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Tigers, Bulls Are Happy To Be Here

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 10, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Minutes before being introduced at the inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl coaches' news conference Tuesday afternoon, Memphis' Tommy West leaned against a rail on the top level of The Pier in St. Petersburg and took in the scenery.

Basking in brilliant sunshine, West gazed out at the glistening water of Tampa Bay as sea gulls flew by. St. Petersburg mayor Rick Baker later told West it was just another great day in St. Petersburg.

"It's OK," West deadpanned. "Hopefully, it will be better next week."

Both West and University of South Florida coach Jim Leavitt said after they were eliminated from winning their respective conferences, they couldn't have asked for a better bowl destination.

The Tigers (6-6) were among 13 teams to start 0-3 and one of two to reach a bowl game. The Bulls (7-5) lost five of their last seven, but still made the postseason for a fourth consecutive year.

West said being able to play in a "Florida bowl" was huge, but he also likes the opportunity to play the Bulls, who were former Conference USA rivals of the Tigers.

"To have a chance to play South Florida - one of the three that left our league and went into the Big East - I'm not going to act like that's not important, because it is," West said. "We kind of lobbied for this bowl. Outside of our league champion who plays an SEC team, this is the only other opportunity in a bowl to play a BCS opponent.

"When you're not in the BCS it's a big deal, because it's where we want to be."

Leavitt was excited about playing a bowl game in the city where he grew up.

"This is history, right now," Leavitt said. "We're going to look back on this probably a number of years from now and being at the inaugural game is history. And we are all part of history and that is very, very powerful - extremely powerful. It's going to be a great thing."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928

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