The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

The excitement is now building with the arrival of the Florida International University Panthers and the Toledo Rockets at the Atlantis resort yesterday for the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl football game.

The two teams arrived at different times ahead of their closed door practice sessions today in preparation for Friday’s game at 12:30pm in the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium.

“Our kids were unbelievably patient. They knew it would be a little bit of a different travel experience having to go through customs,” said Toledo’s head coach Butch Davis on the Rockets’ travel experience getting here. “Their excitement about being in the bowl game is so high that it wouldn’t have mattered how hard, I think a lot of them would have said ‘if we have to swim over there then we’ll just swim to get there.’”

The excitement for the Rockets, who come into the game with a 7-5 win-loss record and 5-3 in the Mid-American Conference, is just as exhilarating as their anticipation of the game.

“I think every bowl game, you really want the kids to have a good experience,” he stated. “Obviously, you want them to have fun and you want to win the football game.

“I can’t imagine a better place than Atlantis to come. The opportunities to get on the beach, and do all the things that Atlantis offers, the slides, the waterparks, they’re pretty geeked up about it.”

In preparation for the game, Davis said they feel right at home in terms of the weather conditions.

“We’ve had seven practices before we left Miami and we’ll get three more opportunities here,” he pointed out. “I think it was enough preparation for our players, I think they’re super excited about playing.

“We’re unbelievably happy about being in the Bahamas and experiencing this. Our kids were geeked up when they found out we were coming and they were even more geeked up this morning when we got on the plane.”

As for the game itself, Davis said they are as prepared as can be. “Any time you get a chance to play a nationally televised game on ESPN, and you’re the only game in the country going on at 12:30 on Friday the 21st, it’s really exciting,” he noted.

“It’s an opportunity for your seniors to go out with a win, it’s an opportunity for the younger kids to springboard into next season. It really helps in recruiting, it helps in preparation for spring practices.”

With the new NCAA rule that allows freshmen to play in four games, some of the Rockets’ players will get the opportunity to compete one more time and there is also a chance for players that are redshirted to participate as well.

One of those latter players is senior defensive lineman Anthony Johnson.

“This is actually my first time even out of the country. It’s my first time over here,” he said. “I’m just extremely excited to see the different views and everything. We all want to experience different things that we aren’t able to do back at home.

“Everybody’s excited. Everybody on my bus was up, laughing, and having a good time. Everybody’s just extremely excited to experience all of this together.”

Johnson said they are looking forward to keeping FIU’s legacy intact.

“Last year was my first time being in a bowl game,” Johnson noted. “It feels good to help this team go to back-to-back bowl games. It’s kind of a pride thing.

“I’m extremely proud of this senior class. After all the adversity that we’ve been through, it’s going to be exciting to go out and hopefully get this win, and continue to help FIU progress.”

Jason Candle, head coach of Toledo, said they are just as thrilled to be participating in the Bahamas.

“How awesome. Our kids are fired up,” he stated on their arrival. “Any time you can get a reward for a great season and get to a bowl game, that’s really cool. “To be able to bring it to another country and certainly a place we’re looking to spread our brand as a football team and university, it’s really exciting.”

Candle said his Rockets are ready to take off.

“You can probably imagine the excitement,” he pointed out. “You always want your bowl trip to be somewhere really warm and somewhere really nice. This one is obviously the top of the mountain when it comes to that.”

As far as what to expect on Friday, Candle said he just hope that their players enjoy their week and balance it off with a little bit of fun as they prepare to send their senior class off with a victory.

“We want their last time in the midnight blue and gold to be a memorable one,” he projected. “[I’m excited] to watch our guys interact and enjoy the surroundings and enjoy the setting.

“One thing that gets lost in bowl games is some guys get to see places, whether it’s in the States or outside of the country that they might not have otherwise had a chance to ever see. I think that’s really cool, that’s really awesome about the bowl setting and how it’s set up.”

Senior wide receiver Cody Thompson said their excitement was brewing from the time they found out that they were coming to the Bahamas.

“A lot of guys haven’t ever been out of the country - my last time was when I was young,” he stressed. “Going to the Bahamas is something everyone talks about and dreams about, so I’m really excited to be here.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to play football outside of our home country.”

And with this being his final game in a Rockets’ uniform, Thompson said he intent to cherish the moment.

“It’s kind of bittersweet. I’ve had an amazing ride here, an amazing career. It’s been fun,” he reflected. “To wrap it up in a different country like the Bahamas is going to be really exciting and something I never thought would be possible.

“I’m excited to go out and try to get a win with this team.”

And he’s looking forward to once again having his support group in the stands cheering for him and Toledo.

“My mom, my dad and my nephew will be out here tomorrow. They’re excited too, they haven’t been out of the country in a while and never been to the Bahamas,” he pointed out.

“My nephew is 8-years-old, so he’s really excited. My parents traveled to all the games, they’re my biggest supporters.”

Richard Giannini, Executive Director of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl, said everything is falling into place for what is anticipating to be a grand showdown between the two teams.

“The action starts very quickly and so we are very pleased. Everything is set and we’re ready to go,” he stressed. “The teams will practice through Wednesday and polish up on Thursday for the big game on Friday.

“We’re really pleased. This is our fifth year in a row that we have been coming here. Every year we feel like it’s getting better and better and so we are really looking forward to a great game.”

With FIU’s close proximity to the Bahamas, Giannini said they are looking forward to them bringing a large following and they will be joined by Toledo with their marching bands participating along with the Bahamas All-Star band, the Rosa, Bahamas Police Force band and a Junkanoo rushout.

And with those teams producing high powered offenses, Giannini said the fans on hand can expect just as much fireworks once the game get underway.

“Our friend Chris Pika said we will have a track meet on Friday,” said Giannini, of Giannini of Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl’s Director of Communications. “So come out and see them. They will be moving fast.”

The game will be carried live on ESPN.