When you think of the Pittsburgh Steelers, you think of class, dignity, the Rooney Rule and numerous Super Bowl Championships. A Blue Collar city with shitty food, frosty winters and people with goofy accents. The Steelers are a much-respected NFL Franchise, right at the top with the Patriots (sans cheating), Bears (sans being awful) and Giants (sans Plaxico cheddar-bobbing himself). But now when I think of Pittsburgh, I think of the god-awful Pirates, Sidney Crosby breaking the hearts of Americans with a cheap goal in overtime and mostly Big Ben raping chicks without penalty. Big Ben is quickly wearing out his welcome in the hearts of all those who supported the Miami of Ohio Quarterback and has done everything in his power to make Steelers fans put their hands on their head and say 'WHY???'

It is not clear when exactly Big Ben stopped giving a crap about anyone but himself, but it is clear that he does not anymore. This timeline of idiocy and douchary began back in 2006 with his much publicized motorcycle incident. First and foremost, I use the South Park rule when it comes to people who ride motorcycles. They are the worst people. The motorcycle merely perpetuates the rider’s loud and obnoxious behavior, and this coming from a kid from Long Island. After taking the Steelers to the ship in the worst Super Bowl ever played against Seattle, Ben went for a joy ride sans helmet and crashed his bike into everything except the Heinz sign at the stadium. Hey, if Ben wants to ride a motorcycle, go crazy dude. But do yourself a favor and wear a helmet. After Kellen Winslow and Duke’s Jay Williams nearly died doing the same shit, you may want to strap it up. Instead of saying he was sorry, Ben stated, “You feel more free without a helmet.” Idiot. You get paid millions to play pro football buddy, your head is your best friend.

Now on to the raping(s). Look, I understand that football players get laid. In fact all athletes get laid, its part of the territory of being famous. Look at Wilt Chamberlain. Women throw themselves at anything with a jersey; it doesn’t matter if you’re Lebron James or you’re a reject from the D-League. But there is difference between quietly sexing women and destroying your career because of ineptitude. The Lake Tahoe incident of 2008 featured Big Ben sexually assaulting a chick at a celebrity golf tournament. Now I am not sure whether or not it was consensual, but the bottom line is Ben should keep his snake is his cage when in doubt. In my experience, women are crazy. Ben should’ve known that he may find himself in hot water. If this chick fabricated the story, then shame on her. But the second incident in Georgia gives little credibility to Ben’s side of the story. Recently in Milledgeville, Georgia, Ben was accused again of sexually assaulting another young woman in a night club. The investigation is still pending, but this has to worry Steeler fans and Big Ben fans all over the country. But the real investigation should be into why Ben is such a bloody jackass. He better shape up quickly or he’ll be in the CFL faster than you can say “Argonaut.”

Hey Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes. Last week I hailed Kobe Bryant, right here at the Dose as being immortal in big moments. Kobe has hit his fair share of buzzer beaters and has made a career of carving up defenses like a holiday ham. The dude has a near handful of NBA titles, has tasted MVP honors and has been killing it in LaLa land since he arrived back in the 90’s. But Kobe also exemplifies what it means to act like a Private School girl when things don’t exactly go his way. He is like the 17-year-old girl who gets a Mercedes Benz as her first car, but throws a temper tantrum because of the leather interior getting too hot in the summer. Based on his accomplishments, it’s hard to pretend like I wouldn’t want young Kobe on my team. Honestly, I’d trade my entire squad for Kobe. But go ahead and try to find me a more unlikeable, self-centered, me-first guy who has the league by the balls. Here, let me show you why Kobe is about as cool as Hitler, broken down into three separate ego’s.

Kobe, The Face
Kobe has perfected the “trade me if we lose” face in Purple and Gold. It feels like every time the Lakers lose, Kobe gets on his iPhone and calls his agent to see what the NBA trade market is like. Never mind the fiasco that he pulled several years ago asking out of Los Angeles on a radio show, pretending like he didn’t say it and then getting booed on his home floor for it. That shit never happened to Jeter. The City of Angels has embraced Kobe and treated him like he has the cure for AIDS, and Kobe re-pays the people of the Staples Center by trying to bounce like a super ball. Thanks Kobe. Oh and the look doesn’t stop there. God forbid a Lakers teammate misses a free throw, turns the ball over or commits a foul. I am 98% sure Kobe has a voodoo doll for everyone on the Lakers. Play perfect or else, Luke Walton.

