Friday, December 23, 2005

So Now I Know What the Fuss Is All About

The Mighty MJD writes here about the gift packages that participants in various bowl games get, and he has some suggestions of his own. Most of this isn't ESPY-like stuff, but some of it is pretty good. As for Mighty MJD's suggestions, well, the NCAA hopefully would be amused.

Check it out and then let him know your thoughts on the state of goody bags in NCAA football. My view would be that most of the kids would be better off with an Apple laptop, gift certificate for an education in a meaningful major at their current school that would expire three years after their eligibility is up, a subscription to Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, one of John Wooden's books on coaching (and, indirectly, the meaning of life), a gift certificate from Jos. A. Bank, the men's clothier, good for one interviewing suit getup (suit, shirt, tie, shoes) that will be available after the player's eligibility has expired, a Borders or Barnes & Noble gift card, some Crane's stationery (to write thank you notes to those who have helped them), some Mrs. Field's chocolate chip cookies (who can pass on those), a travel alarm clock from Brookstone and a decent piece of travel luggage, along with, of course, the commemorative watch.

Okay, so it's not a PSP2 player, an MP3 player, DVDs, CDs, Gameboys, but it could well be a start.

Your thoughts?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That would make sense, and not be corrupt. Hence, the NCAA will never do it.

Anonymous said...

As an academic advisor in a college athletic department, all I have to say is AMEN! Every day I see the need for the gifts that you mentioned, and see the distractons an iPod or PSP can provide in study hall. I know that the blogger said that the book that the Peach Bowl is giving away is "weird," but it's a step in the right direction.

BTW, GREAT blog!!

SportsProf said...

Thanks for the comments, Tim and Becca. I appreciate your feedback. Let's see what happens, but I doubt that any sponsor or the NCAA would go for it. Not enough bling in the proposal for a sponsor, and probably too much cash value for the NCAA.