Random Bowl thoughts from the Sports Desk…

…Of course, the highlight for me was MIZZOU’S (my Alma Mater and niece Becky’s) victory over OHIO STATE in the COTTON BOWL, 14-3…Missouri RB Cody Schrader (photo above) may be the NCAA’s best Unknown Running Back, the elusive little rascule…He still carries tacklers with him for a few more yards after he’s hit…He doesn’t go down easily, which is how I feel about KALE…

…Is is just me, or does the ROSE BOWL not seem the same without a Pac-12 (or whatever the conference will be called) team playing?…

…Embarrassing Bowls: ORANGE BOWL, 63-3, GEORGIA; SUN BOWL, 40-8 NOTRE DAME…Out of common decency, I will omit the names of the losing teams…

…Wouldn’t Tony the Tiger be a better match for the SUGAR BOWL?…And why does Goodyear sponsor the COTTON BOWL?… Is there a Cotton Blimp?…

…Wanted both teams to lose: ROSE BOWL (It’s the head coaches, including John Harbaugh’s Evil Twin, Skippy)…

..Still mad at TEXAS from the 2005 ROSE BOWL (they defeated USC) and there was then-QB Vince Young during the SUGAR BOWL. His beard was gray…Also on the Texas sideline was actor Matthew McConaughey, who was NOT nude in the film “Failure to Launch;” that was formers STEELERS QB Terry Bradshaw instead…

…SNAIL DARTER AWARD for WASHINGTON QB Michael Penix for throwing it under around and through Texas’ secondary…He had over 400 passing yards, and the last QB to do that was LSU QB Joe Burrows, now playing (injured) for the BENGALS…I will tolerate no Penix puns in this space…

..While we’re on that topic, LIBERTY UNIVERSITY, aka Falwell U., lost in a most satisfying way to OREGON in the FIESTA BOWL…

…Made you want to cry: The obvious pain on WASHINGTON RB Dillon Johnson’s face after his fourth-quarter injury in the SUGAR BOWL…This stopped the clock and gave Texas more time to lose…Still, it’s nice to see the LONGHORNS near the top again after years of aimless cattle drives…

…OLE MISS was clearly the better team (PENN STATE) in the PEACH BOWL…Was it time to ditch the REBELS team name?…YAYESS, says this namesake of two Confederates…Is it true that they are now the LANDSHARKS?…Affirmative…

…Cue the song “Thriller” for the ROSE, SUGAR, the stupidly- named RELIAQUEST and the GATOR bowls, all close games…

…By the way, in the BRAND-NEW WOK BOWL, I made a most satisfying stir-fry with Filipino noodles, shrimp and veggies…

…The National Championship? It’s big, punishing, physical MICHIGAN against quick-strike WASHINGTON…The WOLVERINES might just wear down the HUSKIES, especially their defensive line…But I’m still pulling for WASHINGTON, where my father-in-law Gail played…I’m hoping for a game that resembles YODA vs. PALPATINE…

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