WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Ask Clarence Anthony which team he's cheering for at the Final Four. He will say, "Proud to be an Owl, proud to be an Owl."
Anthony attended Florida Atlantic University, grew up in Palm Beach County and was the mayor of South Bay. Now he's in Washington with the National League of Cities.
"I got a chance to interview John Podesta, adviser to the president of the United States, and I asked the last question and said, 'Who are you going for in the Final Four? I hope it's FAU.' And he was like, 'Where is that?'" Anthony said.
He's not shy about bragging about the men's basketball team. Even talking about them on stage.
"At this conference, I have been on the main stage probably five times and started out with the FAU cap, walking on the stage and people looking at me asking the question, 'Where is FAU?'"
While sharing his stories with WPTV, Frank Brogan joined them in a Zoom interview.
Brogan was Florida's lieutenant governor, serving under Gov. Jeb Bush in the late 1990s and then as FAU's president.
"It's so great to be able to talk about our alma mater, isn't it? Let me tell you, it's amazing," Brogan said. "I'm in Tallahassee and I have total strangers come up to me and say, 'How about those Owls?' And it's fantastic. It really is exciting."
Brogan received his master's degree at FAU. He was an elementary school teacher in Martin County and was FAU's president from 2003-09.
"I've had so many people call me, email me, text me or see me on the street and say, 'How about those Owls?'" Brogan said. "And it's really caught on."
He looks forward to seeing the players do their best.
"Keep doing what you are doing, you and the coach," Brogan said. "The coach has done a remarkable job. He has an incredible group of young men."
