In a (not-so) shocking development today, the International Bowl folded today, according to multiple news sources such as ESPN and the New York Times.
The bowl game folded for many reasons
- The Big East chose not to renew its contract with the bowl. Instead, the Big East will send that middle-of-the-conference team to New York City for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, which will be played at the new Yankee Stadium.
- Who really wants to go to Canada in early January? It’s cold up there, it’s a long drive, and you have to have a passport. Not all of us want a passport (at least right now anyway.)
- Canada’s bacon is awful! Have you actually tried it?
- The locals up there are used to 12-on-12 football with the field goal post being smack-dab in the middle of the endzone as opposed to outside of it.
- It wasn’t played on ice.
What does this have to do with WVU Football? Simply put: it pertains to the Big East, the conference WVU is in. There was one point last season I was praying we could escape going to Canada. I would have much rather went to the Birmingham Butt Bowl (the nickname I gave the PapaJohns.com Bowl) than Canada if we were going to be mediocre.
So, this is a happy goodbye to a bowl that was a terrible idea from Day 1. There were a few positives taken from this 4 year run:
- Cincinnati won it twice. They can look at those 07 and 09 International Bowl trophies with American pride!
- Ray Rice was the MVP of the 2008 game.
- The Big East went a cool 4-0 in the bowl game.
If WVU was going to actually compete in the Canada Bowl, a lot of us would be calling for Bill Stewart’s head.