Comparing bowl games to Seinfeld characters

By Ty Hildenbrandt

The greatest television show of all time -- Seinfeld, of course -- taught us a valuable lesson: Subtlety is often overlooked in every-day life. It's the little things that prove most memorable -- from ordering soup at a deli to getting an extra mile out of that last gallon of gas.

Jerry Seinfeld (with wife, Jessica) has more in common with the Motor City Bowl than you think. AP

This college season forever will be enshrined as one of enormous twists and turns. And with the bigger, more publicized games attracting most of the attention, it's easy to forget about the little guys -- even if they make it all worthwhile.

A decade after Seinfeld went off the air, I was delighted to see the quirks and personalities of the show's main characters living on in some of this year's "lesser" bowl games:

JERRY SEINFELD: MOTOR CITY BOWL

Despite being the main character on a television show named after him, Jerry was arguably the most underrated and overlooked character on the program. In fact, it's easy to forget just how gigantic a role he played despite all his adventures -- you're more likely to remember the trysts of George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer.

Likewise, the Motor City Bowl was the best game this postseason that nobody watched or even knew about. Of course, that might've had something to do with the less-than-glamorous circumstances surrounding it. Think about it -- Purdue vs. Central Michigan ... in Detroit ... on a Wednesday. Sounds like a bad Big East game.

But the game was a much better contest than anyone will remember with other, more enticing bowls on the docket. Actually, with over 900 yards of total offense and 99 points, it might've been the most exciting game of the entire bowl season, ending on a last-second field goal that gave the Boilermakers a 51-48 victory.

ELAINE BENES: HOLIDAY BOWL

If you're building a matrix of character traits for the cast of Seinfeld, you could spike out a number of qualities for Elaine. Sophisticated. Smart. Bold. At times, snarky. But more than anything else, you can't help but peg Elaine as incredibly superficial. Enter the Holiday Bowl.

Arizona State against Texas seemed to be a solid match-up ... on paper. However, as the game progressed, it became increasingly obvious the Sun Devils were, in fact, a fraud and never as legit as that No. 2 rating they once achieved in BCS standings. An 18-point loss to the Longhorns pretty much proved that.

COSMO KRAMER: GATOR BOWL

Kramer will always be remembered for his lunacy, but at the same time, he seemed to have a keen understanding of traditional behavior, offering stunningly accurate advice for situations seemingly beyond his mental capacity.

The Gator Bowl displayed this same duality, with Texas Tech's oopty-oop offense and Virginia's conventional style of play. And likewise, this game will be remembered for its own brand of craziness in the form of the Red Raiders' improbable fourth-quarter comeback and eventual 31-28 win.

GEORGE COSTANZA: NEW MEXICO BOWL

You can say what you want about Costanza being a liar and a cheat and a selfish goof; but even more so, he was always frustrated -- with work, people and life in general. And though we laughed at his shortcomings, you couldn't help but feel annoyed right along with him.

For me, this was the New Mexico Bowl to a tee. Honestly, I can't remember a more frustrating game all season -- watching Nevada's offense was like sitting through Kenny Bania's Ovaltine shtick. The Wolfpack was inevitably shut out 23-0 by a more organized New Mexico squad.

A $500 LIMIT? RIIIIIIGHT

NCAA rules prohibit bowl organizers from spending more than $500 on gifts for each player involved. Yet somehow, every player in the Capital One Bowl received a $400 Best Buy gift card, Timely Watch Co. watch, Panama Jack sunglasses, Panama Jack T-shirt, cap and an assorted bag of other goodies. And guys in the Fiesta Bowl got a 20-inch LCD HDTV, a Tourneau watch, Oakley sunglasses, and a hat. Where are these organizers shopping, OffTheBackOfATruck.com?

The Sports Business Journal compiled a list of bowl gifts early last month that listed nearly all the items given to players in specific games. Take a look -- you'll feel like you're watching Blue Chips, with people getting tractors and new homes. Among the lavish gifts are Nintendo Wiis, Xbox 360s, Slingboxes, iPods, digital cameras and camcorders and full-fledged sound systems. No wonder people are reluctant to banish the bowl system in favor of a playoff.

There are, however, a few dud gifts that are likely to appear on eBay. Among other relatively meek freebies given to participants in the Hawaii Bowl were a Hawaiian shirt, beach chair, beach towel, and a calendar. Worst gifts of all? How about a free pair of cowboy boots and a belt buckle courtesy of the Texas Bowl.