FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: October 22, 2013
Contact: Al Botta
T: 516/967-8993
E: al@collegefootballquest.com

A QUEST AND AN OBSESSION: TWO NEW YORK FOOTBALL FANS COME TO THE GROVE
Trip Is Part of Their Mission to See a Game at Every College Football Stadium in the Country

Since 2008, Jarrett Singer and Al Botta have been on a rather unusual quest: to watch a college football game in every Division I-A football stadium in the country. They’ve started the website CollegeFootballQuest.com to keep fans updated on their progress, and finally, after several years of planning, the guys will visit storied Ole Miss, and The Grove. “Outside of discussing the locale we are visiting in a given week, The Grove is the only consistent location that other football fans across the country consistently ask us if we have been to yet,” Jarrett claims. “It’s reputation as the ‘perfect football setting and environment’ stands alone amongst football fans regardless of team or conference allegiance, or area of the country.” Al adds, “And to add to that, the discussion about Ole Miss is no longer just about the Grove, the Square, and some out of stadium traditions, but the headway the team and athletic department is making inside the stadium.”

Though their quest didn’t officially get underway until a few years ago, Singer says the seed of the idea was planted even earlier, in his senior year at the University of Florida when he enrolled in a course called Coaching Football. “It was not the easy ‘A’ that it sounds like,” Singer says. “You had to do a lot of work building a playbook and scouting an opponent. I learned a lot and as a result my ideal seat in the stadium is the first row of the upper deck in the middle of the end zone, where I can better see critical plays develop.”

Since then, they’ve had an opportunity to see a lot of those critical plays develop. In the first year of their quest, at a game in DeKalb, Illinois, between the Central Michigan Chippewa’s and the Northern Illinois Huskies, Singer and Botta watched as Northern Illinois battled back from a twenty-four point deficit to force overtime, only to throw an interception and lose. “Exciting games like that keep us going on the Quest, regardless of school size or ranking,” Singer says. Al adds, “It’s not all sunny and glorious like the Northern Illinois or Texas Tech games. Two weeks ago we sat in a typhoon in Oregon and watched Cal fumble the ball the first 8 times they touched it, and lose by about a gazillion points. Jarrett’s sneakers we full of water 4 inches high until he got back to NYC!!”

“This was a trip that we had to cancel last year due to Hurricane Sandy damaging my home and destroying Al’s,” Jarrett reminds. “The anticipation and expectation is double now, however we have no doubts this will be one of, if not, the most memorable trip of the Quest.”

And even their sports experiences are not always limited to college football. Jarrett and Al expect to fully tour the campus, stadium, and facilities, documenting as they go on their website, www.collegefootballquest.com. Jarrett mentions, “We have gotten better at documenting our trips over the years. That will be very important when we are still doing this in our 70’s and have trouble remembering those earlier trips. Therefore, it is important that we document the entire experience and not just the game and stadium.” Al adds, “There is an amazing history here that has been passed down, and remains intact with the current student and fan base. Can’t wait to participate!”

The Quest has given them an opportunity see a lot of things in America’s college towns they might have otherwise missed. They cite touring West Point, being in Austin, Texas, on game day, and tailgating with Hawkeye fans in Iowa City as just some of the highlights of their journey thus far.

Both Botta and Singer are members of the Football Writers Association of America.

###

If you’d like more information about College Football Quest, or to schedule an interview with Jarrett Singer or Al Botta, please call Al at 516/967-8993 or email Al at al@collegefootballquest.com

Follow the guys on Twitter;

Al

Jarrett