Dec. 24, 2008
Wednesday, Dec. 24 10:45 a.m. Players have arrived at Joe Aillet Stadium and are preparing to practice one final time in Ruston before loading the buses and heading to Shreveport to check into the team hotel (Hilton). It's been raining all morning but nothing is going to dampen the spirits of these guys as the real bowl experience begins today.
1:30 p.m. Team just finished practice and actually saw the sun come out for the final 45 minutes or so. Head coach Derek Dooley addressed the players and coaches following practice, reminding them to stay focused on the job at hand during the next four days in Shreveport leading up to the game.
2:00 p.m. Players showered and got dressed in their coats and ties for the trip to Shreveport. Coach Ed Jackson supervised feeding the players and coaches (Popeyes Chicken) while the equipment staff, training staff and video staff loaded their equipment onto the moving van.
3:15 p.m. After a couple of interviews by Derek Dooley, Quin Harris and Patrick Jackson with KTVE-TV, the team caravan consisting of four buses, numerous players cars and a state police escort departed Joe Aillet Stadium for the one-hour drive to the Hilton in Shreveport.
4:20 p.m. Team arrived at the Hilton as local media, hotel staff and numerous family and friends met the players and coaches. Coach Dooley, Ross Jenkins and Weldon Brown conducted interviews with KSLA, KTAL and KTBS as well as Shreveport Times writer Jimmy Watson in the hotel lobby. The players and coaches picked up their keys to their rooms in the hotel lobby which was decorated with a distinct Louisiana Tech flavor.
4:45 p.m. It didn't take the players long to find the Players Hospitality suite. They've already settled in and started enjoying some of the luxuries of the suite, including large screen TVs, video games, food and computer stations. This will be their home away from home (and favorite spot) for the next four days.
7 p.m. The players, coaches, support staff and families gathered for a Christmas Eve meal in Ballroom B of the Shreveport Convention Center. The meal consisted of ham, turkey, wings, green bean casserole, steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, fruit, and best of all ... plenty of choices for dessert. Almost 175 members of the Bulldog Family enjoyed the meal. During the first part of the meal, Christmas music is provided by a small orchestra which includes ... sophomore center Lon Roberts playing the cello.
7:45 p.m. The Bulldog players receive their Independence Bowl watches as one of their bowl gifts. The stainless steel quartz watch has the Independence Bowl logo on the face while the back in inscripted with Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech.
8:15 p.m. Tech head coach Derek Dooley caps off the dinner by reading Twas The Night Before Christmas to the children of the Bulldog coaches. It truly is a family affair.
Thursday, Dec. 25 (Merry Christmas)
9:00 a.m. The Tech coaching staff meets to discuss the day ahead and finalize the afternoon's practice which is set for Independence Stadium.
9:45 a.m. The Bulldog players begin arriving in Ballroom B of the Shreveport Convention Center for breakfast. After a long day Wednesday and plenty of work ahead, the players were allowed to sleep in this morning. Everyone seems to be in a great mood and why not ... its Christmas. Scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, cereal, fruit and muffins are on the buffet line this morning.
10:45 a.m. Tech video coordinator David Snyder finishes preparing all the meeting rooms in the Shreveport Convention Center as his staff has equipped the rooms with the projectors, dry erase boards, and everything that the coaches need in order to have position meetings.
11:00 a.m. Special teams meeting begins followed by position meetings and offense and defense meetings as the Bulldog coaches continue to game-plan for the upcoming Independence Bowl game against Northern Illinois.
12:45 p.m. Team buses led by the state police escort featuring six motorcycles arrived at Independence Stadium for the Bulldogs first practice on the field. It really doesn't seem like its been since 2004 that LA Tech has played on this field ... but none of these guys have ever played here (except some of them in high school). Players dress, trainers tape and wrap, video shoots and managers ... well they do a little of everything. It's a cool day with overcast skies and a pretty steady breeze. It's a normal Wednesday practice so its long and physical. Pads are popping. Both KTBS and KTAL come out and shoot about the first 20 minutes of practice.
3:15 p.m. Practice wraps up as Coach Dooley huddles up and goes over the itinerary for the rest of the day. Plenty of activities to keep the guys busy. Jimmy Watson from the Shreveport Times interviews Dooley and a foursome of Shreveport guys in Jay Dudley, Keith Brown, Jared Barron and Dennis Morris. Players shower and dress and receive another bowl gift as the head to the buses ... a nice black Independence Bowl hat that has both teams logos.
