First, we start with a poll question. For some a very tough poll question.

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The titles of Bowl games have completely lost their meaning. Corporate sponsors have ruined any hope of us remembering specific Bowls, other than the really big ones. So, we came up with some names to help us remember who is playing where this college post-season.

Rod’s Examples:

Pioneer Las Vegas
BYU vs. Arizona
Las Vegas
Sam Boyd Stadium Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ESPN
Changed To:
The BYU vs. (insert Pac-10 opponent here) Bowl

New Mexico
Colorado State vs. Fresno State
Albuquerque
University Stadium Dec. 20, 2:30 p.m. ESPN
To:
Corporate sponsors are hard to find in New Mexico Bowl

Sheraton Hawaii
Hawaii vs. Notre Dame
Honolulu
Aloha Stadium Dec. 24, 8 p.m. ESPN
To:
You’re a lucky bastard if you get to go to this Bowl

Motor City
Florida Atlantic vs. Central
Michigan Detroit
Ford Field Dec. 26, 7:30p.m. ESPN
To:
We’re pretty sure if the economy stays in the tank this game won’t exist next year Bowl

Meineke Car Care
West Virginia vs. North Carolina
Charlotte, N.C.
Bank of America Stadium Dec. 27, 1 p.m. ESPN
To:
Meineke I don’t care Bowl

Champs Sports
Wisconsin vs. Florida State
Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m. ESPN
To
Since FSU is playing wouldn’t it be funnier if this was the Foot Locker Bowl

Emerald
Miami (Fla.) vs. California
San Francisco
AT&T Park Dec. 27, 8 p.m. ESPN
To:
The Emerald City is friggin’ Seattle not San Francisco you idiot Bowl

Independence
Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech
Shreveport, La.
Independence Stadium Dec. 28, 8:15 p.m. ESPN
To:
Only their close friends and family will be watching Bowl

Valero Alamo
Missouri vs. Northwestern
San Antonio
Alamodome Dec. 29, 8 p.m. ESPN
To:
Valero I won’t remember the Alamo Bowl

Texas
Western Michigan vs. Rice
Houston
Reliant Stadium Dec. 30, 8 p.m. NFL Network
To:
Rice is better on a plate than it is in a Bowl

Roady’s Humanitarian
Maryland vs. Nevada
Boise, Idaho
Bronco Stadium Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m. ESPN
To:
Roady’s Inhumanly Ugly Blue Turf Bowl

Pacific Life Holiday
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon
San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 30, 8 p.m. ESPN
In order for the title to make sense shouldn’t this actually be played on a Holiday Bowl

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
Houston vs. Air Force
Fort Worth, Texas
Amon G. Carter Stadium Dec. 31, Noon ESPN
To:
You bet your a** if I had a Bell Helicopter I would fly away from this Bowl

Brut Sun
Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
El Paso, Texas
Sun Bowl Dec. 31, 2 p.m. CBS
To:
It’s Brutal to spend New Year’s Eve in El Paso Bowl

Insight
Kansas vs. Minnesota
Tempe, Ariz.
Sun Devil Stadium Dec. 31, 5:30 p.m. NFL Network
To:
Any Insight as to why the NFL Network carries this Bowl

Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi
Penn State vs. USC
Pasadena, Calif.
Rose Bowl Jan. 1, 2009, 4:30 p.m. ABC
To:
As long as Pete Carroll is around USC vs. (insert Big 10 team here) Bowl

FedEx Orange
Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
Miami
Dolphin Stadium Jan. 1, 2009, 8:30 p.m. FOX
To:
Make sure to FedEx yourself a reminder not to watch this Bowl

International
Buffalo vs. Connecticut
Toronto
Rogers Centre Jan. 3, 2009, Noon ESPN2
To:
Better than anything you’ll see in the CFL Bowl

FedEx BCS National Championship Game
Florida vs. Oklahoma
Miami
Dolphin Stadium Jan. 8, 2009, 8 p.m. FOX
To:
It’s BS Texas isn’t in the BCS National Championship Bowl

… And Carlen’s

magicJack St. Petersburg
Memphis vs. South Florida
St. Petersburg. Fla.
Tropicana Field Dec. 20, 4:30 p.m. ESPN2
changed to
Shot of Jack needed to watch the St Petersburg Bowl

R+L Carriers New Orleans
Southern Miss vs. Troy
New Orleans
Superdome Dec. 21, 8:15 p.m. ESPN
changed to
When is FEMA coming to save us from this bowl Bowl

Motor City
Florida Atlantic vs. Central
Michigan Detroit
Ford Field Dec. 26, 7:30p.m. ESPN
changed to
Can we still call it the Motor City if they stop making cars here Bowl

Meineke Car Care
West Virginia vs. North Carolina
Charlotte, N.C.
Bank of America Stadium Dec. 27, 1 p.m. ESPN
changed to
The Meineke Lemon Bowl

Emerald
Miami (Fla.) vs. California
San Francisco
AT&T Park Dec. 27, 8 p.m. ESPN
changed to
The Cubic Zirconium Bowl

Papajohns.com
NC State vs. Rutgers
Birmingham, Ala.
Legion Field Dec. 29, 3 p.m. ESPN
changed to
GototheJohnwhilethisison.com Bowl

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
Houston vs. Air Force
Fort Worth, Texas
Amon G. Carter Stadium Dec. 31, Noon ESPN
changed to
The Gitmo Torture Bowl

Brut Sun
Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
El Paso, Texas
Sun Bowl Dec. 31, 2 p.m. CBS
changed to
The Aqua Velva Sun Bowl

GMAC
Ball State vs. Tulsa
Mobile, Ala.
Ladd-Peebles Stadium Jan. 6, 2009, 8 p.m. ESPN
NO1WILLC Bowl

Gaylord Hotels Music City
Boston College vs. Vanderbilt
Nashville, Tenn.
LP Field Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ESPN
changed to
Well…..just about anything has to be better than Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl

This is probably going to sound terrible, but, if the Coyotes go bankrupt and have to leave, I won’t miss them.   If the Arena Football League has to suspend their 2009 season while they sort through their finances, it’s okay.  I’ll live.

