To be sure, it was "MAC" followed by "champion," which doesn't seem practical for us

Still, it's progress:

<a href='http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/orl-sptbowls11011103jan11,0,6288117.story?coll=orl-sports-headlines' target='_blank'>Progress.</a>

Really though, why not? The MAC is already sending a team to a place nearly as far away as Orlando for most schools, that being Mobile, Alabama for a Bowl Game.

Doesn't sound like too bad of an idea to reward the MAC Champion with a trip to sunny Orlando in December for a job well done.. (That is if UCF is not the team representing the MAC.. A big IF that is.. )

MylesKnight Wrote:Really though, why not? The MAC is already sending a team to a place nearly as far away as Orlando for most schools, that being Mobile, Alabama for a Bowl Game.

Doesn't sound like too bad of an idea to reward the MAC Champion with a trip to sunny Orlando in December for a job well done.. (That is if UCF is not the team representing the MAC.. A big IF that is.. )

Would the MCB suffer?

I'd love to see the MAC in a more premier bowl, and get the help w/ recruiting.

The MCB has 4 strong teams in the area that could help the turnout: UT, BG, WMU and CMU, even if the champ doesn't go. BG might be the least supported, but every team there could put people in the seats, even w/o being champ.

If the east is dominant, would Miami or OU generate interest?

It seems like the MCB would almost require a MAC-W participant.

The Tangerine Bowl would be a nice pick-up for the MAC. The ACC/MAC matchup would have a nice crowd. Having 2 teams with a .500 record isn't going to cut it. Bring on the MAC champ to Orlando!

I like the Motor City. That's our bowl. It draws better than most, and -- the Cincinnati experience aside -- it's landed good opponents.

Our history of bowl games is so checkered that I think we have to be really careful that we keep in mind what is best for the Motor City Bowl. It finally seems like it's on a decent footing. Let's not screw it up.

I don't see how the Motor City Bowl could work as well if it matched up MAC No. 3 vs. Big Ten No. 7 or whoever else the bowl happens to get.

If Bowling Green should win the MAC next year, I would want them in Detroit against a Big Ten school -- unless, of course the Falcons are ranked in the top ten, or something. Honestly, that interests me more than the Tangerine Bowl, despite the obviously allure of Orlando in December.

The same goes for the GMAC Bowl. I don't like the matchups as much, and I don't like the distance. If Bowling Green ever gets into a game in Mobile or Orlando, I'll be there with a friend or two. But if Bowling Green is in Detroit, I'll have a dozen friends together -- and that would be a ton more fun.

As for what's really going to happen:

I see the MAC getting two solid bowl opportunities heading into next season and -- if the math works out -- maybe someone will throw us a third at the end out of desperation.

As far as a stable third tie in... I think that will end up Sun Belt No. 2 vs. MAC No. 3 in a Sun Belt city.

But we won't see that next year because the Sun Belt is probably too busy figuring out the long term future of the New Orleans Bowl, which doesn't look (to me) to be on a very firm footing right now. Eventually, though, the Sun Belt will put something together, maybe in one of its own cities.

The Cajun Bowl, anyone?



<!--EDIT|RochesterFalcon|Jan 13 2003, 12:47 AM-->

I really hope the MAC doesn't send the Champ to that bowl if we got hooked up with them. Orlando is great and all, but you can tell by the tone of that rat bastard that even a MAC champ would be a second or third option. "Oh if we can't get a desirable Big 12 or ACC team then maybe we can get a champ from one of the 'smaller' conferences as a backup." SCREEEEEEWWWW THEM.

hashmander Wrote:I really hope the MAC doesn't send the Champ to that bowl if we got hooked up with them. Orlando is great and all, but you can tell by the tone of that rat bastard that even a MAC champ would be a second or third option. "Oh if we can't get a desirable Big 12 or ACC team then maybe we can get a champ from one of the 'smaller' conferences as a backup." SCREEEEEEWWWW THEM.

I think you need to look at the reality of it. They have to answer to their sponsors and TV folks. I know you understand the position, they weren't referring to the talent level.