Kobe, The Alienator
Phil Jackson? Check. Shaq? Check. Andrew Bynum? Almost. I didn’t know that Kobe was a GM!? Everyone can agree that Kobe forced Shaq-Fu out of town, as if Shaq’s Hall-of-Fame ways weren’t the reason the Lakers won the way they did. Phil Jackson hated Kobe for a bit, so he cleared out so he could meditate and come back and win again. Kobe tried hard to ship Andrew Bynum out of town, but the Lakers brass put their foot down to prevent Kobe the GM from trading away an 18-year-old Phenom who hasn’t even began to peak yet. At least we know what Kobe won’t be doing after he leaves Basketball behind.

Kobe, The Sexual Deviant
Ah yes, the Denver debacle. What a family man. Everyone seems to forget that Kobe at the very minimum cheated on his wife and got himself wrapped up in a Sex Crime mid-season. Now who knows whether or not Kobe raped that poor girl, but Kobe became a leading member of the Tiger Woods/Steve Phillips/Roger Clemens/Barry Bonds “Athletes who Cheat” club at such a young age. Golly, I am impressed. Stay Classy, number 24. Kobe still hears it every time he touches the ball at the Pepsi Center, and probably will until his career ends. You don’t see Melo pulling that shit.

Now I know I am being harsh. Kobe is a lights out performer who has more than a fair chance to retire a top-five player. He is in my top five of players I’ve seen, hands down. But Kobe becomes more unlikeable with every dribble. With every sour look he gives his teammates. With his growing arrogant sense of entitlement. With every voodoo doll he creates. So count your rings Kobe, but remember that you never gave Shaq an answer of how his ass tastes.

I tried. I really did. I tried harder than I did in high school when I was trying to hook up with the prom queen (Chelsea Ruplin, I’m still trying if you’re reading this). Unfortunately, much like in high school, I couldn’t do it. I wanted to write a cheerful, positive column on the upcoming New York Mets season, but the more time I spent thinking about the Metropolitans, the more depressed I became about the 2010 season. For those of you who don’t know what it’s like to be a Mets fan, let me try and paint a picture for you. My friend Devers and I were talking at a party the other night when the conversation shifted to the Mets:

Devers: “Did you hear what happened?”

Me: “No, what?”

Devers: “Wait, this is Mets related, let’s go outside so nobody hears us.”

This led to a discussion on Jose Reyes’s recent thyroid problem and, needless to say, a half hour of what the Costanza’s would call “The Airing of Grievances”. To steal a joke from the great Conan O’Brien (Rest in Peace), the motto has changed from “You Gotta Believe” to “You Gotta Be Kidding Me”. With that out of the way, let’s get on with the preview for CitiField’s second inaugural season.

Key Additions:

• Jason Bay – Coming off a huge year at Fenway, the Mets decided to break the bank on a power hitter, even though they play at one of the least hitter-friendly parks in the MLB. Whether or not he works out, though, is a moot point. The Mets needed another power bat in the middle of the lineup to replace Delgado and they got it.
• Gary Matthews Jr. – Wait, really? This is their second biggest signing? There has to be someone else. Rod Barajas? Moving on…

The Lineup

The biggest story coming out of Spring Training is the possibility of Jose batting in the 3^rd spot. This would leave the middle of the order looking like Reyes third, Wright fourth, and Bay fifth. Looks pretty good, no? Well that depends on the health of Reyes, who happens to be more fragile than Samuel L Jackson’s character in ‘Unbreakable’ (I would use the character’s name but I don’t know it. I only watch bad sports teams, not bad movies). I’ll set the over/under on the number of games Reyes plays this year at 60, and I’ll take the under. The only positive thing in the lineup this year was the same as last year: David Wright. Although he had a down year in terms of power, expect big things this year. Look at the equation: Jason Bay as protection + Lower outfield walls at CitiField + Possible steroids scandal = Huge year for Wright. The rest of the lineup? Ho-hum. Angel Pagan, Louis Castillo, Daniel Murphy, Barajas, Matthews Jr…any of those guys scare you? M

e neither.

