UK goes to third straight Bowl - they didn't deserve it - and I'm a UK fan stating this

http://www.kentucky.com/817/story/619116.html

When it came down to its bowl destination, the University of Kentucky football team used the theme that ultimately decided the 2008 presidential election.

It was time for a change.

There was talk of the Wildcats, who finished the regular season at 6-6, making a third straight trip to the Music City Bowl. But UK Coach Rich Brooks and his players opted for the school’s first-ever trip to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, where they will compete against East Carolina (9-4) on Jan. 2 in Memphis’ Liberty Bowl Stadium.

The Music City Bowl had expressed interested in having the Wildcats again, but UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said the players ultimately saw the Liberty Bowl as a more attractive option.

“Part of the bowl experience is to let the student-athletes see different things,” Barnhart said. “We’ve been to Nashville several times to play Vanderbilt. We’ve been to Nashville twice for the bowl game. (Memphis) is a place that we haven’t been. This will give us a chance to do something different.”

The players seemed to welcome the opportunity for a new experience.

“I think the coaches and Mr. Barnhart knew that it was important for us to find a way to get to another city because it’s easy to lose interest,” said junior defensive end Jeremy Jarmon.

“I felt the vibe that the guys didn’t want to do the same thing three times in a row,” senior running back Tony Dixon said.

This will be the 50th anniversary of the Liberty Bowl, which also hosted Paul “Bear” Bryant’s final game as head coach at Alabama.

Brooks will be participating in his third Liberty Bowl. He played in the game as a senior at Oregon State in 1962 when the Beavers beat Villanova 6-0, and he was an assistant coach at UCLA in 1976 when the Bruins were beaten by Bryant and Alabama, 36-6.

“We’re very honored to have the University of Kentucky,” said Liberty Bowl Executive Director Steve Ehrhart. “A great part of our 50-year history is to have top programs and outstanding coaches and players being a part of our tradition. We’ve wanted to have Kentucky as a part of our history for a long time, and we’re glad it’s finally happening this year.”

“It’s great that we’re playing in the 50th anniversary of a game that I actually played in when the game originated in Philadelphia,” Brooks said. “I think it’s an honor to play a conference champion, particularly one that was as hot to start the season as East Carolina was, and the way they finished the year will be a great test for our program.”

Jarmon, a native of Memphis, made the official announcement in spirited fashion during a timeout in the second half of Kentucky’s basketball game with Mississippi Valley State.

Jarmon is no stranger to the Liberty Bowl, having played in the Liberty Bowl High School All-Star game his senior year.

East Carolina was one of the country’s hottest teams early in the season, when the Pirates posted wins over then No. 17 Virginia Tech and No. 8 West Virginia in their first two games. They endured a three-game losing streak that started in mid-September, but they rebounded down the stretch and beat Tulsa 27-24 in the Conference USA championship game to earn their Liberty Bowl berth.

“East Carolina is an outstanding team,” Brooks said. “They had two of the most impressive wins that anybody’s had all year when they beat Virginia Tech and West Virginia back-to-back, and they beat a very good Tulsa team in their championship game. They’ve got an outstanding defense and an experienced quarterback. We’ll have to play very well to have a chance to win the game.”

This will mark the Pirates’ third trip to the Liberty Bowl. Nearly 4,000 ECU fans welcomed the team back to Greenville, N.C., after the win over Tulsa.

“It’s going to be a phenomenal trip,” East Carolina Coach Skip Holtz said. “This is what we’ve talked about beginning with the first day of practice — the road to Memphis and what we’ve got to do to get there. I can’t tell you how excited we are as a program and as a university to be there. It’s a fitting reward for the team and the fans, because they put it out there on the line, too.”