Also, this bowl could possibly match up our champ with a 4 seed from the ACC. Which would have been a nice matchup with Clemson this year.

Do you really think this would be anything but good for this conference?

When you consider all the poor performance of bowls (attendance-wise) this year, you would think that bowls would come to the conclusion that: a) there are too many bowls, and also B) their bowl tie-ins are too restrictive.

If you look at how well MAC schools have been supporting bowls as of late, you would think that it would just make sense for bowls like NO and the Tangerine Bowl to have an ability to at least consider a MAC team.

I hate to "toot" Marshall's "horn" (since their own fans do it so well), but the Herd has shown that it'll take 7-8K fans to a mid-week game in Mobile, so why wouldn't it be plausible that 10K Herd fans would show up for better date in Orlando? Other MAC schools would likely do much better than Texas Tech's 2K as well, although the real need is for there to be local support as we've seen evident in Mobile and Detroit for current the MAC-affilated bowl games.

Many Herd fans don't like being in the MAC (vs. C-USA) due to the lack of variety (and number) of bowl bids, but I'd submit that if bowls are that interested in landing Marshall then they'll consider that in looking at the MAC as a back-up in current and/or future bowl hook-ups. And although UCF would not be considered too desirable for the T-Bowl (due to the fact that a local team won't not sell out hotels and bring in out-of-town tourists), they may need to show some improvement in attendance (per the new NCAA 25K mandated bowl attendance averages), and UCF would certainly provide a "quick fix" to get 40K on hand. So that may help the MAC if the T-Bowl survives its current tie-ins as well.



<!--EDIT|exCincy Kid|Jan 13 2003, 05:41 PM-->

Also, even though it may not count for much, I think a lot of UCF fans would be more interested in seeing a MAC rep then some sub tier BCS school.

This will only improve as the years go on. Unless it was Marshall I could see UCF fans wanting to cheer the MAC on. Even it only added another 2000-5000 fans that would be pretty acceptable.

If we could match up the MAC champ with ACC #4, I'd be all for it. Seriously, would MAC fans really rather spend time in icy Detroit facing a 6-6 B10 team than in sunny Orlando facing an 8-4 ACC team?

I do have one serious point of agreement with eCk. The bowl tie-ins are too restrictive. The Tangerine Bowl, for example, could have done much better if they matched their ACC team with an at-large team. They could have picked up USF or even UCF and had a huge crowd. Face it. Fans are not going to travel half way across the country to watch a 6-6 or 7-5 or 6-5 team and neither is that matchup going to generate any local interest.

Hi everyone. This is my first post here, though I've been lurking for a long time now. I think a tie in with the Tangerine bowl to send the MAC champ to Orlando would be great. A bowl is supposed to be a reward for a great season. And that reward should be playing a bowl game at a desirable destination for the team and fans, along with a worthy opponent. I like Mobile, it is a great place for a game, and the locals support the game. But what it is lacking is the opponent. CUSA #2, c'mon! ACC #4 on the other hand is much better, even better than B10 #6-or #7. Detroit is OK too, but not a great place to be in December. Put the T-Bowl on the weekend, or late in the week (Thurs or Fri night) and I bet the MAC represntative will support it. Even if it happens to be Kent State.

Also, if we could hold off bowl invites until the MACC. Set it up as winner goes to Orlando, that would make the game a lot more interesting, and more exciting. It could even help with the lack of attendance the last few years. It would give the fans something to get excited about. I'm in the group that thinks playing for a conference title should be reason enough to show up for the game, but there seems to be about 10,000 to 12,000 Marshall and UT fans who'd rather stay at home and save up for the bowl game.

Another thing re: bowls. Why can't the MAC follow what the WAC does and just make up its own bowls. The Silicon Valley Bowl, and Humanitarian Bowls are played in WAC stadiums. Why don't we just make one up? We already have two stadiums with the word "Bowl" in their names. Could you imagine the "Rubber Bowl presented by Trojan"? :)

The Tangerine bowl would really help the MAC recruit. Talk about exposure in a recruiting hotbed. Clemson did travel well for the ACC so I can't see them dumping the ACC. Hopefully the MAC can work something out.

