Sunday, January 1, 2012

New Year's Thought - NOT Lofty!

Perhaps on New Year's Day I should be writing about resolutions and big ideas, but this is going to be far less lofty than that. I'm going to write about bowl games.

I remember fondly the days when the week between Christmas and New Year's was filled with bowl games of ever-increasing importance, up to the "big four" on New Year's Day. People were home, on vacation, not much to do, and there was a lot of football going on. Once January 2nd or 3rd got here, everyone went back to work and school, and football was over.

Now - the games between the two holidays are nothing games, and the big stuff takes place during the week(s) after New Year's Day. People are back at work, and the games are much more lost in the shuffle of everyday life.

No wonder Clemson can't get their tickets sold. Who can go to Miami on Jan. 4, a Wednesday night? At least USC is playing tomorrow and parents can more easily justify getting their children back for school, even if they may have to miss one day. I think that's a big factor in why USC has sold their tickets for Monday's game, but Clemson is having a harder time.

Somebody somewhere needs to think this through, as much as the fact that we badly need a playoff system.

1 comment:

rk2 said...

You hit the nail on the head. I don't understand why the national championship game can't be on a Friday or Saturday night instead of a work/school night. This makes the third year in a row that an Alabama team is in the national championship game, and since it doesn't start until 8 or 8:30 it doesn't get over until 11:30 or so. That's way after my bedtime which means I struggle at work the next day.

While I loved the New Year's bowl games of our childhood and watching with friends and family I would like to see a football playoff system with the bowls worked in some way.