When running down the ACC’s bowl tie-ins for 2017, we mentioned numerous games around the country, including the St. Petersburg Bowl, as potential options for the Syracuse Orange.
Ends up the St. Petersburg Bowl is not an option anymore, however. Because the St. Petersburg Bowl has been replaced by a much grander prize.
Sources: St. Pete Bowl has been renamed Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl. Despite name change game remains in St. Pete https://t.co/fcxi8GKyeI
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 18, 2017
That’s right. The oft-renamed St. Petersburg Bowl has a brand new sponsor and it’s as majestic as they come. The game will now be known as the Bad Bay Mowers Gasparilla Bowl.
For those curious about the lengthy name, it’s actually a two-parter. Bad Boy Mowers sells expensive residential and commercial lawnmowers (obviously). Why they’re bad or boys, however, we’ll never know (Pleasant Woman Mowers was taken?). The second bit, Gasparilla, actually takes its roots from the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, Fla. — which, no, is not St. Petersburg.
Gasparilla derives from mythical Spanish pirate Jose Gaspar (Gasparilla). Tampa’s been celebrating him since 1904, which is just a few years after the first written records of his existence at all. So yeah, he may not have existed. This is him, per Wikipedia:
Now has done Syracuse “Quest” for this literal pirate treasure? We’d have to hope that all the ACC bowl tie-ins are full, and then get sent down to St. Pete as a replacement for some C-USA team. This seems plausible on all fronts.
The Orange have their work cut out for them when it comes to making the postseason this year. But if we do, we’re REALLY hoping that the program is sent to this wondrous game that brings out the best and worst of college football all at once.
The QUEST FOR GASPARILLA IS ON!
Búsqueda de Gasparilla está encendida!