Bennett among C-USA coaches to tour New Orleans

[PonyPride]

Bennett, C-USA Coaches Tour New Orleans
Coaches See Areas Affected By Katrina

July 27, 2006


IRVING - With an invitation from the New Orleans Bowl, eight head coaches from Conference USA football teams, including SMU head coach Phil Bennett, visited New Orleans Tuesday and Wednesday to tour areas affected by Hurricane Katrina last August. Accompanied by Conference USA Associate Commissioner Alfred White, the trip was also a unified effort to assist bowl officials in the production of a series of public service announcements to air throughout the football season.

Assisting in the effort, and making the two-day trip, were: Bennett, Art Briles (Houston), Jeff Bower (Southern Miss), Todd Graham (Rice), George O'Leary (UCF), Mike Price (UTEP), Chris Scelfo (Tulane) and Tommy West (Memphis).

"With every site visit we have hosted since the storm, we continue to notice that the true impact on our area can only be fully understood by seeing it first hand," said New Orleans Bowl executive Director Billy Ferrante. "At the suggestion of Tulane Head Coach Chris Scelfo, we quickly agreed that educating the coaches on our recent past, present progress, and future potential would be an important first step in keeping people involved in our process."

Boarding a bus from their downtown hotel on Wednesday morning, the coaches conducted a citywide tour that encompassed the hardest hit areas: including the Lower 9th Ward, Lakeview (site of the 17th Street Canal levee breach), and New Orleans East. "Hopefully, this trip will help the coaches carry our messages of gratitude, growth, and hope to the entire Conference USA community," added Ferrante.

One way the coaches are helping to deliver these messages is through a collection of public service announcements that were recorded Wednesday morning. The PSAs will be distributed throughout the region and provided to national networks and will also be utilized during the season at stadiums during Conference USA home games. The 30-second spots use the voices and faces of C-USA to thank their respective communities for their support of New Orleans over the past year, and reminds them of the important role the city plays in collegiate sports. In an additional spot, intended for local use, the coaches speak directly to New Orleanians.

Sam Joffray, V.P. of Communications for the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, wrote and produced the 30-second spots. "When coaches talk, fans listen," Joffray said. "During this extraordinary time, New Orleanians have been embraced by members of communities from all over this country. Both of our conference partners and their schools' communities were at the heart of this support. We really wanted an opportunity to thank them, and this seemed like the perfect vehicle to do so. Fortunately, we also have Bowl partners with coaches who wanted an opportunity to genuinely welcome the city back, congratulate us on our progress, and further encourage our rebuilding efforts. We think the spots accomplished all of these objectives."

PSA's featuring the four Conference USA Coaches that were not able to visit New Orleans due to prior commitments will be shot next week at C-USA's Football Media Blitz in Dallas.

The Louisiana Superdome is scheduled to re-open in late September, and will serve once again as the site of the 2006 New Orleans Bowl, as well as the home field for the Tulane Green Wave. Tulane is scheduled to play its first home game since 2004 on September 30 against SMU in a game that will be nationally-televised by CSTV.

[MrMustang1965]

Great public relations for C-USA in New Orleans and nationwide! That last sentence should get EVERYONE'S attention, too!

[giacfsp]

National TV? Where's the watching party that night?
No SMU soccer games to conflict, either. Let's get a HUGE turnout!

[RE Tycoon]

Watching Party is at: Louisiana Superdome, Sugar Bowl Drive, New Orleans, LA 70112

[PK]

Come one...come all.

[PonyPride]

For those who can't make the trip -- Fox & Hound?

[MrMustang1965]

For those who can't make the trip -- Fox & Hound?

I'd rather patronize a business that supports SMU like Bailey's 1st & 10. Do they get CSTV there?