Why I Want The Gophers To Play In The Champs Bowl

As the coaches would say, "Any bowl is a good bowl!" The extra practice time is a tremendous benefit, and bowl participation certainly is a selling point to potential recruits.

The reasons, however, that I would like to see the Gophers in the Champs Bowl instead of the Insight Bowl are as follows:

1. First ever Florida bowl game; name and sports coverage in a heavily populated state as well as a recruiting hotbed.

2. Played in the 2006 Insight Bowl. Variety is a good thing, unless, of course, it were an annual trip to the Rose Bowl. Too often, however, Minnesota is associated only with the Sun and Music City bowls, because of multiple appearances.

3. Purely selfish. Since I won't be able to make the trip to the bowl game, I would prefer the Champs Bowl, which is televised by ESPN and the Insight game is on the NFL Network. More recruit households, not to mention my residence, have ESPN than the NFL Network.

It's great to be bowling, again!

Go Gophers!!

They lost to NC State in a Florida Bowl under Mase.

Yes, we did lose to NC State in the 2000 Micronpc.com Bowl, which was the previous incarnation of the Champs Sports Bowl. So this would be our second appearance in this game, officially. But Orlando is a new destination, and I'm always in favor of playing in a different venue (unless that venue is Detroit).

I'm also rooting for Orlando because, coming from New Orleans, it's far more convenient. Cheaper and quicker than Phoenix, and it's played on the 27th - a Saturday - rather than New Year's Eve - a Wednesday. Flying to Orlando on Christmas Day and coming back on Sunday afternoon would be simple.

I was at the FL bowl - 2000 MicronPC.com bowl was played in Dolphin stadium in Fort Lauderdale - great stadium, but small crowd...but nice weather until game time when it did rain some...

I Stand Corrected!

How could I forget the Micron PC Bowl? Or maybe I wanted to, after watching a sizeable lead disappear. In any case, I stand corrected!

Go Gophers!!

The Insight Bowl is on the same day as the Gopher-Mich. st. basketball game. I'm not sure if there will be overlap, but its possible. Hopefully we can get the Champs and this won't be an issue.

Do the Champs and Insight bowl pay teams similar amounts? I'm assuming Wisconsin is not going to turn away big bucks to change up their locations.

On a side note, wouldn't it be fun to see Notre Dame in the Motor City Bowl losing to Central Michigan?!

I live in Orlando and was hoping for any of the Florida bowls. There are three that have Big Ten connections:

Champs Sports
Capital One
Outback

Gator Bowl is also in Florida, but that one doesn't have a Big 10 connection.

Of the Big 10 related Florida bowls, it looks like we only have a shot at the Champs Sports, so that is my choice.

Since in the Big Ten all the money goes to the conference instead of the team itself from the bowl game, I don't foresee Wisconsin having any issue going to the Insight Bowl instead. The money will be coming into the conference regardless of which B10 team is playing there.

The Micron PC Bowl was the worst run bowl venue of any I've attended ( been to all,except the two Rose Bowls) The weather was cold and rainy and the worst cold snap in the past 20 years. Hell, even the pools were closed. Miami is to retro and that's why Minnesota snowbirds reside in central Florida. Yes, South Beach is great but for the age group that currently follows the Gophers it's like being a fish out of water.