
Take bowl games, for instance. When Syracuse returned from their Gator Bowl in 1996, you couldn't walk through the quad without seeing one of those schnazzy Gator Bowl champ windbreakers. A free jacket was the height of opulence back then.
Too bad they don't have a chance to play for the Gator Bowl this year where the participating players will be given a Jostens ring, Oakley Thump sunglasses and a two-piece Mercury Luggage set. Other than trying to figure out the logistics of taking back two extra suitcases on a flight when you've already brought two with you, that's a sweet deal.
Let's see what the Big East's bowl teams will be schwaging this year:
International Bowl
Team: Rutgers
Gifts: Fossil watch, Mercury Luggage club bag
Papajohns.com Bowl
Team: Cincinatti
Gifts: Slingbox, Watch, Oakley sunglasses, Armor Gear backpack, travel valet, t-shirt, ESPN the Magazine 1-year subscription
Meineke Car Care Bowl
Team: UConn
Gifts: Garmin portable GPS, Fossil watch, Armor Gear laptop bag, cap
Brut Sun Bowl
Team: USF
Gifts: Sony Bravia surround sound system
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Team: West Virginia
Gifts: Vizio 20-inch, LCD HDTV, Tourneau watch, Oakley sunglasses, hat
Can I ask a dumb question? You spend millions of dollars to sponsor a bowl game and you can't spring for the goodie bag? Tostitos didn't have a couple extra cases of Scoops sitting around? Brut doesn't have a couple extra bottles lying around? It's not like people are actually buying Brut anyway...