|
Sidelines Kalani Simpson |
Bowl could use a
miracle in HalawaTHE (insert sponsor's name here) Hawaii Bowl needs a Christmas Grinch.
It needs an Uncle Scrooge.
An "It's a Wonderful Life" angel hoping to get its first wings.
A Festivus Miracle.
The Hawaii Bowl needs one of those massive, miraculous mass changes of heart known for happening annually on or about Dec. 25.
It needs maybe another 15,000-25,000 people (and if that pushes the numbers past a sellout nobody would mind) to suddenly, magically, put aside their bah humbugdom about this game.
It needs a transformation of Christmas special proportions. It needs to become the feel-good God Bless Us Every One thing to do on Christmas Day.
It's happened to me. Twice now. This is the second year I've gone from a guy who thinks the Hawaii Bowl is just an extra Hawaii home game, one that hurts UH with the perception that the honor is cheapened by the automatic invite, to someone who thinks a bowl, a game on Christmas, is a pretty cool thing.
But then, I have to go to the (insert sponsor's name here) Hawaii Bowl.
It seems for many who have a choice, that Christmas miracle has still yet to come. Apparently, there are a few of you out there who remain unconvinced.
Oh, don't panic. There will be enough people out there come Christmas Day (including free ticket giveaways and at least 11 Cougar fans from the greater Houston area). Enough to keep the game going. Enough for everyone involved to tell anyone who will listen that it was a great success. Enough to keep those TV guys coming back, showing scenes of sand and surf to a freezing mainland audience.
That's the thing, though. That is one of the drawbacks. This is a TV game. This is a good time slot from a great location. It's not supposed to be convenient to the people in the stands. It's designed to play on the East Coast.
(Of course, we get our revenge when those East Coast suckers have to attend football games that begin at 9 p.m. and crawl into the next morning, just so the rest of us can watch them in prime time.)
But if you can sell out a stadium for a 9 o'clock kickoff on a Monday night, is anything truly impossible?
Remember old Ebenezer Scrooge joyously dancing through London, leading the throng, carrying a turkey all the way to Tiny Tim's house?
Remember how Frosty came alive (there must have been some magic in that old top hat they found)?
Remember how Winnie the Pooh did whatever it was that he did at Christmas?
The Hawaii Bowl needs something like that.
It doesn't sound likely, but then Christmas miracles never are. This game will always be hampered by the day it's played, and the Conference USA tie-in doesn't excite most casual fans. Most people will probably stay at home with the family and the tree and catch the instant replays on ESPN.
And you can't blame them for that.
But bowl organizers and participants can always hope. After all, a rocking, loving, sellout Christmas crowd would give a team the strength of 10 Grinches. Plus two.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Kalani Simpson can be reached at ksimpson@starbulletin.com