Fort Worth Bowl

[ReedFrawg]

<A HREF="http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/sports/5476558.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/sports/5476558.htm</A>

In case some of you are interested, it looks like the Fort Worth Bowl is close to becoming a reality. It looks like this bowl won't be an option for the eastern WAC schools as the Big 12 and CUSA both appear to be on board. I hope the WAC is able to make something happen for the eastern half of the conference.

[OldPony]

Boy- That's a bowl I wouldn't want to miss. The 7th place team in the Big 12 vs. the number 3 team in Convicts USA. The ratings for that one would be astronomical!!!

[PerunaPunch]

They (whoever "they" are) need to quit this adding bowls nonsense. It's making bowls almost comical.It's getting to the point that going to a bowl is almost meaningless (not that I wouldn't mind going to one).

I just don't see how they intend to for this Ft. Worth bowl to generate any excitement.

[ReedFrawg]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by OldPony:
<B>Boy- That's a bowl I wouldn't want to miss. The 7th place team in the Big 12 vs. the number 3 team in Convicts USA. The ratings for that one would be astronomical!!!</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Boy - That's a well thought out, coherent response. If a bowl can be held in Boise (one that features the Big 12 7 seed against the WAC) then why not one in FW? As long as the NCAA lets this happen, why should any non BCS Conference not do all it can to have bowls lined up for its members? I wish the WAC would get off its arse and do something proactive for the eastern WAC schools. I bet SMU would be glad to fill in for the Big 12 if SMU is bowl eligible and there aren't enought Big 12 bowl eligible teams.

[PonyPower]

I'm with ReedFrawg on this one. While it might not be a corporate-sponsored BCS bowl, a bowl is a bowl. Extra ticket revenue, extra exposure, and TV time, even if it's at 10 PM on a Tuesday on some obscure channel in the ESPN or Fox families of networks. I'm as loyal and true-blue (and red) as any SMU fan alive, but I don't think we're in a position to mock bowls just yet. Hopefully we will be very soon, but at the moment, we're not. RF (Ralph Furley?) is right - as much as we might raise an eyebrow at the prestige associated with a not-yet-official bowl, we'd all trade places with a team who has a chance to play in one. Rather than badmouth the bowl in FW, I just hope they come up with different candidates to play in it so their list might include SMU. If we get the opportunity to turn down the FW bowl in favor of another, great. Until then - good luck. (Of course, I agree that there are too many bowls already. But dammit, I want to see the Ponies playing in a bowl - soon.)

[ReedFrawg]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by PonyPower:
<B>I'm with ReedFrawg on this one. While it might not be a corporate-sponsored BCS bowl, a bowl is a bowl. Extra ticket revenue, extra exposure, and TV time, even if it's at 10 PM on a Tuesday on some obscure channel in the ESPN or Fox families of networks. I'm as loyal and true-blue (and red) as any SMU fan alive, but I don't think we're in a position to mock bowls just yet. Hopefully we will be very soon, but at the moment, we're not. RF (Ralph Furley?) is right - as much as we might raise an eyebrow at the prestige associated with a not-yet-official bowl, we'd all trade places with a team who has a chance to play in one. Rather than badmouth the bowl in FW, I just hope they come up with different candidates to play in it so their list might include SMU. If we get the opportunity to turn down the FW bowl in favor of another, great. Until then - good luck. (Of course, I agree that there are too many bowls already. But dammit, I want to see the Ponies playing in a bowl - soon.)</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't disagree that there are too many bowls. However, the system is what it is and we should all take advantage of it as much as possible. I hope TCU never plays in this bowl game because we are in the Liberty Bowl - or better - but I like having it as an option. It beats being stuck at home like Rice has been after going 8-4 - or South Florida last year at 9-2.

[OldPony]

Although there are too many bowls, I was really poking fun of a proposal to lock in with the Big 12 and take a team which can't finish in the top 1/2 of the league. I don't think much of the Boise game either but at least teams have to finish at .500 or better to get there. There are now so many bowls that it cheapens all but the top 1 or 2. There was a day when I wuld watch the Peach or Liberty or Gator regardless of who played. Now I watch them only if someone I have some sort of interest in plays. At this rate, there will be a bowl for everyone-even SMU. I enjoy Reed Frawg's posts so there is nothing but good natured ribbing going on here.

[ReedFrawg]

I don't know if you're right about the Boise Bowl b/c I think Iowa State was only 7-6 going into that game??? Basically it would just relocate a .500 Big 12 team from Boise to Fort Worth. If that's our only option then I say we take it while we can. At any rate, I could not agree more about the proliferation of bowl games - its a joke. And I also appreciate the ribbing...and I'm looking forward to the continued Purple Dynasty at Ford next year!!!

[Pony4Life]

Reed, you were behaving so nicely until that last comment...
Need we point out that a series that is tied can hardly be construed as a dynasty in either team's favor?

[MrMustang1965]

This sounds like the far northern suburb edition of the "Houston Bowl".

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[ReedFrawg]

Nope - just some good-natured ribbing with OP. I always look forward to playing you guys at Ford Stadium. Its a great college football venue and I am looking forward to Bennett turning things around. I hope the fans give him the time to do so!

[whatasteve]

We will. Bennett needs time, to be sure, but all evidence indicates to me that he's laying a very solid foundation.

[EastStang]

You know the more I think about this one the angrier I get. The Silcon Valley Bowl is dead. It will need to be moved. As it stands now if for example SMU and Rice were 1 and 2 in the WAC would they get a bowl bid anywhere? In theory they are supposed to go to Hawaii and Idaho. But what if Boise State and Hawaii are bowl eligible, who thinks that both SMU and Rice would get invites? There is no bowl for the Eastern WAC teams at all. I think it is clear that Benson is sending a signal to Rice, SMU, La. Tech and Tulsa. It is not a good message either. Hopefully, they can find a home somewhere in the Southwest for what was the Silicon Valley Bowl. The Norman Bowl?

[ReedFrawg]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by EastStang:
<B>There is no bowl for the Eastern WAC teams at all. I think it is clear that Benson is sending a signal to Rice, SMU, La. Tech and Tulsa. It is not a good message either.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's the main reason I posted it here - not to rub anything in but to say that the eastern WAC schools are basically locked out of the bowl season unless there are openings that go unfilled by conferences without enough bowl-eligible teams. I know the WAC was hoping to tie into the FW Bowl against CUSA as a way for eastern WAC teams to go bowling. Now, you have to seriously think that unless SMU wins the conference outright then you won't be in a bowl game at all. And that sucks by the way.