Mike Gibson has just posted a quick primer on Temple’s opening football game at the University of Buffalo. For the longest time since I can remember, I’ve always been a soccer fan. Growing up in Zambia, it was ‘the’ game to watch. In fact, I only started watching football after I moved to Philadelphia. A close friend of mine currently living in Texas started this small ‘Eagles’ vs. ‘Cowboys’ rivalry which slowly helped me get into the sport. However, I’m not the person you want to turn to when it comes to reciting game statistics or rules. I wasn’t standing outside waiting for EA Sports’ Madden NFL 2007 either. Nevertheless, the energy behind the game, especially at a university level is amazing. Reading through some of the pages on 2006 Temple University Football Media Guide, you get a sense for how much has changed or will change in the years to come. I’m not sure if I can post the contents of the first page of the media guide, so I’ll only list 4 items that may amaze you at how much happens at the university level:
– Temple plays in a $512-million stadium with the largest home seating capacity of any MAC program (68,532)
– Temple is a program that leads the MAC with 10 current players in the NFL.
– Temple has a strength and conditioning coach that won the 1998 National Strength Coach of the Year Award.
– Temple has teamed with one of the world’s premier providers of sports apparel. Adidas got a glimpse into the future of Temple football and signed a deal to become the team’s official outfitter. The Owls join UCLA, Tennessee and Notre Dame in the Adidas football family.
If you take a second to read through the media guide you may leave with a new perspective of Temple University Football. As for the games ahead, keep an eye on Mike Gibson’s blog.