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Bowl may come to Salt Lake

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An opportunity | 3:40 p.m. April 18, 2008
Let's see who can raise the money to put a roof on either the Rice Chex cereal bowl or Lavell Edwards stadium. Whichever fan base wins gets to host the bowl game. My guess is that this bowl would be held 40 miles to the south.
And a bowl game in a climate controlled, covered stadium would prove to be a decent draw. We might even get preference over say, the Armed Forces or Poinsettia bowl.
Are you kidding? | 4:20 p.m. April 18, 2008
This is nonsense! I can't believe this is even suggested. There are TOO MANY BOWL GAMES ALREADY! Bowl games need to be eliminated, not added. Unbelievable!
Give me a Break | 4:23 p.m. April 18, 2008
You have gotta be kidding - the whole thing is so watered down now. I miss the old days back in the 60's and 70's when there were only a handful of bowl games. These "sell-out on their morals" executives of the NCAA make me sick - eroding the character and traditional essence of the game by caving into marketing and money - when will it stop?

Where have you gone Woody Hayes? This nation turns its greedy eyes to bowl games played on fields that are blue...
Comments continue below
LDS Ute ? | 4:21 p.m. April 18, 2008
that's a joke, right?
Mediocrity | 4:39 p.m. April 18, 2008
Again we reward for this. Teams should have at least 8 wins. Bowl games are like the NCAA tournament. An 8-4 team wins about 75% of their games. Even teams like USU who had a record similar to that weren't even considered. Now we have something equivalent to bowl games in basketball--CBI, which a Utah team went to. It's so pathetic!!!!! People want to see the best teams play, not the average joe's playing each other. It's going the wrong way! Folks, the NCAA is finding ways to reward for mediocrity, and it's about $$.

If a MWC or WAC team wants respect, they have to pull a Boise State, which is dang dang hard to do. However, they can't lose that and lose to Eastern Carolina in a bowl game. Each team has to make its destiny; otherwise, you'll get embarrassed by accepting an invite to this Rice Chex Bowl (also known as CBI in bball).
Re: Zoobs cant spell! | 4:53 p.m. April 18, 2008
So us "zoobs" can't spell? Wel my sixth grade education tells me that there is no such thing as a "Zoob". Anyone smell a troll?
Joe | 5:25 p.m. April 18, 2008
I hope they put the game on theMtn so none of us can watch it.
RES vs LES | 5:34 p.m. April 18, 2008
What's with all of the bantering about which stadium is bigger and better. LES may hold 20k more, but that is nothing to boast about. LES PALES in comparison vs. the Horseshoe, Big House, Beaver Stadium, and Tennessee, just to mention a few...it is about 50-60k smaller. Besides, it won't matter one day in the future when the Church feels that it is time to terminate BYU athletics.
Mike Buys | 6:01 p.m. April 18, 2008
Boy! Thats really appealing. Salt Lade City and the U of U of all places in December. If any of you are around my age and can remember the frozen Tundra game between the Packers, and Cowboys in Greenbay for the 1968 NFC Championship Game,the commissioner may want to re-think this one. People died it was so cold. The only difference here would be about 25 degrees. Green Bay was a minus 15 and we would be about 15 degrees. Not my idea of spending the holidays together with my family. Someone must be on drugs! At least have it in a stadium that holds more than 45,000 like LES with 66,000. I am a cougar fan and I don't think I would even go if it was here. Vegas is alot warmer and so is southern Cal in Dec. Please re-think this one!
It'll Be Fun! | 6:11 p.m. April 18, 2008
I�m there! I can't wait for half-time festivities when scores of high school band members' lips are frozen to their trumpets and tubas. High-stepping majorettes slip on the perilous footing and have to be rescued one by one by paramedics on snowmobiles.

Bare-armed macho-men ala Tommy McDonald and Ted Klezewski, have their frozen arms broken off like Venus de Milo.

The Osmonds and Andy Williams glide into the stadium on a parasail toboggan followed by a phalanx of street department snow plows spewing sand and salt on anyone and everything in their path.

Coordinating blue and white striped turtleneck sweaters adorn the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on snowboards as they join Mike Love and the �Beach Boys� in a stirring reflection on the good old days of �Fun in the Sun.�

Stadium of Fire beware.
it's not THAT bad... | 6:31 p.m. April 18, 2008
If I lived in West, I'd go to a bowl game in December in SLC/Denver/Boise...but not for a MWC/WAC also-ran match up.

If the MWC wants to add another meaningful bowl, let's consider the Big XII. They're as close as the PAC-10, and we don't already have 3 or 4 post-season games already lined up with them.

