Game Day!
Wednesday, January 3
THAT’S ALL FOLKS!
What an incredible season. It’s been our privilege and pleasure to bring you the excitement of this last week of the season. But all good things must come to an end. The lobby of the Westin is deserted now. The gingerbread houses are gone. The fountains are off for the night.
There are too many memories of the week to try to recap them all in these early morning hours, but I’ll give some of my favorites: Steven Abbate sharing the incredibly emotional story of his son Luke; the players’ visit to the children’s hospital and seeing the joy they brought to the children—and their parents; the pleasure of talking to so many alumni, seeing old friends I hadn’t seen in 20 years and making new ones; the pleasure of talking to players, each of whom was incredibly patient and polite, whether it was answering my questions or signing an autograph for a little kid; and seeing the Deacon motorcade and getting to ride in it to the Orange Bowl last night—no matter how many times I saw it, it never got old.
Finally, my thanks to Ken, who is now permanently attached to his camera, and to Matt, who spent much of the week holed up in his room doing his computer stuff so you could read what I wrote and see what Ken photographed. I couldn’t have asked for two better colleagues or two people more committed to Wake Forest to spend the week with. And thanks to our families who came to Florida expecting a vacation, but instead had to watch us blog all week, and who even lent a hand from time to time.
And, especially, thanks to all of you for reading and for dropping by the Westin to say hello. As I said in another post, it’s great to be a Demon Deacon. Thanks Coach Grobe and guys for the memories. It’s been a blast. Let’s do it again next year. Go Deacs!
Editors note: There are more photos to come, so please check back!
Posted by Kerry at 4:25 a.m.
BACK TO THE WESTIN
When we arrive back at the Westin at 2:15 a.m. the lobby is packed. It’s a scene that I’ve become used to seeing in the last week. A mob of students is standing around in the front lobby, while a number of alumni are seated around tables and on couches in the back part of the lobby. No one seems sad; that same sense of excitement that’s been present all week is still there. None of us want this to end. A few football players are milling about too, and Jon Abbate’s dad, Steven, tells me goodbye. Chip Vaughns’ parents, Oscar and Sharifah, say goodbye too.
Posted by Kerry at 2:20 a.m.
HELMETS HELD HIGH
In his post-game press conference, a reporter comments on the Wake Forest players leaving the field with their “helmets held high” and asks Jim Grobe to assess the season: “I told the kids in the locker room after the game to be really proud of what we’ve accomplished—the ACC Championship is a pretty good accomplishment. I’m really disappointed we didn’t play better tonight. I think all of our players are. It’s funny, you get to the Orange Bowl, and being in the Orange Bowl feels really, really good, but when you lose, it doesn’t feel any different than if you lose any other time. It’s still the same. So our kids are down a little bit right now. But I really have a lot of admiration for our seniors this year. They did more than any other senior class ever in the history of Wake Forest football. They’ve got a lot to be proud of.”
Grobe was also asked what the biggest difference in the game was: “I think that the thing that hurt us the most is we blew two scoring opportunities in the red zone with turnovers, and we haven’t done that in the past. We’ve really been a pretty good football team in the red zone both offensively and defensively, and tonight we turned the ball over twice in the red zone, and then I thought we didn’t play real solid in the red zone a couple times on defense, and I really thought that was the difference.”
Posted by Kerry at 12:20 a.m.
IT’S GREAT TO BE A DEMON DEACON
The most emotional part of the night is definitely when the team walks over to the Wake Forest end of the field for the alma mater and everyone cheers wildly. The band plays on and there’s more cheering. It’s hard to feel too sad when it’s been such an incredible season. Thanks for the memories guys. It’s great to be a Demon Deacon.
Posted by Kerry at 12:04 a.m.
FINAL SCORE
Wake Forest 13, Louisville 24
Posted by Matt at 12:00 a.m.
Tuesday, January 2
CLASS OF THE FINEST
Even when it becomes clear that Wake Forest isn’t going to pull this one off, very few Deacon fans have left. Our part of the stadium is still nearly full. And people are still cheering until the very end. You feel for Jon Abbate when he kneels all alone on the Orange Bowl logo as the final seconds are ticking off the clock.
Posted by Kerry at 11:59 p.m.
IN THE LEAD
At the beginning of the 4th quarter, with 14:45 on the clock, Sam Swank kicks another field goal to put Wake Forest back in the lead.
The score: Wake Forest 13, Louisville 10
Posted by Kerry at 11:12 p.m.
TIED UP
With 11:34 left in the 3rd quarter, Riley Skinner completes a pass to Nate Morton for a touchdown. Sam Swank ties up the game with a successful extra point attempt.
The score: Wake Forest 10, Louisville 10
Posted by Kerry at 10:30 p.m.
VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK
At halftime, I decide to leave the blog in the capable hands of Matt and I head to the stands to join my wife Heather (MA ’97), my brother, Kevin (’80) and his family, and several of his college friends: Mark Adcock (’80), John Nelson (’81, MD ’85), and Neil (’80) and Susan (’81) Rector. But first I have to figure out how to get from the press level to section 438. After taking the press box elevator to the bowels of the stadium, I wander around for a while—dodging bands and dancers and equipment been rushed on and off the field for the half-time show—before I find a way out to the public part of the stadium.
