Happy Holidays!

It just wouldn’t be a Friday without something from the FMQ, would it?  As we head into Bowl Season (It starts tomorrow!) we are all dreaming of a White Christmas and multiple exciting bowl games to get us through the season!

If you didn’t see the last post, check it out as I do have a bowl picks sheet out there and there are so minor updates, but the picks remain the same.  I’m looking forward to watching some and avoiding most of the games, to be honest.

It’s not that I’m not a fan of the bowls…but the more you learn about all the sleaziness and all of the back door dealings over the years, it just kind of makes you hate the whole process and what it represents, to a degree.  Don’t get me wrong:  I love the game of football.  But the commercialism of college football is really starting to wear me down as to who is profiting off unpaid collegiate athletes, and more importantly the “why?” they are profiting.  Should a slew of “Bowl Executives” be making 6 figure salaries for what amounts to a couple of months of work, planning and organizing?  I’m not saying there isn’t work that needs to be done – and more than likely a lot of it.  But, should the compensation for that work be as large as it is for what they are providing?  Now I sound anti-capitalism, and I’m not that either. 

But what if the PTB at the Universities banded together and simply said, “Hey, Mr. Bowl guys – how about sharing a little more of the love with the players?  More than just a gym bag and a sweat suit and a watch?  How about a little bonus that the kids could use for walking around money for the school year?”  Isn’t that a more appropriate use of all the money these guys collect?  Just sayin….

And also getting some of these locations to charge just a little less for the “Bowl Experience”.  While Michigan’s tix to the BW3 Spectacular are pretty reasonable (Starting at $30 and going up to $100) and the Alumni Travel package sold out in under 72 hours, rumor has it the Rose Bowl individual tix are going for upwards of $1,000…..and that’s nuts.  The travel package started at $4,500 per person and you could go as high as $8,000 per person.  I’ve been to the Rose.  It’s a great experience.  It’s NOT a $16,000 experience for 2 people or a $20,000 to $35,000 experience for 4. But, if you plan on going on the University sponsored package, open up the ole pocketbook….

I guess I’m just a little cynical heading into the holidays and I shouldn’t let that get me down! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and DON’T FORGET TO VOTE FOR THE HOT SEAT MASCOT!