Sun Bowl gifts include hair dryer (again)
The Sun Bowl isn’t just college football’s second-oldest bowl game, tied with the Sugar and Orange. it’s also a game with a tradition of providing hair care for the mothers and girlfriends of its participants.
Having been there last season, as well, Georgia Tech players know the routine. Among the bowl gifts given to participants in the Sun Bowl, where Tech will play USC Dec. 31, is perhaps the oddest present of all 35 bowls – a hair dryer.
When told last year about the hair dryer, defensive end Izaan Cross said, “I was like, O.K., my mom gets another Christmas present.”
By NCAA rule, up to 125 bowl participants per team can receive up to $550 worth of gifts from bowl game organizers. Typically, the most awarded gifts are watches, gift cards and gift suites, in which players are offered a variety of merchandise. This year, the Sun Bowl package also includes a Timely watch, Majestic fleece, Top of the World cap and a coin in addition to the hair dryer. The $350 gift suite from last year’s game, when Tech played Utah, is no longer.
The hair dryer has a story. The hair dryers are made by Helen of Troy, headquartered in El Paso, Texas, site of the game. The company has been a long-time supporter of the game.
For the Yellow Jackets, largely a close-cropped lot, the hair dryer was a re-gift last year, and likely will be again.
“My mom was asking for it, so she’ll probably get it,” center Jay Finch said.
Said Buzz Preston, Tech’s clean-pated wide receivers coach, “I surely don’t need it.”
Outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu was one of the few players to put the hair dryer to use. He uses it to dry clothes that he hand washes.
“Or if I’m about to go out and I iron a shirt and water comes out on the shirt, I use the hair dryer to dry it up,” Attaochu said. “It’s handy.”
Another was safety Coray Carlson, who went to the Sun Bowl last year having grown out his hair since the start of the season.
“I thought it was kind of funny because everyone on the team was, like, What am I going to do with this?” he said. “In the back of my head, I was like, Oh, nice.”
Alas, Carlson recently buzz cut his shoulder-length hair, donating his 11-inch tresses to Locks of Love, the nonprofit that uses the hair to make wigs for children with medical hair loss.
“Maybe I’ll try giving it to my girlfriend or something,” he said. “I’m pretty sure hers broke or something.”
Hair dryer aside, the Sun Bowl took care of players last year with its gift suite. Long snapper Tyler Morgan called the recliner he picked out his best bowl gift from his first three bowl trips. It sits in his living room in front of the TV, right next to the one belonging to Finch, his roommate.
“We each go home and relax, just like old guys,” Morgan said.
B-back David Sims’ all-time favorite gift was from a gift suite at the Orange Bowl, a Sony surround sound speaker set that he still uses every day.
“That was our first time, so I was like a kid in a candy store,” he said.
From the same bowl, Cross picked out a camcorder.
“I think I gave it to my mom,” she said. “I think she broke it.”
It surpassed the fate, at least, of safety Jemea Thomas’ hair dryer.
“I have no idea,” he said. “I really don’t know what I did with it.”
In case you missed it…
Notes: Johnson, Barkley out for bowl
Some highlights, but special teams still lag
After forgettable season, Young can start fresh
Tech 2008 signing class delivers in classroom
USC’s Barkley reportedly unlikely to play
Notes: Successful career for Tech long snapper
Orwin Smith tries for strong finish
35 football players make dean’s list
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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84 comments Add your comment
Supersize that order, mutt
December 28th, 2012
4:11 pm
LOL @ Ekim56
Spanky
December 28th, 2012
4:13 pm
Ekim56, Yeah, Ekim, you sure know what a run-on sentence you just missed the puntuation! If you’re going to correct my grammar, do it right!
Spanky
December 28th, 2012
4:15 pm
Uh-Oh, spelled “punctuation” wrong….here they come!!
Rickster
December 28th, 2012
4:16 pm
If you guys are Tech fans, you are not representing well! With that, I bid you a good day.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 28th, 2012
4:23 pm
@ Rickster……if you are not a Tech fan, then why are you posting on our blogs to begin with? And the same question goes to Spanky. Don’t give me the EXCUSE that Tech fans troll the UGA blogs. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Good day!
GTJohn
December 28th, 2012
4:45 pm
Spanky muted the moot button on his remote.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 28th, 2012
5:34 pm
LMAO @ GTJohn
Spanky
December 28th, 2012
7:54 pm
I did, GTJohn, gee-whiz that was funny! It only took you over 2 and a half hours for that sizzling zinger!! LOL! What’s even more sad, is that “Supersize the Jealousy” laughed his acne off at it!! That’s almost “losing to Middle Tennessee”-sad! Okay kids, have fun at your little sword fight!
