Temple University Athletics
Owls Prepare for Return to Japan After 40 Years
5.9.18 | Football
Forty years ago, the Temple football team embarked on the journey of a lifetime when the Owls traveled to Tokyo, Japan, to play in the first two Mirage Bowls ever in 1977 and 1978. The Mirage Bowl was a regular season National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college football game that was held from 1977 to 1993. It was a cultural experience for the players as well as for fans in Japan, who were not accustomed to seeing American football.
Fast forward to now, as select players and staff from the Temple Football team prepare to go back to help grow American football through clinics on player safety in Tokyo. It's interesting to reminisce with some members from the 1977 and 1978 teams about their time in Japan.
"It was an experience that I will never forget," said linebacker Mike Curcio, who was a captain of the 1978 team. "The country of Japan was a terrific host to our team and it was the experience of a lifetime for many of our players who got to partake in it. I'm happy that current members of the team are going back there."
As far as the actual games went, the Owls ended up finishing 1-1, playing both contests in front of 50,000-plus fans on hand for each game. In 1978, Temple defeated the Boston College Eagles, 28-24, giving the team a 7-3-1 record. Running back Zachary Dixon won the game's most valuable player award and quarterback Brain Broomell also had a great outing, completing 13-of-18 passes and throwing two touchdowns. The Owls avenged a loss from the year before when Temple had fallen to a Doug Williams-led Grambling squad, 35-32.
"It was really great to get the victory back in the 1978 Mirage Bowl," said Broomell. "We had a terrific season that year and it was sweet to avenge the close loss we had in the Mirage Bowl from the year before. The crowd and support was great also as thousands of fans packed Korakeun Stadium to watch us play."
"Temple really had an excellent team during that time," said Dan Baker, the radio play-by-play announcer for the Owls in those days. "Going to Tokyo to play in the Mirage Bowl was a reward for big-time programs, so it was really cool to see Temple get asked to it in back-to-back years. Wayne Hardin, who was the coach at the time, really kept it competitive against some of the best programs in the nation. Following the games in Tokyo, the Owls went to their first NCAA bowl game in 40 years - the Garden State Bowl at the Meadowlands in 1979, where they beat a very good California team ranked in the Top 25."
The experience for the Owls those two years was clearly more than just a football game, as it was many of those student-athletes' first time being outside the country. It was clearly a different culture than Philadelphia. It really opened up a lot of kids' eyes.
"For a kid who grew up in the state of New Jersey, it was awesome to see a different country like Japan," said Curcio. "Our team had a great trip out there and I was thrilled to be a part of it."
Broomell also grew up in South Jersey and was taken away by the experience. "It was fantastic to visit another country like that at such a young age. It was really great to get a perspective on the culture of a huge city and see how the people there live their lives."
Most of the people who went on the trip were amazed at how gracious of hosts the Japanese were to them. The country treated the whole team like welcomed guests and made a conscious effort to help them enjoy their experience in any way they could.
"They really were just were some of the most polite people I ever met," said Baker. "There was one instance when a couple of residents took my wife and I out to dinner and exchanged gifts with us. They gave me a beautiful Seiko watch and my wife a beautiful necklace. I gave them some Temple and Phillies presents and they were very gracious, bowing with thank-you and appreciating our company the whole time."
"I was amazed at how great hosts they were to all of us and really made the whole team feel at home," said Curcio. "I remember the first night when we were there in 1978, they had a big reception at the hotel and just made us all feel so welcome. The food they served was incredible and it just left a great first impression with the whole team."
According to the team, the size of the city took everyone by surprise. At that time and still today, Tokyo is the largest city in Japan and the experience was remarkable for some of the players who have never visited a city of that size before.
"The city was huge and there were a lot of great activities going on everywhere," added Broomell. "It ran so efficiently too. Transportation everywhere you went was great and the people took great pride in keeping the areas around them clean. I've never seen such a clean city before in my life."
There were plenty of fun activities for the team to partake in. Leading up to the game, all parties involved were free to roam the city of Tokyo and invited to spend their leisure time how they wanted to. A lot of events were going on and the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, who were one of the only professional cheerleading squads at the time, were there to participate in events going on in Tokyo.
"My wife and I went to go hike Mount Fuji on one of the days leading up to the game," said Baker. "It was a thrilling adventure for us and the views that you got from going up the mountain and the people we were with were so helpful in pointing out where things were. There was a lot to do around the city leading up the game and I was thrilled I got to experience it."
As the players go back to Tokyo, the population has increased and a lot is different than what the 1977 and 1978 experienced. The reason for this year's trip is also slightly different, as the players and coaches selected will be running football clinics. They are also attending with a group looking to assist Japan's higher education to restructure its college athletics. Currently, many universities empower 30-40 sports to participate at the club level with no funding other than participants' entry fees.
Overall though, growing the game of American football is a similar theme. The culture and many of the Tokyo values will also be the same. It will be the experience of a lifetime for these players.
"I can't say enough great things about my experience out there," said Baker. "The people were great, the city was so full of activities and the fans that supported American football were fantastic."
"I'm so happy members from the team are getting the chance to go there," said Broomell. "It was a great city and I would love to take my family there some day."
