As much as sports matters to the city of New York, the city offers so much that goes far above and beyond athletics. History, culture, fine amenities, and more await you in the Big Apple, making a sporting event seem like just an after thought.
Make no mistake about it though this is a business trip for Northwestern football. They claim to play, and to beat the #23 Pittsburgh Panthers in Yankee Stadium’s Pinstripe Bowl.
It’s not just a business trip though, as many Northwestern football players, coaches and staff will get the opportunity to take in many of the city’s most famous and important sites.
Both Pittsburgh and Northwestern football players visited two ground zero sites- the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and One World Observatory (colloquially known as the Freedom Tower) on the morning of Christmas Day. Tomorrow, on the morning before the bowl game, they will ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
There will be a very large contingent at the NYSE event, including players and coaches from both teams, and executive leaders from the Pinstripe Bowl and both schools athletic departments. The week also included a Christmas Eve comedy show at Lincoln Center and Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall on the night of December 25th.
The week also includes visits to Rockefeller Center, CBS This Morning and the Today Show. On the eve of the Pinstripe Bowl, the Empire State Building will light up in Northwestern purple and white and Pittsburgh gold and navy.
Like the characters of a critically acclaimed New York crime drama, most of the players on this Northwestern football team have nicknames, and it starts with wide receiver Austin Carr. Also known as “A.C. Butterknife,” the Biletnikoff award finalist and Big Ten wide receiver of the year award winner told us by phone that somehow, someway he will attend his first ever musical on Broadway during this trip.
Austin Carr, who developed an affinity for musical theater after seeing his first show, The Lion King, in his youth hopes that he can score tickets to Hamilton.
Also, you should check out our cover story in today’s Chicago Tribune RedEye, a feature on Austin Carr, and all his interesting and compelling off the field qualities.
.@NUFBFamily's Austin Carr might be the next Jerry Rice. Or the next John Legend. Or both. https://t.co/k6SpvBVLY9 pic.twitter.com/z2nnCrh8yX
— Christopher Sosa (@chrismanuelsosa) December 28, 2016
Running back Justin “bread and butter” Jackson has only seen NYC on a drive from LaGuardia International Airport to Albany, so this will be his first time to actually experience the capital of the world. We asked what he’s looking forward to most, outside of football, on this trip, and he responded:
“Just being in the city, I’ve never really experienced it, and I’ve heard it’s surreal.”
(photo credits: New Era Pinstripe Bowl)
On the official bowl teleconference, QB Clayton Thorson just said that he thinks it’s really cool how he and his teammates will be able to walk to Times Square for dinner from the team hotel and experience that world famous landmark.
Wide receiver Solomon Vault, also known as “Solo,” is from Maryland, so he’s been to Broadway a couple times, but hasn’t been to the Big Apple in about eight years or so.
“It will be interesting to go as a 20-year-old, as opposed to a 12 year old,” Vault said.
Another wideout Andrew “the bull” Scanlan, is another East coaster, hailing from just outside Philadelphia. He’s very enthused about the bowl game venue, for personal reasons.
“New York has a little rivalry (with Philly) but I’m a big Yankees fan, so I’m really excited about playing in Yankees stadium.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.