No Renegade, no Ramblin’ Wreck, lots of ranch dressing: How FSU and Georgia Tech packed for Ireland
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Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Writer
In the lead-up to Saturday’s kickoff between Florida State and Georgia Tech, both schools spent 17 months making spreadsheets, filling out documents and triple-checking customs regulations to make sure they packed all the essentials for their transatlantic trip.
Uniforms? Check.
Cleats? Check.
Ranch dressing? Umm, check?
The Ramblin’ Wreck? Sadly, back in Atlanta.
Renegade, Osceola and their flaming spear? If only that pesky quarantine issue had been solved.
Even without their most iconic pregame traditions traveling with them to Dublin, Florida State and Georgia Tech will headline Week 0 with everything they need to play football thanks to an exhaustive behind-the-scenes effort that Georgia Tech director of football operations Josh Thompson describes as “not for the faint of heart.”
In all, the schools combined to bring 238 crates weighing more than 40,000 pounds — packed and shipped on cargo planes last week — filled with everything from game day equipment to sport medicine essentials, protein powder, snacks such as Goldfish and yes, condiments that are not available in Dublin.
“There is no room for error here,” said Jason Baisden, Florida State assistant athletic director for equipment operations. “Once we’re there, we’re there. We can’t come back or can’t call and say, ‘Hey, bring this with you.'”
Both schools started to get ready for this game in March 2023, shortly after it was announced. Florida State director of football operations Bruce Warwick had been part of several overseas games in his previous stops in the NFL, so he already had a good idea about what moving an entire team more than 4,000 miles away would entail.
Beyond packing up all the necessary equipment, passports would have to be secured, multiple in-person site visits to the team hotel would need to be made (including food tastings) and communication with officials in Ireland would have to be precise. Nothing — like assuming that an American biscuit and an Irish biscuit were the same — could be left to chance.
“I had to learn to speak their language,” Baisden said. “Like, it’s not a uniform to them, it’s a kit. It is the English language, but we had to make sure nothing was lost with the translation of what we are doing.” Baisden and Thompson made calls to people they knew at Notre Dame and Navy, two schools that had previously played in Ireland. Baisden asked for their carnet, a document that facilitates temporary international imports and exports. Essentially, the carnet lists every item that is brought into a foreign country line by line, with exact numbers.
Want to bring snacks for the team? No problem. But every snack, from applesauce to crackers, must be listed. The same goes for rolls of tape, gloves, protein powders. You want to bring it? You have to list it.
At Florida State, Baisden became the point person between departments. In January, he asked the sport nutrition, sport medicine, creative video, weight training, radio broadcast and sports information teams to start identifying what they absolutely had to bring with them.
He described the process as preparing for “an overseas bowl trip.” But the detail with which everything had to be itemized goes far beyond any bowl trip preparation, where schools can just load up their equipment trucks and be on their way. For this trip, Baisden labeled every crate with what it was for — hotel, practice, game.
International travel is why the Ramblin’ Wreck and Renegade and Osceola were left at home. Irish officials had inquired about their availability, and both schools had serious discussions about finding a way to do it.
Renegade, the legendary horse ridden by Osceola before every Florida State home game to plant a flaming spear at midfield, would have had to quarantine on the way back to Tallahassee as required by international regulations. As a result, the horse would have been unavailable for the home opener against Boston College on Sept. 2. Plus, this is technically a Georgia Tech home game.
A gold and white 1930 Ford Model A Sport Coupe known as the “Ramblin’ Wreck” has led the Yellow Jackets onto the field for every home game since 1961. The Wreck would have to travel on a ship to get to Ireland. The travel time home would have meant it, too, would have been unavailable for the home opener against Georgia State on Aug. 31. There had been discussion about using an Irish “cousin” of the Wreck, a Peugeot-type stand-in from Dublin, but the idea was nixed.
There was plenty more that had to be discussed to get to the finish line. Florida State ended up having to get 85 passports for its players; Georgia Tech had to get 70 in total between players and staff. Perhaps the most unexpected challenge the teams faced was making sure they would be able to use the new technology allowed starting this season — coach-to-helmet communication and iPads on the sideline.
The headset systems coaches use on the sideline in the United States do not work overseas because they use different radio frequencies. Both schools had to rent new systems, and that means a different belt pack for coaches to get used to. Florida State practiced with them during scrimmages so the coaches could start to get a feel for them.
