By Scott Sullivan
Editor
Bowl Binge
They said it was impossible — watch every holiday college bowl game — and dumb to boot, which meant somebody had to do it. Why not me?
First things first: head to Tiny Giant to stock up on beer, chips, porn and other Man Cave essentials. Second, hunker in.
Fun kicked off Dec. 13 with the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, where South Carolina State edged Prairie View A&M in 40-38 thriller. Then the tedium set in.
Washington killed Boise State 38-10 later that day in the LA Bowl. The Salute to Veterans Bowl Dec. 16 in Montgomery, Ala., was another snoozer.
Just in time came the next day’s Cure Bowl in Orlando and 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Don’t ask me to explain the names. Next day’s Xbox Bowl in Frisco, Tex., wasn’t any better.
Western Michigan walloped Kennesaw State 41-6 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, first of three the next day that also saw the Gasparilla Bowl and first of umpteen College Football Playoff Games now the National Collegiate Athletic Association has expanded its playoff field to 12.
Is the NCAA so corrupt and mercenary it will dilute and, in time, delete all value in individual undertakings of student athletes? Did the pope used to bowl in Douglas?
Three more playoff games Dec. 20 made it 12 in eight days and forced me to make another run, this time in a semi with forklift in back, to the Tiny Giant. But wait, there’d be many more.
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Dec. 22 was can’t-miss TV. The next day’s Boca Raton, New Orleans and Frisco bowls reminded me I’d better start Christmas shopping. So back to the Giant.
The Hawaii Bowl was the only one on Christmas Eve, but there was no getting bored the next with a packed slate of three NFL games and five NBA ones. There was a also holiday going on, but I paid no heed.
All the liquor stores were open again to tide me through the Dec. 26 Game Above, Rate and First Responder Bowls. Also I had to rent three wall-to-wall TVs to watch the next day’s Military, Pinstripe, Fenway, Pop-Tarts, Arizona, New Mexico, TaxSlayer Gator and Texas bowls. What a feast! I hardly had time to notice my wife and daughter moving out for good.
Sunday, Dec. 28 brought another full schedule of NFL games. Then Monday, with only the Birmingham Bowl going on, I brought in dumpsters to clean out the Man Cave. Fumigators too.
Tuesday came a tripleheader — the Independence, Music City and Alamo bowls — overshadowed by five — the ReliaQuest, Sun, Citrus, Las Vegas and Cotton bowls — on New Year’s Eve.
It was time to reflect on and ask what life’s point was. After three André Bruts it was clear to me: when you make up your mind to do something, no matter how idiotic, do it. That’s what made America great. And happy New Year too.
Today brings three more quarterfinal playoff games formerly known as the Orange, Rose and Sugar bowls, to be topped tomorrow, Jan. 2, by the Armed Forces, Liberty, Holiday and Duke’s Mayo bowls. Yes, a bowl named for a brand of mayonnaise.
Then only three more college playoff bowls leading to the national title game Jan. 19.
By my count that’s 46 bowls, but I may be forgetting some like I did paying the Giant bills on my credit card. What a great way to start 2026!
