They’ve been good
Warriors this year

Has such a gift -- and we've seen plenty of them -- been given before in this stadium? Merry Christmas. Happy Xbox. The bowl is on. The win is No. 7.

The Jasmine Trias concert is a go.

There was Sheraton Hawaii Bowl executive director Jim Donovan, kissing babies, leading parades, delivering turkeys, Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Day. I expected him to lift up not-so-tiny Tim and declare "God bless us, every one!"

And God bless ESPN.

Merry Christmas.

Happy Xbox.

Does this team deserve a bowl bid? Well, let's count it up. It beat two non-bowl Big Ten teams, at home, in the season's final weeks. It was bowled over, bulldozed, blown up, obliterated, vonAppen-ized, in two nationally televised Western Athletic Conference road games.

And so the answer is thus: It doesn't matter. Deserve has nothing to do with it. This is what happens when you've got guaranteed, contractually obligated, backyard bowl bids. They did what was asked.

They're in.

If you think it's merited -- and no doubt the e-mails are already bouncing off my forehead -- then buy a ticket. I'll see you there. If this team has made you believe, there will be more than the usual 24,999 of us in the house.

If you're back on the bandwagon you'd better buy a ticket. Forget Lee Corso on upholding Hawaii Bowl tradition. No. Goodness no. The Hawaii Bowl needs a new tradition, because its current tradition consists mostly of:

A) Beefing; and;

B) Not showing up.

That's why Donovan and his ESPN bosses are so relieved. At least the home team is in. At least they've got a shot at the regulars. Put Akron and Alabama-Birmingham on the bill and you couldn't even blame Jasmine's grandma for staying home.

But no. New life. Chad Owens was masterful; one of the best games he's ever played. Tim Chang's second effort got just over the goal line for the score that decided it all. Hawaii's defense was good enough often enough and occasionally much better than that.

There were plenty of heroes to go around. The hugs and leis were earned, every one. What a night.

Michigan State, despite all forecasts to the contrary, came to play. The Spartans fought to the end. And MSU had talent enough to win on talent alone.

However.

A funny thing happened on the way to the end zone.

It seemed that on almost every Spartan nice gain or good run or big play -- up to and including the fourth-quarter kickoff return that would have given MSU a late lead; an ominous yellow flag well away from the ball -- there was a penalty.

All I can say is the Big Ten must use a different interpretation in its blocking rules.

That's the only thing I can think of, that a team would hold seven times for 69 yards.

Hawaii did it.

Merry Christmas.

Happy Xbox.

Donovan's skipping.

Jasmine is singing.

Timmy's still slinging.

And to all a good night.