Your “Everyone Gets A Bowl Game” Wednesday Evening Open Thread

At this point in the bowl game cycle, it seems like we might finally get games where there are more than just the relatives of players in the stands. Because it’s been pretty empty at the New Orleans Bowl,

the Bahamas Bowl,

and the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

We’re not quite at the sets that people recognize, but the majority of these games have title sponsors we’ve actually heard of.

Pinstripe Bowl – Iowa vs Boston College – (in New York)

Broadcast team: Kevin Negandhi, Mack Brown, Booger McFarland

Kevin Negandhi:

• Personal stuff:
  • B.A. in Communications, Temple
  • Worked in Missouri & Florida after graduation.
    • won two AP awards for “Best Sportscast” in 2004 & 05
• Broadcasting history:
  • Joined ESPN in September 2006
    • first anchor of Indian-American descent to be on a national sports network in American television history
• Signature play-by-play events:
  • NCAA women’s basketball Final Four
  • 2015 Special Olympics World Games
• Previous bowl games called:
  • None

Recent Tweets which show level of commitment to Bowl Game accuracy:

“I got a lot of problems w you – 2017, and now you’re going to hear about it!” Happy Festivus to you all.

— Kevin Negandhi (@KevinNegandhi) December 23, 2017

Mack Brown:

• Personal stuff:
  • Speaking fee: $25,000-$40,000
• Football career?
  • Yes:
    • Playing: RB
      • Vanderbilt – 1969-70
      • Florida State – 1970-71
    • Coaching: Head coaching positions
      • Appalachian State – 1983
      • Tulane – 1985-87
      • North Carolina – 1988-97
      • Texas – 1997-2013
        • 2005 National Champions
        • 2005 NCAA Coach of the Year
  • Career coaching record: 244–122–1; 13 bowl wins
• Broadcasting history:
  • 2014-present: ESPN College Football Countdown
• Previous bowl games called:
  • 2014 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
  • 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl
  • 2016 Gildan New Mexico Bowl

Recent Tweets which show level of commitment to Bowl Game accuracy:

Fun time with our team today calling @Army vs @Aztec_Football. What a game! https://t.co/oBZarGfTGz

— Mack Brown (@CoachMackBrown) December 24, 2017

Booger McFarland:

• Personal stuff:
  • B.S. Management degree – LSU
• Football career?
  • Yes – DT
    • College: LSU (1995-98)
    • Pros: 9 years; 2 rings
      • 1999-2006: Tampa – Super Bowl XXXVII
      • 2006-07: Colts – Super Bowl XLI
• Broadcasting history:
  • SEC Network: 2014-present
• Previous bowl games called:
  • N/A

Fingers better or worse than Brian Baldinger: gonna say “worse”

Prediction: The coach will be better than the other two.

Foster Farms Bowl – Arizona vs Purdue – (in San Francisco) FOX

Broadcast team: Joe Davis, Brady Quinn

Joe Davis:

• Personal stuff:
  • B.A. in Communications (Journalism) – Beloit College
• Broadcasting history:
  • 2012-14: ESPN
  • 2014-present: FS1
  • 2016-present: SportsNet LA – Dodgers games
• Signature play-by-play events:
  • Succeeded Vin Scully as Dodgers broadcaster.
• Previous bowl games called:
  • 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

Recent Tweets which show level of commitment to Bowl Game accuracy:

100 days until Opening Day. 66 days until @OrelHershiser @alannarizzo and I are back with you for the first spring training game.

— Joe Davis (@Joe_Davis) December 19, 2017

Brady Quinn:

• Personal stuff:
  • Married to USA Olympic gymnast Alicia Sacramone
  • Older sister is married to AJ Hawk
  • Has dual degrees in Poli Sci & Finance
• Football career?
  • Yes?
    • College:
      • 2003-06 (Notre Dame)
    • Pro: 8 years (2007-14)
      • Only played four active seasons
        • 2007-09: Browns
        • 2012: Chiefs
• Broadcasting history:
  • Attended the NFL’s annual Broadcast Bootcamp in June 2014
  • Sister Laura was a production assistant in FOX Sports’ highlights department in Los Angeles from 2004-06
• Previous bowl games called:
  • none

Recent Tweets which show level of commitment to Bowl Game accuracy:

👇🏼#GoIrish https://t.co/EJTDU2S2IN

— Brady Quinn (@Brady_Quinn) December 19, 2017

Prediction: Joe Davis is a consummate pro; Brady Quinn QB’d the Browns for three years and lost Denver’s starting job to Tim Tebow. Expect lots of dead air when Davis throws to Quinn, so it’ll be reminiscent of his Browns highlights.

Texas Bowl – Texas vs Missouri – (in Houston)

Broadcast team: Adam Amin, Dusty Dvoracek

Adam Amin:

• Personal stuff:
  • B.A. – Communications (television & radio) – Valparaiso University
• Broadcasting history:
  • 2011-present: ESPN
• Signature play-by-play events:
  • In 2017, Amin became the lead play-by-play voice for women’s college basketball, alongside Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo.
  • In 2013, he was on the mic for
    • Peyton Manning’s record-setting 51st touchdown pass
    • Auburn’s incredible last-second “Kick Six” victory versus Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
• Previous bowl games called:
  • 2014 Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl
  • 2015 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
  • 2015 Hawaii Bowl
  • 2015 National Funding Holiday Bowl
  • 2016 Gildan New Mexico Bowl

Recent Tweets which show level of commitment to Bowl Game accuracy:

https://twitter.com/adamamin/status/944607710825283585

Dusty Dvoracek:

• Personal stuff:
  • Was teammates with Tommie Smith & WWE start Jack Swagger at OU
• Football career?
  • Yes – Nose Tackle
    • College: Oklahoma (2001-05)
    • Pros:
      • NFL: 2006-09 – Bears (IR 2006; 2009)
      • Arena: 2010-11 – Omaha
• Broadcasting history:
  • Fox Sports Southwest; Fox Sports Oklahoma
  • WWLS – The Sports Animal – “Monsters of the Midday” (OKC)
  • 2016-present: ESPN
• Previous bowl games called:

Recent Tweets which show level of commitment to Bowl Game accuracy:

My brain is apparently not operating at optimal levels today. My apologies @markrsports and @royceyoung 🤯

— DustyDvoracek (@DustyDvoracek) December 21, 2017

Prediction: They both appear to be “sports bros”, so The Texas Bowl should work out just fine for them. For the viewing audience, however…

Tonight’s sports:

• Hockey:
  •  NHL:
    • Capitals at Rangers – 8:00PM | NBCSN
    • Oilers at Jets – 8:00PM | Sportsnet
  • World Juniors:
    • Canada vs. Slovakia – 7:00PM | TSN / NHLN
• NBA:
  • Raptors at Thunder – 8:00PM | Sportsnet1 / NBA TV
  • Jazz at Warriors – 10:30PM | Sportsnet1 / NBA TV
•  NCAA:
  • Football:
    • Pinstripe Bowl: Iowa vs. Boston College – 5:15PM | ESPN
    • Foster Farms Bowl: Arizona vs. Purdue – 8:30PM | FOX
    • Texas Bowl: Texas vs. Missouri – 9:00PM | ESPN
  • Men’s basketball:
    • Butler at Georgetown – 6:30PM | FS1
    • Eastern Michigan at Syracuse – 7:00PM | ESPN2
    • Florida Gulf Coast at Rhode Island – 7:00PM | ESPNU
      • Dunk City, Bay-Bay!
    • Xavier at Marquette – 8:30PM | FS1

That’s a full schedule. HAVE AT IT!