OFFICIAL: Minnesota vs Syracuse in Pinstripe Bowl

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Some guy said:
Yeah it’s not great weather but people are a little on tilt about it for some reason.
This isn’t the motor city bowl (and even that is a good game when there are enough ACC teams to play Georgia tech)
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I think there's a few factors in play. Ya, the weather isn't great. I have two Sun Country flight vouchers I need to use by April. The wife brought up NYC or Nashville over Christmas (before even talking bowls) and I said no way. If there isn't warm weather, a pool and umbrella drinks involved I'm not interested in using vacation to go from Eff'ing cold to a little less cold. Although I may have made an exception for Nashville if we were in the Music City. Then, let's be honest....the Gophers kinda took one for the team by apparently asking for AZ (basically giving WI the LV bowl), and I think the fans (and maybe the team) were maybe expecting a solid in return. Let's be honest, LV was more attractive (a hell of a lot cheaper and easier to get to) than AZ and PSU was basically gifted Tampa.
 
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well, found some details on the Teams' activities in NYC: (from the Strib)

Pinstripe officials have lined up the following activities for the teams:
  • Ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
  • Attending the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.
  • Taking in a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden.
  • Touring the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
  • Experiencing the One World Observatory.
  • Visiting the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Children's Pediatric Center for Cancer.
  • Holding a chalk talk with Bronx youth football teams.
"We are going to have great events like we always do — iconic stuff, stuff that feels like New York, smells like New York,'' said Mark Holtzman, executive director of the bowl.

(I have this image of someone calling group sales for the Rangers and saying, ah yeah, I need about 200 tickets for a game on Christmas week.........)
 

short ornery norwegian said:
well, found some details on the Teams' activities in NYC: (from the Strib)

Pinstripe officials have lined up the following activities for the teams:
  • Ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
  • Attending the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.
  • Taking in a New York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden.
  • Touring the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
  • Experiencing the One World Observatory.
  • Visiting the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Children's Pediatric Center for Cancer.
  • Holding a chalk talk with Bronx youth football teams.
"We are going to have great events like we always do — iconic stuff, stuff that feels like New York, smells like New York,'' said Mark Holtzman, executive director of the bowl.

(I have this image of someone calling group sales for the Rangers and saying, ah yeah, I need about 200 tickets for a game on Christmas week.........)
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It’ll be sweet for the players

Unless it snows
 





disco said:
www.syracuse.com

ACC coaches are jealous Syracuse ended up in the Pinstripe Bowl. What makes it so coveted?

The Pinstripe Bowl had six ACC teams to choose from.
www.syracuse.com www.syracuse.com
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I saw that last night too and was gonna post it. I actually don't doubt it. From what I saw on message boards, all those teams actually WERE lobbying to get the Pinstripe. Nobody wanted to go to Fenway because of timing, and a lot of the other options are either super far (Sun) or also fairly cold (Military). I honestly think the Pinstripe is viewed differently in the ACC than the B1G. We mock the B1G team that ends up there, while it's either neutral or something to be envied in the ACC.
 



W404613 said:
I think I slightly disagree. I think you can be the squeaky wheel at some point. If we swapped bowls with Illinois this year, I could see Bret Bielema saying something. Would that fan base be against him saying something or would they rally behind that sentiment?

I'm not complaining about being selected to the pinstripe bowl. You can put me in the camp that is looking forward to going as I've never been to NYC and what better reason to go then to watch some Gopher football!

I am in the camp that understands the bowl selection process is what it is but questions if that's the most 'equitable' and beneficial process for college football.

I'm not sure your last question but if you're asking whether or not I wrote the football team thank you notes, the answer is no. I have decorated an oar that says thank you and it's proudly displayed in the tunnel. Does that count?
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The B1G is now what 14 schools?

That's small enough that you shouldn't need to go public on your grievances and you know you'll be heard (not necessarily get what you want) when you raise any issues. You're not getting anything out of whining publicly.

Problem with going public is 1. You look bad ... 2. Like Nebraska did a while back you're really doing it for fans and boosters, and that's a bad thing to start doing, whining for fans / to appease them.


The other issue is that traditional B1G deals with this stuff in house. Coaches can do some rivalry talk and etc but any real B1G issues are private. That's a good way to keep things stable, have frank conversations without pissing everyone else off.

I remember years ago when the Gophers and Michigan game was up in the air for a Firday or Saturday start time because of possible playoff baseball at the Metrodome. Lloyd Carr said something about not coming because he was upset the exact start wasn't known ahead of time (imagine him handling that today...). He was pissed.