The Pitching Staff

If Johan Santana felt pressure to win last year, I strongly hope his doctor upped his Xanax prescription this year. Johan needs to win at least 20 games this year or it’s going to be ’09 all over again. Well, if you look at the rest of the staff, we are looking at ’09 all over again. Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez, and John Maine; pardon my language and sarcasm but that’s f**king awesome. Mets fans have been waiting for these guys to turn the corner much like hip-hop fans have been waiting for Dr Dre’s new CD. In both cases, it may never happen. On the bright side, Frankie Rodriguez should be solid, as long as he actually gets some save situations.

Prediction:

84-78 Good enough for 3^rd Place in the NL East and another year where we miss the playoffs.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go rush out and buy my Rod Barajas jersey before they sell out.

Star Athletes today have it all. Money, women, expensive sports cars, and over-sized mansions to stuff flat screen TV’s, pool tables and stripper poles to flaunt their success. As sports fans, we love when athletes succeed in pressure-packed situations. To me, there is nothing better than watching a buzzer-beating three pointer, a game winning touchdown pass or a sparkling defensive play to end a game. High profile athletes often relish in pressure-cooker moments to help propel their careers and help their respective team win. Crosby, Kobe, Brady, Jeter and athletes of this caliber have been known to come through when it matters most and because of this, they are loved and respected for their ability to make plays when the game is on the line. But winners like these got me thinking, what about athletes that would rather run and hide when their team needs them? I decided to rank the top-five most afraid athletes in sports today. High profile characters that would rather let someone else have the limelight, afraid of failure or negative press.

1) Floyd Mayweather Junior

-Best boxer alive, eh? Please. Mayweather is no doubt extremely talented and uses his mouth to get inside of the head of his opponent – except when it comes to Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather/Pacquiao would have been a fight for the ages and drawn in more hype than Lebron in his rookie season. At times, Floyd seems unstoppable and has proven to be a gifted boxer. But Floyd seems to have misplaced his spine when it comes to Pacquiao. All of a sudden, Mayweather wants blood testing for performance enhancers and will not fight until justice is served. Floyd is all of a sudden ethical now? Riiiight.  Floyd is flat-out afraid to get his ass beaten by an equally talented fighter and has taken the high road in this one. Floyd is scared of Pacquiao, end of story.

2) Nomar Garciaparra

-Nohhhhhmaaaaaaar. Now I know Ramon-spelled-backwards had a fabulous career playing short-stop-up in Beantown and has had plenty of special moments in his solid career as a major leaguer. But the lasting image of Nomar sitting in the dugout of the old Yankee Stadium, giving off the look of an eight-year-old girl who’s hamster died is reason enough for me. The rest of the Sox on the top step of the dugout, taking it on the chin as the Yankees continued their dominance spelled the end of Nomar in Boston. In my opinion, he never fully recovered from this moment. He was shipped off the next season and the Sox began their mini-run of World Series titles. Number Five will never be viewed in Boston as a hero, but more as the end of the Sox’ run of despair and disappointment. I’m pretty sure that your average horror movie gives Nomar nightmares.

3) Patrick Ewing

-As a die-hard Knicks fan (yes, we still do exist) it was never good enough for old number 33. Pat Ewing was as solid as they come in terms of NBA centers. He is an all-time great, racking up high scoring totals and giving off an aura of tough defensive presence in the paint. But Patrick Chewing never seemed to relish in the moment. He evaporated in big moments and never got the ring. He was also a surly gentleman who did all he could to disappoint Knick fans in the post-season. He let Hakeem have his way in the 1994 finals against H-Town and it became the watershed moment of his career. Ewing will always have a special place in my heart, but not the part that pumps adrenaline and pride throughout my disgruntled Knicks veins. This is the same Ewing who will Coach Dwight Howard to be the same type of player: Great Numbers, Zero Rings.

