Dec. 23:

Why am I going?

My Christmas plans came to an abrupt halt a few Sunday's ago when FAU was invited to the Motor City Bowl. 48 hours later, my hotel room was reserved and my plane ticket was booked.

When I sit in a sports bar watching the 2006 USF v. FAU game, surrounded by Iowa and Michigan State fans, who were watching their teams play, I decided I was never going to miss an opportunity like that again.

So now I sit just 37 hours before my plane takes off for Detroit, looking around my living room that is filled with neatly folded clean clothes and start the process of packing.

I hope to blog on FAUOWLSNEST two or three times a day throughout my experience in the Motor City. I will try not to make the blog too personal, although the blogging will be about the fan experiences and the places we visit, the food we eat, the rooms we sleep in and the people we meet.

This blog will aim to try and bring the fans that didn't get to make the trip into the Detroit Marriot at the Renaissance Center when we eat breakfast with player's parents and do the team sendoff party, bring you into Ford Field during the game through pictures and captions that I e-mail to the admins to post, into the casinos, onto people mover and onto the streets of Detroit.

Who's Going?

Well, we have some from FAUOWLSNEST who have said they are going. Those not on the board that are going to be going include the "Who Let The Owls Out" guy (OK... let's not start the debate... please...) and his wife, their FAU friends (who are also alumni), Nick Paris' mom and brother and Crash Taylor, who is infamously known as one of the guys from Ted's blog who helped to build the Beat Texas bonfire in August.

I've already identified some things that I want to do when in Detroit, and I definitly will drag some fans with me. And if no one above wants to come with me, well, I'll drag Dirty Mike with me. I'm sure he's DFW (down for whatever).

Greek Town Casino - I love blackjack, and the casinos love when I play, unfortunatly.

The duty-free shop on the border of Canada and the US

Hocky Town Cafe, which was quoted by ESPN2 as being the no. 2 sports bar in America.

The hotel is part of the GM Renaissance Center, which has three towers and is the headquarters of GM. The hotel is the largest hotel-only building in the western hempisphere. There is a mall inside the Renaissance Center too.

If you have any suggestions on what you think I should blog about in regards to the fan experience, please let me know!

Rick "$mitty" Smith '07
[email protected]