[NU Sports] 6-6 seasons

[Mark S. Ament]

The Sun Bowl contract with the Big Ten is up after next year I believe and
there appears to be sentiment on both sides to end the relationship.  The
Sun Bowl would like to pair up with the Pac 10 as an opponent for the Big
XII and the Big Ten is finding El Paso a too distant and unappetizing fan
destination.  The Motor City Bowl has already begun lobbying to move up the
food chain and replace the Sun Bowl in the Big Ten hierarchy.    El Paso
could explain why Purdue, who usually travels well to bowls, didn't bring
many people.  

The bowl I'm looking forward to the most outside of the Orange is the
Liberty and not just because the other school I follow most closely,
Louisville, is in it.  What an offensive display that should be.  Two teams
averaging better than 50 points a game.  It should be a fun way to kick off
New Years Eve.  It is just too bad that UofL's coach had to selfishly decide
to troll for the LSU job and take the focus off his players.

Mark
Mark S. Ament
prplehaze at insightbb.com
 

On the flip side for fans, kudos to Okie State for bringing a large block
of orange to the Alamo Dome. OSU brought good fan support for a non-BCS
bowl as well - good job by both schools. I don't expect Minnesota or Purdue
to send large contingents to their bowls, and it sounds like Michigan's
having trouble. But Iowa always brings a horde of bumblebees ... and
Wisconsin will be interesting to watch. Cheeseheads usually travel well in
winter, but I suspect a lot of them were booking trips to California when
November started and Tampa may not have the same lure. Orlando they hadn't
been to, but Tampa they had recently.