4) Peyton Manning

-How could you!!? Peyton is a sweetheart for most Americans, outside of Boston and Baltimore that is. He is a funny, energetic and spectacular player who has revolutionized the position of Quarterback. I am convinced he may retire the greatest to ever stand under center. But by the standards of winning Lombardi Trophies, Peyton has become a tragic figure. Yes, he does have a title. Yes, he silenced his critics when the Colts beat the awful Bears in the rain in Miami. But in retrospect, Peyton has failed in MANY big spots. The Patriots owned young Peyton until the AFC Championship game in 2006, making him Mister Interception and causing him to point fingers at the offensive line, coaches and play-calling in these games. And who could forget this past Super Bowl, when the Colts who were picked by everyone to win were slapped back down to Earth by the virtue of a pick-six. The normally unflappable Manning looked like a child again against a Swiss-cheese Saints defense. Peyton needs to win another Super Bowl before I take this posting back.  And I bet Peyton would trade ALL of his MVP trophy’s for another ring.

5) Phil Mickelson

-The unlucky lefty. Phil seems like a good enough guy for a pro golfer. He has been through hell with his wife’s condition, keeps a positive attitude when the going gets tough and best of all, tanks when it matters most. Phil has had more than a few chances to kick the stigma of being a loser. Is there anyone better at blowing it in a big moment? How many majors has Phil taken himself out of with poor shots and mental errors? Too many to count.  I almost feel bad calling this guy out for being such a bum in a big spot, but it helps out with this post. Now that Tiger has fallen like a weather balloon, maybe Phil can rise up and prove me wrong. But until then, the unlucky lefty closes out the top five of scared athletes.

Some quick Olympic notes:

--Its always bugged me how they rank the countries by the total number of medals won.  That is why Definitive Dose has devised the AOMR, or Actual Olympic Medal Rankings (patent pending).  Each medal is weighted according to it's worth (3 points for gold, 2 for silver, 1 for bronze) and then a new total is formulated. Using this system, the US led the way in both total medals (37) and AOMR (70).  Although Germany had six more medals than host-nation Canada, the two tied for second place with an AOMR of 61 apiece.  Norway and South Korea round out the top 5 with AOMR's of 49 and 32 respectively. 

--For the first time in its history, Canada won gold at an Olympic Games that they played host-nation to, having failed to do so at both the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Not only that, Canada also became the first host nation since Norway in 1952 to lead the gold medal count.  Their 14 broke the record for the most gold medals won at a single Winter Olympics.  The United States' 37 medals broke the record for the most medals won at a single Winter Olympics.  Boo-yah!

--Blame Canada. Vancouver had what can only be described as a less-than-savory time hosting the game s in 2010.  First Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili is killed during a training run moments before the Opening Ceremony.  Queue Olympic torch statue to raise from ground.  Hello?  Anyone?  Then we have breakdowns of ice resurfacers that delay speedskating events, bad weather that delays a host of others, and thousands of voided tickets and angry would-be spectators.  Then again, Sid Crosby did win Olympic gold for Canadian hockey, so I’m guessing there aren’t too many Vancouverians (?) that are all that concerned. 

--Speaking of hockey, how good was that gold medal hockey game?! Although the US fell short in the end, it was everything you could have asked for and then some.  And how fitting that Sid the Kid got the game-winner in OT; 23-years-old and he's the best hockey player on the planet.  Sorry Ovechkin, but if we learned anything from this Olympics, its that Sidney Crosby is the heir-apparent, hand-down.  And congratulations to hockey itself; you've officially sold me.  And I suspect there are a lot more casual fans out there who feel the same.

      With the trade deadline having come and gone, only one thing is certain: The Cavaliers and Mavericks owe Gilbert Arenas at least one fruit basket. Had he not foolishly followed Plaxico Burress’s example, the Wizards would not have scrapped their whole team and traded Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks and shipped off Antawn Jamison to the Cavs for a chance to buyout Big Z’s contract. With roughly 20 games left on the schedule it’s time for the elite teams to distance themselves (Orlando, Cleveland, Los Angelos, Denver, and Dallas) while the contenders get themselves ready for a playoff push (Boston, Atlanta, Utah, and Phoenix). In the end, I have Cleveland over Orlando in the east and Dallas over LA in the west with Lebron taking home his first finals MVP to go along with his second regular season MVP.  Here are some other things to think about during the last month of the season:

