[ARETE] Sport and Society - Bowling R Us

[richard crepeau]

Sport and Society for Arete

December 16, 2023

Today is the first day of a long and torturous march through one of the worst aspects of college football. Yes, it is the beginning of the Bowls, FORTY-ONE of them. Some of these have been around for decades, others have emanated from the bowels of what might be termed, Bowl Imagineers.

In the past decade or so, Bowl Games have taken on more elaborate names. No longer do we have the simple Rose Bowl or Orange Bowl. Now these names have been elaborated with the names of sponsors or localities, or who knows what else.

In years past, I have tried to alert the readers of “Sport and Society” to the best, worst, and most ridiculous of these attempts to extend the college football season into mid-summer. So, here is my Public Service Alert involving as many of the forty-one as I can before I lose consciousness.

You’re welcome!

As I begin writing, the first of the bowls is already at halftime. The Myrtle Beach Bowl that is not played on a beach, but in fact has stayed with the traditional natural surface, features the redundantly named Georgia Southern against Ohio, not to be confused with the Ohio that has THE as a feature of its name. Having won half of its games, GSU is obviously worthy of a bowl game, and it is geographically near to Myrtle Beach, both town and beach. I might say, “don’t miss this one,” but then by the time this darkens your email inbox the game will, thankfully, be over. Would it be considered a spoiler if I reveal the final score?

There are six other bowls being played today with some fascinating names. One seems to be celebrating crickets, a few have names I have never heard of before, and one of my early favorites is the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl. The latter raises a few questions. Since when do avocados cure something and is there a bowl for California or Florida avocados? The Cure Bowl is played in Orlando, Florida, and one can only wonder why the Governor of that state has not outlawed avocados from Mexico and sent them to New York City by bus. He might also, in a few weeks, have some issues with the TransPerfect Music City Bowl.

There are a number of Breakfast themed bowls. On Monday, the Famous Toastery Bowl will be played in Charlotte. The following day the Scooter’s Coffee Bowl is scheduled for Frisco, Texas. Then on December 28, the Pop-Tarts Bowl will arrive in Orlando, where the city will still be recovering from the avocados. Rounding out this category is the always Grrrrreat, Tony the Tiger Bowl. One can only wonder if FanDuel will be offering a Breakfast Bowl Parlay.

Of recent vintage, I am partial to the Quick Lane Bowl because as I go after a 7-10 split, I do not enjoy sitting around waiting for my next turn on the lane. Perhaps, the QLB is a cousin to the Military Bowl Presented by GoBowling.com, which itself is a candidate for the Mouthful Bowl group. This year the Quick Lane Bowl has the distinction of having a team with a record of two games under .500. Sorry to add that the 5-7 team is the University of Minnesota of which I am normally a proud graduate.

I mentioned the Mouthful Bowls and these include: The RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl; the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl; the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl; and the one that just rolls off the tongue, the CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential or the CFPSRBGPP.

There are several bowls associated with home maintenance and insurance, automobile repair and insurance, and major corporations and banks. Several bowls reference fast food, condiments, and other food related items or businesses. Others have mysterious names that defy identification or categorization such as “Easy Post” or “68 Ventures.”

As an FSU graduate, the “You’re Not Good Enough Bowl presented at the Orange Bowl” is not favorite. This might, more appropriately, be in the “Injured Starting Quarterback” category, or perhaps the “Starting Quarterback Entered the Transfer Portal” group. The latter seems to grow significantly with each passing day and new NIL bids.

You may have noticed that very few participating teams have been mentioned by name. The reason is simple. For the most part, outside of those personally involved, no one really cares with the exception of the university comptroller.

If you have read this far, you may want to seek professional help. As for me, I have long since thrown in the towel knowing that I am way past any help.

Let’s go bowling!

On Sport and Society this is Dick Crepeau reminding you that you don’t have to be a good sport to be a bad loser.

Happy holidays to all.



Copyright 2023 by Richard C. Crepeau














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