Behold, The Quest For Beef

With the termination of the deal between The International Bowl and the Big East, the Quest For Toronto died a premature death.  Like the Jews escaping Egypt, Syracuse football has crossed the desert far and wide in search of their next Quest (too soon?)...i.e. the next realistic, end-of-season goal that seems feasible and doesn't ask too much of us.  Sure, The Yankee Bowl (or whatever it will eventually be called) sounds logical.  And I'm sure they'll be more than happy to take us. 

But you don't choose your Quest, your Quest chooses you.  And I submit to you that Syracuse's Quest tastes like rump roast.

Beef O'Brady's, the chain of family sports restaurants known for sponsoring youth sports leagues, is moving up to bigger things, as new title sponsor of the St. Petersburg Bowl.

The Dec. 19 game at Tropicana Field will announce the sponsorship at a news conference at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Petersburg Pier. The sponsorship comes just 10 days before kickoff, but the parent company, Family Sports Concepts, has signed a multiyear deal with the bowl for at least one more season.

I have never in my life until this moment heard of Beef O'Brady's but based on what I'm learning, that's probably a good thing.  With a website that features beef and children, we learn that "Beef's are popping up all over the country."  Easy, there.(No Beef's in New York or California?  Come on!  We need sports bars!  New York needs neighborhood pubs where friends and families can gather to enjoy delicious wings and talk sports in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere just as much as the next state).

For the time being, it seems like it will remain The St. Petersburg Bowl brought to you by Beef O'Brady's, which is a mistake.  No. We need The Beef Bowl.  If Syracuse is to finish 6-6 next season and qualify for your good graces, sirs and madams who run the bowl, this is necessary.  We Quest for Beef.

Update: It's officially The Beef O'Brady Bowl!  Good thinkin'!