Ray on the Bike

The luck of the draw put our seats right behind the spot where Ray Rice took the bench after every offensive series. I love the snapshot up above. Right after halftime, number 27 went straight to the exercise bike behind the offensive bench and was pedaling as the Knights and the Cardinals lined up on the International Bowl logo for the second-half kickoff. His focus and his extra time on his conditioning paid off very early in the third quarter when the Knights started their first second-half possession on their own 2 yard line and Ray single-handedly picked up the missing 98 yards in three runs; the third a gaudy 90-yard sprint that took every bit of his talent and conditioning.

• It was a pleasure to be in Toronto to see the Scarlet Knights win 52-30.
• It was a pleasure to see Ray Rice topple Rutgers and Big East records with almost every run.
• It was a pleasure to be in Toronto. Period.

I just flew back this afternoon. Postgame highlights included trips to the Hockey Hall of Fame, to Niagara Falls, and nightly visits to a great local downtown pub. I hope that the International Bowl continues to draw bigger crowds and survives as the only game outside the US (and not only because the drinking age is 19 in Ontario). It's a wonderful city. I'd like to see the Knights make it to a bigger bowl next year, but if not, I'd go back north in a shot (and not just because O Canada is a much better song than The Star Spangled Banner).

And, as we all chanted after each of Ray's four touchdowns on Saturday afternoon until we were hoarse, "One More Year! One More Year!"