The Formal Bowl Week Activities Begin

December 24, 2004

The first formal events organized by the Motor City Bowl Committee were held on Friday with the kickoff luncheon and the Players' Night Out at the Utopia Night Club. UConn held another practice session in between at Ford Field in what amounted to a full day for the team. The team's curfew was moved up from 1:00 a.m. to midnight. Another sure sign that the game itself is approaching. The Motor City Bowl asks teams to arrive in Detroit by the 24th, but the Huskies came out a few days earlier to take advantage of the opportunity to practice indoors, something the team will not be able to do effectively on campus until the summer of 2006, when The Mark R. Shenkman Training Center opens its doors.

Left, Feeding the team is no easy task as you can't just pull five busses worth of players and staff up to a Denny's. Gary Mack, Afa Anoai and Tyvon Branch enjoy the team's morning breakfast buffet at a Hyatt Regency ball room...Right, the courteous hotel staff, from the registration desk clerks to the breakfast wait staff (shown here), have been donning UConn shirts all week to get into the spirit of their guests from Storrs.

Left, Both the UConn and Toledo teams enjoyed the bowl's kickoff luncheon, held at the ancient Greece-styled Atheneum Hotel in downtown Detroit...Right, the Motor City Bowl trophy. It's why you play the game.

Left, Before the luncheon, UConn quarterbacks coach Rob Ambrose (a former assistant at Baltimore's Towson State University and head coach at Washington, D.C.'s Catholic University) and his family, reminisce about their days living in Maryland with former Toledo offensive coordinator Rob Spence, who used to work at the University of Maryland...Right, Tomorrow's news today, senior defensive end Tyler King, the team's Defensive MVP, confirms that he will play in the Motor City Bowl, as he speaks with reporters for the first time since breaking his leg on Sept. 30 against Pittsburgh.

Left, Donnell Ford received an award at the luncheon for his fine work in the community, most noticeably for serving as a great role model through the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program...Right, Affable wide receivers coach Vinny Marino trades some barbs with the voice of the Huskies, Joe D'Ambrosio.

Left, Marvin Taylor, Ryan Henegan and John Baranowsky at the luncheon....Right, Randy Edsall sits at the head table next to Motor City Bowl CEO George Perles. The legendary coach led Michigan State to the 1986 Big Ten Championship, seven bowl games and he also won four Super Bowl rings as an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1970s where he was a defensive coach and part architect of the fabled "Steel Curtain" defense.

Left, UConn's kickers try to look mean during a break in practice (left to right: Tony Ciaravino, Shane Hussar, Chris Pavasaris, Graig Vicidomino, Derek Marks and Matt Nuzie)...Right, More of the people who make all of this possible, continuing from yesterday's gallery theme. The team's equipment managers pose for a group photo.

Left, Holding down the fort back at the Hyatt's Cord Room while the team is away are the football office's staff assistants Joanne Fazio (seated) and Sarah Lingeman...Right, during practice, Director of Athletics Jeff Hathaway and Executive Associate Director of Athletics Neal Eskin greet Motor City Bowl Executive Director Ken Hoffman.