Gator Bowl Commish says USC

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by Blackland

Well, maybe they don't but it will certainly come up in the recruiting process. If I was a UGA recruiter I would say, "Sure we lost to SC three in a row, but we play in the SECCG and BCS bowls, they go go bowls in Jacksonville, FL."

Probably what matters more to the players are the gift packages and the per diem. Bowl location and status is probably important to players, maybe a little more important to us.

Well, UGA hasn't been to the BCS since the 2007 season. UGA could've sold that BCS Bowl trip over us for 5 years now, but obviously it hasn't worked on the field. If UGA loses to Bama this weekend then they won't be in one this year.

I seriously doubt a recruit is going to be lost if we go to Jacksonville instead of Tampa. Especially since we've been to Tampa 3 times in the last 12 years.

Plus, Jacksonville is an area full of top tier recruits. It's an area that we should recruit hard considering how close we are to it and the influence Gamecock fans have in that area.

People are treating Jacksonville as if its Winnsboro. It's a nice city and I'm certain fans and players will have fun there.

[2000grad]

Originally Posted by CockyInGA

Seriously?

Distance to Jacksonville

Distance to Tampa

And this is why I want it in Jacksonville

[BuCockyfan]

Originally Posted by LakeMonticelloCock

Most 16 & 17 year old kids do not understand the bowl pecking order. Heck, most 30 & 40 year olds don't .

They understand when they see all the BCS teams getting national exposure, their own primetime night game and all the glitz and glamour.

To only lose twice and get a mediocre Gator bowl that a website sponsors....hurts.

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by BuCockyfan

They understand when they see all the BCS teams getting national exposure, their own primetime night game and all the glitz and glamour.

To only lose twice and get a mediocre Gator bowl that a website sponsors....hurts.

This isn't the point though. No one is saying they'd rather go Gator than BCS. People are saying they'd rather go Gator than Outback b/c there really is very little difference between the two.

[Nureye]

Originally Posted by LakeMonticelloCock

...Heck, most 30 & 40 year olds don't .

As Proven in this thread on CockTalk:
http://www.cockytalk.com/showthread.php?t=184234

I am amazed at some of the comments, and perception of reality.

[BuCockyfan]

Originally Posted by LakeMonticelloCock

This isn't the point though. No one is saying they'd rather go Gator than BCS. People are saying they'd rather go Gator than Outback b/c there really is very little difference between the two.

Gotcha. I'm not quite sure of it myself either. Last year, the bowl had two 6-6 teams play each other....how would we at 11-2 fill that?

[wowo]

Originally Posted by 2000grad

And this is why I want it in Jacksonville

Me too!

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by BuCockyfan

Gotcha. I'm not quite sure of it myself either. Last year, the bowl had two 6-6 teams play each other....how would we at 11-2 fill that?

Good teams have played in the Gator too. Since the SEC started its championship game, there have been two SEC Division winners end up in the Gator Bowl.

This is just a unique year where we have 6 great teams in the SEC. The addition of A&M did not come with an addition of another elite bowl. This has left fewer great bowls to handle more elite teams.

The Gator is a NYD Bowl though, is in Florida, is an old bowl with name recognition, and is against a Big 10 team. At least the Gator doesn't remind me of a Bloomin' Onion

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Just compare the Outback & Gator


Location- Gator saves you 400 miles of driving, but Tampa will probably be 10 degrees warmer. Tampa has Ybor City, Jacksonville has Jacksonville Landing. Both have beaches

Stadium- Both are in NFL Stadiums. Raymond James has a Pirate Ship, but I do believe Everbank is slightly bigger of a stadium. All seats are folding chair seats

Opponent- You are playing a Big 10 school named Michigan, Wisconsin, or Northwestern in both bowls

Payout- Doesn't matter b/c this is split among SEC fans

Fan travel- We'll send likely 10-15k more fans to Jacksonville. More Gamecock fans live in Jacksonville

Recruiting- We recruit both cities hard, but I'd say getting Jacksonville kids would be easier due to location

Bowl Reputation- Both are on NYD. The Gator is the older of the two bowls. Most probably have no idea what the Outback Bowl was once called(without looking it up). I know, but that's b/c I'm a nerd

There just isn't that big of a difference

[LegalCock]

Jacksonville landing is equal to ybor city? Hall of shame bowl.

[OfficeLinebackerCock]

Originally Posted by BuCockyfan

They understand when they see all the BCS teams getting national exposure, their own primetime night game and all the glitz and glamour.

To only lose twice and get a mediocre Gator bowl that a website sponsors....hurts.

Interesting perspective and it serves to illustrate just how much things have changed. I can remember when two losses assured you of nothing more than a second or third rate bowl at BEST. Yes, back then they only played 11 regular season games so you would be looking at a 9-2 season, deemed "decent" by the powers that be but certainly not worthy of a NYD bowl game. Back then only the best played on NYD and the champion was determined (sort of) by the outcome of these games. On the other hand, sometimes "champion" was just the team the was the media "darling"....hmmmmm...I guess much of that is true today. Upon reflection, I think we are going to a bowl that reflects what we did on the field, we won 10 games....most of the wins were not overly impressive, and we lost to two of the best teams we played...one in a close contest, and one in a seeming blowout (regardless of why). I'm thinking we should be thankful that we will be playing on NYD at all and let it go at that. It could be worse, what if we were CLEMSON?!!!! But of course, we're not...Dabo said so!!

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by LegalCock

Jacksonville landing is equal to ybor city? Hall of shame bowl.

You have places to eat, places to drink, andthere will be thousands of Gamecocks at either place. On any normal day there is probably a difference, but for NYE there really won't be a huge difference.

