The Sugar Bowl was a homecoming for Tech punter Vinnie Burns, who played high school football 15 miles (24 km) from the Louisiana Superdome, site of the Sugar Bowl. In addition, Burns' father, Ronnie Burns, was a longtime Sugar Bowl committee member, and Vinnie committed to attend Virginia Tech while the Hokies were in New Orleans to play in the 2000 Sugar Bowl, that year's national championship game.[45]