• Is there a player in the league more under the radar than Brook Lopez? Maybe there is a little bias here because of my Nets fandom (ok, maybe a lot of bias) but this guy is in his second year in the league and has one of the most complete post games in the NBA. Mark my word, this man will be a main-stay in the league for years to come. Brook Lopez on the Nets is like Adam Sandler in Billy Madison. One superstar looking great around a bunch of talent-less kids. It’s only a matter of time before Lopez decides to grow up and move on to high school.
• I think we’ve finally hit the point where Kevin Durant is clearly an elite scorer in the NBA. If I need a basket, he is definitely in the top 5 of players I would want shooting. My list looks like this in no particular order: Kobe, Lebron, Durant, Carmelo, and D-Wade. One more year and the Kobe vs. Lebron debate will shift to a Lebron vs Durant debate.
• While on the issue of Kobe vs. Lebron, the conversation is over. After seeing how the Lakers played with Kobe icing his ankle, it is clear that Kobe’s MVP days are behind him. If you take Lebron off the Cavs, they are a bottom feeder in the East. I guess we can just wait until next year when King James takes his throne in Manhattan to see just how much he meant to that Cavaliers team.
• Watching that Ohio State team from a couple years ago, did anyone think, “Mike Conley will turn into a much better pro than Greg Oden”? Well, it appears that this is the reality we are living in.
• Tracy McGrady on the Knicks is like Mickey Rourke being cast in “The Wrestler”.  T-Mac needed a team where he can showcase his talent to a wide audience. On the Knickerbockers, he can now shoot freely and create offensively while caring less about defense than the ’99 St Louis Rams. Let’s not forget that the Knicks aren’t concerned with winning until next year and bam! Perfect fit for a McGrady comeback.  
• Steve Nash is one of the funniest men in basketball. Need proof? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdNiXidfLcc

For those of you that feel sorry for me for being a Nets fan, don’t. The longer it takes them to get to that magic win number 9, the longer I remain interested in watching the games. I’d rather flirt with loser history than watch another meaningless Knicks or Pacers game.

If you missed it, here is the Tiger Woods press conference in its entirety for your viewing pleasure. No big revelations to speak of, ("I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year") but you still probably owe it to yourself to take a look.                                                                            


And now to Bill Simmons of ESPN.com for the insta-nalysis:

"...Trust me, you should have gone with 'I got married too soon, I should have sowed my oats first, I didn't, I'm an ass.' Much better...

...In a few weeks, or a few months, Tiger will start hitting golf balls and everything will be fine again. I just want to get there. For now, we apparently have to put up with a few more weeks (and possibly months) of the Tiger Woods Rehabilitation Tour. There will be more rehab, more staged photos, more secrecy and eventually a carefully planned interview with the right person who won't be a threat to ask him anything interesting. Wake me up when he plays a tournament..."

Read Simmons' full speech here

1) Doritos- Little Black Kid

2) LeBron v Superman

3) E*Trade- Gotta Love the Babies

4) Doritos- Snack Samurai

5) Bud Light- Autotune ft. T-Pain

6) Career Builder- Dudes in Underwear

7) Bud Light- Lost Spoof

8) Teleflora- "Don't Touch Me"

9) Boost Mobile- The Boost Mobile Shuffle

10) Bud Light- Light House

PS: How much are we guessing CBS paid The Who to play 'Who Are You' in their set?  And how sad is that the second that song started, almost everyone in the room immediately thought "Oh, its the CSI song"?

PPS: How 'Favre' is it that that little shit would try to bogart all the attention that should be on Peyton and Brees with yet another "I can't decide whether or not I want to retire, how adorable am I?" commercial?  Ugh!

PPPS: WHO DAT? WHO DAT? WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolute MUST READ piece on the true story of the life and crimes of Marvin Harrison, former "squeaky-clean" hall-of-fame receiver for the Indianapolis Colts.  This will blow your mind....

The Dirtiest Player
By Jason Fagone
GQ
February 2010 Issue

"...Nixon was across the street and thirty yards away when [Marvin] Harrison started shooting. Pop pop pop pop pop pop—a great staccato gust of bullets. Steadily, Nixon says, Harrison unloaded both guns into the fat man's car, stippling the red Toyota Tundra with bullet holes as the fat man ducked in his seat. Eventually, the fat man sat up and sped off, heading straight toward Nixon's position as Harrison darted into the street and continued to shoot....