5150 UOAD
December 28th, 2012
8:16 pm
Rickster
December 28th, 2012
3:17 pm
Sorry to spoil your little joy parade, but I have seen quite a few Georgia Bulldog shirts, sweats, and even a car-flag in San Fransisco. I just moved from there. I never did see anything Georgia Tech.
==============================================
Were the guys also wearing their Buttless chaps and have a Rainbow Car Flag on their other window?
Supersize that order, mutt
December 28th, 2012
8:40 pm
my my, isn’t princess Spanky in a tizzy.
Ho hum
December 28th, 2012
9:10 pm
Hair dryers but no pocket protectors – the shame of it all.
Ho hum
December 28th, 2012
9:33 pm
Hey Super where is UGA ranked in the polls – you know the ones I’m talking about don’t you?
So an unknown UGA is consensus top ten team but the more popular and well known Tek isn’t in the top 50.
How does that work?
Seems to me the media and coaches are well aware of UGA (and obviously Tek too)
For what it’s worth more fans were turned away from the last game UGA played than entered the stadium where Tek played – yeah UGA is irrelevant – good grief son wake up.
5150 UOAD
December 28th, 2012
9:38 pm
hum (on this) Ho…..Ho….Ho
GTJohn
December 28th, 2012
10:08 pm
I had only been home from work for an hour Spanky. I read the comments and saw your “zinger”. I also noticed it took you 3 hours to respond to mine. You must have phallic symbols dancing in your head with that last comment.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
12:14 am
Ho hummer……nobody claimed UGA didn’t have a sizable fan base. What has been said is that outside the state of Georgia you are totally irrelevant, and almost always have been
Old Dog
December 29th, 2012
7:28 am
To Hell with Tek, today,tomorrow and every other day!
The Good Word
December 29th, 2012
8:59 am
Old Dog – don’t be jealous of the hair dryer!
THWG!
5150 UOAD
December 29th, 2012
9:19 am
P.O.A.D Ole Dog and his bald head……
5150 UOAD
December 29th, 2012
9:19 am
Omoregie Uzzi
Must say… El Paso has to be one of the most hospitable places in America.lol
Like · · Share · 4 minutes ago via mobile ·
Errin Joe
I Can’t Begin To Explain The Love & Hospitality That’s Being Shown Out Here In El Paso! Wonderful City With Wonderful People!!!!
Like · · 4 minutes ago via mobile ·
T.j. Barnes
Never met so many nice people ever in my life. Great fan base here and were 100’s of miles away.
Like · · 18 minutes ago via iOS ·
The guys are having a good time I guess.
Ho hum
December 29th, 2012
10:26 am
Super wake up. UGA irrelevant you say. Do you have any idea who votes to place teams in the top 10 or 25? Let me give you a clue – IT’S NOT THE FAN BASE. It is the NATIONAL MEDIA – it is the COACHES – how you can somehow come to the conclusion that nobody outside of Georgia knows about UGA is beyond comprehension. You are in COMPLETE DENIAL.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
10:35 am
@ ho hummer……the polls alone do not make or break a school. Ask any everyday football fan outside the state of Georgia what they think about UGA, and they will say, “WHO?” Nobody really gives a damn about the mutts except the mutts themselves.
5150 UOAD
December 29th, 2012
11:44 am
LOOKS to me Like the COACHES and NATIONAL MEDIA never forgot who NOTRE DAMES is but they can’t seem to find UGa if not for backing into the DOME the last 2 years.
Zane
December 29th, 2012
2:43 pm
Hair Dryer? Priceless! I also can’t believe that a 6-7 team gets to go to a bowl game! On top of that, you have guys on here saying that Georgia (with 2 losses and in the top10) is irrelevant! Do you people understand how the game of football is played? Also- thanks to Herschel Walker and Fran Tarkenton, Georgia is a very well known program. They’re not the best, but well-known. If you guys are Tech fans, then you might agree that your team should have given a damn about the mutts. It was forty-something to 10? The conversation thread on here is just nonsense! Go Sooners!
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
2:55 pm
Herschel Walker was 30 years ago and Fran Tarkenton was nearly 50 years ago. We’re talking about today, and nobody outside the state of Georgia gives a damn about UGA or the mutts. And if you want to rely on past history to stake your claim to fame, then you need to include Jan Kemp and Jim Harrick too. THOSE are the ones that most people outside of Athens remember.
dawgfan
December 29th, 2012
3:05 pm
Nerve———->struck
I always get a big kick out of listening to fans of losing teams that need an NCAA waiver to make it to the Sun Bowl lecturing everyone else on relevancy. It makes for great comedy.
dawgfan
December 29th, 2012
3:10 pm
I’m sure people all over the nation are struggling with Jacket Fever after Tech’s unprecedented 20-18 record the past three seasons and consecutive Sun Bowl appearances. What a run. Can you say DYNASTY?
