AZTECS UPDATE : NOTEBOOK / SCOTT MILLER : SDSU Could Have Marketed Tickets in Its Own Backfield

The San Diego State ticket office, frantically attempting to sell its allotment of 11,827 Freedom Bowl tickets, never knew what a bonanza it had right there on campus.

The bowl is practically in Aztec quarterback David Lowery’s back yard. He is from Mission Viejo, and the Aztec team headquarters in Irvine is just down the freeway from his house. His high school booster club has purchased 150 tickets, doctors at the hospital where his mother works have purchased 50 tickets and one of Lowery’s uncles bought 40 tickets.

“What’s sad is nobody got any of their tickets from San Diego State,” Lowery said. “They all got them from Anaheim Stadium before I knew we had to sell that many.”

The Aztecs have budgeted for about a $150,000 surplus from the Freedom Bowl, but that is partially tied to how many tickets they sell. Jim Herrick, SDSU associate athletic director for business affairs, said the Aztecs need to sell about 7,000 tickets to reach the $150,000. They have sold slightly more than 6,000 so far.

Including none to Lowery’s friends and relatives.

“That could have been close to an extra 300 right there,” he said. “I think every single person I know is going.”

SDSU practices are beginning to pick up in intensity, if Friday morning was any indication. Running back T.C. Wright and linebacker Andy Coviello got into a fight during practice.

They both came away with sore hands, and Coviello’s was hurting so badly that SDSU coaches sent him off the field to be X-rayed. The X-rays were negative.

“It was a good one,” Lowery said. “They both were hitting pretty good. I don’t know what happened--I guess T.C. got a good block in. Andy goes hard all the time and doesn’t like to get blocked.”

It didn’t take Coviello and Wright long to make up. Coviello has been loaned a small video camera for the next 11 days by a local television station to record SDSU’s Freedom Bowl trip from a player’s perspective.

He was walking around after practice when he spied Wright, so he shoved the camera in Wright’s face.

“T.C. Wright, boxer extraordinaire,” Coviello said. “Let’s see what you did to me today.”

So Wright, laughing, got up and exhibited a few boxing moves.

However, they might soon disagree again. It wasn’t until after the camera was shut off that Wright learned Coviello was actually filming for a television station.

But before Wright could say anything, freshman running back Marshall Faulk walked by, and Coviello was off again--camera in hand.

“Marshall Faulk, freshman extraordinaire . . .”

Center Kevin Macon handed out invitations to his teammates after practice for a barbecue at Macon’s house. The cookout was to be held later Friday afternoon and hosted by Macon’s parents.

“They’re springing for everything,” Macon said. “They just wanted to get everybody together before the season ends.”

Apparently, the Aztecs were going to eat their fill.

“When I left the house today, there were buns and food waist-high,” Macon said.