...and how about a Big [L]East opponent? Considering poor traveling fans for both conferences, the MWC could alternate bowl sites between the 2 geographic areas. One year could be played in Denver/SLC, and the next in Washington/Philadelphia. Or set up fan support via the momentum/enthusiasm factor in that the host stadium will be the winner of the prior year's bowl game. That way, suddenly, the game would have meaning.

At least Thompson hasn't aligned us with the Sun Belt #3 yet.

GO UTES!!!
LV Cougarfan | 6:41 p.m. April 18, 2008
Ladies and gentlemen, I propose that Craig Thompson's genius cannot be outmatched. What a brilliant plan Craig, keep up the good work! The MWC is only one step away from becoming a BCS league due to your amazing efforts. I mean...I didn't think the Albuquerque Bowl with New Mexico playing in it could be topped...and then you pull this out of your magic hat! Amazing!
Gus | 7:09 p.m. April 18, 2008
This will be one step backwards for the MWC. We want our teams (BYU and Utah) to play high quality teams in their bowl games each year. We don't want the MWC and WAC stuck playing each other for the next 20 years while the rest of the mid majors gain recognition in the country.

Craig Thompson should be working on getting the MWC a better opponent in the Las Vegas bowl. Say, #3 in the Pac-10 instead of 4 or 5?
TucsonUte | 8:12 p.m. April 18, 2008
This shows why the BCS and college bowl system needs to be done away once and for all.
Mike | 8:40 p.m. April 18, 2008
Chill out folks this could turn out very very cool.
Anonymous | 8:55 p.m. April 18, 2008
Salt Lake City in December....Wow.. I think the MWC would rather be at a vacation destination...
The Laughing Stock Bowl | 9:33 p.m. April 18, 2008
would be a good name for a December Bowl in Salt Lake City. We could freeze the field with 2 inches of water and put ice skates on the players. Then, everyone would want to watch it on The Mtn. There we go folks...a way to put The Mtn. on the Map. as well as the Mtn., West Conference. Something really different and unique.
Eye Dee Ten Tee | 10:13 p.m. April 18, 2008
Forget Salt Lake, play the game in Laramie. Invite the two toughest teams with the toughest fans and call it the Man Bowl. Let the wimps head South to go to the Strawberry Shortcake Bowls.
No More Bad Bowls | 11:21 p.m. April 18, 2008
Someone needs to find out who is on the NCAA Committee that approves bowls. I saw Richard Giannini, the AD of Southern Mississippi, mentioned in one article. No idea who their other members are.

But find out who they are and e-mail them a link to this comments section. Once they see the negative reaction of local fans, they will decide not to approve this ridiculous idea, hopefully.
Anonymous | 11:18 p.m. April 18, 2008
This is funny, well I guess you could get a couple 6-6 teams together and get a few thousand fans out there. Just a bad idea but who knows they have that bowl game up in Boise---is the climate in Dec much different.
rvalens2 | 11:35 p.m. April 18, 2008
I know how they can get good teams and fans to come here in the winter! Just pay each team 20 million dollars apiece, (win or lose). I'm sure some great teams will sign right up... Yeh right?

These guys better plan on shoveling out the dough or all they will attract are flies. We don't need another worthless bowl game.

Anybody up for a real National Championship playoff? I know I am!!
Gabrielcougarfan | 11:46 p.m. April 18, 2008
Ha,ha, somebody said let's call it the "toilet bowl" so the utes can play and get flussed at the same time.... ha,ha.... really funny but true. And btw the only reason utes hate BYU fans is bcause we always beat crappy utah..... ha,ha.
Anonymous | 12:56 a.m. April 19, 2008
Hm I imagine someday we'll have games between 8 and 9 place teams with names like "7-Eleven Big Gulp Bowl". I also like the idea of the two worst teams in the nation playing in a "Toilet Bowl". Might as well, with more teams making bowls now than those that don't.
optimist | 1:11 a.m. April 19, 2008
Any new bowl that we get involved in should be a bowl for the MWC VS. a BCS Team. Period.
MWC vs WAC in San Diego | 10:13 a.m. April 19, 2008
MWC Champ vs WAC Champ Last week in November or First week in December for the WESTERN STATES NCAA Football Championship. Maybe, the winner plays PAC-10 No. 2 in Tempe, AZ in the BCS?
Play The Big Ten Here | 4:32 p.m. April 19, 2008
I agree with the poster who says we should e-mail the NCAA committee and show them the comments here. Then they will not want to have a bowl here because they will see the fans don't support it.

Failing that, the MWC should disinvite the WAC, and play a BCS team instead. The Big Ten had two 6-6 teams left home last year since they only have seven bowls. The MWC should invite Big Ten #8.
Unnecessary Idioticness | 11:59 p.m. April 19, 2008
Craig Thompson is crazy. Having a guaranteed fifth bowl would be nice but not one in freezing cold Salt Lake City. That is just plain foolish. At least Boise has better weather and a goofy blue field to offer.

