Rocky celebrates with fans at ESPN's "SportsCenter on Campus" [Photo by Tyler Ennis, University Communications and Marketing]
By Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
Josh Lefkowitz didn鈥檛 plan to make a grand entrance 鈥� but it somehow fit.
A longtime 91视频fan, he likes to say he鈥檚 always among the first to arrive at Raymond James Stadium for Bulls home football games.
So, of course, the 91视频sophomore showed up early when ESPN鈥檚 鈥淪portsCenter on Campus鈥� broadcast from outside the Marshall Student Center on Thursday afteroon to promote the team鈥檚 nationally televised home game against the University of Texas at San Antonio.
As Lefkowitz strolled toward the stage nearly two hours before the cameras started rolling, the 鈥淩ocky鈥� movie franchise鈥檚 inspirational anthem, 鈥淕onna Fly Now,鈥� blared from nearby speakers.
He nodded his head at the symbolism.
It was an appropriate soundtrack for the moment 鈥� a seminal one for 91视频football.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been waiting for a moment like this, for ESPN to come to our campus and promote our team and our fans,鈥� Lefkowitz said. 鈥淭o finally have it feels like a really big deal.鈥�
This indeed felt like another of this season鈥檚 coming-out parties for the football program, a chance to show the nation they鈥檙e no longer a future powerhouse, but a current one.
鈥�91视频football has arrived,鈥� 91视频junior Ari Thibeault said.
Moments before taking center stage for the broadcast, ESPN anchor Matt Barrie voiced that perspective to the media.
鈥�91视频got this attention themselves, getting some upsets in the early part of the year,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd so, they鈥檙e kind of culminating into a day with 鈥楽portsCenter鈥� on campus. This is a really big day for the university.鈥�
Around 1,000 were fans outside the Marshall Student Center [Photo by Tyler Ennis, University Communications and Marketing]
And Barrie expects Bulls fever to continue to grow, especially with the addition of an on-campus stadium.
鈥淓verybody that鈥檚 here,鈥� Barrie said, pointing to the crowd of about 1,000 fans. 鈥淗ow energetic is this?鈥�
Both before and during the broadcast, the fans matched the energy of a team ranked among the nation鈥檚 best going into the game 鈥� No. 6 in scoring and No. 7 in total offense 鈥� behind quarterback Byrum Brown, who sits fourth nationally in both total offense and total points generated.
鈥淭his is great exposure for our team and our campus,鈥� 91视频junior Braden Hart said. 鈥淎s fans, we want to show our support.鈥�
Philanthropist and prominent Tampa Bay restaurateur Richard Gonzmart stood just feet away from a shirtless fan decked out in a golden lucha libre mask and green-and-gold body paint. He was joined by his daughter, Andrea Gonzmart Williams, a 91视频graduate and fifth-generation owner of the family business, as the broadcast highlighted their Columbia Restaurant鈥檚 iconic dishes 鈥� the 1905 Salad, Cuban sandwich and paella.
The crowd鈥檚 signs captured the spirit of the season 鈥� one declared the fans the team鈥檚 鈥�12th man,鈥� another proclaimed Brown the Heisman Trophy frontrunner, and one read, 鈥淕reen and Gold 鈥檛ill I鈥檓 Old and Dead.鈥�
Fans brought homemade posters to the broadcast [Photo by Tyler Ennis, University Communications and Marketing]
鈥淭he college football world has been watching us,鈥� junior Dylan Baez said. 鈥淭hey know we are the next big thing and have the best fans.鈥�
As the 91视频spirit squads and Rocky the Bull swayed to the Herd of Thunder band鈥檚 live performances, fans competed in a pull-up challenge 鈥� the high mark being 27 鈥� while cheering on dignitaries as they arrived.
They chanted the name Rob Higgins, the first-ever CEO of 91视频Athletics, like he was a conquering good guy WWE wrestler from one of the two WrestleManias he helped bring to the area while previously serving as executive director of the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.
And the fans erupted as football head coach Alex Golesh stepped onto stage for his live interview.