Bowl: Brut Sun Bowl
Named Sponsor: Brut -- the men's deodorant and aftershave company. BC guy alums from the '90s will have to confirm this, but I think we got a sample of Brut deodorant in one of those welcome boxes from when you check into the dorms. I know they threw in Right Guard at times too, but I think Brut was part of it because I had an unused travel size Brut stick rolling around in my stuff for ages. As for sponsorship, Brut is fine, I guess. We've had so many random companies associated with our games, what's wrong with a company dedicated to making guys smell good?
History: The Sun Bowl has a great history. It is the fourth oldest and continuous bowl and has a strong payout of $1.9M. Although the early games attracted regional teams, many of college football's biggest programs like Alabama, Oklahoma and USC have played in the game. Because of its age and history the Sun Bowl has always had decent TV coverage and time slots.
Opposing Conference: Pac 10. The Pac 10's got good depth yet their fans don't travel. So if we end up in the Sun, we will face a good team in front of a truly neutral crowd. Not bad.
Date: December 31, 2010. The game will be on CBS at 2 PM ET. December 31st day games are not bad, since they won't encroach on anyone's New Year's Eve plans.
Location: El Paso, Texas. Of all the places to go, El Paso is not a bad spot. It has a unique feel, will have decent weather and there is good golf and other things to do. In most years, El Paso would be a fun place to spend New Year's. In the past, those looking for a little fun, something wild, etc could always cross the border for the night. Now...not so much. All that violence you read about in Mexico is butting right up against the border, taking some of the cheesy charm out of El Paso. The real downside to El Paso is that it is hard to get to...even if you are in Texas. El Paso is closer to Phoenix than it is to Dallas. There are very few direct flights from the east so most Eagles will probably have to connect through Chicago, Dallas or Atlanta.
Fun Fact: The Sun Bowl takes place in the Sun Bowl Stadium and is only half a mile from the Rio Grande. The stadium also looks cool on TV as it is built into a hill.
Prediction: The ACC Championship game loser cannot fall below the Sun Bowl, so there is a very real chance we could play here. I actually don't think it is a bad spot -- nice little history, a unique destination, potentially interesting opponent. I just fear that no BC fans will make it to the game. I don't think I could swing it. If the ACC keeps its affiliation with the Sun Bowl, we will end up there eventually but probably not this season.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Know your likely BC bowls: Sun Bowl
Since we know BC will never be selected for the top bowls, the only options are playing our way into the Orange or getting sent down to the afterthought bowls. The ACC has some new bowl affiliations this year, so I thought we should take the time to learn about our likely destinations. This will be a series of posts over the summer. Part II is the Sun Bowl.
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13 comments:
Wayne: Are you wearing Brut?
Garth: Yes, my woman likes me in cologne
Sun Bowl would be fun for TV, fun to be at, but no doubt inconvenient to get to.
I went to El Paso a few years ago. I feel like it's one of those destinations that people will ridicule just because it's "in the middle of nowhere." I think the fact that it's in the middle of nowhere adds to its appeal.
I wouldn't mind going back, but hopefully, not for a few more years. A BC trip to the Sun Bowl would likely mean another loss in the ACC Championship game. I'd like it if BC's next division championship led to the Orange Bowl and not the runner-up bowl.
ND to Big Ten???
A quote from Lou Holtz:
"I think that for the first time, Notre Dame ought to consider joining the Big Ten. I never felt I would say that. But I believe that in my heart now, I think that maybe they will."
why bother quoting that nut case? he says such crazy shit on ESPN sometimes that I wonder how he keeps his job.
BC really needs to find a way into the Orange Bowl...is there any way they could magically get an at large bid to a BCS bowl?
http://bostoncollegefinest.blogspot.com/
Southwest is the main airline that flies in and out of El Paso...you can get a connection through Vegas from most cities that Southwest flies from.
For those of you who haven't really been out to this part of the U.S., you should really make the trip if BC makes the bowl. Granted, it's not Miami. But there are plenty of bars to go to, it's cheap to stay there, the weather will be warm, and the mountains are beautiful. Much better destination than Jacksonville or Charlotte, in my humble opinion.
I saw an episode of Man Vs. Wild where Bear Grylls is dropped into a lifeless desert frontier in western Texas on the boarder of Mexico. El Paso is on the edge of that frontier.
HD on the ESPN ACC blog is about to list (next week) the top 10 ACC players. Care to hazard a guess?
here is my guess as to the HD top 10 ACC players (not in order)
1. QB Christian Ponder, Florida State
2. RB Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
3. WR Leonard Hankerson, Miami
4. C Sean Bedford, Georgia Tech
5. OG Rodney Hudson, Florida State
6. OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
7. DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
8. LB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
9. SS DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson
10. DE DaQuan Bowers, Clemson
What Matt said.
Especially the part about Charlotte and J'ville.
The Orange Bowl is possible if Shinskie's head matches his arm.
Of course, the last time I thought BC would win, we had four starters returning and wound up (rightfully) firing our bball coach.
So...El Paso ain't too bad in December.
To answer your question Joey, the answer is "no." The only way BC will ever make a BCS game is by winning the ACC CG, something that is extremely difficult for BC to do. We had our chance with Matt Ryan at the helm and blew it. With the re-emergence of Clemson and Florida State, it is going to take a monumental effort just to win the Atlantic, but I feel BC has a decent shot this season.
BC is a very good program but they are a long way from great (I define "great" as finishing in the Top 10). Can they achieve greatness? They have only done it one time in the modern era, and that was in 1984 with a Heisman caliber, once-in-a-lifetime player. It is not impossible, but BC's hurdle is much greater than larger schools with much more coin in their athletic budgets.
Now that the Big 12 is unstable and lost one of it's premo programs, it's time for the ACC to improve its bowl line-up, and maybe steal one of the Big 12's New Year's bowl, and move our remainder down a notch or two.
It amazes me that two of the ACC's main bowl affiliations are in Shreveport, LA and El Paso, TX. I realize the history, but no wonder northern teams/smaller schools "don't travel well" and these bowls don't fill up. And it's not just about the weather- Boise continues to get its MPC Computers/ Humanitarian/etc. Bowl. Now think about a city with a lot of BC alumni (and alumni of the team they'd play)- SF worked last year, maybe Chicago, NYC, etc. Both have multiple airports, great nightlife, are places people might actually be that time of year. And as for the weather, I'm fine watching an NFL playoff game outside.
"BC is a very good program but they are a long way from great (I define "great" as finishing in the Top 10). Can they achieve greatness? They have only done it one time in the modern era, and that was in 1984 with a Heisman caliber, once-in-a-lifetime player."
We finished tied for 10th in 2007, and granted, it's only a tie, but still, it counts.
I think we're on the brink of greatness. We made it to the ACC championship game two years straight and were in the running last year despite all the problems we had. Sometimes I think the biggest thing keeping us down is the mentality we develop about the school, that it is good, but never great.
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