It takes me all of halftime to get up to the upper deck, and I’m amazed by what I see. Everyone is standing and yelling and waving black and gold pompoms. Not just for one or two good plays, but the whole time. The stadium is shaking. When Riley Skinner throws a touchdown pass to Nate Morton to tie the score at 10 early in the 3rd quarter everyone goes nuts. And when Sam Swank kicks a field goal early in the 4th quarter to give Wake Forest a three-point lead, I’m thinking we’re really going to win this.
Posted by Kerry at 10:13 p.m.
AT HALFTIME
Louisville kicked a successful field goal with 8:30 on the clock and scored a touchdown with 5:53 in the 2nd quarter.
The score: Wake Forest 3, Louisville 10
Posted by Kerry at 9:58 p.m.
ON THE BOARD
At the beginning of the 2nd quarter, with 14:17 on the clock, Sam Swank kicks a 44-yard field goal to give Wake Forest our first points of the night.
The score: Wake Forest 3, Louisville 0
Posted by Kerry at 9:07 p.m.
WHERE WE ARE
As the first quarter ends, I’ll tell you where your blogging team is located. Ken, of course, is on the field, near the BCS logo in the Louisville end-zone. Matt and I are in the main press box, between the lower and upper bowls, almost immediately above Ken.
Posted by Kerry at 8:56 p.m.
WE’RE UNDERWAY!
Wake Forest alumnus Arnold Palmer and Muhammad Ali are the honorary captains for tonight’s game and participate in the coin toss. With all the festivities over, it’s finally time for some football. The 73rd annual Orange Bowl is underway!
Posted by Kerry at 8:30 p.m.
THE 38TH PRESIDENT
When we arrived at Dolphin Stadium all of the flags were flying at half-mast. Just before the singing of the National Anthem, with a large flag draped across the field, the crowd paused for a moment of silence to honor the passing of Gerald R. Ford, the 38th president of the United States. On this day of sadness for the Ford family and the nation, we extend our condolences to our friend and colleague Mike Ford (’72).
Posted by Kerry, Ken and Matt at 8:12 p.m.
MARCHING DEACONS
The Wake Forest Marching Band runs out onto the Orange Bowl field to loud applause from the Wake Forest fans, many of whom are waving black and gold pompoms. The video band between the two stadium levels is flashing “Demon Deacons.” The band plays the alma mater, then the D-E-A-C-O-N-S cheer, and then the fight song. Someone finally opens one of the press box windows and the sound of 17,000+ Deacon fans comes pouring in.
Posted by Kerry at 8:03 p.m.
PRE-GAME
The Wake Forest players leave the field after pre-game warm-ups to huge applause. I don’t know if it’s because our press box location is on the Wake Forest side, but the Wake Forest fans are definitely louder than the Louisville fans. The stadium is slowly filling up. The TVs in the press box are showing a story on Jon Abbate, but there’s no sound.
Posted by Kerry at 7:46 p.m.
NAVIGATING THE MAZE
Even with the police escort, it still takes almost 45 minutes to get to the stadium. As we negotiate through the backed up traffic, I’m very glad I’m not driving! When we get to the stadium, the three team buses and the car carrying Arnold Palmer go in one direction, and the four buses carrying athletic staff, coaches’ families and others go in another direction. We park very close to the stadium and start walking in. THE RAIN HAS STOPPED. Almost immediately we pass through a group of students who are tailgating, and they start cheering wildly.
I have no idea where the media entrance is so I just pick a door in the bowels of the stadium and walk in. After searching my computer case, one guard directs me in one direction until I find another guard who directs me in another direction until I find another guard… and so on. I pass by the main kitchen, the mailroom, the storage area for police carts… wait there’s Gladys Knight’s dressing room, I must be getting close. I eventually find the photography processing area, which for some reason is in the Marlins’ batting cage. I make my way up to the press box level which is between the two main levels. One guard directs me in one direction until I find another guard who directs me in another direction until I find another guard… and so on. There are actually several press boxes and I never find my assigned seat, but I find an empty seat beside WFDD reporter Jeff Tiberii and settle in. Chris Ferris of ISP Sports drops by to say hello.
Posted by Kerry at 6:59 p.m.
EN-ROUTE
We just left the Westin Diplomat en-route to Dolphin Stadium. As the motorcade, including 7 buses, travels down the highway two dozen police on motorcycles clear the road ahead. It is quite a sight to see. There is also a car in the motorcade carrying Arnold Palmer (’51, LL.D. ’70). Palmer gave an emotional speech to the team before they boarded the buses.
Posted by Kerry at 5:18 p.m.
TAILGATING IN THE RAIN
There are plenty of Wake Foresters outside in the steady rain trying to tailgate. Some of them have large pop-up awnings, but others are grilling burgers out in the open, or huddled under open truck hatches. One blocks my lens with his hand, saying he’s here taking a sick day. I tell him that I hope he gets better soon … There are field hockey players here, and rugby players, and alumni of all ages. I’m going to see if there is still some sort of pep rally at 5:00 p.m., but I’m not sure how well it’ll work out in the rain.
