FAU coach John McCormack returned from this weekend's sweep of Alabama to find a broom with a sign attached which read "Way to go, Owl-in-a-ters" placed in front of his office door by members of the exercise science department. (OwlAccess.com photo)
Riding high
Even an unexpected return bus trip from Alabama couldn't dampen the Owls' spirits following FAU's season-opening weekend sweep of the Crimson Tide.
Originally published on
2/20/2012
by
Chuck King
BOCA RATON - About an hour after sweeping SEC foe Alabama in Tuscaloosa, FAU coaches and players received a not-so-subtle reminder that their travel arrangements are quite different from how SEC teams travel.
The bus taking them to Atlanta so that they could catch a flight home overheated.
“We just just swept an SEC school and this is what happens?” right fielder a smiling Alex Hudak recalls thinking. “It was a zoo, man. Just seeing the smoke coming up. They were telling is it was going to be alright, and then (assistant coach Brad) Frick came up and said, 'Look, it's slim to none we are going to make this flight.' After a sweep – you can't complain too much.”
The bus had to pull over multiple times to cool down.
“The whole coaching staff was out there helping the bus driver fill the bus with water,” FAU coach John McCormack said.
The bus issues caused the Owls to miss their plane in Atlanta. They eventually reached a place that could repair the problem, jumped back on the bus, and arrived back in Boca Raton at 8:45 a.m. Monday.
Of course, the ordeal did give FAU time savor the historic sweep of the Crimson Tide. FAU never trailed during a weekend that saw them outscore Alabama 23-8 during the three-game series after a two-day bus trip to get to Tuscaloosa, Ala.
“The level of passion and team unity that those guys played with I have not seen in years,” McCormack said.
Well into Monday afternoon Hudak had yet to return home to sleep but still emerged from the weight room full of life, living off the energy that comes from eye-opening victories.
“For the first time we went and played in this big SEC stadium, SEC opponent, and I can honestly tell you no one was intimidated,” he said. “We actually thought we were going to come out and win that Friday night game.”
Without a midweek game, the Owls won't be back on the field until Friday when they host Manhattan for the start of a four-game set.
Hudak can't wait to show the local fan base this year's version of the Owls, adding that the momentum garnered n Tuscaloosa is still building.
“We played baseball this weekend like we were supposed to,” Hudak said. “We're hungry right now. We have something to prove. That was a lot of fun. It was a great experience.”