"...On September 3, 1991, when Marvin Woods [Harrison's half-brother] was 17, he was playing in the championship game of a schoolyard hoops league when his coach took him out of the game, subbing in another boy. Woods got angry. He left the game. When he rode back on his bike, twenty minutes later, he was carrying a Tec-9. He sprayed his substitute with bullets, killing him, and rode off. Marvin Woods is currently serving a life sentence for first-degree murder at the State Correctional Institution in Dallas, Pennsylvania. ..."

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

So Big Mac is finally out of the closet.  Shocking, I know.  I'm long over it, but honestly, how much does it suck that EVERY SINGLE PLAYER I grew up idolizing is practically a proven juicer.  All those hundreds of prized rookie cards: Clemens, Bonds, McGwire...all worthless.  And I'm not going to even get into those cherished Red Sox World Series memories.  Ugh....
Well, to make my point, here's a list of the great ballplayers from my generation, and the degree of steroid suspicion associated with each.  Try not to throw up....

*=slight suspicion of steroid use
*****=proof or admittance of steroid use

Jose Canseco*****

Ken Griffey Jr-I swear to God, if he ever ends up positive, I'm quiting baseball for good.

--The BCS National Championship Game rotates among the sites of the BCS bowls.  The title sponsor of the BCS National Championship Game each year will be the same as that of the bowl game in that year's host location.
--The game was first played at the conclusion of the 1998 college football season in accordance with the agreement reached by the Big Ten and Pac-10 conferences and the Rose Bowl Game to join the members of the former "Bowl Alliance" to create the Bowl Championship Series. The Bowl Alliance and its predecessor, the Bowl Coalition, featured championship games from 1992 through 1997. However, these were hindered by the lack of potential participation by the champions of the Big Ten or Pac-10.
--The game was initially rotated among the four participating bowl games, the (Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Sugar Bowl). However, beginning with the 2006 season, the BCS National Championship Game became a separate event played at the same site as a host bowl a week following New Year's Day.
--Results:
January 4, 1999  Tennessee (SEC) 23 Florida State (ACC) 16
January 4, 2000  Florida State (ACC) 46 Virginia Tech (Big East) 29
January 3, 2001  Oklahoma (Big 12) 13 Florida State (ACC) 2
January 3, 2002  Miami (Big East) 37 Nebraska (Big 12) 14
January 3, 2003  Ohio State (Big Ten) 31 Miami (Big East) 24
January 4, 2004  LSU (SEC) 21  Oklahoma (Big 12) 14
January 4, 2005  USC (Pac-10) 55  Oklahoma (Big 12) 19
January 8, 2007  Florida (SEC) 41  Ohio State (Big Ten) 14
January 7, 2008  LSU (SEC) 38  Ohio State (Big Ten) 24
January 8, 2009  Florida (SEC) 24  Oklahoma (Big 12) 14
January 7, 2010 Alabama (SEC) vs. Texas (Big 12)

--The GMAC Bowl has been played annually at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama since 1999.
--From 1999 to 2009, it pitted a Conference USA team against a team from either the Mid-American Conference or the Western Athletic Conference.
--For the game to be played in 2010 the ACC was to participate in the bowl as its ninth bowl tie-in, replacing the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, Idaho, in the conference's postseason lineup, but the ACC failed to have sufficient bowl-eligible teams to fill the slot. The Mid-American Conference is the other conference tie-in.
--The game was previously known as the Mobile Alabama Bowl from 1999 to 2000 until it received corporate sponsorship from GMAC Financial Services, formerly a unit of General Motors.
--The 2001 game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and East Carolina Pirates set the record as the highest scoring bowl game of all time, and Marshall achieved what was then the greatest scoring comeback in Bowl history. In this contest, Marshall battled back from a 38–8 deficit to win 64–61 in double overtime. Thundering Herd quarterback Byron Leftwich threw for 576 yards in the game.
--Results:
December 22, 1999 TCU 28 East Carolina 14
December 20, 2000 Southern Miss 28 TCU 21
December 19, 2001 Marshall 64 East Carolina 61 (2 OT)
December 18, 2002 Marshall 38 Louisville 15
December 18, 2003 Miami (OH) 49 Louisville 28
December 22, 2004 Bowling Green 52 Memphis 35
December 21, 2005 Toledo 45 UTEP 13
January 7, 2007 Southern Miss 28 Ohio 7
January 6, 2008 Tulsa 63 Bowling Green 7
January 6, 2009 Tulsa 45 Ball State 13
January 6, 2010 Troy vs. Central Michigan

