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University of Minnesota Athletics
Blog: Insight Bowl Committee, Diablos Visit
12/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Members of the Insight Bowl committee and the Tempe Diablos were on hand Thursday afternoon at the University of Minnesota to officially invite and welcome the University of Minnesota football team to the Insight Bowl.
One of the highlights and traditions of the group's visit is the presentation of Kachina dolls to representatives of the University. Once again this year, the Kachinas were presented to U of M President Bob Bruininks, Director of Athletics Joel Maturi and Head Football Coach Tim Brewster.
Making the presentations was Scott Liem, one of the nearly 150 members of the Tempe Diablos. The Diablos are an organization of businessmen from Tempe, whose mission it is to raise money for the educational system in their community. In addition, they took on the responsibility of being the official hosts for the Fiesta Bowl back in the 1970s. When the Fiesta Bowl moved to Glendale, the Diablos focused their efforts on getting the Insight Bowl moved to Tempe and became the official hospitality hosts for that event.
To see more video from this press conference, visit the Gold Zone.
Prior to the presentation of the Kachinas, Liem wanted to make sure the people of Minnesota knew the Diablos and Insight Bowl committee were happy to have the Gophers back in their bowl game.
"I want to let you all know two things," Liem said. "One, the Minnesota Gophers are now officially the most popular team ever to play in the Insight Bowl, having been out to our game three times out of the last four years. And that the Tempe Diablos are your official hosts. Again, our mission will be to see to it that you have the greatest time that you can possibly have while you're out visiting us."
From there, it was time for the presentation of the Kachina dolls.
"Kachina dolls are a form of Indian art that is very unique to the State of Arizona," Liem said. "To the Hopi Indians, kachinas were spirit messengers and were used to find balance and harmony with nature."
Ironically enough, the first Kachina presented was the badger Kachina. Obviously, the folks from Tempe weren't thinking about Minnesota's rivalry with Wisconsin when they presented to Vice President Kathy Brown, who accepted it on behalf of President Bruininks. Despite the fact that the doll was a badger, the meaning behind the doll was important and well-intentioned.
"The badger Kachina is the supreme doctor of all Kachinas for his supreme knowledge and wisdom," Liem said. "We'd like to present this Kachina to an individual who is a pretty good doctor in his own right for this great university - President Robert Bruininks."
Maturi received an eagle dancer Kachina, which represents strength and power and is ruler of the sky and messenger of the heavens. It is the protector of all.
"We'd like to present this eagle dancer Kachina to a guy who's been a pretty good source of strength and power to the athletic department of this university, athletic director Joel Maturi," Liem said.
Last and certainly not least was Coach Brewster's presentation. Brewster was given the white bear Kachina, which is a great and powerful leader, which possesses spiritual strength used to protect and cure the sick. It symbolizes power, strength, courage, wisdom and healing.
"We'd like to present this white bear Kachina to a gentleman who has shown himself to have plenty of strength, courage and wisdom when it comes to footall, head coach Tim Brewster," Liem said.
Brewster thanked President Bruininks, Vice President Brown and Maturi for their support. He also had very kind words for the Insight Bowl committee and the Tempe Diablos. Brewster also praised the work of John Junker, the President and CEO of the Fiesta and Insight Bowls.
"I'd like to thank the Insight Bowl and in particular I'd like to thank John Junker," Brewster said. "I think he is just an amazing man. Most importantly, to the Insight Bowl and my friends the Diablos, you guys are absolutely the best. I think this will be my 18th bowl game. I've been to bowls all across the country. We just had a fantastic time last year in Tempe."
The game, a 42-21 loss to Kansas, wasn't necessarily a highlight of last year's bowl trip. But Brewster said he and the Golden Gophers are working toward rectifying that part of things this season.
"The result on New Year's Eve last year wasn't what we wanted it to be," Brewster said. "But this year, we're going to come with the intent of fixing that, so that the Gophers are celebrating on New Year's Eve in a big-time way."
The Gophers will have their second of five straight practices Thursday afternoon, before a short break to allow the players to focus on finals. The Gophers will then hold five more practices before heading to the Valley of the Sun on Christmas Day.
-Andy Seeley