MN said nothing. A few days later Carr very uncharactaristicly made a statement that "We will be happy to come and play when the date and time are set." I assume MN called Michigan or something like that and Michigan's AD told Lloyd to get his shit together ;)
 


Panthadad2 said:
What are the main points in the article (why other ACC coaches are "jealous")? It looks to be behind a paywall for me.
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Mainly that they all love NYC (cool city, and lots of ACC alumni), the venue, and I think most of all, the slate of activities for the teams and coaches. The latter, I think we'd all admit, are pretty cool and unique.
 

saintpauljeff said:
I don't know how y'all do the bowl game traveling bit, it is soooo expensive to do so from the Twin Cities.
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Don't use the creative charter package, for one.

I've been to 4 bowl games and have always been able to make it relatively affordable. Just gotta hustle and think outside the box a bit...
 



disco said:
Mainly that they all love NYC (cool city, and lots of ACC alumni), the venue, and I think most of all, the slate of activities for the teams and coaches. The latter, I think we'd all admit, are pretty cool and unique.
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I have trouble beliving that makes ACC coaches jealous ...
 


I can see how the Military and Fenway are in the same league as the Motor City Bowl (or whatever it's called now). I enjoyed the Sun Bowl and would go back, though I think that bowl likes hosting the Big 12 vs. Pac 12 now.
 

MGGopher said:
I saw that last night too and was gonna post it. I actually don't doubt it. From what I saw on message boards, all those teams actually WERE lobbying to get the Pinstripe. Nobody wanted to go to Fenway because of timing, and a lot of the other options are either super far (Sun) or also fairly cold (Military). I honestly think the Pinstripe is viewed differently in the ACC than the B1G. We mock the B1G team that ends up there, while it's either neutral or something to be envied in the ACC.
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Listening to Fleck's presser about the Pinstripe Bowl experience was encouraging. Not only did he talk about NYC as a one-in-a-kind place where few of the players had ever gone but he stressed the Pinstripe player experience and compared that to some southern bowl destinations. He said something like "this isn't one of those paces where they tell you to hit the beach and we'll see you in a few days." He also talked about his own memorable experiences as a coach (with Rutgers I guess) attending that bowl.

Also supporting what you are saying: although we are the first 8-4 Big Ten team to go to that bowl, three ACC/Big East 8-4 teams (Rutgers, Pitt, Wake Forest) and 8-4 Notre Dame have gone there. Pitt and Notre Dame were ranked at the time. The bowl only has been played since 2010 and it was cancelled during the COVID year. I watched a short video featuring one of the committee members and he talked like that bowl really did want the Gophers there and he listed a number of reasons for that.
 

disco said:
Mainly that they all love NYC (cool city, and lots of ACC alumni), the venue, and I think most of all, the slate of activities for the teams and coaches. The latter, I think we'd all admit, are pretty cool and unique.
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Syracuse, N.Y. — In the 48 hours since Syracuse football received its bowl placement, Dino Babers has received numerous phone calls from ACC peers.

They’re jealous.

“You’re going to a great bowl,” they’ve told him.

The Orange heads to New York City later this month to play Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Since its inaugural game 12 years ago, which SU won, the bowl has become one of the most coveted postseason destinations for ACC teams.

Pinstripe Bowl executive director Mark Holtzman said during a press conference Tuesday that he and his colleagues had six schools in their pool of ACC options, and that all six called to say the Pinstripe Bowl was their first choice.

As New York’s only bowl game, it’s not a surprise Syracuse was the ACC team the Yankees chose. Regional schools have appeared in seven iterations of the bowl.

SU also has a strong alumni contingent in NYC that has shown out in its previous two Pinstripe Bowl appearances, both of which were wins.

“It’s kind of been a magic carpet ride for Syracuse whenever they’ve played in our bowl,” Holtzman said.

The location of the game is a large part of the draw for teams across the country. While it will certainly be colder than most other bowl destinations, Yankee Stadium is a historic venue in one of the biggest cities in the world.

Former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010, a year after Yankee Stadium’s construction, was a big proponent of college football. He was an assistant coach at both Purdue and Northwestern before going into business with his father.

“When (George Steinbrenner) built the new Yankee Stadium, it was always his dream to have big-time college football here,” Holtzman said.

Teams also get to practice at Fordham University and Columbia University facilities, two of the oldest colleges in the United States.

The timing of the bowl plays into its draw for programs, too. With the game scheduled just after Christmas, New York City is still aglow with holiday spirit when teams arrive for all of their bowl-related festivities.

While NYC is a manageable trip from Syracuse, it’s the first trip to the Big Apple for many players in other programs that appear in the Pinstripe Bowl.

“A lot of our players have never been to New York City,” Gophers coach PJ Fleck said. “They’ve never been to Times Square. They’ve never had the experience they’re about ready to embark on.”

And just because Syracuse and Minnesota will be in town for a football game doesn’t mean their players and coaches won’t get the full experience of the city.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

There’s a whole slate of extracurricular activities planned for when teams arrive early the week of the game.

Babers, Fleck, and a handful of other players and bowl executives will get to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange that signifies the opening or closing of a day of trading. Holtzman said it’s typically a good day to play the market.