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by OfficeLinebackerCock

Interesting perspective and it serves to illustrate just how much things have changed. I can remember when two losses assured you of nothing more than a second or third rate bowl at BEST. Yes, back then they only played 11 regular season games so you would be looking at a 9-2 season, deemed "decent" by the powers that be but certainly not worthy of a NYD bowl game. Back then only the best played on NYD and the champion was determined (sort of) by the outcome of these games. On the other hand, sometimes "champion" was just the team the was the media "darling"....hmmmmm...I guess much of that is true today. Upon reflection, I think we are going to a bowl that reflects what we did on the field, we won 10 games....most of the wins were not overly impressive, and we lost to two of the best teams we played...one in a close contest, and one in a seeming blowout (regardless of why). I'm thinking we should be thankful that we will be playing on NYD at all and let it go at that. It could be worse, what if we were CLEMSON?!!!! But of course, we're not...Dabo said so!!

Yeah, LSU only had 1 loss when they played us in the 87 Gator bowl. I believe Pitt was 10-1 in the 80 Gator Bowl and we were 10-1 in the 84 Gator.

[BuCockyfan]

FWIW, Steele has us in the Outback with Northwestern...

[LakeMonticelloCock]

Originally Posted by BuCockyfan

FWIW, Steele has us in the Outback with Northwestern...

I think he also had the ACC getting the upper hand over the SEC this weekend and had FSU in the NC game at the start of the year.

Outback vs Northwestern is certainly possible. I'd go, but would prefer Gator vs Wisconsin or Michigan.

[CocksB2BChamps24]

I said earlier in the year I wasn't going to the bowl game this year unless it was the Sugar, if it's in Jacksonville I may change my mind because the trip isn't bad at all.

Let me say I wasn't going to attend any other bowl because I was disappointed in the team, rather a little disgruntled with the way the BCS works.

Hell, we only have two more years of the BCS, may as well throw out all the rules (or at least the two conference team limit rule) and have the top 10 teams in the BCS. People hate the SEC anyways, and say some of the top 10 teams are overrated, so why not put all of them in a BCS game and see how overrated they really are.

[sosfan812]

Originally Posted by LakeMonticelloCock

Just compare the Outback & Gator


Location- Gator saves you 400 miles of driving, but Tampa will probably be 10 degrees warmer. Tampa has Ybor City, Jacksonville has Jacksonville Landing. Both have beaches

Stadium- Both are in NFL Stadiums. Raymond James has a Pirate Ship, but I do believe Everbank is slightly bigger of a stadium. All seats are folding chair seats

Opponent- You are playing a Big 10 school named Michigan, Wisconsin, or Northwestern in both bowls

Payout- Doesn't matter b/c this is split among SEC fans

Fan travel- We'll send likely 10-15k more fans to Jacksonville. More Gamecock fans live in Jacksonville

Recruiting- We recruit both cities hard, but I'd say getting Jacksonville kids would be easier due to location

Bowl Reputation- Both are on NYD. The Gator is the older of the two bowls. Most probably have no idea what the Outback Bowl was once called(without looking it up). I know, but that's b/c I'm a nerd

There just isn't that big of a difference

Where do we go to get our cash?

[Cock Kool-Aid]

Say what you want, but there are a lot of fans who are going to go to the game if it's in Jacksonville, but not if it's in Tampa. I am one of those fans. Hopefully they consider this.

[ColaCock]

Originally Posted by LakeMonticelloCock

Just compare the Outback & Gator


Location- Gator saves you 400 miles of driving, but Tampa will probably be 10 degrees warmer. Tampa has Ybor City, Jacksonville has Jacksonville Landing. Both have beaches. I don't know why people only mention Ybor City when they mention Tampa. It's a popular and historic area, but there are quite a few more places that are party districts/areas.

You also will not want to walk the Jax beaches with that weather. There will be NYE celebrations all along the Gulf beaches.

Stadium- Both are in NFL Stadiums. Raymond James has a Pirate Ship, but I do believe Everbank is slightly bigger of a stadium. All seats are folding chair seats

Opponent- You are playing a Big 10 school named Michigan, Wisconsin, or Northwestern in both bowls. I feel like a broken record, but how does Michigan fall into the Gator Bowl? They are likely going to the Capital One and if not there, won't fall past the Outback Bowl. Again, you have to realize that the Outback is a "better" bowl selection.

Payout- Doesn't matter b/c this is split among SEC fans

Fan travel- We'll send likely 10-15k more fans to Jacksonville. More Gamecock fans live in Jacksonville

Recruiting- We recruit both cities hard, but I'd say getting Jacksonville kids would be easier due to location. I'd say the Tampa Bay area is 20x the recruiting bed that Jacksonville is. Look at our past rosters and the recruiting rankings. Not even close.

Bowl Reputation- Both are on NYD. The Gator is the older of the two bowls. Most probably have no idea what the Outback Bowl was once called(without looking it up). I know, but that's b/c I'm a nerd. Both are NYD, but one comes on before Rose Bowl, has a national audience, and history shows better selections (because they get pick over Gator) and better matchups are in the Outback Bowl.

There just isn't that big of a difference

Just wanted to retort a bit there.

I still don't see why we are trying to put ourselves in the mindset that the bowls are equal in terms of relevance...just because it is closer and fans may want something new. The Gator is 2 selections down from the Outback...after the CFA.

It's like arguing the Music City Bowl would be just as good as the Chick-Fil-A.

[ColaCock]

Originally Posted by Cock Kool-Aid

Say what you want, but there are a lot of fans who are going to go to the game if it's in Jacksonville, but not if it's in Tampa. I am one of those fans. Hopefully they consider this.

Would you be going to Dallas if we were selected for Cotton Bowl? Probably not either, right?

We need to put the program's interests above what is convenient for the fans.