Fast forward to now, as select players and staff from the Temple Football team prepare to go back to help grow American football through clinics on player safety in Tokyo. It's interesting to reminisce with some members from the 1977 and 1978 teams about their time in Japan.
"It was an experience that I will never forget," said linebacker Mike Curcio, who was a captain of the 1978 team. "The country of Japan was a terrific host to our team and it was the experience of a lifetime for many of our players who got to partake in it. I'm happy that current members of the team are going back there."
As far as the actual games went, the Owls ended up finishing 1-1, playing both contests in front of 50,000-plus fans on hand for each game. In 1978, Temple defeated the Boston College Eagles, 28-24, giving the team a 7-3-1 record. Running back Zachary Dixon won the game's most valuable player award and quarterback Brain Broomell also had a great outing, completing 13-of-18 passes and throwing two touchdowns. The Owls avenged a loss from the year before when Temple had fallen to a Doug Williams-led Grambling squad, 35-32.
"It was really great to get the victory back in the 1978 Mirage Bowl," said Broomell. "We had a terrific season that year and it was sweet to avenge the close loss we had in the Mirage Bowl from the year before. The crowd and support was great also as thousands of fans packed Korakeun Stadium to watch us play."
"Temple really had an excellent team during that time," said Dan Baker, the radio play-by-play announcer for the Owls in those days. "Going to Tokyo to play in the Mirage Bowl was a reward for big-time programs, so it was really cool to see Temple get asked to it in back-to-back years. Wayne Hardin, who was the coach at the time, really kept it competitive against some of the best programs in the nation. Following the games in Tokyo, the Owls went to their first NCAA bowl game in 40 years - the Garden State Bowl at the Meadowlands in 1979, where they beat a very good California team ranked in the Top 25."
The experience for the Owls those two years was clearly more than just a football game, as it was many of those student-athletes' first time being outside the country. It was clearly a different culture than Philadelphia. It really opened up a lot of kids' eyes.
"For a kid who grew up in the state of New Jersey, it was awesome to see a different country like Japan," said Curcio. "Our team had a great trip out there and I was thrilled to be a part of it."
Broomell also grew up in South Jersey and was taken away by the experience. "It was fantastic to visit another country like that at such a young age. It was really great to get a perspective on the culture of a huge city and see how the people there live their lives."
Most of the people who went on the trip were amazed at how gracious of hosts the Japanese were to them. The country treated the whole team like welcomed guests and made a conscious effort to help them enjoy their experience in any way they could.
"They really were just were some of the most polite people I ever met," said Baker. "There was one instance when a couple of residents took my wife and I out to dinner and exchanged gifts with us. They gave me a beautiful Seiko watch and my wife a beautiful necklace. I gave them some Temple and Phillies presents and they were very gracious, bowing with thank-you and appreciating our company the whole time."
"I was amazed at how great hosts they were to all of us and really made the whole team feel at home," said Curcio. "I remember the first night when we were there in 1978, they had a big reception at the hotel and just made us all feel so welcome. The food they served was incredible and it just left a great first impression with the whole team."
According to the team, the size of the city took everyone by surprise. At that time and still today, Tokyo is the largest city in Japan and the experience was remarkable for some of the players who have never visited a city of that size before.
"The city was huge and there were a lot of great activities going on everywhere," added Broomell. "It ran so efficiently too. Transportation everywhere you went was great and the people took great pride in keeping the areas around them clean. I've never seen such a clean city before in my life."
There were plenty of fun activities for the team to partake in. Leading up to the game, all parties involved were free to roam the city of Tokyo and invited to spend their leisure time how they wanted to. A lot of events were going on and the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, who were one of the only professional cheerleading squads at the time, were there to participate in events going on in Tokyo.
"My wife and I went to go hike Mount Fuji on one of the days leading up to the game," said Baker. "It was a thrilling adventure for us and the views that you got from going up the mountain and the people we were with were so helpful in pointing out where things were. There was a lot to do around the city leading up the game and I was thrilled I got to experience it."
As the players go back to Tokyo, the population has increased and a lot is different than what the 1977 and 1978 experienced. The reason for this year's trip is also slightly different, as the players and coaches selected will be running football clinics. They are also attending with a group looking to assist Japan's higher education to restructure its college athletics. Currently, many universities empower 30-40 sports to participate at the club level with no funding other than participants' entry fees.
Overall though, growing the game of American football is a similar theme. The culture and many of the Tokyo values will also be the same. It will be the experience of a lifetime for these players.
"I can't say enough great things about my experience out there," said Baker. "The people were great, the city was so full of activities and the fans that supported American football were fantastic."
"I'm so happy members from the team are getting the chance to go there," said Broomell. "It was a great city and I would love to take my family there some day."
Ep. 30: First Episode of 2026!
Tuesday, January 13
MBB Press Conference vs. ECU (Adam Fisher)
Thursday, January 08
Temple Men's Basketball 2025-26 All Access | Game 15 vs UTSA 1.03.2026
Tuesday, January 06
MBB Press Conference vs.UTSA (Adam Fisher, Gavin Griffiths, Jordan Mason)
Sunday, January 04
