As the Sooners took the field for their pregame routine Monday night, a Cleveland Browns representative stationed himself near OU running back Adrian Peterson.
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The man closely watched Peterson's every move, jotting notes on a pad.
Earlier, the Browns rep had a long chat with Sooners offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson.
The Browns pick third in the 2007 NFL Draft. They could figure to need a running back, as starter Ruben Droughns led the team with 758 yards and four touchdowns.
Oakland and Detroit select before the Browns.
•Roof closed:Fiesta Bowl officials had planned to have the roof at University of Phoenix Stadium open for pregame festivities and closed for the game. But it was closed throughout the day Monday.
The decision was made when a pregame parachute drop was canceled.
The drop was canceled after an accident occurred during practices last week at Arizona State's Sun Devil Stadium. One of the parachutists landed in the stands. The decision was made because of the tighter confines of the roof at University of Phoenix Stadium.
"For safety reasons, we decided not to do it,” Fiesta Bowl vice president Shawn Schoeffler said.
•Nice catch:Boise State center Jadon Daileygot his first and last career reception. Late in the third quarter, Broncos quarterback Jared Zabransky was pressured and threw on the run — right into Dailey's midriff.
The senior lineman turned and ran, but lost 6 yards. Since Dailey was ineligible, the Broncos were penalized for illegal touching, but OU declined the penalty, giving Dailey a catch.
•Brothers in spirit: George Mason University, a Cinderella story by making basketball's Final Four last season, took out a full-page ad in the Idaho Statesman supporting the Boise State football team.
"That's awesome,” said Bronco coach Chris Petersen. "Come basketball season, the Broncos might have to be spending a little money on George Mason.”
•Rock stars: Petersen admitted his Broncos have lived like rock stars since arriving in Phoenix. That's not necessarily a good thing for the blue-collar Broncos.
"We have been treated like royalty,” Petersen said. "And they deserve it. How these guys have worked the last five years, it's kind of coming to a head this next couple days.
"But we talk a lot about that. It's really different than how we kind of pride ourselves. We pride ourselves on being a blue-collar outfit. It doesn't matter where we play, how we're treated, we're always going to show up ready to go. This has been kind of the far extreme. This in a way will test our blue-collar mentality.”
•Hot coach: In the last 10 years, Boise State has lost three head coaches — Houston Nutt to Arkansas, Dirk Koetter to Arizona State and Dan Hawkins to Colorado. Will the Broncos lose Petersen?
"It's a better job now,” Petersen said.
Petersen said he was with Koetter on Saturday night and heard stories of hard times. "They had two VCRs, two TVs,” Petersen said. "They were pushing one to another meeting room, and the TV fell off the cart. They were trying to figure out how they were going to get more money to buy another TV.”
•Boise reunion: Koetter, who was recently fired by Arizona State, was invited by Petersen to attend the Fiesta Bowl, and accepted. Hawkins, who moved from Boise to Colorado after last season, turned down an invitation, saying he didn't want to become the story.
But Hawkins' daughter, Brittany Hawkins, attended. She is engaged to Boise State linebacker Tim Brady.
•Familiar face: Boise State center Jadon Dailey is from Phoenix. He's enjoyed the visit home for several reasons — not least among them, the unique situation at the Broncos' team hotel.
Donnie Dailey, Jadon's brother, is a reservations agent at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort and has visited his familiar guest several times during work breaks.
"I've told him I'm living the life,” Jadon Dailey said, laughing.
•New house: A Fiesta Bowl promotion resulted in a new house for a local family.
Fred Banks, a single father, thought he was going to try to toss a football into a large bag of Tostitos chips at halftime, with the chance to raise $100,000 for Habitat for Humanity. Instead, he was informed he had been given the next home built by Habitat for Humanity. The Banks family will be presented the keys to the new house next Monday at halftime of the BCS National Championship game.
By John Helsley, George Schroeder and Berry Tramel
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