chattanoogamocs
December 17th, 2010, 07:29 PM
For the past 13 years, Scott Smith has known where he would be and what he would be doing on the third Friday in December. That was either the eve of or, for the past nine years, the day of the NCAA Division I football championship game at Finley Stadium.
Tonight, however, the Greater Chattanooga Sports & Events Committee president said he might go catch a movie. The game no longer is in Chattanooga.
“I guess after 13 years it should feel sort of weird, but for some reason it doesn’t,” said Smith, who served under former Sports Committee president Merrill Eckstein for the first 12 years before taking over last year.
“I guess not having that mindset of working on it and the build-up to it, it’s just not part of the thought process right now. I didn’t realize until I thought about it the other day that this would be it under the old scenario.”
The NCAA announced in February that the Football Championship Subdivision title game was moving to Frisco, Texas, after 13 years at Finley. Not only has the game changed locations, but it also has been pushed back three weeks to accommodate the extra round of games in the expanded playoffs.
This year’s game will be played on Jan. 7.
Eckstein, Finley Stadium’s executive director, said he’ll be watching tonight’s semifinal game between Eastern Washington and defending champion Villanova.
“Besides my role at the stadium, I also happen to be a huge [University of Tennessee at Chattanooga] Mocs fan,” Eckstein said, “and therefore, regardless of if the championship game is here or not, I’m still going to follow the playoffs.”
FULL ARTICLE:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/dec/17/tonight-all-quiet-finley/
Tonight, however, the Greater Chattanooga Sports & Events Committee president said he might go catch a movie. The game no longer is in Chattanooga.
“I guess after 13 years it should feel sort of weird, but for some reason it doesn’t,” said Smith, who served under former Sports Committee president Merrill Eckstein for the first 12 years before taking over last year.
“I guess not having that mindset of working on it and the build-up to it, it’s just not part of the thought process right now. I didn’t realize until I thought about it the other day that this would be it under the old scenario.”
The NCAA announced in February that the Football Championship Subdivision title game was moving to Frisco, Texas, after 13 years at Finley. Not only has the game changed locations, but it also has been pushed back three weeks to accommodate the extra round of games in the expanded playoffs.
This year’s game will be played on Jan. 7.
Eckstein, Finley Stadium’s executive director, said he’ll be watching tonight’s semifinal game between Eastern Washington and defending champion Villanova.
“Besides my role at the stadium, I also happen to be a huge [University of Tennessee at Chattanooga] Mocs fan,” Eckstein said, “and therefore, regardless of if the championship game is here or not, I’m still going to follow the playoffs.”
FULL ARTICLE:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/dec/17/tonight-all-quiet-finley/