When I said the MAC should look at southern teams for expansion it was b/c the MAC would have a shot at more bowl tie-ins. It wouldn't harm the league adding Troy State and La. Tech.

I'm not against a Tangerine Bowl/MAC affiliation. If we're playing the ACC #4 then that's great, but that's not what those people want. They would want the MAC champ as a backup or third option. The MAC champ should have a guaranteed bowl, not some backup or third option.

Quote:Seriously, would MAC fans really rather spend time in icy Detroit facing a 6-6 B10 team than in sunny Orlando facing an 8-4 ACC team?

Yes.

To our new poster: We did set up a bowl on our own. It's called the Motor City Bowl. The contract guarantees the MAC will be affiliated with the bowl as long as both the MAC and the bowl exist. That's our game.

I don't know what the MAC-Motor City contract says about when the bowl picks. Obviously, that's at least a little flexible, as the bowl apparently has picked second in the last few years. Still, the bowl got what it wanted picking second).

On Orlando:

I worry that if we offer our champ to the Tangerine, we hurt the bowl we do have and set ourselves up for failure on both fronts.

Can the MAC champ consistently send enough teams to Orlando to keep us in that game indefinitely? I have my doubts. And if we hurt the Motor City Bowl in the process... well, it would all be ungood.

Count me as very skeptical. It might be the homer in me. I grew up in Detroit. But I see the Motor City shaping up to be one of the best of the non-Jan. 1 bowls. Detroit is clearly warming up to the game, which is in one of the best stadiums in America. The crowd last month spoke for itself.

One of the great holiday season college events in any sport is the Great Lakes Invitational, which pits four Division I hockey teams against each other at Joe Louis Arena. Ten years ago, the tournament routinely drew the largest crowds ever to watch hockeys game in North America.

(Michigan State now holds the record for a game with Michigan it held in Spartan Stadium last fall. Between 50,000 and 60,000 saw it).

I see the Motor City Bowl growing to the point where it starts to get the kind of community support the Great Lakes Invitational gets in Detroit and the MAC basketball tournament gets in Cleveland. It seems to be happening.

We shouldn't take this progress lightly or needlessly put it at risk.

Obviously, I'd love to put a MAC team in the Tangerine. But we should be very careful. I'd hate to see the Motor City sink to third pick, or something.

hashmander, I'm with you on that one. If the Tangerine bowl wants the MAC, then they should guarantee us a spot. I think the MAC champ, no matter who it happens to be will support the Tangerine Bowl much better than a 6-6, 6-5 Big 12. To us MAC fans a trip to the Tangerine Bowl would mean that we won the MAC title, and we would be thrilled to be there. Unlike the 6-6, 6-5 Big 12 team, where the bowl is its fourth or fifth option. They just aren't that excited. The problem now is when will the bowls start to realize it? Maybe some UCF folks can pull some strings to help get a MAC champ tie-in. IMO this would be a Huge step in the right direction for the MAC and our bowl situation. I know no one is saying this will happen, or even if talks are going on. But what we do know is the T-Bowl is not that happy with its current setup, maybe we should encourage the people at the MAC offices to start making noise to land this bowl. Our chances may be small, but it is worth a shot.

RochesterFalcon, I know that the MC Bowl is our bowl I just wanted to get in the Rubber Bowl joke :) Seriously though, if they can put on the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise of all places, why couldn't we put one on in Huntington, Toledo, or even Akron all of which have a pretty good sized population base. I'm not real serious about this, just thought I would add to the bowl talk, and give us something to think about.

People regularly mention Indianapolis. St. Louis is another idea.

Part of it seems to be dependent on what ESPN wants to do. ESPN was cruicial in setting up the Hawaii Bowl, and it seems to be a player in the effort to set up a game in Fort Worth.

Can we get ESPN to work with us? I don't know. Seems a little late to get something going for 2003, though...

I share RF's concern over losing control of our destiny (i.e. the MCB slot for our champ in a bowl that is well supported by the MAC), but of course we'd like to improve our overall bowl prospects.

