Why is El Paso vs WSU better than Annapolis vs Navy?

[Sean Miller Fan]

The only thing good about the Sun Bowl is the name of it. Its a semi-historic fairly well thought of bowl game. However, the location sucks, the date sucks, and the opponent sucks. Beyond that, no Pitt fans would go. Besides friends and family and PittLaw, I bet Pitt wouldn't sell more than 100 tickets.

This is the best Navy team in a generation. They have a superstar QB and are actually ranked. Its a short drive from Pgh and many Pitt alumni live within an hour of Annapolis. Plus, the date is much better. Well, the fact its during a workday sucks but a lot of people, including myself are off and I'll be going to this game. No way I would have gone to El Paso and I probably wouldnt have gone to NYC to see us play a horrible B10 joke of a program.

I just feel sorry for the players. They deserve a better biwl but all the others passed us up and I believe Barnes volunteered us to the Military Bowl instead of the Sun. Well, he would have had to because 6-6 VT cant get Tier 1 over 8-4 Pitt.
There are some things behind the scenes that could have caused this that will never be reported like VT and the Belk could have paid Pitt a large sum of money to "take one for the team."

 

[UPitt '89]

I'd rather play a P5 team on a neutral field than a ranked G5 team in their home stadium.

This isn't a reward for the players, it is a slap in their face and screams small time.

 

[ThatPittGuy]

Playing in front of 15,000 fans at home against a good opponents in meaningful games is a slap in their face.

Pitt has a small time fan base.

 

[Las Panteras]

I'd rather play a P5 team on a neutral field than a ranked G5 team in their home stadium.

This isn't a reward for the players, it is a slap in their face and screams small time.

you are reaching.

We simply do not know if any behind the scenes horse trading took place. it could very well be that Swofford and Co let pitt know that until you travel better....this is what happens.

Dont blow off this theory. The evidence will suggest more Pitt fans went to Annapolis than El Paso

As an aside....who could blame them? El Paso is the A-Hole of North America

 

[runthewildcat]

Also, the worse football game ever was played there a few yrs ago between us and Oregon st.

 

[OriginalEther]

Because as you said, The Sun Bowl is a traditional and well thought of bowl. It actually is the model for what the bowl season should look like, but that's another discussion.
You can argue that the only appeal to the military bowl is it's location for Pitt.

And Navy, while ranked, is still a service academy.

Edit: Doesn't matter now. Sun ain't an option

 

[runthewildcat]

Military bowl is the only one where we may get more than 5k fans. Why would any bowl want us? They don't care about wins, they care about the $$$.

 

[paulbl99]

There are some things behind the scenes that could have caused this that will never be reported like VT and the Belk could have paid Pitt a large sum of money to "take one for the team."

This is a peach!
What's your guess they paid Pitt
500 very large
7 figures??
Gift cards to their store in Raleigh

What a hoot

 

[BuffetParrothead]

Military bowl is the only one where we may get more than 5k fans. Why would any bowl want us? They don't care about wins, they care about the $$$.

That's the problem with todays bowl system. It should be a true reflection of performance not money regardless of how many fans will show up.
Making it a commercial event takes a lot away from the bowls.
But it is what it is so all we can do is improve our traveling reputation.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

INHO--We will be the underdog in a very bad match-up and we will likely lose to finish 8-5. That's what stinks. I hate playing the option office with the cut blocking and where you may get linemen injured.

 

[anon_pndd6khx75skx]

Why is this game on a Monday after lunch?

 

[Pantherman43]

I'd rather play a P5 team on a neutral field than a ranked G5 team in their home stadium.

This isn't a reward for the players, it is a slap in their face and screams small time.

Get over it already. You don't need to post this slap in the face crap in every related post. You don't like it, that's nice. Just STFU about it already.

It's a ranked opponent and very close for myself and a few others to attend. You might not like it but I could care less, I'll be going and supporting the team.

 

[Saboteur]

They aren't better. It isn't a slap at anyone. El Paso is a shifhole. But there is a certain segment of the world born to bitch and moan..regrettably, most live on this Board. Treat them as you do when you find dog crap along the path: recognize it for dog shift, walk around it and move along.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It should be a true reflection of performance not money regardless of how many fans will show up.
Making it a commercial event takes a lot away from the bowls.

The bowls have ALWAYS been a commercial event most concerned with making money. This romanticized notion that some people here have of what the bowls used to be or should be now is so far divorced from reality that it is hard to believe some of you folks.

You'd think that fans of a school that one time in it's history was 9-1 and ranked third in the country and yet DID NOT PLAY IN A BOWL GAME would be able to understand that. But then again that was only 52 years ago, so maybe this time when the bowls were all about the teams and all about the competition and not about making the people running the bowls money happened before then. Maybe during WW2. Or maybe during the depression in the 30s. Yeah, I'll bet that's when it was. Sure.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

The bowls have ALWAYS been a commercial event most concerned with making money. This romanticized notion that some people here have of what the bowls used to be or should be now is so far divorced from reality that it is hard to believe some of you folks.

You'd think that fans of a school that one time in it's history was 9-1 and ranked third in the country and yet DID NOT PLAY IN A BOWL GAME would be able to understand that. But then again that was only 52 years ago, so maybe this time when the bowls were all about the teams and all about the competition and not about making the people running the bowls money happened before then. Maybe during WW2. Or maybe during the depression in the 30s. Yeah, I'll bet that's when it was. Sure.

Bingo. Or the years we played Clemson and South Carolina in the Gator Bowls, where Pitt was obviously one of the 5 best teams in the country, yet got picked over by the New Year's Day bowls.