I’m Frank Rossi. For those who don’t know me, please let me introduce myself. Since 1995, I have been a play-by-play commentator for the Union College Fighting Dutchmen, and over the past few years, I’ve been a contributor to D3Sports.com. In 2007, I was called in at the last minute to work the sidelines for the NCAA.com/D3Football.com broadcast of the Stagg Bowl. It was an interesting experience, driving eight hours from New York City to Roanoke, VA, with two hours to spare before our pregame show airtime, working outside for five hours in 40-degree temperatures and getting to watch what many people think was one of the biggest upsets in Stagg Bowl history from field level. It’s an experience I still cherish, not because I was rooting for either team, but because the atmosphere was electric and the event lived up to the years of hype I had heard from many fans.

The only letdown in 2007 was that I spent a total of 24 hours in the Salem/Roanoke area, half of which was consumed sleeping after the game was over and five hours were on the air. I asked Pat Coleman if I could renew my role as sideline commentator for this year’s game, but on one condition: that I could enjoy the entire Stagg Bowl experience. Pat agreed, and I’m writing this blog entry from my flight from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Washington-Dulles Airport. In a few hours, Pat will meet me, and we’ll begin the 3 1/2-hour trek to Roanoke.

Among the events that I am looking forward to are the awarding of the Gagliardi Trophy, meeting the teams and coaches, meeting the families of the players and enjoying the area that has become the long-time home of the Stagg Bowl. As the week and weekend continue, I’ll update you with the activities in which I partake for those of you that can’t make it to Salem for the first couple days — or who unfortunately can’t make it at all.

Let me end this entry with my take on this year’s game as I head into the conclusion of the first leg of my trip to Salem. Yes, it’s a rematch of the same teams for the fourth straight Stagg Bowl — and that fact is getting a lot of play among Division III Football fans. However, what people are forgetting is that UW-Whitewater beat Mount Union in 2007. No matter how hot Mount Union has come into and through the playoffs this year, they still haven’t dethroned the defending National Champions. In many ways, for the first time in this heated rivalry, the pressure is on the Purple Raiders. Sure, my belief is that Whitewater has had more trouble than Mount Union in the playoffs to this point, but the score is still zero-zero right now until we kick things off Saturday.

Am I disappointed with the rematch? Initially I was concerned — but the more I have thought about it, the more I realize that these two teams deserve to be playing in front of a national crowd this year. We have a playoff system to force the teams to earn their path to a championship — instead of basing it to a large degree on teams’ reputations. I’d rather have this rematch than have a dissatisfied taste in my mouth after the fact that the winner might not REALLY be the best team in the land.

This should be an exciting and fun week. I hope you join me as I update you on my experiences at least once a day — maybe more if time allows. Feel free to comment with any Salem stories, recommendations on what I should do with my down time this week, or assessments on the big game, and I’ll try to respond as I can.