Teams will also get to see a performance of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring The Rockettes and will attend the New York Rangers hockey game against the Washington Capitals on Dec. 27. They’ll also visit the 9/11 Memorial and take in the city from the One World Observatory.

There’s even an activity planned specifically for the coaches’ wives: a trip to Tavern on the Greens in Central Park.

The Pinstripe Bowl also works closely with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Children’s Pediatric Center For Cancer for philanthropic opportunities and will be hosting a chalk-talk for youth football players in the Bronx with members of the SU and Minnesota teams.

“This is not just another bowl game,” Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack said. “You’re playing in New York. ... It’s as big a stage as there is. It’s a wonderful opportunity.”

Syracuse and Minnesota kick off at 2 p.m. on Dec. 29 at Yankee Stadium. The Pinstripe Bowl will air on ESPN.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I have trouble beliving that makes ACC coaches jealous ...
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It's all a sales pitch, I think it's what we all know and expect. What are they really supposed to say "I know we all wanted a football field someplace warm, but this is what you get". The bowl has been played like 11 times....honestly, how many times has anyone really heard of a fan base being excited to end up there? I could see a team destined for Fenway to try to get to NY instead, but really they're the same bowl....cold weather, baseball stadium.

Hell, I remember this conversation last year and the sentiment being "anyplace but NY".

Selfishly, I really hope the B1G drops this bowl and goes west. I'd be more apt to make that trip than to NYC in the winter.
 
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rgv2 said:
It's all a sales pitch, I think it's what we all know and expect. What are they really supposed to say "I know we all wanted a football field someplace warm, but this is what you get". The bowl has been played like 11 times....honestly, how many times has anyone really heard of a fan base being excited to end up there? I could see a team destined for Fenway to try to get to NY instead, but really they're the same bowl....cold weather, baseball stadium.

Hell, I remember this conversation last year and the sentiment being "anyplace but NY".

I really hope the B1G drops this bowl and goes west.
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Yeah I agree 100%, you're gracious to the bowl folks you got even if you wanted another bowl. Pinnstripe folks aren't the reason / shouldn't catch flack for it.
 


MGGopher said:
I saw that last night too and was gonna post it. I actually don't doubt it. From what I saw on message boards, all those teams actually WERE lobbying to get the Pinstripe. Nobody wanted to go to Fenway because of timing, and a lot of the other options are either super far (Sun) or also fairly cold (Military). I honestly think the Pinstripe is viewed differently in the ACC than the B1G. We mock the B1G team that ends up there, while it's either neutral or something to be envied in the ACC.
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It turned into a great bowl because the Gophers are in it.
 


cjbfbp said:
Listening to Fleck's presser about the Pinstripe Bowl experience was encouraging. Not only did he talk about NYC as a one-in-a-kind place where few of the players had ever gone but he stressed the Pinstripe player experience and compared that to some southern bowl destinations. He said something like "this isn't one of those paces where they tell you to hit the beach and we'll see you in a few days." He also talked about his own memorable experiences as a coach (with Rutgers I guess) attending that bowl.

Also supporting what you are saying: although we are the first 8-4 Big Ten team to go to that bowl, three ACC/Big East 8-4 teams (Rutgers, Pitt, Wake Forest) and 8-4 Notre Dame have gone there. Pitt and Notre Dame were ranked at the time. The bowl only has been played since 2010 and it was cancelled during the COVID year. I watched a short video featuring one of the committee members and he talked like that bowl really did want the Gophers there and he listed a number of reasons for that.
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Link to the committee video?
 



MGGopher said:
I saw that last night too and was gonna post it. I actually don't doubt it. From what I saw on message boards, all those teams actually WERE lobbying to get the Pinstripe. Nobody wanted to go to Fenway because of timing, and a lot of the other options are either super far (Sun) or also fairly cold (Military). I honestly think the Pinstripe is viewed differently in the ACC than the B1G. We mock the B1G team that ends up there, while it's either neutral or something to be envied in the ACC.
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And I think the big ten east views it differently than the west too.
The big ten east teams probably view Arizona unfavorably
 

Zeppelin Gopher said:
Don't use the creative charter package, for one.

I've been to 4 bowl games and have always been able to make it relatively affordable. Just gotta hustle and think outside the box a bit...
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I usually don’t have the time available nor the extra money it takes to fly out of MSP. I’ll never attend a bowl game unless I live in another area of the country or if it’s the Rose Bowl (so basically I’d need to move in order to go)
 

saintpauljeff said:
I usually don’t have the time available nor the extra money it takes to fly out of MSP. I’ll never attend a bowl game unless I live in another area of the country or if it’s the Rose Bowl (so basically I’d need to move in order to go)
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A big issue for me, and probably a lot of people, is the short notice, and the generally high cost of plane tickets during the holidays.
 


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