Indiana University Athletics
WE PLAYED 13!
1/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Varsity Club
Jan. 18, 2008
Ask any one of the nearly 15,000 Hoosiers who traveled to Tempe, AZ how their experience was and they will tell you with affirmation that it was amazing. Their stories may be different, but their smiles are consistently ear-to-ear when asked to share their memories.
Just as this entire football season has been about something more than just gridiron games, the Insight Bowl did not disappoint. Donor and Varsity Club Board Member Darrell Deem traveled to Tempe with his two children, Austin and Maddie. He characterized it as the ultimate family experience. Whether participating in organized or impromptu activities, the Deem family saw it all!
They rode all-terrain vehicles in the desert. They attended the Hoosier Desert Welcome Party at Dos Gringos, where Darrell saw old dental school friends from decades gone by. They were part of the masses that turned out for "The Walk," at which Austin, sporting a Tracy Porter jersey exchanged high-fives with the namesake of his jersey. They took in the Block Party and rang in 2008 as a family.
Darrell could be considered a bowl expert, as he has also attended the Liberty and Peach Bowls. As the Varsity Club's unofficial bowl expert, we asked him how the Insight Bowl compared to all the others. His answer: far superior. He was surprised by the number of Hoosiers what made the trek. It is estimated that Hoosier fans outnumbered Oklahoma State fans 3 to 1. It made him proud to be a part of the Hoosier family.
And although the outcome of the game was not to the Hoosier family's liking, we are comforted in the fact that we played 13. And we will play 13, again.
