Tigers on TV

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Nov. 13, 2008) – Occidental is not getting publicity just from President Elect Barack Obama having attended the college for two years. During the last month there have been two different TV crews on campus to film storied about our Tiger student-athletes.

“The secret is out... We are no longer the hidden gem nestled in the hills of Eagle Rock,” said Director of Athletics Jaime Hoffman. “From our affiliation with Barack Obama to the fascinating stories of our student-athletes to the longstanding traditions and rivalries that few colleges outside of the Ivy League can speak of...Occidental College is a special place that attracts extraordinarily talented people.”

Plenty of people in the area and across the nation will have a chance to see those stories thanks to KTLA and ESPN.

Last weekend as Occidental defeated Pomona-Pitzer in the battle for “The Drum”, KTLA (Ch. 5) came out to film the two teams for a show called The Fifth Quarter, which will be showcasing football rivalries in Southern California.

What better place to start than with the two teams who hold the longest collegiate rivalry in Southern California, dating back to 1895. Occidental walked away with a 64-33 victory, and The Drum, in the 59th win of the 111 meetings between the teams.

The show will air this Saturday, Nov. 15, at 9:00 p.m., featuring interviews with Occidental players and Head Coach Dale Widolff as well as members of the Pomona-Pitzer staff.

Earlier in the semester a film crew visited campus to do a feature on brothers Christopher and Jordan Washington who play on the football team. After having overcome a tremendous amount in their short lives and having been successful in achieving the success they have earned both on the gridiron and in the classrooms makes this a story one you should not miss.

The piece is called NCAA On Campus and will be airing on the following dates.

Wednesday the 19th, ESPN Classic, at 9:30 AM Pacific
Friday the 21st, ESPNU, 1:30 PM Pacific
Sunday the 30th, ESPNU, 9:30 AM

Sometime in December it will be streaming at NCAA.org, under Media & Events, under broadcasting, you’ll find a link to On Campus TV show.

“Being able to show people outside of Occidental our story is special,” added Head Coach Dale Widolff. “Our current student-athletes continue Occidental's rich tradition of success on the field while excelling in the classroom as well.”

There is no wonder why people are watching the Tigers. After all there is plenty of excitement surrounding the #14 Occidental Football team, which recently claimed its fourth SCIAC title in five years.

Entering the final game of the 2008 regular season, Oxy has already punched a ticket to the Post Season, also for the fourth time in five years. Over the last five years Oxy has accumulated an overall record of 43-6 with a 27-2 SCIAC mark.