Arizona football coach Brent Brennan knew one of the best ways to thank fans for their support this past weekend would come at the local watering hole.
The Wildcats were hoping the stadium would be filled on Saturday as they hosted Iowa State in a pivotal Big 12 game that had major implications on the College Football Playoff.
So, when Arizona fans showed up for the homecoming matchup at Casino Del Sol Stadium in a major way, Wildcats coach Brent Brennan figured he would pay them back in the form of alcohol, which is an easy way into the hearts of college students and ticket holders looking to celebrate the 39-3 win over the Cyclones.
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It just so happens that coach Brent Brennan knew where the party would be taking place, so he made a detour on his way home to “Dirtbag’s”, which is a popular bar near the University of Arizona campus that fans gather at following games.
“For me, I’ve said it since I got here and it’s been a thing for me the whole time I’ve been a head coach, I think it’s important that if you want people to show up for you, you gotta show up for them,” Brennan said on Monday. “It was an easy way for me to pop in there, with all of our alumni in town for homecoming, the excitement from the game, to go in there, and say hello and get out.”
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So, how much did the head coach spend on shots for those gathered?
Well, Brennan walked into the bar, ordered 300 tequila shots for Arizona fans, paid the $2,000 tab and left, all within five minutes.
“I was in there for five minutes. It was an expensive five minutes, but it was a good five minutes,” Brennan recalled. “Just wanted to invest in our fans and let them know how much we appreciate them as a football team.”
Now, that is one way to give back, but it turns out he had already done something before kickoff for kids that wanted to attend an Arizona football game.
If you’ve never seen any type of sporting event through the eyes of a child who is witnessing something for the first time, I highly advise doing it.
In the days leading up to Arizona’s showdown with Iowa State, knowing that there were tickets still available, Coach Brennan decided he wanted to give back to his community in another way.
The Wildcats football coach purchased 1,000 tickets for kids involved with the Boys & Girls Club, the Ronald McDonald House, local football leagues and other clubs in the area.
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This was his way of giving back, while also allowing these children the opportunity to experience something he knew would make their day, especially those going through hard times.
“So, as you know, we just want to make it available to as many people as we can. And I thought this was a really easy way to engage some really some groups that are important to me, but also give some people a chance to see this football team play,” Brennan said.
It seems as though Brent Brennan understands the assignment of being a head football coach, especially in the sense of giving back to those who support the program in some form or fashion.
We don’t often hear about stories like this, but it’s refreshing to see the reaction throughout the Tucson community after Brennan made the decision to give back to Arizona fans and local children.