--The Orange Bowl is played at LandShark Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
--FedEx has been the sponsor since 1989. 
--The Orange Bowl has been played annually since 1935.
--In 1932, George Hussey organized the first Palm Festival Game, predecessor of the Orange Bowl. With Miami suffering from both the Great Depression and the Florida land bust, Hussey and others sought to help its economy by organizing a game similar to Pasadena's Rose Bowl.  Following the success of these games, backers organized another game for New Year's Day 1935 under the Orange Bowl name.
--The Orange Bowl is the fourth-oldest bowl game in the country, behind the Rose Bowl, the Sun Bowl, and the Sugar Bowl.
--The Orange Bowl hosted the BCS National Championship Game in 2001 and 2005.
--Since 2007 the Orange Bowl has been host to the ACC champion unless they are involved in the national championship game.
--Results
January 1, 1935 Bucknell 26 Miami (FL) 0
January 1, 1936 Catholic University 20 Mississippi 19
January 1, 1937 Duquesne 13 Mississippi State 12
January 1, 1938 Auburn 6 Michigan State 0
January 2, 1939 Tennessee 17 Oklahoma 0
January 1, 1940 Georgia Tech 21 Missouri 7
January 1, 1941 Mississippi State 14 Georgetown 7
January 1, 1942 Georgia 40 TCU 26
January 1, 1943 Alabama 37 Boston College 21
January 1, 1944 LSU 19 Texas A&M 14
January 1, 1945 Tulsa 26 Georgia Tech 12
January 1, 1946 Miami (FL) 13 Holy Cross 6
January 1, 1947 Rice 8 Tennessee 0
January 1, 1948 Georgia Tech 20 Kansas 14
January 1, 1949 Texas 41 Georgia 28
January 2, 1950 Santa Clara 21 Kentucky 13
January 1, 1951 Clemson 15 Miami(FL) 14
January 1, 1952 Georgia Tech 17 Baylor 14
January 1, 1953 Alabama 61 Syracuse 6
January 1, 1954 Oklahoma 7 Maryland 0
January 1, 1955 Duke 34 Nebraska 7
January 2, 1956 Oklahoma 20 Maryland 6
January 1, 1957 Colorado 27 Clemson 21
January 1, 1958 Oklahoma 48 Duke 21
January 1, 1959 Oklahoma 21 Syracuse 6

--The Fiesta Bowl is played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
--Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil Stadium.
--The Fiesta Bowl was born from the WAC's frustrated attempts to obtain bowl invitations for its champions.
--On January 1, 2007, the undefeated Boise State Broncos won by defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 43–42 in overtime. It has been called one of the greatest college football games ever played, due to the combination of an underdog team, trick plays, comebacks by each team and a thrilling overtime finish.
--In 1998, the Fiesta Bowl became part of the BCS.
--The 2010 Fiesta Bowl matchup of  #4 TCU against #6 Boise State is the first time two undefeated teams will face each other in a BCS game outside of the National Championship.
--Results:
December 27, 1971 Arizona State 45 Florida State 38
December 23, 1972 Arizona State 49 Missouri 35
December 21, 1973 Arizona State 28 Pittsburgh 7
December 28, 1974 Oklahoma State 16 BYU 6
December 26, 1975 Arizona State 17 Nebraska 14
December 25, 1976 Oklahoma 41 Wyoming 7
December 25, 1977 Penn State 42 Arizona State 30
December 25, 1978 Arkansas 10 UCLA 10
December 25, 1979 Pittsburgh 16 Arizona 10
December 26, 1980 Penn State 31 Ohio State 19
January 1, 1982 Penn State 26 Southern California 10
January 1, 1983 Arizona State 32 Oklahoma 21
January 2, 1984 Ohio State 28 Pittsburgh 23
January 1, 1985 UCLA 39 Miami 37
January 1, 1986 Michigan 27 Nebraska 23
January 2, 1987 Penn State 14 Miami 10
January 1, 1988 Florida State 31 Nebraska 28
January 2, 1989 Notre Dame 34 West Virginia 21
January 1, 1990 Florida State 41 Nebraska 17
January 1, 1991 Louisville 34 Alabama 7
January 1, 1992 Penn State 42 Tennessee 17
January 1, 1993 Syracuse 26 Colorado 22
January 1, 1994 Arizona 29 Miami 0
January 2, 1995 Colorado 41 Notre Dame 24
January 2, 1996 Nebraska 62 Florida 24
January 1, 1997 Penn State 38 Texas 15
December 31, 1997 Kansas State 35 Syracuse 18
January 4, 1999 Tennessee 23 Florida State 16 (National Championship)
January 2, 2000 Nebraska 31 Tennessee 21
January 1, 2001 Oregon State 41 Notre Dame 9
January 1, 2002 Oregon 38 Colorado 16
January 3, 2003 Ohio State 31 Miami 24 (2 OT) (National Championship)
January 2, 2004 Ohio State 35 Kansas State 28
January 1, 2005 Utah 35 Pittsburgh 7
January 2, 2006 Ohio State 34 Notre Dame 20
January 1, 2007 Boise State 43 Oklahoma 42 (OT)
January 2, 2008 West Virginia 48 Oklahoma 28
January 5, 2009 Texas 24 Ohio State 21
January 4, 2010 TCU vs. Boise State

