Yes, the Russell Athletic Bowl was a stinker. So what?
… Meanwhile, all those people who groused on Twitter and to their televisions about the torture of watching the game should remember something important. In 11 days, there will be no more college football games for almost eight long months. You will pine for the days when you could watch Virginia Tech and Rutgers trade interceptions in a half-empty stadium. With apologies to whoever wrote the otherwise forgettable 1994 movie Threesome, college football is like pizza. Even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.
Guess what all those complaining viewers had in common? They were watching. They watched because the Russell Athletic Bowl was college football and because it was on. Without the benefit of the overnight ratings, I’m willing to bet about two million people watched a horrible game between two average teams that started at 5:30 p.m. ET on a weekday because it was college football and because it was on. Why would I guess that number? Because 1.9 million watched the Beef O’ Brady’s Bowl live and, according to John Ourand of Sports Business Journal, another 610,000 watched a replay of Central Florida’s win against Ball State that began Saturday at 3:30 a.m. ET.
This is why there are so many bowl games. ESPN needs the inventory, because we’ll watch it and ESPN will make money…
Ain’t that the truth. All I know is that come April or May, I’d be thrilled to watch a mediocre bowl game broadcast. Too bad they can’t figure out a way to play a few of them in secret and save the tapes for the spring and summer when we really need them.
Get The Picture 
I’ve stayed up past midnight the last two nights ’cause I love me some bowl games. I just don’t get the bowl game haters. My theory is that the bowl game haters are actually college football haters – folks up in the northeast and midwest who are all about pro sports. Now, I’ll watch some NFL but I generally ignore the NBA and MLB. Just doesn’t interest me down here in South Georgia…
LikeLike
I’ve been visiting the Mouse all week with family, so I’m happy to see any snippet of football I can. Saw the end of Cincinnati vs somebody and the end of last night’s game, and I was happy to see them.
LikeLike
That Duke v. Cincy game was actually a great game!
LikeLike
Yeah, Duke. I was pulling for them. Tough way to lose that game.
LikeLike
Texas Tech vs. Minnesota was a great ball game.
LikeLike
There’ll be plenty of mediocre bowl-game rebroadcasts next spring, check your local CSS listings. While you’re watching those rebroadcasts, just think how much more interesting they’d be, if they involved major-college football teams in a 16-team playoff. Instead of Va Tech (featuring those godawful gobblers, or whatever they are, on that grungy-colored helmet) vs Rutgers, you could’ve had maybe Stanford vs Oklahoma in a first-round playoff matchup, a December bowl game that actually meant something.
Don’t get me wrong, I watch bad bowl games, because they’re the only college football games available, and I’m gonna hate it when they’re over.
LikeLike
As the playoffs expand, bowl games won’t go away. We’ll still get glorified exhibitions for all the teams which don’t make the playoffs. We would still get games like Duke/Cincy and VaTech/Rutgers. They would just be played on the days in between the playoff games.
LikeLike
No, we won’t get both. Not for long. The NFL tried the same thing with bowls and playoffs. It didn’t work.
LikeLike
June, July, August are brutal. The CFB withdraw is tangible.
LikeLike
I didn’t watch that shit. I haven’t watched any of the meaningless bullshit so far except for a couple of plays. Those among us who want a playoff need to be turning off the car care o’brady’s games. The fact that we can’t is why the system only gets worse through conference realignments and ESPN cable surcharges.
LikeLike
“GET OFF MY LAWN!” lol.
LikeLike
Guys will get a divorce because they tire of the nagging, yet they refuse to change the channel when a meaningless bowl game is on. Go figure.
LikeLike
I’d like to take a close look at the financial analysis of mediocre bowl games. I’m taking a stab in the dark, but if ESPN and the other networks have such an easy time making these low level games profitable, are the ad buyers too willing to pay the asking price?
LikeLike
My thought exactly. I think any company that is a known entity and pays a significant amount for advertising is just blowing money, but if you’re Buffalo Wild Wings and think you’re bringing in more than a dozen extra people by sponsoring the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, I just don’t get it. Somebody in advertising enlighten me, please.
LikeLike
I think the title sponsor uses the game as a sort of giant corporate party where the company bigwigs get to play big dog, entertaining with lavish corporate suites at the stadium and at local hotels. The bowl game has a charitable affiliation and all the $$ spent by the title sponsor somehow are treated as tax deductible. I don’t know exactly how this works but the driving force from the title sponsor’s side is a tax dodge. If the tax break didn’t exist neither would most of these bowls.
LikeLike
Not completely off thread, but my bowl pickin’ days are over except for rooting for teams in the right-hand column. Didn’t know the entire show closed for team selection on the 27th. Went back to change those selections I had made(day before yesterday) and found they were locked out with the right hand column prechosen.
What happened to selection right up to game time that was important to some of us getting late news on JJ and others( today Texas sent backup McCoy and starter Hicks back home)? Those probably wouldn’t have changed my picks . but at least two losses were going to be changed. I read here that others liked to wait until late to determine if something game changing occurs right up to game time. Plus, point spreads change and so do bets.
What was the reason to close selection for the rest of the contest? No joy in Mudville.
LikeLike
Shizzle, I’m sittin here on a Saturday night, drinkin beers, watchin Org St vs Texas like any good junkie should. I need Org St to pull thru & later TCU, as after a fast start I’ve slumped on my bowl board. I won the thing 2 yrs ago & the plan is to brag about winning it this yr. And yeah, I watched it, & lost cuz I had Rutgers. Playoff-no playoff, mediocre or world beaters, I really don’t care. If its college football, I’m in. Full bore. Bring it. You HAVE to overload now BECAUSE of June, July, & August.
Dawgs gotta chance to brag about beating another storied program in Nebraska & I can’t wait! Man I hope they do! Go Dawgs!
LikeLike