Hawaii Bowl

Christmas Eve with the Mustangs and Bulldogs, what could be more traditional?  Just about anything but the Quest carries on.

Fresno State vs. SMU

This is always one of the least looked forward to games not only because of the holiday but because the less than interesting match-up. The Bulldogs were heavily favored and I was ready to go for at least a quarter of the game at 8pm but Mrs. Keith was not.  So, after an outstanding prime rib dinner, I decided to work a bit of it off with a walk to look at lights in the neighborhood.

Much like passing out candy on Halloween, it seems like there are fewer people who decorate their homes.   Still some decent ones in the neighborhood to look at on a brisk 30 minute walk.

Back in time to catch the start of the second quarter.  Game tied 0-0 but not for long.  SMU's defense jumped all over Fresno State, forcing a couple turnovers and getting the scoring going.  I don't actually think I saw Fresno run more than a couple plays without turning the ball over.  22-0 and Fresno blew a chance to score at the end of the half.  Boy #2 called this one over and he was correct.

SMU's Margus Hunt was the Kyle Van Noy (Poinsettia Bowl hero) of this game, with a couple sacks, forcing a fumble and a safety.

We switched over to NBC for "It's A Wonderful Life" where I had to explain the back story of George Bailey to the boy.  It never fails, the end of that movie works up a little mist.  Mrs. Keith wanted to know what kind of name is Zuzu and what was going on with her hair.

Can't disagree with her.  Maybe George should have got off the phone with her teacher and let the Bailey family hair stylist have it.  Then the stylist's husband could have punched him in the mouth at Martini's.

Switched back to the game during one of the many commercial breaks in the movie's final hour, all over.  43-10. Fresno State was a pretty heavy favorite so this is the first real upset of the bowl season.

Game notes:
-Former Hawaii head coach June Jones was back at Aloha Stadium with his Mustangs to earn his 75th win there.  It's the second time in a few years that SMU has knocked off a heavily favored opponent.

-Boy #2 gives props to the bowl game logo.  It is football-centric but I think I'm partial to the Pineapple Bowl of yore.  I don't recall the mainland conference. Attendance at this game in 1948 was 12,000 which was about 12,000 more people than at this year's Hawaii Bowl. 

-Game hero Margus Hunt is from Estonia.  Hunt may become the most famous Estonian man since Fabian Gottlieb Von Bellinghausen, a sailor who was the first person to see Antarctica. He has an island in the Atlantic Ocean and a crater on the moon named after him.  

-The win will be SMU's last in Conference USA as they get ready to move to the Big East.  Or not. Who knows.  The conference has installed a revolving door for teams coming and going.

-Bowl swag:  Fossil watch, Oakley backpack, Tori Richard aloha shirts, custom beach towel, Pro Athletics shorts, T-shirt, performance T-shirt, hat/visor, calendar.  A calendar! The bowl game in stride with today's youth.  Kind of a weak swag bag but they do get a trip to Hawaii.

I took Fresno State, so my record drops to 5-2.

No games today.  Pizza Bowl tomorrow night. Merry Christmas!