Now we know why the Sun Bowl

[NDgreatestofalltime!]

Chairman cried when they were surprised to find out ND was going to participate in their bowl.

The Sun Bowl announced a Bowl record attendance of 48,233, stadium capacity was 45,971. This wouldn’t have happened without the strong south Texas Irish support.

I was assigned to the San Antonio Field Office for nearly seven years and there were lots of Irish fans there, it shocked me actually.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

ND has long had a well-deserved reputation for travelling well for bowl games, and the Sun Bowl showed that. I suspect it also didn't hurt that El Paso, like much of West Texas, has a strong Hispanic and Latino presence, and they are traditiionally very devout Catholics. So ND was probably a strong favorite among the local population, and they came out to see ND play. For all the pooh-poohing here and on other boards about playing in the Sun Bowl, it ended up being a really positive experience, and the Sun Bowl committee did a great job with the game. ND fans showed up in force to support the team, and we played really well. I was highly impressed with the effort and execution of our coaching staff and players. Well done, fellas.

 

[Telx1]

ND is still a huge draw throughout the country. Read where yesterday’s Gator Bowl between Clemson and Kentucky, played in their backyard had 40K, where the Gator bowl last year with ND vs S Carolina had 67K. We kind of got screwed with the bowl selection this year, and yet it turned out great for us and the Sun bowl.

 

[THUNDERSTRUCK111]

ND has long had a well-deserved reputation for travelling well for bowl games, and the Sun Bowl showed that. I suspect it also didn't hurt that El Paso, like much of West Texas, has a strong Hispanic and Latino presence, and they are traditiionally very devout Catholics. So ND was probably a strong favorite among the local population, and they came out to see ND play. For all the pooh-poohing here and on other boards about playing in the Sun Bowl, it ended up being a really positive experience, and the Sun Bowl committee did a great job with the game. ND fans showed up in force to support the team, and we played really well. I was highly impressed with the effort and execution of our coaching staff and players. Well done, fellas.

Plus I enjoyed all the Tony the Tiger commercials. Especially the one where he appears in the rear of the cockpit of a fighter jet.

 

[NotreDomer1]

Plus I enjoyed all the Tony the Tiger commercials. Especially the one where he appears in the rear of the cockpit of a fighter jet.

The hockey player getting smashed in the corner while eating a bowl had me cracking up.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

Plus I enjoyed all the Tony the Tiger commercials. Especially the one where he appears in the rear of the cockpit of a fighter jet.

You're absolutely right! The Tony the Tiger commercials were GR-R-REAT!!

Sorry, couldn't resist that comment.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

Chairman cried when they were surprised to find out ND was going to participate in their bowl.

The Sun Bowl announced a Bowl record attendance of 48,233, stadium capacity was 45,971. This wouldn’t have happened without the strong south Texas Irish support.

I was assigned to the San Antonio Field Office for nearly seven years and there were lots of Irish fans there, it shocked me actually.

I just read an article in the El Paso Times, and it said the record attendance for the Sun Bowl occurred in 2010, when ND beat Miami 33-17. There were 54,021 in attendance for the 2010 game. The Sun Bowl (where UTEP plays its regular season football games) apparently made renovations to the stadium after the 2010 game that reduced its seating capacity to its current number of 45,971, so the 2010 attendance figure is not likely to be broken unless the stadium is expanded. But the fact that 48,233 attended the game this year where the seating capacity is 45,971 is pretty incredible.

If you will recall there was snow in El Paso for the 2010 game, and it was brutally cold during the game. (As I recall, because ND was more accustomed to playing in cold weather climates, it brought sideline heaters for the game as part of its equipment package, whereas the Miami boys froze their butts on aluminum seats.) The fact that 54K+ showed up in those weather conditions to watch the 2010 game is simply amazing, and the attendance records for 2010 and 2023 Sun Bowls show why ND is such a popular draw for bowl committees. Well done, Irish Nation.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

A couple of other tidbits I picked up in local news stories about the game:

Fans were very impressed with the Notre Dame marching band. I guess we forget how really good our marching band is. Kudos to the kids in the band. They always do a great job, and it is one of those things I still enjoy about college football.

Some of the writers were very impressed with how well spoken and articulate the Notre Dame players were at the post-game press conferences. Good on them.

 

[Good4Bad]

Plus I enjoyed all the Tony the Tiger commercials. Especially the one where he appears in the rear of the cockpit of a fighter jet.

A great cereal too , by the way

 

[IrishExpert2288]

Getting revenge for the 2000 game was even better. I hope Jonathan Smith, TJ Houshmandzdeh and Chad Johnson were watching.

 

[ftnfan62]

Liked to have had that FG to better the 2000 margin of victory.

 

[deadirishpoet]

Chairman cried when they were surprised to find out ND was going to participate in their bowl.

The Sun Bowl announced a Bowl record attendance of 48,233, stadium capacity was 45,971. This wouldn’t have happened without the strong south Texas Irish support.

I was assigned to the San Antonio Field Office for nearly seven years and there were lots of Irish fans there, it shocked me actually.

Thank you for sharing

 

[NDSMC78]

A couple of other tidbits I picked up in local news stories about the game:

Fans were very impressed with the Notre Dame marching band. I guess we forget how really good our marching band is. Kudos to the kids in the band. They always do a great job, and it is one of those things I still enjoy about college football.

Some of the writers were very impressed with how well spoken and articulate the Notre Dame players were at the post-game press conferences. Good on them.

It would be nice to hear our band more during home games rather than piped in music.

 

[Irishjohn68]

I recall in the snow and cold of 2010, Miami wanted no part of that game. They were not prepared for cold temps.

 

[mbd11]

Plus I enjoyed all the Tony the Tiger commercials. Especially the one where he appears in the rear of the cockpit of a fighter jet.

And I liked how they poured a tub of frosted flakes over Freeman's head at the end.