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'Our super bowl' FSU football equipment staff embracing challenge of team playing in Ireland
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- 'Our super bowl' FSU football equipment staff embracing challenge of team playing in Ireland
Florida State's Jason Baisden has been a part of some of the biggest games in college football.
The Seminoles assistant athletics director for equipment operations has spent time coordinating equipment needs for national championship games, bowl games and some of the fiercest rivalries in college sports while traveling all over the country.
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But Baisden said the upcoming trip to Dublin, Ireland for FSU's game against Georgia Tech is at the top of his list
"This is kind of like our Super Bowl," Baisden said.
"To be overseas like that and to pull it off logistically with no issues and support the team and coaches with whatever they need with no issues, if we pull this off it will be up there with the best for me personally and my group."
Baisden said he has been planning for the trip since the game was announced last March. The equipment staff packed for last season's road game with extreme detail, labeling gear and equipment and keeping track of the weight of what was being moved on the road to make the Ireland trip go as smoothly as possible.
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"We really used last season as a dry run to be prepared for the first game of this season," Baisden said. "I also talked to my counterparts at other schools who have played over there just to make sure we aren't missing anything or have any issues come up."
The first leg of the unorthodox over 4,000-mile road trip was completed Wednesday as the Seminoles' equipment truck traveled to Orlando to be loaded into a cargo plane. The equipment should arrive at the Aviva Stadium and the team's hotel in Dublin on Tuesday morning.
The Seminoles will have a crew in Ireland at the time, ready to receive the equipment and distribute it where it needs to go.
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A new environment presents new challenges, better preparations
Baisden said for a typical road game, the earliest day the equipment staff departs is the Wednesday of game week. This trip changed the timeline dramatically, moving operations up almost a week to account for the increased travel load across the Atlantic.
For the equipment staff, the considerations made for the trip weren't as simple as packing gear into the truck and sending it over, the staff had to consider the different climates, frequencies and power supplies.
Baisden said the Ireland trip is forcing his team to be more detailed in their preparation because if something was left in Tallahassee, there is no guarantee the Seminoles could find a replacement in Dublin.
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"It's going to help us be more prepared for the items we take, we really had to be thorough," Baisden said. "Because if you're in the states and travel and maybe we forget something, either the other team has an extra and we have a chance to borrow it, or we can run out and get it.
"We don't have that option over there."
The Seminoles' practice schedule gave the equipment staff another wrinkle to consider.
Mike Norvell's squad is practicing in Tallahassee until Wednesday, Aug. 21, meaning players will bring their own personal gear bags to Ireland on the charter plane, and the equipment staff will be responsible for bringing it back. Baisden said the team considered the added weight those bags would add to the cargo plane coming back to Florida when packing.
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The equipment staff is prepared for just about any scenario the trip could throw at them.
"Typically, you kind of have an idea of what situation you're going into. But going over there could be rain, could be cold," Baisden said. "So we're packing for all factors within that regarding cold gear, rain gear, detachable cleats. Typical stuff that we wouldn't take every road game."
While sometimes unseen and overlooked by fans as part of the preparation for game week, Baisden said the equipment staff has a great relationship with the team as they try to make the lead-up to game day as smooth as possible.
On game day, operations will look and feel like a typical road game for Baisden and his staff.
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When the Seminoles run out for the second half of the game against Georgia Tech, the equipment staff will be preparing the truck to have all the team's equipment returned to Tallahassee on Sunday, a day before the Seminoles return home.
He said once they land Monday, the preparation for Boston College will begin.
"Whatever it takes to get it done, make sure it's done right," Baisden said. "The truck will go to the airport in Dublin and go through customs, they'll load up the plane and our equipment will be back in Tallahassee Sunday evening."
"By the time we get back Monday, our equipment should be back from Orlando, sitting on our loading dock for us to unload and start prepping for Boston College next week."
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How to watch FSU vs. Georgia Tech
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Date: Saturday, August 24
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Time: Noon ET
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Where: Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
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TV: ESPN
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Streaming: ESPN+ ($10.99 per month), WatchESPN and the ESPN app (TV provider subscription needed), fuboTV (7-day free trial ), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamroone y
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State football equipment staff prepared for game in Dublin
