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Home , Bowl game, Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl Game, Sugar Bowl

Sugar Bowl well prepared for national championship game October 2007 Vol. 45, No. 4 staff mem- about a 10-15 minute bus ride from the bers moved back into their Su- press hotels. There also will be a media perdome Offices in the middle of Sep- work room at the main press hotel, which Inside this issue: tember and also shared their two-bowl was relatively unscathed by Katrina and hosting plans for this coming January. is actually much newer than the Hyatt. From the perspective of FWAA offi- The FWAA Awards Breakfast on the cers and staff, the bowl appears to have day of the game and the earlier FWAA fully recovered from the effects of Hurri- Board Meeting will be held at the press cane Katrina in 2005, which forced the hotel, which also will have security check President Mike Griffith comments on Okla- bowl to move its 2006 game to . points into the media interview and hos- 2 The 2007 Allstate Sugar pitality areas and work room. homa State coach was played at the Louisiana Superdome The Louisiana Superdome has had a Mike Gundy between LSU and Notre Dame. But this stunning makeover from the images eve- coming January will be the first time the ryone saw during the Katrina evacuation. bowl will under go the double-hosting In the largest stadium rebuilding project format — the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. in history, approximately $193 million 1 and then the Allstate BCS National already has been pumped into the build- Championship Game on Jan. 7. ing in a myriad of structural areas and in One of the major differences will be amenities as well as in sound and video Allstate Sugar Bowl the change of the press hotel, which ac- systems. In many respects, the Louisiana selects Louisiana native 3 tually went into effect last for the Superdome is in better shape than it has Duane Lewis as direc- Allstate Sugar Bowl game. The Hyatt, been in years. tor of communications which was in close proximity to the Lou- The news media will have wireless isiana Superdome, has never re-opened Internet access and backups in the press because of damage from Katrina. The box area, which was largely unaffected new main press hotel is the Marriott Con- by the occupation of the dome in the vention Center, with press spillovers to days after Katrina. nearby Marriott Courtyard and Marriott Charles Bloom of the Southeastern Springhill Suites. The Allstate Sugar Conference and BCS administrator Bill Bowl has secured nearly 300 rooms at Hancock, in conjunction with Allstate veteran the main Marriott and a total of about 150 Sugar Bowl staff of Chief Executive Offi- Gina Chappin named 3 at the other two hotels for the news me- cer Paul Hoolahan, President Ray Jean- media director for dia. dron, Director of Communications All major pregame press conferences Duane Lewis (see Page for his bio) and will be held at the Marriott Convention Chief Operating Officer Jeff Hundley all Center, except Media Day, when all have done an excellent job in preparing players will be available at the Super- for the Allstate BCS National Champion- dome. The Louisiana Superdome is ship Game. Page 2 THE FIFTH DOWN

President Mike Griffith Knoxville News Sentinel President’s column First Vice President Ron Higgins I did not know lessly wanders into the national spotlight. Memphis Commercial Appeal Mike Gundy as a Coach Gundy encouraged reporters player. I do not to take him on. Second Vice President know Mike Gundy Many have obliged, seeing a 40-year- George Schroeder as a coach. old man whose inability to control his Eugene Register-Guard Like most oth- emotions indicate he’s in over his head

Executive Director ers, all I know of and doesn’t know how to handle the me- Steve Richardson Oklahoma State dia. football coach Mike As for Gundy’s value as a leader, 2007 Directors Gundy is what I does he want his players to follow his saw replayed on lead and shout down anyone — women Eric Bailey Tulsa World ESPN, and that is included — who dares oppose their Craig Barnes to know a man views? South Sun-Sentinel MIKE who failed to con- Many fans have e-mailed me, ex- Chip Brown trol his emotions in pressing disagreement with the FWAA’s The Dallas Morning News GRIFFITH a professional condemnation of Gundy’s behavior. Bob Clark press setting. Many suggest I was merely defending Eugene Register-Guard Lights, camera and action, indeed! one of our own. Chad Cripe Earlier this week I issued a statement So, to better serve the public at-large, Idaho Statesman on behalf of the FWAA condemning I asked Tennessee coach , Buddy Davis Ruston Daily Leader coach Gundy’s actions as inappropriate. a former president of the American Foot- Scott Ferrrell Defending a player is fine. Confront- ball Coaches Association and one of the Shreveport Times ing a columnist or a reporter is also winningest coaches in Robert Gagliardi within the bounds of acceptability. history, how he felt about Gandy’s rant. Wyoming Tribune-Eagle But screaming in a bug-eyed rage for Here was Fulmer’s reply: Eric Hansen three minutes is hardly a means of effec- “In my 15 years as a head football South Bend Tribune tive communication. What about the coach, I have learned a lot about dealing Bob Holt other media members present to cover with the media. I respect that they have Arkansas Democrat-Gazette the event? They walked away from a a job to do, and some do it differently Mike Huguenin Yahoo.com post-game soap opera without com- than others. Steve Irvine ments on the game that their publication/ “The game of football is a very emo- Birmingham News channel/website paid for them to attend tional and passionate game. We estab- Michael Lewis with money generated from advertisers/ lish bonds with players and coaches, Tribune subscribers/viewers. much as a parent and child. We see Andrew Logue I stand by my judgment: Inappropri- them with their helmets off, as young Des Moines Register ate. people growing and learning with experi- Tom Luicci If Gundy’s desire was to defend or ence. Newark Star-Ledger protect his player, why do so in such a “However, it is important for us to Matt Markey way as to call national attention to the know where emotion should end, and Toledo Blade Brett McMurphy column in question? composure and good example and rep- Tampa Tribune The alternative would have been to resentation takes control. Jeff Metcalfe handle the matter in another setting, in a “I enjoy some columns more than Republic professional manner, and let the Cow- others, and if a coach should critique the Robbi Pickeral boys’ players and fans enjoy the fruits of columnist you may have a columnist go- Raleigh News & Observer a hard-fought 49-45 shootout victory ing on a tirade as well. In either case Carter Strickland over Tech. (coach or columnist), tirades are usually Atlanta Journal-Constitution Instead, the game was overshad- not the right course to take or the correct owed, and coach Gundy’s legacy has example to the very young men we are Ex-officio Charles Bloom become that of a loose cannon. trying to influence.” SEC/BCS liaison Perhaps that’s not fair, but that is the OK, Fulmer is a conservative veteran Joe Hornstein perception, and as we all know, percep- coach. So how about what Terry Bow- Central Florida tion can quickly overcome reality when den, former Auburn coach and one of one gets caught in, seeks out or reck- (Continued on page 4) Page 3 THE FIFTH DOWN Sugar Bowl names Duane Lewis director of communications