I’m not openly rooting for people to lose their jobs.  I know many whose careers are tied to those two organizations.  I wish them no ill feelings.   But it’s a supply/demand world we live in.  When was the last time you just couldn’t wait to watch the Coyotes game that night?  Or you had a pair of great tickets to the Rattlers game?

I’m not telling you anything you haven’t already experienced first hand.  The times stink right now.  I mean my gosh, the NFL, the most dominant entity in all of sports had to layoff 10% of its headquarters staff.    It’s going to be hard for all the teams, all the leagues.  I don’t own season tickets to any of the sports here in town, but if I did, I would have serious reservations about renewing right now.

When times get tough people prioritize.  For the first time in years, the Burns family is operating on a budget.   And the first thing you do is separate your wants from your needs.  Do I really need the cleaning lady?  That membership at the really fancy gym?

That’s what we’re doing here, as a sports city.  Does Phoenix really need an NHL team?  Is the pride of living in a four-major-pro-sport town a defining part of your self-esteem?  Do you really follow the Rattlers?  I’m guessing you can do without them too.

Right now, the valley sports scene is a busy intersection that’s home to eight different Italian restaurants.    Too many choices and simply not enough demand.    Would you really be surprised if a couple of them didn’t make it?

I don’t want anything to happen to the Coyotes and the Rattlers.  I hope they can find an audience in this town that will support them.

But it’s hard to get emotional when the T.V. show I never watched anyway gets canceled.

Hundreds of mourners gathered Friday to remember long-time Arizona State University and Arizona Cardinals play-by-play man Tom Dillon, who died of a heart attack last week.

In honor of Tom, Sports 620 KTAR’s Dave Burns hosted a two-hour tribute to the broadcasting legend, featuring the thoughts and memories from some of Tom’s best friends and colleagues, as well as some of his greatest and most memorable calls.

Tribute to Tom - Part 1

Tribute to Tom - Part 2

Tribute to Tom - Part 3

Tribute to Tom - Part 4

Tribute to Tom - Part 5

Tribute to Tom - Part 6

Tom Dillon remembered as voice of Sun Devils, Cardinals

ASU, Cardinals remember Tom Dillon at weekend games

Tom Dillon remembrances

Sportscaster Tom Dillon dies at 65

 

 Standard Podcast [12:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (176)

 

 Standard Podcast [18:04m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (158)

 

 Standard Podcast [18:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (158)

 

 Standard Podcast [19:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (313)

 

 Standard Podcast [19:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (313)

Call it fate or destiny or the butterfly effect. But if not for Tom Dillon I might not be writing this blog right now. Or I might not be married to my wife of nearly 14 years or the father of two wonderful children.

As a struggling pre-law student at the U of A, one morning in the fall of 1989 I had an epiphany. I wanted to be a sportscaster. I changed my major that day, but knew I was in for a rough time when I was told the U of A didn’t offer a Broadcast Journalism major, instead it was Media Arts.

It sounded silly and pointless and my father agreed. He spoke to his friend, ASU and Cardinal play by play man Tom Dillon. I went to high school with his daughters but had never met the man myself. And what he said – without hesitation – surprised me; Northern Arizona University. The best in the state he assured my father.

So based on nothing else, and I say that without exaggeration, I transferred to N.A.U. in the spring of 1991. I figured Tom Dillon would know of which he speaks.

Soon I was the Sports Anchor then Sports Director then News Director then Station Manager of the campus T.V. station. Shortly after that I met my wife. Soon after that I was awarded an internship in New York City with CBS Sports. Soon after that I got my first paid gig. And shortly after that I sought out Tom and told him my life story.

So in a way, both directly and indirectly, Tom Dillon is the reason I’m here. Maybe it would’ve happened anyway. But I’d like to think otherwise.

I am a native of Arizona. For the handful of people who are my age and can claim that fact, Tom along with Al McCoy, Greg Schulte, Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton, Bill Denny, Jude LaCava, Brad Cesmat and many others, were the narrators, colorfully describing a sports town in its adolescence. The bridge between what was and what is.

His high-pitched touchdown call. The Rose Bowls. The early years of the Cardinals. The enormous travel he put in, calling both ASU and Cardinal games in the same weekend (you try getting from Pullman to Philly in the middle of the night). Soon Charles Barkley, the D-backs and Coyotes arrived. And suddenly Phoenix was a big time sports town.

If you just moved here in the last five to seven years, the name Tom Dillon will likely not stir any memories. And that’s a shame for you. They are wonderful memories that he provided the soundtrack for.

God Bless You Tom.