Posted by Ken at 4:32 p.m.
GROWING EXCITEMENT
Activity in the lobby of the Westin slacked off when the Deacon Club buses left about half an hour ago, but it’s picking up again. President Hatch and athletic director Ron Wellman are here now, and you can really feel the excitement growing. The players that were sitting in the lobby are gone now. Voice of the Deacons Stan Cotton is right across from me, working on his laptop, no doubt getting ready for tonight’s game.
Posted by Kerry at 2:43 p.m.
THANKS GENE!
Retired ACC Commissioner Gene Corrigan and his wife, Lena, are waiting in line to board the Deacon Club bus at the Westin. You can thank Corrigan, in part, for getting Jim Grobe to Wake Forest. When the coaching job opened up six years ago, Corrigan suggested to Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman that he take a look at Grobe. Corrigan was athletic director at Virginia when Grobe played there in the 1970s and he had followed his coaching career ever since then. “He was a very determined, tough player, small with no speed, but he played every down,” Corrigan says. When I asked how many times Ron Wellman had thanked him for recommending Grobe, Corrigan laughed. “He’s Coach of the Year obviously, but in my opinion he should be coach of the decade. He’s working at a small school, with restricted recruiting. He’s done it with determination and an ability to work with young people and keep them and his coaches on the same page.”
Posted by Kerry at 2:29 p.m.
RAIN
Less than six hours from kickoff, it is raining at Dolphin Stadium. Cameras and other equipment are covered to keep everything dry. The forecast calls for scattered showers, with a 30% chance of rain, the remainder of the day. Hopefully it will clear up by game time. If not, that is ok … We have done well in Florida this season when it rains!
Posted by Matt at 2:17 p.m.
PASSING THE TIME
Senior defensive tackle Jamil Smith and some buddies—junior long-snapper Nick Jarvis, freshman safety Alex Frye and freshman defensive end Mike Carter—are hanging out on the comfy couches in the lobby of the Westin with their computers, checking their e-mail and surfing the Web. “I’m excited, ready to play,” Smith says. “As a senior, this game means a lot to me. It’s my last game as a college athlete and a historic game for Wake Forest. I want to go out and perform for myself, my family and friends and the Wake Forest fans.”
Posted by Kerry at 2:16 p.m.
TOP HAT, NO TAILS
Jerry Attkisson (’65) walks through the lobby of the Westin in a black top hat, looking very much like a Deacon. He and his wife, Sylvia Strickland Attkisson (’67), bought 100 of the hats at a costume store and plan on giving them out tonight in section 120. His neighbor from Atlanta, David Zaks (’64, JD ’67), and his sons, Taylor, 16, and Ben, 13, were already sporting the hats.
“I haven’t been to a Wake Forest game since we beat UGA in 1979,” says Attkisson. He had hoped to go to Jacksonville for the ACC title game, but couldn’t, but as soon as Wake Forest won that game, he headed to his computer. “I e-mailed everyone in my class whom I had an address for, and I was overwhelmed by the number who said they were coming. My wife decided we should get some top hats since it was going to be New Year’s and we’re the Demon Deacons.”
Posted by Kerry at 1:46 p.m.
WAKE FOREST! WAKE FOREST!
A cheer of Wake! Forest! Wake! Forest! breaks out in the lobby of the Westin as players return from their morning walk-through at Nova University. A few players linger in the lobby signing autographs and posing for pictures. Most head to their rooms to relax before their pre-game meal at 4:15 p.m. They’ll depart for the game around 5:15 p.m.
Posted by Kerry at 1:36 p.m.
AWAY THEY GO!
Players leave the hotel this morning for a light workout at their practice facility. A small group of fans is on hand to wish them well. They’ll be back later in the day before leaving for the stadium in late afternoon.
Posted by Kerry at 11:40 a.m.
BROWSING FOR T-SHIRTS
It’s almost a mob scene as fans eagerly grab T-shirts and sweatshirts for sale at the Westin. While waiting in line, I see Jim Mason, whom I knew 20 years ago when I worked in Laurinburg, NC. Jim is the son of legendary trustee, the late James Mason. He’s here with his sister, former Alumni Council President Celeste Mason Pittman (’67), and other family members.
Posted by Kerry at 10:30 a.m.
ARE YOU READY FOR FOOTBALL?
After almost a week here, I had almost forgotten why we’re here. Oh yea, the football game! Now only 13 hours away. No surly clerks here to make your wake up call: answering the early morning call you hear soft chimes and then birds chirping. Game day is finally here!
Posted by Kerry at 6:58 a.m.
Bloggers
Live from Miami, it’s Window on Wake Forest’s crack team of Deacon fans:
Kerry King (’85)
Writer
Ken Bennett
Photographer
Matt Nelkin (’03)
Web Guru
Follow our blog during the week leading up to the Orange Bowl.
