicles. 3600 miles. Oh yeah, a football game and a hoppin' New Year's Eve party in between car rides. Follow TGOM's Bowl Road Trip Diary from the first mile marker to the last.

The final hours of our stay in Tempe were dedicated to rest and recovery. Yeah, we slept in.

After lazing around the apartment and indulging in the arcade games of our youth at a local restaurant, we packed up whatever was salvagable and headed to nearby Glendale, AZ for dinner before embarking on another 27-hour expedition.

When all was said and done, we spent about four more hours driving to Tempe than actually staying in Tempe, but no one is complaining. Our final semester of college begins next week, and who knows what the future has in store for us. But we will always have Tempe.

Here's a few random photos from the last couple days:

Like IU vs. Oklahoma State, Dan only had a puncher's chance in this boxing game. Actually, he put up a much better fight than the Hoosiers.

In this game, you are supposed to jump over a light that circles the outer ring. By the look on Jeff's face, you can tell he hated to jump rope as a child.

Leave it to Billy to pose shirtless with a guy that spends his days playing guitar in briefs and a cowboy hat. Apparently, the Naked Cowboy is a staple in Times Square and has his own reality TV show. We caught up with him in an outdoor shopping center in Glendale. Bizarre.

This was taken outside of Yukon, Oklahoma. I guess everybody has somebody.

There she is. The world's largest McDonald's. Your cholesterol rose slightly just looking at this picture.

Bowl Road Trip Diary Day 3 (cont'd) & 4

Ten men. Two vehicles. 3600 miles. Oh yeah, a football game and a hoppin' New Year's Eve party in between car rides. Follow TGOM's Bowl Road Trip Diary from the first mile marker to the last.

Talking to an Oklahoma State fan yesterday, it became clear that the Cowboys were, indeed, a superior team from a superior conference. IU certainly could have played better, but it would have taken an extraordinary effort for the Hoosiers to win that game.

The fairy tale season may have ended in disappointment, but we didn't let the lopsided loss keep us from enjoying our time in Tempe. Here's a multimedia synopsis of our day:

Our day began at In-N-Out Burger, one of the many advantages of living closer to the Pacific. We were so psyched for our first double-double burgers, we showed up ten minutes before they opened and patiently waited in the parking lot. Yeah, we're from Indiana.

I was reprimanded by the In-N-Out manager for taking this picture. Apparently, McDonald's has been after the recipe of their secret sauce for years.

This is the IU Will Call line outside Sun Devil Stadium. We had to pick up our free student tickets together so we would be seated in the same row.

Here's the Oklahoma State Will Call line. You think this game was slightly more significant for the Hoosiers?

Good thing I took this picture of my Insight Bowl ticket. I lost it somewhere on the streets of Tempe after the game.

After picking up our tickets, we ran straight to the parking lot where some semi-cold beverages awaited.

Chris and Matt prompt Conor on what he should expect at his first college football game.

One IU fan decided to buy every Oklahoma State poster from one vendor only to rip them up...

...and set them ablaze...

...while everyone gathered around and sang the IU fight song.

The odd couple, Billy and Brad defend their side of the beer dye table. It's a game of thirst and determination.

Matt shows off the tally on his arm as he was the first person to "drink 13." He's going to be a doctor someday.

Chris displays his Hoosier pride by bleeding crimson at the tailgate. Don't worry, he can't feel a thing.


Jeff shows up in the nick of time for the game. He spent the morning in the hospital after his fever resurfaced and his tonsils inflated to unnatural proportions. A couple IVs and a steroid prescription later, he's ready to cheer the Hoosiers to victory. A real trooper, that Poteet.

Sun Devil Stadium looms.

We made our way to our end zone seats where we joined the IU student contingent in the seventh row.

Ter-ry Hoepp-ner! Ter-ry Hoepp-ner!

Things seemed good approaching kickoff as the sun still hung in the air.


Planes made random, colorful designs before the game. Little did we know they were actually drawing up IU's offensive game plan.

I think this was OSU's starting field position for most of the first half.

No Conor, that's the other team that just scored.

The Cowboys are coming! The Cowboys are coming!

IU scores a touchdown.

The thundersticks kept us occupied in the second half.

We headed to the Block Party that night were we huddled under outdoor heaters like this one as the fully-clothed Barenaked Ladies played on stage. Who knew the desert could be so chilly?

Fireworks lit the sky at the stroke of midnight. It seemed strange to think that the rest of the country had already welcomed in 2008.

The crowd headed home to put up their new calendars after midnight. We trekked back to the apartment to prognosticate on the 2008 football season.