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(12-02-2018 05:54 PM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 05:46 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 05:44 PM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Monday afternoon against a school we've already played twice in bowls in the last decade. Meh. I guess it's okay if you're retired or unemployed.

It's New Years Eve. For most jobs you have to take one day. It's kind of a great situation for traveling and taking a long weekend.

Not if you have a job where you have to put in for vacation about a year in advance. Maybe if bowl organizers concentrated the games on weekends they wouldn't have oceans of empty seats for their games. Cold weather game against the same school we played in the same bowl a few years ago. Big disappointment IMO.

Late notice traveling is never ideal, but I know plenty of companies that give New Years Eve off too. The fact that I can make a four day weekend, by basically missing one day of work is pretty great for last second travel. Obviously there are going to be people that doesn't work for but I'd say New Years Eve on a Monday is kind of a great day compared to a ton of other bowls out there for trying to get people there. I suspect they'll draw at or near capacity.

Its' not ideal but for chriss sake it couldve been so much worse. Let's go beat up a traditionally good team that's in a down year.

(12-02-2018 05:35 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 05:06 PM)marcuscan Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 04:56 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 04:50 PM)bearcatdp Wrote:  Do we know the rest of the AAC bowl lineup yet? Outside of the access bowl, this is as good as we can get in our P6 conference

Houston/Army, Armed Forces
Temple/Duke, Independence
Tulane/Louisiana, Cure
Memphis/Wake, Birmingham
UC/VT, Military
USF/Marshall, Gasparilla
UCF/LSU, Fiesta

Actually not that bad of a lineup for the conference. 4 against p5 and Houston draws a ranked army team.




mc

If Houston was at full strength would give them better odds. When King QB got injured I think he had 36 TDs and 6 INTs. Oliver isn't playing either. It is a good lineup for sure.

UH started losing when Oliver became a distraction.

Early Vegas betting odds has AAC favored in 5/7 games. Tulane is a 3.5 dog and UCF is a 7-10 point dog. UC is a 7 point favorite.

(12-02-2018 06:10 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 05:54 PM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 05:46 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 05:44 PM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Monday afternoon against a school we've already played twice in bowls in the last decade. Meh. I guess it's okay if you're retired or unemployed.

It's New Years Eve. For most jobs you have to take one day. It's kind of a great situation for traveling and taking a long weekend.

Not if you have a job where you have to put in for vacation about a year in advance. Maybe if bowl organizers concentrated the games on weekends they wouldn't have oceans of empty seats for their games. Cold weather game against the same school we played in the same bowl a few years ago. Big disappointment IMO.

Late notice traveling is never ideal, but I know plenty of companies that give New Years Eve off too. The fact that I can make a four day weekend, by basically missing one day of work is pretty great for last second travel. Obviously there are going to be people that doesn't work for but I'd say New Years Eve on a Monday is kind of a great day compared to a ton of other bowls out there for trying to get people there. I suspect they'll draw at or near capacity.

(12-02-2018 04:46 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 04:44 PM)mbj655 Wrote:  VT again. Ugh!

When the alternatives are the garbage dump of the Sun Belt and CUSA in middle December, I'm thrilled with a P5 opponent in a NYE bowl.

I'm also very happy with the draw when you consider we were projected a month ago for the effin Gasparilla Bowl. USF got that one against Marshall. We are matched up against a P5 team and I'll take that any day of the week and twice on Sundays. We don't hold a lot of cards in bowl draws/tie-ins so the selection committee has done us a favor IMO. Consider that we've been fortunate to play P5 programs going back to Coach Kelly [save for 2015] in the following order:

2008 Virginia Tech
2009 Florida
2011 Vanderbilt
2012 Duke
2013 North Carolina
2014 Virginia Tech
2015 San Diego St.
2018 Virginia Tech

I realize part of that result is we benefited as members of the former BCS Big East Conference. That said, after playing SDSU in 2015 and as members of our current "little boys table" conference one could assume playing a P5 program is limited at best. I also appreciate, unless I missed a team, we are the last G5 school to play prior to the NYD Bowls. December 31st is a prime time bowl game bonanza and we are the first game on the slate for that day. This is great exposure and strong national perception for our program. Throw in Annapolis in a very doable journey [8 hour drive] for our fan base in greater Cincinnati. Life is good!

Does UC usually have alumni promotional deals for hotels?

(12-02-2018 06:32 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 04:46 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 04:44 PM)mbj655 Wrote:  VT again. Ugh!

When the alternatives are the garbage dump of the Sun Belt and CUSA in middle December, I'm thrilled with a P5 opponent in a NYE bowl.

