When he wasn't practicing or trying to gulp down his meals Tuesday, Utah State quarterback Anthony Calvillo spent most of his time with a cellular phone at his ear, looking like some kind of tycoon, or with a microphone in his face.
Welcome to the postseason, Aggies."I was planning on doing this," Calvillo says. "Coming to a bowl game, you gotta know you're going to get interviewed a lot, especially if you're the quarterback. I have no problem with it," he says, dozens of interviews behind him and still smiling ear to ear Tuesday evening at the Las Vegas Bowl II reception held for the two participating teams, Utah State (6-5), co-champion of the Big West Conference, and Ball State (8-2-1), winner of the Mid-American Conference.
Las Vegas itself hasn't taken much notice of its own little bowl game, now in its second year, but it's been 22 years since an Aggie club went to a bowl, and what fanfare the Aggies received Tuesday seemed to tickle these wide-eyed players.
Their bus caravan received a police escort into town and was met at their hotel, the Sands, by an official welcoming group of Las Vegas Bowl II officials, the UNLV pep band doubling as the LVBII band and two costumed Vegas showgirls. Coach Charlie Weatherbie asked how old they were; they wouldn't tell him. But they posed for pictures with the players at the mid-day arrival and again at the reception.
The showgirls were such a hit with players at the evening reception that the speakers had to plead for the crowd's attention.
"We don't want to get too excited about extra things," said a laughing Ball State coach Paul Schudel to his players. "We still have to practice tonight, men," Schudel said.
Ball State worked out under the lights at the Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, site of Friday's contest, starting at 6 p.m. MST and televised live by ESPN. The Aggies held their final practice in pads Tuesday on a nearby natural-surface soccer field in the daylight. Today and Thursday, they'll do light run-throughs in sweats and spend time on films and meetings.
"I've never had to compete with a showgirl before. Let me have your attention, Aggies . . . " said USU athletic director Chuck Bell during his turn at the microphone at the reception. The crowd listened briefly.
"All this practicing is over, and I'm enjoying myself," says Aggie senior linebacker Jermaine Younger, happily posing for Polaroids with the girls and with teammates in front of a LVBII logo on a wall.
"I didn't know what to expect," says Aggie senior offensive tackle Jed DeVries. "These guys did a great job making us feel welcome. I'm going to sit back and enjoy my bowl experience."
At least for one evening. Then, it's back to work.
"This is a bowl game that's in Las Vegas, and they like to party and have fun out here," says Calvillo. "I'm not doing it at all," he says. "I'm here to have fun, but I know what my limits are."