Bizarre Bowl belongs in New Orleans

By Pat Dooley
Columnist

Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 6:09 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 6:09 p.m.

NEW ORLEANS — Where else would you hold the Bizarre Bowl?

In a city that never sleeps. Where men dress up as women. Where women show off their assets to get cheap beads. Where the gastronomic goal seems to be to set your intestines on fire. Where you can walk around the streets with a cold one as long as it's in a plastic cup. Where you can't go a block without finding someone talking to himself.

"It's New Orleans. New Orleans is supposed to be bizarre," Cincinnati offensive tackle Jeff Linkenbach said.

This is where a game this strange belongs.

On Tuesday, Charlie Strong was behind a curtain before his news conference. I said to him, "Are you the interim defensive coordinator?"

"Lot of interims around here," he said, laughing.

It was going to be a different game before the Urban Meyer saga unfolded. Now, we have six head coaches with something invested in the Sugar Bowl.

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly got this team here, then left before he could try to coach it to an unbeaten season.

"I couldn't believe a coach would go somewhere before a bowl game," UF wide receiver Riley Cooper said.

Florida's coach is here but will be banned from his office after the game while he tries to find an inner peace. Cincinnati's new coach is here as well, but Butch Jones is staying behind the scenes.

Strong is coaching the Gator defense but not for long, as he heads to Louisville after the Sugar Bowl. Steve Addazio will be Florida's interim head coach starting Jan. 2. Is he an interim interim coach?

Jeff Quinn is Cincinnati's interim head coach but will be shuffling off to Buffalo after the game. Only one Cincinnati assistant has been retained by Jones. The rest are going to move on to other jobs. Florida has a new wide receivers coach who has never been in a game this big. Other UF coaches are being connected to other job openings.

"It's football musical chairs," Cincinnati defensive back Aaron Webster said.

And, of course, we have a slew of Florida juniors contemplating jumps to the NFL.

Does anyone really want to be here?

"It's going to be tough for both teams to come out and play the game," UF guard Mike Pouncey said. "There are a lot of distractions."

It will be an interesting Friday night to see which players and coaches have their minds on the task at hand. Focusing through all of this cannot be easy.

"You lose Gen. Patton and replace him with a sergeant," Cincy passing game coordinator Charley Molnar said. "There can be a change in discipline among the troops."

Bizarre.

"I talked to Joe Haden and told him, 'It's crazy,' " Cincinnati wide receiver Mardy Gilyard said. "He just shook his head."

The whole thing could play out well for the Gators. The juniors who know they are leaving could play the games of their lives knowing that they're auditioning for the NFL.

"If they're going to do what they're going to do, they need to play well in this game," Strong said. "I've seen guys protecting themselves in games like this. They need to play well so the pro scouts will have something to watch."

And there is the dynamic of the players knowing this is the last game for the seniors and could be the last one for their head coach.

Will the uncertainty of what lies ahead act like a cancer or an aphrodisiac? That's what none of us can possibly know. The Bearcats have their own motivation despite the weirdness on the coaching staff. They want to show the world what they can do, that they deserve to be in the game they came one second away from playing.

But how hard do you play for coaches you may never see again?

Lot of interims around here. Lot of distractions that have nothing to do with giant beers and strip clubs around every corner.

How tough are both sides mentally?

If you know the answer to that question, I've got some beads for you.

Contact Pat Dooley at 352-374-5053 or at dooleyp@gvillesun.com.

http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20091...ew-Orleans

I wouldn't be suprised to see it end up being a cluster for both teams. I can remember a major BCS bowl game with with much drama going on for both teams involved.