Whining About the Papa John’s Bowl

Updated 1/3/09

Well, a poor performance in a lackluster bowl secured the Gamecocks second disappointing bowl performance in two years, with the years also being mediocre at best.

Here’s the commentary on the eye-closingly poor performance in the post season.

We might have had an excuse in last year’s Outback Bowl. For this one, there’s no explanation according to Ron Morris.

20,000 Gamecocks fans show up for the PapaJohn’s.com Bowl. Gamecocks offense doesn’t.

What more really can be said here, we didn’t even play the game. It was boring and humiliating. Again, as is customary for Gamecocks fans to say, we’ll get ‘em next year. Maybe our new Offensive line coach will help (yes, we did have an offensive line coach this year).

Well, it looks all but settled the Gamecocks will be bowlin’ at the Papa John’s Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama. Considering the mostly lackluster season we had, I should be grateful. And with the possibility of an 8-5 season rather than what could’ve been a 6-7 at worst, we should take it. See The State story here. Update: Or did things just get more interesting?

But, just like the stupid Papa John’s Pineapple pizza, I don’t have to like it.

Perhaps if I whine loud enough they’ll decide they don’t want us. Or at least I can get free pizza coupons for being an unhappy customer.

If you haven’t heard much of the Papa John’s Bowl, here’s a brief top ten overview of it…and why I don’t want it long time. This is a crappy list, I know. So is the bowl. But I’ll feel better afterwards.

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1) Last year’s game – Rutgers beat NC State.
Rutgers and NC State last year had a combined 3-11 record the first half of the season. In 2006, powerhouses South Florida and East Carolina duked it out for the golden pepperoni.

2). Technically the name is the PapaJohns.com Bowl. It isn’t even the pizza place, it’s just their website.

3) On the brightside, that empty corner might get more use if we’re playing. Oh wait, it’s in Birmingham. Yes, this is actually a photo from the official Papa Johns Bowl website. Perhaps Connecticut travels well?

4) It’s on January 2nd.
The only upside is that in previous years, it was on Dec. 22 and Dec. 29. Everyone’s still asleep on January 2nd from the New Year’s games, getting rested up for the BCS games. Mainly I’m whining because I’m going to have to take an extra day off work. (oh that’s a Saturday. Well…I drive really slow ok.)

5) USC will likely play the winner of the Connecticut-South Florida game. Assuming one of them scores by Jan. 2nd. Does the plot thicken and USC ends up playing a top 25 team??

6) Spurrier on the bowl inciting confidence - “But if it is Birmingham, that’s certainly fine with all of us.”

7) If we lose I’m going to punish myself with eating Papa John’s crust plain without any garlic butter sauce on it for a year.

8 ) It’s the lowest rated SEC Bowl tie-in. While Papa John’s may be better the next day, SEC leftovers aren’t so great.

9) Actually this is an upside, at least we’re not the cheaper half of the pizza bowl rivalry.

10) Another upside, if we end up winning, Clemson can save face and say they lost to the PapaJohns.com Bowl Champion Gamecocks.

Bonus – this also is a picture from the Papa Johns Bowl website. This bowl may be alright after all. Go Gamecocks!