With the NCAA approving the other two new games, that opens up 68 bowl spots, making it more likely for the MWC to keep sending our fifth team unfilled places. No reason to start an awful event that will fail.
Provo BYU Fan | 3:18 p.m. April 20, 2008
I can't believe this. WHY would you want to have a bowl game in N. Utah in the middle of December??? It would just be a bowl game that noone would attend and would die out in a few years, not to mention there are already WAY too many bowls out there. Also, not to sound jealous, but LES has about 20,000 more seats, but wait! Why would they need more seats anyway? It's as if anybody's going to come. This whole idea has got to be a joke.
LoboFan | 3:48 p.m. April 20, 2008
We need a MWC vs the ACC, Big Ten, Big East, or SEC game. The Big 12 would work too.

Everything else is just fluff and hurts our conference from being legitimized as a good football conference.

WTF | 7:52 p.m. April 20, 2008
The Mountain West Conference leadership is a joke. I can't believe how they make the wrong decision at every turn.....For the love, fire Thompson and get some competent leadership of the MWC
Anonymous | 9:17 a.m. April 21, 2008
Im sorry but nobody and i mean nobody wants to play a bowl game in Salt Lake. And in my opinion its to easy to go post season in college football. I think that they should stop making new ones.
Spudman | 1:20 p.m. April 21, 2008
RE: Anonymous

Boise's climate is a bit milder than the Wasatch Front. The elevation of the Boise Valley drops off from our 4,000 ft. (valley elevation) That being said, it can still get cold and very uncomfortable in December. It is definitely not a warm climate.
Anonymous | 9:47 p.m. April 21, 2008
If a bowl game is played in northern Utah in December, and no one is able to see it (or cares) did it really happen?
re: Anonymous 9:47; 04/21 | 12:28 p.m. April 22, 2008
That is the only time in my life that Philosophy has actually made sense to me!!
Bowl Game Makes Sense | 11:06 a.m. April 23, 2008
There are several bowl games played in the cold: Boise, Albuquerque, Memphis. We had the Olympics and it wasn't warm it was freakin cold. So, stop whining about the weather. If Utah, BYU or Utah State played in the Rocky Mountain Bowl all of you would show.

Stop Whining, the bowl is a good thing for the state of Utah
Oral Bea | 5:03 p.m. April 23, 2008
Albuquerque and Memphis are nowhere near as cold as Salt Lake City in December. That is not a valid comparison. As for other cold weather bowls ...

1) Boise has milder weather and great community support.
2) Detroit is played in a dome at a quality NFL stadium.
3) Toronto is played in a dome at a quality CFL stadium.

Charlotte, Nashville, Birmingham, and Shreveport are about as mild as Memphis and Albuquerque. The WINTER OLYMPICS were supposed to be cold. Reach.
Get facts straight | 9:48 a.m. April 24, 2008
It's obviuos you don't have a clue! The Liberty Bowl is colder than Salt Lake City. The Olympics example is made because it's sports, it's still cold and people show up.

Their are running events , plenty of them in the winter where temperatures are freezing and people show up. Wash. D.C. the temperature is extremely chilly, they want a bowl game

You said Boise has Great Community Support. Tjis shows me how much you really know. When they started that bowl game 11 years ago they had doubters a plenty who said the same thing it's too cold, no one will show up. Be a fan, not a critic
Kevin - Cheyenne, WY | 5:42 p.m. April 27, 2008
Moving the date of one of the attractive MWC tie-in Bowls to the week between Christmas and New Years Eve is more important than adding another Bowl matching two mediocre teams.

Currently, three of the four Bowls with MWC tie-ins are played prior to Christmas. I know few that take time off work prior to Christmas and even fewer that would take time off to attend a Bowl. I know many people, though, that take the entire week off between the two Holidays and would be happy to travel to either San Diego or Las Vegas during this time.

Ideally, the date of the Las Vegas Bowl would be December 30.

(This year the only Bowl game played on that date was the always highly anticipated Petro Sun Independence Bowl (yawn).)

In the event they ever returned to relative competitiveness, I would love the prospect of seeing the MWC Champion Wyoming Cowboys battle on that day, then staying around long enough to celebrate New Years Eve on the Las Vegas strip. I suspect fans of other MWC schools would feel the same.

Notice to MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson: Get it done.
Anonymous | 4:20 p.m. May 14, 2008
Hey Zoobs can't spell- Lets look at that record from like 1970's and up. Who cared about the series until like the 1970's and up?

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