Tuesday, January 01, 2013
American College Football Bowl Games-2012-2013
More than fifty years ago, Disneyland opened in California.
For some reason the concept captivated my father, and he decided that the
entire family would visit the West Coast. We combined the excursion with visits
to San Diego, San Francisco, Knott’s Berry Farm, and the Rose Bowl Parade.
It was indeed a monumental adventure. We boarded the train
in Belleville, stopped in Toronto, caught another train to Chicago, then headed
across the United States to California. I spent most of the cross country trip
travelling up and down that train with my younger brother David. There were few
people who did not know us by the time we screeched to a halt in San Francisco.
I was ten years old, he is fifteen months younger than I. We were avowed sports
fans at the time, still are.
We were bitterly disappointed in Los Angeles when my father
announced that he had procured tickets to the Rose Bowl game for my older brother
Dick and himself. David and I got shut out.
I remember that Michigan State played UCLA, and that the
Spartans triumphed 17-14 against the Bruins. With a little internet snooping, I
discovered that Earl Morrall, later to become a legendary Baltimore Colt, threw
a touchdown pass for the Spartans. Ronnie Knox was the quarterback for the
Bruins. More than 100 000 fans attended the game.
How times have changed!
At last count, I discovered there are now thirty-five bowl
games this season for college players in the United States. It has become a
nightmare of names.
The first bowl game of the year, the New Mexico Bowl, was
played in Albuquerque on December 15th. Arizona defeated Nevada
49-48. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl also took place that day.
You may have missed the Poinsettia Bowl, before
Christmas. The Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl
followed the next evening. That was followed by the MAACO Bowl, the Little
Caesar’s Bowl, the Russell Athletic Bowl, and the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Last
Saturday they played the following: the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, the Pinstripe Bowl,
the Alamo Bowl and the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
Most Americans have their favourite school represented in a
Bowl. Some of the locals around the pool will be in front of the television
when the chosen Bowl takes place. Paul Cross is an avowed Georgia fan, and he
will watch his team play in the Capital Bowl against Nebraska on Tuesday
evening. His daughter attended Georgia Tech, and they play in the Sun Bowl the
night before. He told me his house is divided. Good thing they do not face each
other in post season activity.
Art Mercier hails from the Boston area, and supports local
teams. With no appearances by eith BU or Boston College, he is focusing his
attention on his beloved Patriots. “Anybody except Ohio State,” he told me.
Don Cole was pleased to see the Orange from Syracuse crush
West Virginia in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium last Saturday. He entered
a state of mourning Sunday afternoon when his Giants were ushered out the
playoff door.
The game which garners most of the attention of football
fans takes place on January 7th. It is entitled the BCS Bowl, and
features the two top teams in the country, as chosen by a panel. Notre Dame has
yet to be defeated this year, and they will play Alabama in Miami Gardens,
Florida. A great rivalry from two legendary college football franchises.
There is almost $ 18 000 000 doled out to the colleges
involved in the top five Bowl Games. Buys a lot of pens and pencils.
Many pundits would like to see a system in place whereby
there is a playoff structure, like the Final Four of basketball. Then again,
the game is supposed to be secondary. That is supposed to happen next year.
After all, the players are students, and
their education comes first. There are more than 400 000 student athletes in
National Collegiate Athletic Association programs in the United States. All
worthwhile.
James Hurst
December 30, 2012
# posted by James Hurst @ 3:52 PM 