Thompson said the schools had to secure multiple lines of frequency for the communication headsets to work. The iPads required coordination with Aviva Stadium and local vendors for specific fiber lines used to update video in real time. The schools have had weekly calls with the ACC and different vendors to make sure everything is ready to go. Everything will be tested Friday.
“The coaches don’t like change. I don’t like change,” Thompson said. “Everybody is a creature of of habit. I want to walk into the stadium when the team walks in and make sure everything is done. I don’t want to have to be running around panicking, ‘All right, how are we going to handle this?'”
The teams went through different airports to have their cargo flown over, all at the direction of Aer Lingus, the game’s title sponsor. Florida State packed up a truck last week that left for Orlando, where its crates were then placed on cargo aircraft pallets called “cookie sheets” for international travel and then flown to Dublin. Georgia Tech had its cargo go on a plane to Chicago, and then on to Dublin.
Everything flown over arrived before the teams got in Thursday morning. Each team sent an advance group early to open crates and begin sorting items for use at the hotel or stadium. Equipment managers set up their respective locker rooms for Thursday practice. In addition, both teams had hundreds of cases of Powerade and water bottles directly shipped to both the hotel and stadium.
The hotels were chosen for their similarities to normal road hotels. They had to have large enough spaces available for team meetings, but also food that tasted like home. Warwick said grits, for example, were a nonstarter because the chefs could not cook them to specification. Florida State players have an affinity for ranch dressing, A1 steak sauce and Tabasco, items unavailable in Ireland, so those specific condiments were packed.
“The food is the biggest challenge because they like what they like and they know what they know,” Warwick said. “We tried to keep it as Americanized as possible.”
The teams themselves left the United States on Wednesday evening, but even their departures looked different. For domestic game travel, both teams go through TSA security screening at their respective stadiums before boarding buses and heading to their charter flights.
But for an international trip, both teams must go through the regular security line at their respective airports. It is one thing for Florida State to go through its small regional airport in Tallahassee. But just imagine the 289-person Georgia Tech travel party pulling up to Concourse F at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta and going through security.
Aer Lingus, the title sponsor of the game, had to get special permission to secure a gate. Thompson said he has been assured there will be extra security lanes open to get Georgia Tech through efficiently. He plans to use a “pod system” where he separates the players into groups, with one designated the captain and responsible for making sure everyone has their passports.
Players will be reminded frequently about do’s and don’ts if they are bringing carry-ons, including the size of allowable liquids.
“I can’t wait to see when I’m the last person that goes through the TSA line what all was taken during that time,” Thompson said.
Now picture this upon arrival: Players standing around the baggage carousel, waiting for their player equipment bags. Those bags had to travel with them because both teams practiced all the way up to their departure day. So the bags get checked onto the plane upon airport arrival, for pickup in baggage claim, in addition to their own personal luggage. For this trip, Florida State got its players customized roller suitcases. Both teams will have a light practice at the stadium after they arrive, with the main goal to get everyone acclimated to the five-hour time change. Georgia Tech coach Brent Key, who went to Ireland for a game as a UCF assistant in 2014, said he does not want to make the trip any bigger than it has to be — drawing from his previous overseas experience.
“We overcoached those kids,” Key said, referring to UCF’s 26-24 loss to Penn State. “We tried to give them an experience. We took them to different places, took them on tours and it was just too much stuff when you’re going over there to play football game. Do you know what makes a great experience? Winning.”
To that end, Georgia Tech will fly home after the game as it has a tight turnaround to the following week. Because Florida State plays on a Monday night, coach Mike Norvell decided to have the team stay on Sunday for some sightseeing before returning to Tallahassee.
Though that approach is different, planning the logistics in the lead-up to the game has been identical. The schools have been in constant communication, but there will be anxiety upon arrival, during the game and postgame, too. Everything has to be repacked for travel back home, and at customs Saturday night. In both cases — travel to and from — both schools have to rely heavily on people they have never met to get the job done.
“Anytime and every time I travel, I worry if my bag is going to get there, so you definitely worry about that,” Thompson said. “You’re moving almost 300 people at one time. So you just have to make sure it is correct and right.”
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Ryan S. Clark
Add Rick Tocchet to the list of available coaching options on the open market with the Vancouver Canucks announcing Tuesday that Tocchet left the team.