Georgia Tech=big fat JOKE.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
3:23 pm
@ dwagfan……please point out where anybody made any claims about Tech’s relevancy on the college scene today. You won’t find it; we are aware of that. YOU, however, are living in a constant state of denial thinking that anybody really gives a damn about the worthless mutts. You have no fan following outside the southeast, and most of your fans are uneducated red necks within the state of Georgia. The mutts are totally irrelevant in the rest of the country; nobody cares what you do, and few even know who you are. Tech, even though equally irrelevant, is at least known worldwide because of the “Ramblin’ ‘Reck” and its status as one of the top engineering schools in the world. UGA is at best the best UNIVERSITY in the state of Georgia.
UGA = total irrelevance athletically and academically.
dawgfan
December 29th, 2012
3:53 pm
Please point out where I said anyone made any claims about Tech’s relevancy. I’m well aware of the fact that Tech fans spend more time talking about UGA than they do their own joke half azzed embarassment of a program. That’s news to no one.
You don’t understand how this whole trash talk thing works do you? Stop me if you have any questions but its pretty straight forward and most 2nd graders can probably understand it. If you’re going to run your big fat trap about a rival you better be damn well prepared for them to return the favor and run their mouth about you, particularly when the pile of horse crap that you support has only beaten said rival once in 12 freaking years. For the life of me I do not understand what is so difficult about this for you Techies to understand. You have no idea how painfully stupid you sound and it is freaking hilarious.
Try to take a little time away from tracking the relevancy o UGA football to support your crap team in the Sun Bowl Techie. They need your support. 7 bowl losses in a row will not help you in the relevancy department.
Georgia Tech=pile of crap.
Supersize that order, mutt
December 29th, 2012
3:59 pm
The difference, dwagfan is that you are on a Tech blog spouting drivel and getting upset when somebody calls you and your pathetic excuse for an institute of higher learning down. YOU are the one who is apparently so obsessed with Tech that you can’t spend your time posting positive things (if there are any) on the UGA blogs. I NEVER post on the UGA blogs, because, as I said earlier, UGA is totally irrelevant to me. But when red necks like you come on our blogs, you can be damn sure that I am going to tell you what I think, whether you like it or not. And don’t give me the tired excuse that there are Tech fans trolling the UGA blogs. I will never know if that is true or not, but not only do I not post on them, I don’t even read them. And so what if there are Tech fans there, do two wrongs make a right? Are you really that immature that you think you can “get back” at Tech by posting your ignorant rantings on our blogs? What a loser !!!!
TrueWreck
December 30th, 2012
11:32 am
Hello, I would like to apologize for some of the comments from my fellow Tech fans. Maybe they’re bitter, bored, or (like me) tired of the direction CPJ is taking our storied program. However, that’s still no excuse for name-calling, and that does not exemplify the pride and class of a true Georgia Tech Ramblin’ Wreck fan and graduate. Some of you guys remind me of my 2 sons in the back seat, arguing over which ninja turtle is better! A true Tech fan wouldn’t even entertain this sort of conversation! Let’s end this season on a high note, with a victory over the Trojans!! Go Jackets!
Sun Bowl Volunteer
December 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
In fact there is a Gift Suite this year, our Georgia Tech Team Host Committee took the Tech Players to it Friday night where they picked out their $350 of gifts to go with the one’s mentioned above, though the list above left out an Ogio Politan backpack. I also believe the NCAA allows bowl bound players to receive gifts from their school and their conference.
The Tech players, coaches, and staff really have been a great group, and we really are very pleased to have them back in El Paso. Go
Messin with da Sasquatch
December 30th, 2012
6:54 pm
Trolling trolling trolling, get them doggies trolling, rawhide…….
The Truth
December 31st, 2012
8:23 am
Pretty entertaining blog….all the leghumpers trying to defend the fact that their program is irrelevant outside of GA. And dwagfan and Spanky showing us why most UGA fans barely have a double-digit IQ….priceless!!
Can't stop laughing......
December 31st, 2012
9:23 am
“I am not disputing what you said, but I was in Moscow about 8 years ago, and in a shop there, I saw Matrushka (nested) dolls for quite a few US college football teams. I bought the set they had for Tech, and I also saw Clemson and Florida sets there. There was nothing there for UGA”
That’s because the UGA version was sold out. Probably had to brush the dust off the GT doll set. Go Dawgs!