6 p.m. Time for some more fun as the entire traveling party and family members are entertained at the Team Party held at the Funny Bone in Shreveport. The team eats some good food, Santa Claus shows up to entertain the young ones and more media coverage by KTBS as Leslie Spoon interviews Derek Dooley, Bruce Van De Velde and Indy Bowl media director Patrick Meehan. After supper, the players go downstairs to bowl, play pool and just hang out. None of these guys have a second career as professional bowlers although they all seemed to have fun ... which is the point. Senior Weldon Brown takes the mic from Leslie Spoon and interviews a few of his teammates about their bowling prowess.
8 p.m. Team returns to the hotel and the rest of the evening will be spent in the respective hospitality suites. Christmas Day has been busy and fun although different than most normal Christmases for most.
Friday, Dec. 26
9 a.m. The team gathered for another one of those great breakfasts in Ballroom B of the Shreveport Convention Center. The watch company folks were on hand to size all of the players and coaches Independence Bowl watches.
10 a.m. Players and coaches had meetings as the continue to gameplan for Sunday night's match-up against the Huskies.
11:30 a.m. The players, coaches, support staff, families and friends gathered and walked to the Minuteman Luncheon in the Shreveport Convention Center. This is one of the big events that surrounds the Independence Bowl every year and is led by Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman. In addition to both teams and their respective parties, the event usually draws 1,500 to 2,000 folks. Brando and Tillman interviewed both Derek Dooley and NIU coach Jerry Kill for about 10 minutes about their respective programs. Tech linebacker Quin Harris received a Scholastic Student-Athlete Award for his work in the classroom. A highlight video was shown of both teams as Brando and Tillman discussed the match-up between the Bulldogs and the Huskies.
1 p.m. The team loaded the buses and headed over to Independence Stadium. The players, coaches and support staff got dressed in their uniforms and game-day gear for a team picture. The Bulldogs then conducted their final full practice as the team will only participate in a walk-thru on Saturday.
4 p.m. The media interviewed Tech head coach Derek Dooley, Weldon Brown, Antonio Baker, Quin Harris and Daniel Porter following practice.
4:30 p.m. The team returned to the Hilton and the players have the rest of the day off. A couple of non-player events are taking place tonight including the Chairman's VIP Dinner and the media dinner at Earnests.
Saturday, Dec. 27
7:15 a.m. About 50 Bulldog players load up on two buses along with head coach Derek Dooley and some assistant coaches and support staff and headed over to the FCA breakfast at the Bossier Civic Center. Incredible turn out for the event as they had to put more table down and fix more food as it was called "the best one ever" by a number of people who attend on a yearly basis. During the breakfast, LA Tech's players Weldon Brown, Quin Harris and Ross Jenkins gave their testimonies along with three NIU players. Team Hoyt (http://www.teamhoyt.com/) was on hand to receive an award as one of the most inspirational videos you have ever seen was shown about their incredible story.
9:30 Team returned to the hotel as the administrators then headed over to the stadium for a meeting with the Independence folks and the ESPN crew to discuss Sunday's big game.
11 a.m. The formal press conference was held at Independence Stadium as NIU coach Jerry Kill, defensive end Larry English and quarterback Chandler Harnish were questioned by media from both markets for 30 minutes. It was then LA Tech coach Derek Dooley, linebacker Brannon Jackson and quarterback Ross Jenkins who took their turn at centerstage discussing this year's team and tomorrow night's game.
12:30 p.m. The buses loaded up one more time as the team traveled to LSU Medical Center to visit children in the hospital. More than 50 Bulldogs went room to room through the pediatric center handing out LA Tech t-shirts and interacting with young patients and their family members. It was one of the more enjoyable experiences of the week to see these young men poured out their hearts to the youngsters.
2:30 p.m. Here's one for you. The electricity at the Hilton Hotel went out as a storm passed through the area. We've heard all sorts of rumors about why, but bottom line is we went almost four hours without electricity. The Hilton staff bent over backwards to make the situation as easy as possible and honestly it wasn't that bad ... some of us even took advantage of the darkness for naptime.
4:15 p.m. Following meetings, the team headed back over to Independence Stadium for its walk-thru which was closed to all media. An hour of final preparations and fine-tuning as tomorrow is game-day.
5:30 p.m. Fans from both teams start flowing into the Shreveport Convention Center for the Battle of the Bands Pep Rally. The event was originally scheduled to be outside but was moved inside due to the weather. Tech radio announcer Dave Nitz and the NIU radio announcer started the event off by talking about their respective teams, taking some jovial jibes at the opposing team and asking trivia questions. Then the Louisiana Tech Band of Pride, Regal Blues and cheerleaders joined forced with their NIU counterparts to really get the crowd going. As the event wore on, a number of Bulldog players showed up after returning from walk-thru.
7 p.m. Only 24 hours before the Bulldogs meet the Huskies in the 2008 Independence Bowl in Shreveport. The Tech players have an early curfew tonight as all focus is on the job at hand ... beating the Huskies.
