The Buddy Bowl
In the cold and snowy Christmas of 2010, Mike drove down from Grand Rapids to meet Bone and two of Bone's Meechigan Football buddies Ron Nitschke and Ed Wood for some pizza-driven football!! With the complete collapse of the local Automakers, Detroit does not really deserve the Motor City, However we make a lot of Pizza's ! So Detroit's own Mike Ilitch of Red Wings and Tigers fame, generously decided to support the Bowl under his Little Caesar's Company. Hey ! who does love Pizza!!! Anyway Mike and Bone had sequestered a Hotel Room Downtown so they could party freely in the City Limits at what turned out to a Fleabag Hotel (the not lovely Milner!) but considering the typical state the Boys end a night in, close is better than good!
Pre-Game Beer's at the Detroiter Bar on Gratiot!!
Ain't nottin' better that Buddies, Beer's and Football
It took Mike a bit to get to Berkley due to the snowing and blowing, and getting downtown was not any easier. To relax the Boys frayed nerves required a few cold ones at the Detroiter Bar, a cool sports bar on the other side of Gratiot from Ford Field.
The ESPN Broadcast Team
After the beers, Mike and Bone distributed the tickets to the Nitschke and Wood's families and trodded out of the cold and into the relatively balmy Ford Field for more beers and FOOTBALL!!
The Row 75 Glee Club in Club Seating !?!
The Toledo Rockets Marching Band
The Woods Clan
The Florida International Panthers Marching Band
Go Rockets!!
Go Rockets!!
The First Half was a fairly close game, however Terrance Owens, who threw three interceptions in the second half, scored on a 14-yard run with 1:14 left to pull Toledo to within a point, 31-30. Rather than kick the point after, Toledo went for the two-point conversion and Owens found Eric Page in the end zone to put the Rockets ahead, 32-31.
But Florida International kicker Jack Griffin made a 34-yard field to win the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, 34-32, at Ford Field. The Rockets had led, 24-7, in the game before allowing FIU to come back and take the lead.
And the Winner is: Florida!!
T.Y. Hilton set the Little Caesar's Bowl record for kickoff return yards and caught a 10-yard touchdown pass with 7:34 left in to give FIU its first lead. Trailing, 24-7, after a 29-yard field goal by Toledo’s Billy Claus, Hilton helped spark a comeback by returning the kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown with 9:32 left in the third quarter. Darriet Perry, who rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns, had a 28-yard run on the next play and Hilton scored two plays later to give the Panthers the lead. Toledo running back Adonis Thomas rushed for 188 yards on 23 carries, including two touchdowns.
After the Game, Mike and Bone bid adieu to Ron, Ed, and families for more rounds of Guinness at the Old Shillelagh, Jacoby's, and finally Foran's Grand Trunk till the wee hours in the morning!