Props to the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl (presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop)

Yesterday marked the sixth time I traveled to see Miami in a bowl game (Mobile '11, St. Pete '16, Mobile '19, Frisco '21, Bahamas '22 before) and it was an experience so truly elevated from all the other games.

The pre-game tailgate hosted on AU’s campus had a big-game feeling unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced at a Miami game in any sport - including the aforementioned bowls, multiple frozen 4s, and the March Madness round of 64 in Spokane in 2007. There were literally hundreds of stalls with food, drinks, and other activation (@Spanks004, @redhawk11 and I got massages and @JiveHawk got an IV treatment). There was live music. There were about 100 low rider cars stationed throughout the grounds. The most analogous event I have attended was the tailgate hosted on the grounds of the Rose Bowl before the 2023 Rose Bowl game that I attended with a throng of Utah fans.

The whole community rallied around the game. Everyone knew about the “Snoop Bowl.” Every uber driver asked us about our time in Tucson. Last night around 9pm, the 4 of us got roped into a stand up comedy battle that was about to start in downtown Tucson; almost everyone on stage tried to pander to us by starting their sets with “Go RedHawks.” We met a random grandmother at a bar in downtown Tucson on Friday who texted us congratulations after the game. It was easily the most well attended of the games I’ve been to and there as far more neutral/community attendees than any other game we’ve been to (again, thanks Snoop).

You could tell how much pride the staff and community took in this game. At yesterday’s tailgate, a member of the game’s Board of Directors stopped our group to make sure we were enjoying our time in Tucson and even took a selfie with us to send to the other BoD members. It was not surprising at all to hear Chuck’s postgame comments that the players and staff received better treatment at this game than at any of the others they’ve attended.

THIS is the type of game Miami should be striving to play in every year, failing a CFP berth or trip to a legacy bowl. I made a point to vote with my wallet throughout the last 2 days, including buying 5x more merch than I’ve ever bought from a bowl before. I would encourage everyone else to do the same. They just loaded a bunch of champions merch to their website: Miami (OH)

I’m under no illusions about where yesterday’s game fell in the grand landscape of college football. But I think that’s why the experience provided to our players and fans is all the more important. The Arizona Bowl is now the gold standard for that experience. The ass kicking we gave CSU didn’t hurt either. All the props to those involved in the planning and execution of that game; here’s hoping they have us back soon (let’s give them a reason to!).

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Except for a minor complaint about not making it easy to get water at the pregame tailgate (kids got thirsty!), everything yesterday was incredibly well done. Really just an A+ operation all around.

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I totally agree that the Arizona Bowl should be the first choice for MAC teams

  • Great location
  • Good opponent
  • Great date - Saturday afternoon is warm
  • Great local support

I would also echo that the pregame and game experience was by far the best.

The fact that Snoop embraced it so much was awesome

I would counter that I love the Mobile parade as maybe a better day before experience and I think Mobile is a good location too

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The Mobile parade was great. I did get hit in the head by an entire box of Moon Pies though.Took them back to Ohio.

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Your comments above underscore why colleges seek the status of FBS division football.

In this day and age you don’t see any schools moving down. The only exception recently has been Idaho. There have been quite a few moving up from FCS.

It is why football is often referred to as the front porch of the university.

As an example, an old friend of mine who played at Penn State ,who now lives in NJ, sent me a text after the game telling me how impressed he was with the Miami win.

How many are out there that only know about Miami (Ohio) because of games like that or Wally in the Sweet Sixteen?

There is a LOT of PR value to the school from these games.

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I was talking to a younger relative who is thinking about attending Miami after high school if he thought it was cool that Miami won the Snoop Dogg Bowl, or if he thought it was “mid”, like winning the Fenway Bowl or the Liberty Bowl.

He said he thought it was really cool to be winning the Snoop Bowl, and it kinda gives some credibility for Miami as a cool place.

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We knew a retired faculty member who was a volunteer given the assignment to read applicant’s essays.This was in Miami’s ( soon to be repeated,hopefully) hockey heyday. Student applicants checking out and applying to Miami due to hockey’s PR was often mentioned.
I’d bet the Snoop Dogg Bowl will generate similar activity.
Thanks,Snoop!

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I saw that the band flew out to Tucson, which almost certainly was due to bowl funding (I’ve never heard of the MUMB or pep band flying anywhere in 10+ years of being involved). Getting to perform with Snoop at halftime will also be a lifetime memory for the current members, like the 2012 Inaugural Parade for me.

Also while the TV experience wasn’t the Super Bowl or anything, it was very solid. Per Reddit the CW uses a lot of old Pac 12 Network crews and equipment so that explains it a bit. If we make this game again and Snoop is still involved I’m going to try really hard to make it because I wish I could’ve been there instead of watching from Chicago.

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Indeed. We didn’t stay at the AC Marriott Downtown, which the university arranged for Miami fans. Nor did we stay at the Westin La Paloma, where the team was staying, but this sign was prominently displayed in our hotel lobby. I imagine other hotels across Tucson had similar signs welcoming fans.

I should have stolen it for yanksAlex, sorry Alex.

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By far the best bowl atmosphere I’ve seen as a Miami fan. Tucson treats this like a major event. And I thoroughly enjoyed staying in what ended up being the CSU hotel. A lot of their fans were cocky Friday night. They didn’t have anything to say Saturday night.

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I wonder how many of Miami’s crack “marketing representatives” were at the game, taking notes?

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I caught a Moon Pie standing on the street right in front of the banquet hotel… Gave it to Jack Sorenson who was standing right behind us and had just asked Brett “What’s a Moon Pie?”

I also one-handed this sweet trophy thrown in my direction from a float. Gave it to my lady. We named it Bowl Bear. We put it out in a corner of the dining room in a rocking chair every year during the Holiday/Bowl Season. He was wearing the Red scarf when we adopted him!

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The alumni tent was well staffed, at least, though I wish there had been some sort of official event apart from what the bowl ran.

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In Mobile the last time Alumni and fans were invited to attend the football awards banquet held at the team hotel. We went. It was terrific! Apparently they didn’t repeat that in Tucson.

Yep, that was a great experience.

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