TAMPA, Fla. — Friday night, UCF and Georgia Tech will battle it out in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. But this week, they got to meet the men and women of the military who prepare for battle every day. Both teams got a special tour of MacDill Air Force Base upon their arrival in Tampa.
"My mom specifically wants me to go get in the aircraft," joked Georgia Tech running back Jamal Haynes.
His mother served in the army, and his father served in the Navy. Haynes said he promised his mom a Facetime call from a cargo plane.
"It’s very special to live in the moments of what my parents were doing. Being able to bond with other teammates and other teams while we’re out here doing something that’s very special."
Clearwater-native Brett Seither's father served 18 years in the Navy. He says being raised in a military family is different, but it's different in a positive way.
"You’re raised a little bit stricter, a little hardcore household, but it’s good," said Seither, a tight end who transferred to Georgia Tech from Georgia. "Definitely a sense of appreciation. Especially seeing stuff like this, it adds to that."
Seither's dad is a naval aviator who went to the real-life Top Gun. When asked if he wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps, Brett grinned and said his future was on the ground.
"I never really saw myself flying planes or anything. That kinda steered me away from that, but it definitely would be an honor."
UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee didn't mind diving into the military playbook and picking the brains of any military members he and his teammates could talk to on Wednesday.
"You can tell by the excitement on the guy's faces of all the cool different things that are around here to experience and learn from and to look at," he said. "Definitely a lot to take in. And we’re doing just that. We’re enjoying it, for sure."
Captain Danielle Hudson is the Chief of Public Affairs for the 6th Air Refueling Wing. She said the people on the base are just as excited to host the Gasparilla Bowl event as the players are to experience it.
"This is their Super Bowl, coming up on Friday. And it’s just exciting that we get to see their dreams come true right in front of our eyes," Captain Hudson said. "And it’s exciting that you see these two teams from all different backgrounds come together for things like this and cheer each other on."
The experience of Bowl Week is centered around the players having fun, but everyone knows this is also a work trip.
"You want to enjoy yourself and enjoy the festivities just like this," Plumlee added. "There’s a time to let your hair down. There’s a time to get to work and be focused."
"Tampa’s all behind this. We’re a part of that community," Captain Hudson said when describing MacDill's role in Bowl Week. "We’re rooting for both teams on Friday. Can they both win?"
The Gasparilla Bowl kicks off Friday night at 6:30 P.M. inside Raymond James Stadium. It will also air on ESPN.