--The Rose Bowl Game has been played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California for 95 years.
--When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is then played on the following Monday.
--The Rose Bowl is nicknamed "The Granddaddy of Them All" because it is the oldest bowl game, first played in 1902, and continuously since 1916.
--Originally titled the "Tournament East-West football game," the first Rose Bowl was played on January 1, 1902, starting the tradition of New Year's Day bowl games. The inaugural game featured Fielding Yost's dominating 1901 Michigan team which crushed Stanford University by a score of 49–0 after Stanford quit in the third quarter. The game was so lopsided that for the next 15 years, the Tournament of Roses officials ran chariot races, ostrich races, and other various events instead of football.  However, on New Year's Day 1916, football returned to stay as The State College of Washington defeated Brown University in the first annual Rose Bowl.
--Since 1945, it has been the highest attended college football bowl game.
--It is a part of the Tournament of Roses "America's New Year Celebration".
--USC has won the most Rose Bowls (24), followed by Michigan (8), Washington (7), and Ohio State (6). Michigan has lost the most (12), followed by USC (9), UCLA and Ohio State (7 each).
--The most frequent Rose Bowl matchup is USC-Michigan, occurring for the eighth time in 2007, with USC holding a 6–2 advantage.
--In 2002 and 2006, the Rose Bowl game was also the BCS National Championship Game.
--In the current BCS alignment, the Rose Bowl will host the designated Big Ten and Pac-10 representatives unless they are involved in the national championship game.
--Results:
January 1, 1902 Michigan 49 Stanford 0 notes
January 1, 1916 Washington State 14 Brown 0
January 1, 1917 Oregon 14 Pennsylvania 0
January 1, 1918 Mare Is. - USMC 19 Camp Lewis - US Army 7
January 1, 1919 Great Lakes - US Navy 17 Mare Island 0
January 1, 1920 Harvard 7 Oregon 6
January 1, 1921 California 28 Ohio State 0
January 2, 1922 California 0 Washington & Jefferson 0
January 1, 1923 Southern California 14 Penn State 3
January 1, 1924 Washington 14 Navy 14
January 1, 1925 Notre Dame 27 Stanford 10
January 1, 1926 Alabama 20 Washington 19
January 1, 1927 Alabama 7 Stanford 7
January 2, 1928 Stanford 7 Pittsburgh 6
January 1, 1929 Georgia Tech 8 California 7
January 1, 1930 Southern California 47 Pittsburgh 14
January 1, 1931 Alabama 24 Washington State 0
January 1, 1932 Southern California 21 Tulane 12
January 2, 1933 Southern California 35 Pittsburgh 0
January 1, 1934 Columbia 7 Stanford 0
January 1, 1935 Alabama 29 Stanford 13
January 1, 1936 Stanford 7 SMU 0
January 1, 1937 Pittsburgh 21 Washington 0
January 1, 1938 California 13 Alabama 0
January 2, 1939 Southern California 7 Duke 3
January 1, 1940 Southern California 14 Tennessee 0