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“Holiday Bowl-Special-Is It Now”

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The Holiday Bowl has been special in our community.

Founded early as a place for San Diego State would have a place to go play after a good season, it has taken on special significance over its decades.

Yes the Aztecs have benefitted, and given us some great post-season games, including the shootout with Iowa.

And the Holiday Bowl took on its owner personality, thanks to the brilliant early year matchups, that brought BYU, during its quarterback heyday, to face other high powered teams, like the SMU Pony Express and so many more.

Ty Detmer, Steve Young, Robbie Boscoe and Jim McMahon made the bowl game must-watch television.

Ohio State and Michigan played here, USC came here a couple of times, so did Texas, Texas AM, Nebraska and Joe Paterno and Penn State.

The Bowl game has evolved, into big time conference affiliations. Whether that was the old WAC or Mountain West champions, often times BYU or Boise against name opponents. Worth a watch.

Then came special conference affiliations, matches that would bring us Pac 10-teams, the Big 10, and the Big 12.

We’ve seen great teams and great coaches and great players, including Barry Sanders and Oklahoma State and his Heisman Trophy.,

And now they have changed it all.

The Holiday Bowl had a long run with ESPN, but has changed affiliations, going to Fox. It’s all about paydays now.

The Holiday Bowl used to be the stand alone game on a Thursday night, featuring high scoring games for the nation to watch. I first saw the Holiday Bowl while stranded at home on Long Island during a Christmas week blizzard.

I never forget the sight of palm trees and shirtsleeves, and big BY scoring plays.

And now they have decided to change dates. They will play New Year’s Eve afternoon, matching big name teams, all fine and dandy, the Big 10-vs-the Big 12..

But they no longer have the TV audience to themselves. Fox will pay them money to put the game on when there are 6-bowl games that day.

The Holiday Bowl will be played the same day as the Gator Bowl, the more familiar Sun Bowl, the Liberty Bowl among others.

Sure they will promote it as a way to kick off your New Year’s Eve celebration, come party at the game and then go to your party. But the rest of the nation won’t be watching in all likelihood. There will be competition, lots of it from the day long menu.

And of course, the next day, from morning till night, will be the full menu of the biggest bowl games we have all come to watch.

Sure it’s our game, and college fans here will watch it, and they will draw their 40,000 plus or so, but something is being lost in the process. The national allure of being the only game on that given day

I don’t see this as being a Chamber of Commerce Post card day for San Diego nationwide.

Disappointing they get shoved into an already busy game day. San Diego’s notoriety loses something in the transition. So does the Holiday Bowl.

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