NEW ORLEANS — The Sugar Bowl Committee has the Sugar Bowl,” said Hoolahan. “His background is named Plaquemine, La., native Duane Lewis as director impressive and well-suited for us as we prepare to host of communications, according to an announcement by the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the Allstate BCS National Sugar Bowl Chief Executive Officer Paul Hoolahan. Championship Game in January 2008.” Lewis, 35, joins the Allstate Sugar Bowl after a 10- Working in more than 200 NFL games, Lewis' experi- year public/media relations career with the National ence includes 10 playoff games with the Rams while Football League's XXXIV Champion St. also working five Super Bowls. During his tenure with the Louis Rams as their director of football media (2003-05) Rams, Lewis was selected by the NFL to work as part of and, more recently, as director of new media (2006-07). the NFL's public relations staff for Super Bowl XXXIX in Lewis, a member of the FWAA, will serve a major Jacksonville. He also was selected to work the 2000 and role as the media director for the Allstate BCS National 2002 NFC Championship games. Championship Game on Jan. 7, 2008, when New Or- Lewis earned his bachelors degree from Southern leans will double host bowls in the space of a week. The University–Baton Rouge. He also worked as a sports actual Allstate Sugar Bowl Game will be played on Jan. correspondent for both the Times- 1, 2008. Picayune and The Baton Rouge Advocate before begin- “We’re pleased to have Duane join our team here at ning his NFL career.

Fiesta veteran Gina Chappin chosen Rose Bowl media director

PASADENA — The Tournament of Roses has 2007). This past year, she played a key role as the Fi- named Gina Chappin as media direc- esta Bowl organization staged an unprecedented three tor, CEO Mitch Dorger has announced. games in eleven days with the Insight Bowl, Chappin joins the Rose Bowl Game after a 10-year Fiesta Bowl and Tostitos BCS National Championship public and media relations tenure with the Tostitos Fi- Game. esta Bowl and Insight Bowl, most recently as their direc- She began as an intern for the Insight Bowl while at- tor of communications. tending college and served in several media roles within “As the magnitude of the BCS has grown, we realize the department before her recent appointment. Gina is a the importance of dedicating a person whose full-time member of the Association for Women in Sports Media focus will be on media operations.” Dorger said, “We (AWSM), College Sports Information Directors of Amer- believe that Gina’s talent, experience and sense of ica (CoSIDA), Football Writers Association of America teamwork make her a perfect addition as we prepare for (FWAA) and the National Football Foundation and Col- our first double-hosting championship game in 2010.” lege Hall of Fame (NFF & CHF). Rose Bowl Game media operations had been over- Chappin will oversee all publicity efforts for the Rose seen by the Pac-10 office for more than 29 years. Chap- Bowl Game, working closely with local and national me- pin enters a newly created position for the Tournament dia. She will be in charge of all game-week and game- after Jim Muldoon, the Pac-10’s associate commis- day Rose Bowl media operations. sioner, communications and football administration, Chappin, a native of Northern , earned a stepped down as Rose Bowl Game media director. bachelors degree in communications from the University Chappin's experience includes assisting with two of Arizona. BCS National Championship Games (2003 and Page 4 THE FIFTH DOWN President’s column (continued)

(Continued from page 2) sion for his players, there was only one person who crossed the line. the bolder coaches I have covered? “I read the column. It was close whether she was get- “All coaches have feelings that we want to express ting into something that was iffy, but that was her pre- passionately, even strongly, in public, and yet we know rogative. we can’t. “I had a good mentor, my father (Florida State coach “At times, we wish we could tell fans how they should ), and his method was much less adver- act, and tell writers how they should write, and we can’t sarial, and has been that way throughout his career. because they are doing their jobs, and we need to do “In reflection, I doubt coach Gundy feels he would do ours. that again.’’ “As much as any of us would applaud coach Gundy’s Let’s hope so, Terry, for coach Gundy’s sake, and the intent to defend his players, none of us can agree with sake of the university and game he represents. his tactics and timing. As much as I appreciate his pas-

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