[Rocketfan]

They shopped. They splurged. The annual quest by bowl officials to show-up one another and in some cases, raise the profile of their games with the hottest, latest tech toys for each player has been all wrapped up.

These aren't stocking stuffers, folks.


[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Paul Sakuma

The Nintendo Wii is the hot gift this bowl season.

"Ours kick butt," Mark Neville, a spokesman for the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia and Pacific Life Holiday bowls, said with a laugh, reveling in the fact the Holiday Bowl was one of three able to track down the coveted Nintendo Wii with two remote controls ($345).

But nobody else is getting the iPod Touch, pointed out Mark Wallington, of the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl. According to him, "it's the coolest thing in America."

Unless you're one of the four teams playing in Orlando.

Florida, Michigan, Boston College and Michigan State get to pick whatever the heck they want in a Best Buy shopping spree arranged by Florida Citrus Sports, which hosts the Champs Sports and Capital One bowls.



http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls07/c ... d=tab2pos1

[LUconn]

Ok, that's definately receiveing gifts for being a player.

[flamesbball84]

seriously, how the hell is this not a violation of ncaa regulations? it\'s receiving gifts for on-field accomplishments!!!!!!!!!

[Rocketfan]

Yeah i read that and is blows my mind how this can be a glorified exception.....this is why this rule is a joke.

[belcherboy]

Yeah i read that and is blows my mind how this can be a glorified exception.....this is why this rule is a joke.

C'mon now, we are talking about a once a year reward that costs less than $1000. I'm from Michigan, and Chris Webber received $100,000+ when he played for the Wolverines. That is why the rule is in place. I have no problem with guys getting a couple of hundred dollars worth of merchandise (all evenly distributed from starters to bench players and staff) because they qualified for a bowl game. Getting a free Wii or Ipod is not going to deter or help in the recruiting process IMO. Getting $100,000+ would! These guys have worked hard and I have no problem with them getting a little reward that is given out in the open.

[LUconn]

Uconn players got suspended, I think it's probably been about 10 years now, for accepting phone cards. Seaton Hall (I think) got in trouble for accepting plane tickets.

[badger74]

The NCAA allows bowl gifts up to a certain $$$ Value. Used to be around $250 but probably up to $1000 now.

[MacGeek]

its not far to the teams who dont make it to a bowl.

[flamesbball84]

it\'s receiving gifts for on-field accomplishments. there\'s now ay you can argue otherwise. if your team plays well enough - or mediocre enough - to make a bowl you get gifts. if your team doesn\'t do what it takes to get to a bowl you dont get gifts. thats clearly receiving gifts for on field accomplishments no matter which way you look at it. this only further proves how big of a joke the ncaa and their rules are.

[belcherboy]

Again, these are not life changing gifts. You could argue that one team eats at better restaurants than another team, does that make the playing field unfair? To say that a couple of teams getting a once a year $400 gift card to Best Buy (or similar gift) makes the NCAA rules unfair is the real joke IMO. Every team in NCAA I has the chance of making a bowl and getting a gift if they want one. Just because some programs are better at getting to those bowl games doesn't make it unfair IMO. I'm glad they give these guys some nice gifts for all the money they make for their school(s).

Now if you are from Ohio State, these may be weekly gifts. (I'm from Michigan, so I'm kidding here....I already know how the fab five had gotten hundreds of thousands of dollars)