I'm also very happy with the draw when you consider we were projected a month ago for the effin Gasparilla Bowl. USF got that one against Marshall. We are matched up against a P5 team and I'll take that any day of the week and twice on Sundays. We don't hold a lot of cards in bowl draws/tie-ins so the selection committee has done us a favor IMO. Consider that we've been fortunate to play P5 programs going back to Coach Kelly [save for 2015] in the following order:

2008 Virginia Tech
2009 Florida
2011 Vanderbilt
2012 Duke
2013 North Carolina
2014 Virginia Tech
2015 San Diego St.
2018 Virginia Tech

I realize part of that result is we benefited as members of the former BCS Big East Conference. That said, after playing SDSU in 2015 and as members of our current "little boys table" conference one could assume playing a P5 program is limited at best. I also appreciate, unless I missed a team, we are the last G5 school to play prior to the NYD Bowls. December 31st is a prime time bowl game bonanza and we are the first game on the slate for that day. This is great exposure and strong national perception for our program. Throw in Annapolis in a very doable journey [8 hour drive] for our fan base in greater Cincinnati. Life is good!

Recommend that you plan for at least 9 hours for your drive if you are coming from Cincy, particularly if you encounter winter weather on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and in the Washington/Baltimore Annapolis Metro area. Also recommend that you get your hotel reservations early. New Year’s Eve in Annapolis is fairly popular for visitors; and with the Hokie fans traveling well, expect room availability to be tight.

(12-02-2018 07:10 PM)TubaCat Wrote:  Does UC usually have alumni promotional deals for hotels?

Theres usually a travel package put together in conjunction with a travel agency. But its typically not a great deal.

Per the Military bowl website, the AAC team hotel is The Renaissance Wa D.C. Official AAC fan hotel is the Hotel Annapolis.

The team stayed at The Renaissance in downtown Washington, D.C. for our Military Bowl appearance four years ago. It’s a good location for visitors wanting to combine the game with visits to some of Washington’s attractions, but be advised that the hotel is about a one hour’s drive to Annapolis. On game day, it will be a 90 minute drive due to game day congestion in Annapolis.

(12-02-2018 07:42 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  The team stayed at The Renaissance in downtown Washington, D.C. for our Military Bowl appearance four years ago. It’s a good location for visitors wanting to combine the game with visits to some of Washington’s attractions, but be advised that the hotel is about a one hour’s drive to Annapolis. On game day, it will be a 90 minute drive due to game day congestion in Annapolis.

My drive from DC to Annapolis for the last UC/VT military bowl was traffic free, but it was indeed more like 90minutes on the return leg. Most of that wasn't game traffic, just backups from regional highways merging to 95.

That game was Dec. 27th though, so there may be more traffic this time around, with people headed to NYC.

Poor Miami was left home at 6-6 as was Southern Miss 6-5 Wyoming 6-6 and U Louisiana Monroe 6-6

The traffic to the Military Bowl 4 years ago was horrible and the search for parking was worse. I drove in from BWI.

(12-02-2018 06:32 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 04:46 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(12-02-2018 04:44 PM)mbj655 Wrote:  VT again. Ugh!

When the alternatives are the garbage dump of the Sun Belt and CUSA in middle December, I'm thrilled with a P5 opponent in a NYE bowl.

I'm also very happy with the draw when you consider we were projected a month ago for the effin Gasparilla Bowl. USF got that one against Marshall. We are matched up against a P5 team and I'll take that any day of the week and twice on Sundays. We don't hold a lot of cards in bowl draws/tie-ins so the selection committee has done us a favor IMO. Consider that we've been fortunate to play P5 programs going back to Coach Kelly [save for 2015] in the following order:

2008 Virginia Tech
2009 Florida
2011 Vanderbilt
2012 Duke
2013 North Carolina
2014 Virginia Tech
2015 San Diego St.
2018 Virginia Tech

I realize part of that result is we benefited as members of the former BCS Big East Conference. That said, after playing SDSU in 2015 and as members of our current "little boys table" conference one could assume playing a P5 program is limited at best. I also appreciate, unless I missed a team, we are the last G5 school to play prior to the NYD Bowls. December 31st is a prime time bowl game bonanza and we are the first game on the slate for that day. This is great exposure and strong national perception for our program. Throw in Annapolis in a very doable journey [8 hour drive] for our fan base in greater Cincinnati. Life is good!

Good Comment
The Bearcats will also play later in the season than Kelly's Kids
at Notre Dame.

The Hokies were 4-6 when they beat Virginia in OT.

Then they had toschedule and beat Marshall. If the Bearcats can beat nemesis Justin Fuente it would give VaTech their first losing season since 1992.

