New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Get right to it - best bowl game of the season so far and the officials had to get involved at the end to make sure they were a part of the outcome.  For all the lousy games I've watched in the past two weeks, this one made up for it and then the officials stain it with a ridiculous call.  

Two teams that haven't been in bowl games in a while and getting to play in a first time venue like Yankee Stadium.  Just imagine if that snow had happened five days later than it had, but it didn't and everything was pretty good for a late December game in the Bronx.

The game was fun from the outset with explosive plays by both teams including a picture perfect flea flicker by Syracuse to tie the game in the first quarter.  The game was tied 14-14 at half and it just got better in the second half.  More explosive plays, slipping and sliding on the nearly frozen Yankee Stadium turf, big runs, big pass plays and then near the end, the officials inserted themselves where they didn't belong.


Syracuse up 36-28, under two minutes to go.  Kansas State gets a drive going and then bang!  Another big play down the sideline and touchdown.  A two point conversion, it's tied and overtime.  But wait, the guy who took the ball in for the score made a salute off his helmet to the crowd.  Not taunting, not excessive celebration, just a salute, like the Broncos used to do in the late 90's.  That's it.  But here comes the yellow flag for excessive celebration.  Why?  The officials became part of the game, putting Kansas State at the 18 to make a two point conversion, they didn't and Syracuse wins 36-34.

I have no horse in the race, just looking for a great game and this was the first one of all these crap games and the officials have to step in and be part of the outcome.  One would hope the NCAA would reprimand the official who made the call and the referee who didn't overrule him.  Plain foolish, let the players play and decide the game on the field, not on a yellow flag judgment call.

It was a travesty, plain and simple.  No one knows if K-State would have made the two point play but they were robbed of the chance to do so.  Watching these games as a whole you realize how few teams really care to be involved in mostly meaningless games.  These two teams were all in and in a great first time venue.  A slap in the face to the fans of these teams, football fans in general and to the organizers of this game.  Hope they keep this game around for a long time. 

Game Notes:
-Very nice to see Yankee Stadium and its crew understand how to lay out a football gridiron on a baseball field unlike the Wrigley Field game between Illinois and Northwestern in November.  That was the game where they couldn't use an end zone because it was against the outfield wall.  Yes, it could have snowed like it did five days ago but it didn't and it was a huge win for New York in bringing college football to a city that is all about pro sports.  Great cold weather game.

-Very inspiring story about the Syracuse punter who had a cancerous brain tumor removed earlier this month and needs chemo but was at the game.  One of his teammates had his number etched into his haircut and fans in the stands with signs to support him were shown.  Not some made-for-tv nonsense or pre-game fight at the sponsor luncheon.  A young guy in a bad spot with a great heart.  Sometimes ESPN can do things right. 

-I made my awesome ham salad during the second half from our leftover Christmas ham.  Good stuff.  Just ham, mayo, dill pickles and cayenne pepper.  Bring some crusty bread and I'll give you some. 

-My pick in the game was Kansas State so once again, I'm falling behind on ESPN Bowl Mania, the record now 7-9.