Wednesday's three P's: Picnic, Pep Rally, Press Conference

By Mike Gibson
Most schools usually are concentrating with the three R's ... reading, (w)riting and (a)arithmetic.

At Temple University on Wednesday, though, a break for the three P's are in order:

• Picnic
  
• Pep Rally
  
• Press Conference

Because all rolled into one, that's what this unique event at the Edberg-Olson Football Complex is. It starts at 3 p.m. and will be over by 6:30 p.m.
A picnic with free food to entice the students.
A pep rally and press conference to drum up momentum for a huge crowd for the season-opening game with Navy.
Another p-word thrown around will be possible because former Temple and Navy head coach Wayne Hardin has dubbed this task "Mission Possible."
Hardin will address both the crowd and the media, outlining some of his ideas to fill the stadium. Al Golden will offer some words of support and answer any questions about how spring practice is progressing.
Don't be surprised if someone attending Wednesday's picnic/pep rally/press conference knocks someone's socks off with a supplemental idea or two.
Here is one of mine:
Billboards at both ends of I95 (D.C./Baltimore/Annapolis and Philadelphia) featuring Hardin and Navy coach Paul Johnson in the Annapolis billboards saying simply:
Make plans to join us Aug. 31 in Philadelphia.
The one in Philadelphia can feature Hardin and Golden saying:
Aug. 31: Make plans to join us at the Linc.
Keep that in the minds of the millions of motorists traveling up and down I-95.
Get them coming and going from work, the shore and between the three big cities along the way.
It'll take a little money, not much, and the return on that investment could be ten-fold for the university in terms of hard, cold cash and, most importantly, prestige.