Teams Staying Home: Tenn, Florida State, Texas Tech, USC, UCLA, Arizona, Kansas State, Colorado, Indiana, Ole Miss, Maryland and
Nebraska.

Va Tech in the Military Bowl? I'll take it. It's not like either team has the same players from previous bowl games between the two. Also not too bad of a set up for our conference's bowl matchups - at least as far as getting wins.

Frankly, I'm a little surprised at some of the negativity surrounding this bowl selection.

Among the American Conference bids, UC wasn't going to get a ranked opponent in any scenario. So playing an ACC team with a fairly elite tradition on New Year's Eve is about the best it can get, short of the access bowl. And I don't think anyone realistically believed UC would run the table this season and go to the Fiesta to face LSU.

What about weather? Iffy, for sure. But we've had very cold, gray weather much farther south in Birmingham and Charlotte for bowl games. We had unseasonably good weather in Memphis but I've seen that bowl played in the cold rain too.

New Year's Eve is a holiday for many businesses; when it's not, even more folks will take it as a vacation day for a long weekend. I understand that some must work, but that's true any day of the year. Still, this one checks so many boxes: P5 opponent with tradition, New Year's Eve (prime time for bowl season for sure) quality national telecast (more eyeballs than a mid-December game by a longshot), and a very cool destination town in Annapolis; all within reasonable driving distance for both fan bases.

Let's enjoy the moment--for the next 29 days. UC fans have earned that right after the previous two dreadful seasons. And while we are all filled with optimism for next season being even better, we never know what the future holds, especially facing a much more difficult schedule in '19. Go 'Cats!

(12-03-2018 08:01 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Frankly, I'm a little surprised at some of the negativity surrounding this bowl selection.

Among the American Conference bids, UC wasn't going to get a ranked opponent in any scenario. So playing an ACC team with a fairly elite tradition on New Year's Eve is about the best it can get, short of the access bowl. And I don't think anyone realistically believed UC would run the table this season and go to the Fiesta to face LSU.

What about weather? Iffy, for sure. But we've had very cold, gray weather much farther south in Birmingham and Charlotte for bowl games. We had unseasonably good weather in Memphis but I've seen that bowl played in the cold rain too.

New Year's Eve is a holiday for many businesses; when it's not, even more folks will take it as a vacation day for a long weekend. I understand that some must work, but that's true any day of the year. Still, this one checks so many boxes: P5 opponent with tradition, New Year's Eve (prime time for bowl season for sure) quality national telecast (more eyeballs than a mid-December game by a longshot), and a very cool destination town in Annapolis; all within reasonable driving distance for both fan bases.

Let's enjoy the moment--for the next 29 days. UC fans have earned that right after the previous two dreadful seasons. And while we are all filled with optimism for next season being even better, we never know what the future holds, especially facing a much more difficult schedule in '19. Go 'Cats!

In bowl season, you always judge your bowl by what other bowl games are played that day and who is else is playing. Cincinnati-Virginia Tech share that day with MSU, Oregon, Stanford, Pitt, Missouri, OK State, Utah, Northwestern, NC State, and Texas A&M. Not bad company to keep that day. Outside of the 29th and January 1, that is the strongest day for bowl games and sits very nicely in the middle of major bowl season as opposed to the junk bowls early in the month.

(09-25-2018 04:04 PM)TubaCat Wrote:  I have a bottle of wine that I purchased in Charlotte, NC during the 2012 Belk Bowl. I didn't get a chance to drink it while in Charlotte, so I decided I would have a bit of fun and wait until our next bowl victory to open it.

It has now been almost 6 years since that game, and we all know how rough each postseason has turned out in that time. Here's to hoping that this is the year!

This fine vintage finally got opened in the hotel room after getting back from the game. Other than being a bit watery, it actually wasn't too bad.

(12-31-2018 07:39 PM)TubaCat Wrote:  

(09-25-2018 04:04 PM)TubaCat Wrote:  I have a bottle of wine that I purchased in Charlotte, NC during the 2012 Belk Bowl. I didn't get a chance to drink it while in Charlotte, so I decided I would have a bit of fun and wait until our next bowl victory to open it.

It has now been almost 6 years since that game, and we all know how rough each postseason has turned out in that time. Here's to hoping that this is the year!

This fine vintage finally got opened in the hotel room after getting back from the game. Other than being a bit watery, it actually wasn't too bad.

Wow - very similar in my hotel - Hokie fans were having a whine tonight!!!

(12-31-2018 08:41 PM)Ragpicker Wrote:  Wow - very similar in my hotel - Hokie fans were having a whine tonight!!!

Heard they were heavily drinking some Icekickur Blanc.