Hawaii and that is All

[Z-Man]

And what are the ratings for the Liberty Bowl.

With a SEC team involved, it's bound to be decent....

[MustangStealth]

And what are the ratings for the Liberty Bowl.

It's in the link I provided.
-Higher than the Hawaii Bowl 5 of the last 7 years (once when ND went to Hawaii, and once when the SEC couldn't fill their spot and TCU played Colo. St. in the Liberty)
-4th highest of all non-BCS games (9th highest overall) in 07-08
-Average 3.16 over last 7 years (compared to 2.28 average for Hawaii)

[dallascowboy]

Bowl games are rewards for the players not the fans. If I were still playing....hmmm..let me think, Hawaii or Memphis......seems like a simple answer to me.

[SMU 86]

And what are the ratings for the Liberty Bowl.

It's in the link I provided.
-Higher than the Hawaii Bowl 5 of the last 7 years (once when ND went to Hawaii, and once when the SEC couldn't fill their spot and TCU played Colo. St. in the Liberty)
-4th highest of all non-BCS games (9th highest overall) in 07-08
-Average 3.16 over last 7 years (compared to 2.28 average for Hawaii)

Thanks, could you post the link again? It could not find it in the thread.

[PK]

Bowl games are rewards for the players not the fans. If I were still playing....hmmm..let me think, Hawaii or Memphis......seems like a simple answer to me.

I take it you have never taken any business courses. The customers...the fans who contribute to pay the player's scholarships, their coaches and buy their equipment for 20+ years get no reward? Interesting concept. So if the fans don't matter, how do you keep the football program or any college sports program afloat? I'm sure a bowl is a reward of sorts for the players beyond pride and self esteem, but the [deleted] fans have a vested interest in the bowls too and being able to attend the game without having to sell the house is part of our reward for years of support when there wasn't much worth supporting. That is the way I see it.

[NavyCrimson]

The bowl payouts should make the difference. This is a no-brainer. Liberty!!!

[Wuba]

The bowl payouts should make the difference. This is a no-brainer. Liberty!!!

Bowl payouts are split evenly between all the teams in the conference that go to a bowl, so the money is the same between all the bowls. Not saying that there are not a lot of reasons to prefer the Liberty Bowl (I certainly do), but it is silly that people keep arguing it based on money when the money SMU gets will be the same either place.

[MustangStealth]

Thanks, could you post the link again? It could not find it in the thread.

http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/tvratings

[Stallion]

Before all these damn bowl ties the Coaches used to routinely allow the players to vote on where they wanted to go. It might be unanimous for Hawaii. I think Bowls are rewards for the players most importantly-they were the ones who have earned it-not you guys-I have no problem letting the players decide in this instance. Expenses are split.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

I think Bowls are rewards for the players -I have no problem letting the players decide in this instance.

Yep and I doubt they'd choose this over Hawaii weather!

[PK]

Before all these damn bowl ties the Coaches used to routinely allow the players to vote on where they wanted to go. It might be unanimous for Hawaii. I think Bowls are rewards for the players most importantly-they were the ones who have earned it-not you guys-I have no problem letting the players decide in this instance. Expenses are split.

What about during the Southwest Conference days? Didn't the Champion of the conference always go to the Cotton Bowl?

[Statler]

Before all these damn bowl ties the Coaches used to routinely allow the players to vote on where they wanted to go. It might be unanimous for Hawaii. I think Bowls are rewards for the players most importantly-they were the ones who have earned it-not you guys-I have no problem letting the players decide in this instance. Expenses are split.

What about during the Southwest Conference days? Didn't the Champion of the conference always go to the Cotton Bowl?

Not in 1981.. We won the Conference but No. 2 Texas went....there was this minor thing about playing racquetball with a recruit.

[EastStang]

Selfishly I would want the Liberty Bowl, since I could go to that one. Hawaii is tough because of the date, Christmas Eve. No matter how you slice it, it means being away on Christmas Day. Add in the fact that I sing in a church choir and there are some Christmas Eve commitments with that as well. But I agree that the bowl is for the players, and JJ probably feels a slight I owe you one to the folks in Honolulu to give them a marquee match-up that they can sell. He also knows where all the joints are that the players are not supposed to go to (unlike in Memphis).

[NavyCrimson]

First of all - I guess we have to win the conference title first if it's the Liberty Bowl. I guess we can't get too far ahead of ourselves - guys. Huhhh

Next, I would hope, if it comes down to the Liberty or Hawaii or whatever it's called now days, our administrators will see which pays more after the split with the other teams. With that, I'm sure it'll then be the Liberty Bowl. I can't imagine our administrators willing to take a big financial hit just to pacify the ego of a coach who wants to prove a point with his past employer. Sounds sort of petty to me. But then again, who knows what will be decided with the 60's college generation in charge???

I know one thing, many alums are tired of bankrolling this program so I hope they look at the financials of whatever decision they make & it's longterm effects! Just because we go bowling this year, if that is indeed the case, doesn't mean we'll do it next year - or the next. Anything can happen including injuries, etc.

[PK]

NavyCrimson, evidently the way C-USA divides up the bowl payouts and distribute the net after all expenses are paid, we would get the same payout regardless of the bowl game we go to. So the financial aspects are no longer in play. The points that do matter are:
1. Do we (SMU) want to be the conference champions and then play in the bowl set aside for the champion?
2. Do we (SMU) want to play a team like Idaho or a SEC team like Arkansas?
3. Do we (SMU) care about the ability for most SMU fans to be able to go to the bowl game?