Orange Bowl

We're officially at the point of the BowlQuest when the family keeps asking if I've had enough football.  Yes, yes, yes.  That's the point, bowl season is bloated, the challenge to watch all the games isn't all that fun.  Tuesday night's game was the sixth of the day so football has been on TV in the house since noon. 

Despite watching all but the last couple minutes of this game I'm just realizing FedEx no longer sponsors this game.  When did that happen?  Where's Obie?  Despite it's several colors, this logo is pretty bland.

Florida State vs. Northern Illinois

MACtion in the BCS, how will we survive.  A lot of jibba-jab about how a team from the MAC shouldn't be in a BCS game.  If that's the case, then why is the MAC in the BCS at all?  Apparently people felt Oklahoma should have been in Miami.

Who cares, this game means just as much as the Gildan New Mexico Bowl in the grand scheme of things. Give the Huskies a shot.  And the bigger issue is really why ESPN continues to force analyst Matt Millen on the football loving public?

After five games I was really dreading a night filled with one idiotic comment after another from Millen, especially after hearing him on the Russell Athletic Bowl.  Sure enough, he came out with the annoying habit of referring to play by play partner Joe Tessitore as "Tess" over and over again. And then a tsunami of stupidity hit in the second half.  A few examples:

-With the half time score 14-3, Millen explained the Huskies were behind by 11 points!
-He insisted on saying NIU quarterback Jordan Lynch was from the "south side of Chicago" and even broke off a few lines from "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown."  Lynch is from Mt. Greenwood, from Chicago's south side but a nice neighborhood.  Millen made it sound like he was some sort of gangster.
-When Lynch forced a throw for an interception inside Florida State territory, Millen said it would have been better for NIU to attempt a field goal than turn the ball over.
-And then Millen started saying things to amuse himself including calling one player a "good looking rascal" and saying "That's a big, powerful man. Follow that rear end," and then giggling about it.

Brutal. Let's shake off Millen and "Tess" with the famous "fumblerooski" play from the 1984 Orange Bowl.

Nebraska against Miami, now that's an Orange Bowl. 

The game, Florida State did get NIU's best shot for three quarters but bigger, faster athletes finally took over as did Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher waking up and calling for plays to bust through the Huskies smaller defensive line.  The Seminoles finally started pushing in the fourth quarter and put the game away.  This was kind of a no-win game for the them.  Win, and it was expected.  Lose, and it's an embarrassment. 

Florida State 31  NIU 10

Game notes:

-This game has been a blow out for the last couple years.  I don't think there's really been a good Orange Bowl since 2006.  Of course, Miami will be back in the spotlight with Notre Dame and Alabama Monday night for the championship.

-Where was Obie, a.k.a. King Orange?  Last year, Obie was near the field and got tangled with a player as he ran out of bounds during West Virginia's blow out of Clemson.  He did finally show up but bowl organizers were keeping him well away from the action.  So no Obie in the logo, or seen much during the game. Boo! 

 Here's Obie and former Kansas coach Mark Mangino.  Fill in your own wise ass remark.

-Hats off to this guy, an NIU fan who was tailgating at the Huskies stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.

 Why?  Who knows, but he was there to support his much maligned team. 

Bowl swag for players:  Pretty boringy, a gift suite trip, Tourneau watch.  Not too creative.

I had Florida State, as did most everyone else, and went 6-for-6 in correct picks on New Year's day.  I'm up to 4th place in my bowl pool with the most potential points still on the board.  Need to keep getting them right.

Sugar Bowl tonight, Florida and Louisville.