There had been a belief that Tocchet’s time with the Canucks could be coming to an end. Last week saw the discussion of Tocchet’s future with the franchise come under greater focus, with Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford saying they weren’t exercising their option on Tocchet’s contract before adding that they offered him a new, more lucrative deal to remain in Vancouver.
But now? Tocchet joins the list of sought-after coaching candidates and the Canucks become the eighth NHL team that will use this offseason to go through a coaching search.
“After a very long and thorough process, unfortunately Rick has decided to leave the Vancouver Canucks,” Rutherford said in a statement. “This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick’s decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career. We did everything in our power to keep him but at the end of the day, Rick felt he needed a change.”
In the same news conference in which Rutherford said the team offered Tocchet a new deal, he also said that Tocchet “may have his mind somewhere else” before adding that he felt Tocchet and his staff did “a good job coaching this team this year” as they did in their first full campaign.
Tocchet was a midseason hire during the 2022-23 season. His first full year in charge saw the Canucks win 50 games, finish with 109 points and win the Pacific Division. He led the Canucks to their first postseason appearance since the 2019-20 season and was a win away from advancing to the Western Conference finals.
Entering this season, the Canucks had most of their players from their playoff team. They started strong with a 15-8-5 record but encountered numerous on-ice and off-ice problems that would prove too large.
Among them was the friction between star forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The tension between Miller and Pettersson reached a stage in which Canucks captain Quinn Hughes publicly acknowledged there was an issue with Miller and Pettersson denying such issues.
Miller would be traded to the New York Rangers before the trade deadline, and the Canucks struggled to find someone who could replace his production. They would finish six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
Still, Tocchet had the support of Hughes, along with others within the organization who wanted him to stay.
As for what it all means going forward for both parties? Tocchet is among those who will join Mike Sullivan, who parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday after winning two Stanley Cups in 10 seasons, as one of the most attractive names for teams seeking a new bench boss.
Then there are the teams that need a coach. It’s a list that includes the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken, plus the Penguins and now the Canucks.
“I’m choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks,” Tocchet said. “Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes an opportune time. While I don’t know where I’m headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities around hockey.”
It seems such a short time ago that all 16 teams began the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs with a clean slate. On Tuesday night, two teams could have their postseason runs ended.
Can both teams stave off elimination to get another home game out of the 2025 postseason?
Meanwhile in the Western Conference, both series involving Pacific Division teams are tied 2-2 heading back to the higher seed’s domain. Which teams will take pivotal Games 5 in Vegas Golden Knights–Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings–Edmonton Oilers?
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Monday’s games, and the Three Stars of Monday Night from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs
Game 5 (TOR leads 3-1) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
Games 2-4 marked the 11th time in the past 20 years that teams have gone to overtime three straight times in a playoff series.
Jake Sanderson‘s game-winning overtime goal was the first of his career, and he became the ninth defenseman age 22 or younger with an OT goal in the playoffs (and the first for the Senators).
Veteran David Perron scored his first playoff goal with the Senators, the fourth team with which he has scored a postseason goal (Blues, Golden Knights, Ducks).
Matthew Knies scored his sixth career playoff goal, which is tied for the fourth most by a Maple Leafs player age 22 or younger since 1976-77, behind Auston Matthews (12), Wendel Clark (11) and Russ Courtnall (8).
Toronto defensemen have scored five goals this postseason, the most by any team, a surprising outcome given that the Leafs had the fewest goals by defensemen in the regular season (21).
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
Game 5 (CAR leads 3-1) | 7:30 p.m. ET | TBS
The Devils have outscored the Hurricanes at 5-on-5 in the series (7-5), but trail on their own power plays (0-1), the Canes’ power plays (0-4) and when the net is empty (0-2).
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen was knocked out of Game 4 following a collision with Devils forward Timo Meier. Meier has not scored on Andersen during this series, but scored on his first shot on goal against backup goalie Pyotr Kochetkov.
Andersen’s status is up in the air for Game 5, but he is the current leader among playoff goaltenders in goals-against average (1.59) this postseason, and is second among qualified goalies in save percentage (.936).
Andrei Svechnikov scored his second career playoff hat trick in Game 4. He has two for his career and is the only player in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to score a playoff hat trick.
Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Game 4 broke one streak and continued another. Ivan Barbashev‘s OT winner snapped a three-game losing streak for Vegas in playoff OT games, while the loss for Minnesota makes it five straight defeats in home playoff games that go to the extra session.
Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson made 42 saves in the loss, his second career playoff game with 40 or more. He is the only goaltender in franchise history with multiple 40-save games in the playoffs.
Kirill Kaprizov registered an assist in the Game 4 loss, giving him eight points in four games this postseason, one behind the leaders.
Vegas forward Tomas Hertl is on a heater. His goal in Game 4 is his third this postseason, and he has eight goals in his past nine games going back to March 22.
The Wild have been mostly effective at keeping Jack Eichel off the score sheet. He had one assist in Game 4, his first point of the series after a team-leading 94 points in the regular season.
Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 10 p.m. ET | TBS
With his two-goal outing in Game 4, Evan Bouchard became the fourth defenseman in Stanley Cup playoff history to have back-to-back multigoal games, joining Rob Blake (2002), Al Iafrate (1993) and Denis Potvin (1981).
Leon Draisaitl — who scored the OT game winner in Game 4 — now has eight four-point games in his playoff career. That’s the fourth most in Oilers history, behind Wayne Gretzky (20), Mark Messier (10) and Jari Kurri (10).
Tied with Draisaitl for the playoff scoring lead is Kings winger Adrian Kempe, who is also tied for the goals lead with four. Kempe had 19 total points in 22 previous playoff games, all with the Kings.
Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been busy, facing 134 shots, which is the second most among postseason goaltenders (Gustavsson is first with 136). Kuemper’s current .881 save percentage is the second worst of his playoff career, narrowly ahead of the .879 he generated while backstopping the Wild for two games in the 2013 playoffs.
Arda’s three stars from Monday night
Johnston scored his first goal of the 2025 postseason nine seconds in, which is tied for the fifth fastest goal to start a game in Stanley Cup playoff history. He had himself a night, with two goals and an assist in the Stars’ win.
Rantanen scored his first postseason goal with the Stars against his old team. Rantanen became the seventh different player in NHL history to score a playoff goal against a team with which he previously tallied 100-plus postseason points. The others: Jaromir Jagr (2012 and 2008 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins), Brett Hull (2002, 2001, and 1999 vs. St. Louis Blues), Wayne Gretzky (1992, 1990, 1989 vs. Edmonton Oilers), Jari Kurri (1992 vs. Oilers), Paul Coffey (1992 vs. Oilers) and Bernie Geoffrion (1967 vs. Montreal Canadiens).
His postgame quotes keep getting better and better, to the point where he deserves a star for saying, “I’m sick of talking about hits” — then asking the media for their thoughts. Love it.
Monday’s scores
Florida Panthers 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
FLA leads 3-1 | Game 5 Wednesday
After an exciting, but scoreless, first period, the game heated up even more in the second. Anton Lundell opened the scoring for the Panthers, and Aaron Ekblad delivered a vicious hit to Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel; the call was not penalized on the ice, and Hagel would have to leave the game. Thereafter, the Lightning scored two goals within 11 seconds from Mitchell Chaffee and Erik Cernak to take the lead well into the third period. But then in another span of 11 seconds, the Panthers pulled off the same feat, with goals by Ekblad and Seth Jones, sending the building into a frenzy. Carter Verhaeghe added an empty-netter for insurance. Full recap.
1:21
Panthers match Lightning with 2 goals in 11 seconds to take lead
Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones score within 11 seconds of each other as the Panthers grab a late lead in the third period.
Dallas Stars 6, Colorado Avalanche 2
DAL leads 3-2 | Game 6 Thursday
As wild as the opening game was Monday night, this one looked to be going down the same road early. Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston scored nine seconds into the game, which is the fastest goal ever to start a playoff game in Stars franchise history. Fellow young Star Thomas Harley joined him on the scoresheet with 45 seconds left in the first. From there on, Dallas kept Colorado at arm’s length, with a second-period goal from Mikko Rantanen, another from Johnston and one from Mason Marchment, followed by an empty-netter from Roope Hintz to put an exclamation point on the proceedings. Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon scored in the second period, but that was not nearly enough on this night. Full recap.
0:34
Stars score in first 9 seconds of the game
Wyatt Johnston wastes no time as he finds the net within nine seconds of play for a Stars goal against the Avalanche.
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