It certainly seems that the MCB has been very flexible in allowing the MAC champ the option of "bowling" in Mobile the last couple of years, which of course is somewhat self-serving as what the MCB really wants is a regional (e.g. CMU, WMU, UT) MAC team with a good following. Being tied into the champ only is not necessarily in their best interest. At the same time, it behooves the MAC to "keep the MCB boyz" happy 'cause this is a bowl that is doing well and could easily be improved if the MCB could ante up some more $$ to entice the B10 to "guarantee" a participant. To do that we need to move up to getting the #6 of #5 pick of the B10. I am surprised that the MCB hasn't already offered up a mil to the B10 to do so, but the problem is that B10 fans don't want to spend their holidays in Detroit, hence there will always be some resistance and since the B10 is so awash in BCS money the little extra added by the MCB is "chump change" to them.

MAKO drew attention in his post to something that has continued to perplex me....why in the heck do these bowls get themselves "locked into" the 6th or 7th pick from the major conferences??? I see no reason why they can't get right of first refusal type of contract written up (esp. since I'm not sure that the conferences {outside of the SEC maybe have all that much leverage in setting up bowls for their 6th and 7th place teams). Although I guess I can't see our champ necessarily destined for Orlando, just maybe we could work out some type of arrangement where if we have a desirable (i.e. UCF to fill stands or Marshall to bring out-of-town fans for instance) team then we could be a "go to"option. The MAC may even be able to guarantee our champ to Orlando so long as they work it out with the MCB in advance.......the MCB may not care all that much so long as perhaps they get a shot at the MAC champ if it's one of those close-by MAC teams that they covet.

I have also stated (many times I know...forgive me!) that I really like the idea of a MAC hosted bowl in Indianapolis. Indy is arguably a better location (proximity wise) to at least 5 or 6 teams in the teams in the conference, and is not only a nicer city than Detroit (sorry, Motown), but is also within a more reasonable driving distances to a number of other non-MAC schools including a few from C-USA. If you had a bowl in Indy and Detroit, plus one more bowl opportunity (from a pool including the GMAC, Ft. Worth and Tangerine Bowl), I thinkthe conference would be in good shape. Plus, it would allow the Herd folks to perhaps be available for a number of bowls, thus perhaps placating them with the fact that it's rather unlikely that they are making the move to C-USA (which as 4 or 5 bowl slots).

And KitCat, feel free to comment away.....I promise not to disagree with everything you say, so long as you keep it civil.

As alluded to, the GMAC and the MCB are both on very solid financial footing. As long as both remain sucessful and both remain tied to the MAC, I don't think we need to look elsewhere.

I was skeptical about Detroit, too, but Ford Field is a beautiful stadium, and the surrounding area is very festive and "bowl friendly." My only complaint was that the interstate was a stone's throw from the stadium, and it took us 45 minutes to get on the freakin' freeway -- there were a lot of moron cops standing around, pretending to direct traffic, but really doing nothing.

I agree w/ most of the comments already made.
Our #1 priority should be to keep the MCB...the location of the bowl make this a perfect fit for the MAC and the MCB. It is well supported w/ a strong geographical tie-in w/ the BigTen.
Our #2 priority should be to keep the GMAC bowl. The support by the locals of this bowl is far and away better than the Tangerine bowl.
IF we can acquire a Tangerine bowl tie-in (or somewhere else) that'd be great so long as it doesn't compromise our two existing partnerships.

However, we as a conference should really be aggressive in our pursuit of add'l tie-ins. We have demonstrated our support off the field and ability on the field over the past few seasons..that coupled with CUSA's poor showing and weak attendance from some BCS schools, we have an opportunity to make some good post season strides. Unfortuneately bowl tie-ins reflect credibility and regardless of our superiority on the field compared to CUSA and the WAC, those conferences are still given more 'respect' than the MAC...anyone catch the Conference Bowl championship trophy. The MAC and SBC were the only conference ineligible due to not meeting the minimum # of bowl appearances..just another sign of how our conference is viewed nationally. We shouldn't be looking for bowl tie-ins to "placate" Herd fans, but b/c it is a key indicator of conference recognition and credibility...not to mention a huge exposure and recruiting tool.

Go Herd!