It should be explained that I’m about the only one in PSB who has played golf on any sort of regular basis, and I haven’t even had time to pick up my clubs to get to the driving range since my daughter was born 2 1/2 years ago. So one of the oft-cited appeals of going to a bowl game in Arizona — golfing, doesn’t work for us.

Still it is a selling point for some. Anyhow, we invited JFC, who attends school at Arizona State to give us some reasons to travel to Tempe for the Fiesta Bowl, assuming that is where Pitt is going.

Here it is:

Well, it’s a tall order when you’re asked to convince people to spend
thousands of dollars to visit your city. I suppose it’s nothing new as
people often feel sorry for me when I say I am from Pittsburgh. Imagine
trying to explain Primanti’s, the O in Oakland, Station Square or the Strip
to an outsider. They just donÂ’t get it. So here is my valiant attempt at a
convincing argument for spending New Years in Phoenix.

As Patrick earlier said, one of the big drawing points for him was the
proximity of the Superdome and the French Quarter. Sun Devil Stadium is
right in the heart of Tempe. Our version of the Quarter is Mill Avenue.
Restaurants, Shops and Bars are right there. Mill is the main hangout for
any student at the University. I can only imagine the hordes of people who
will congregate there before, after and during the game. It was my Dad’s
favorite spot to hang out while he visited. It’s perfect for families,
singles and the occasional man having a mid life crises. Mill is of course
equipped with all the gimmicky bars that college campuses usually have. The
Library, Dos Gringos (which sells more Coronas then any bar in America) and
the Firehouse to name a few. Mill is maybe two blocks west of Sun Devil
Stadium

To the North is Tempe Town Park. Think Point State Park with a man made
lake instead of rivers. This is generally a family oriented area during the
Fiesta Bowl. They have petting zoos, concerts, boating, etc. It’s kind of
a carnival like atmosphere up there. ASU generally sponsors a portion of
the Lake activities so they are generally pretty tolerable. ItÂ’s a good
place to take the wife and kids for a couple of hours.

A common misconception is that Tempe is a city unto itself. Tempe is just
like Oakland. It’s not like we are out in the middle of the desert or
anything. Phoenix is set up on the grid system so it’s surprisingly easy
to navigate a city of 6 million. Ten minutes from the airport, 30 minutes
from downtown and 30 minutes from Scottsdale puts Tempe in a central
location.

Scottsdale is a definite hot spot. There are some unbelievable bars and
nightclubs up there that really make that community the best in town. There
are plenty of singles looking to steal married men from their husbands. For
what its worth, a lot of reality TV casting goes on up there.

I attend ASU on a golf scholarship so one of my biggest reasons for being
here is weather and golf. I probably haven’t seen a cloud in at least two
months. By late December it will be a more then comfortable 70 degrees.
Golf is everywhere out here. Phoenix is home to three PGA Tour stops and
there are premier golf courses at every turn. Where there is golf there are
5 star resorts. As I recall there are three within reasonable driving
distance and a slew of lesser resorts within the city. The state of Arizona
is also full of entrepreneurial Native Americans. Casino Arizona and Gila
River Casino are 5 minutes from Tempe via Highway 60.

I think this is the best I can do besides listing college kid type things
like Lake Havasu and $49 flights to Vegas. If I haven’t touched on anything
pertinent please leave a comment. Really, the only reason for coming to
Tempe is to see Pitt. Everything else is secondary. You guys are Pitt fans
and have waited a long time for this. The team held up their end of the
bargain by qualifying for the bowl. It’s time for us fans to do our part.
This is easy for me to say as I just have to pay for the plane ticket and
donÂ’t have to worry about family aspect but every time someone says Pitt
doesn’t travel well it stings a little. If you are not going to go and
enjoy your teams first BCS bowl when will you go and support them?

Thank you and well said, John.

Another one of our readers, Tony in Harrisburg sent his own contribution to why go to Tempe:

#10 Chest & Face Painting is the norm in Tempe
#9 You know the Utes Fans will be there & we need a counter Balance
#8 If you don’t go you give the media another reason to say Pitt doesn’t belong in a BCS Bowl
#7 You can fly Southwest for less then a Ben Franklin per person
#6 It’s warm in Tempe in January
#5 The rest of the country thinks Texas should be playing, and there will be No bigger stage for Pitt Fans to flip them off.
#4 Killer golf Courses!
#3 You know you want to be there for Walt & the Panthers @ the time of their greatest achievement.
#2 You won’t have to attend the same lame New Years Eve BS get together this year if your in Tempe.

& the number one reason on why Pitt fans should make the trip to Tempe

The Utes are an over rated, weak schedule playing, want-a-be, and PITT will kick their sorry ass program back to the WAC where they belong!

Anyone else care to E-mail us with reasons to go, I’ll post them.

Now if I had the discretionary income and the indulgence of the wife, I would make the trip. I’m in no position to do so, however. I hope many, many others will.