This time of year is ever the moment to memorialize one Claude Poulan, who while supervising German prisoners cutting pulpwood in East Texas in the 40s sorta kinda mighta actually developed/ invented the chainsaw.

Then in Shreveport, started a company producing chainsaws.

Then, in a perhaps logical, more than likely circuitous progression the company began to sponsor the Independence Bowl.

At least for awhile.

While I am loathe to provide adverts when not being paid to do so, so marvelous is the monikor, Poulan Weedeater Independence Bowl, I can’t help myself.

May the name R.I.P..

That particular encounter is now sponsored by Radiance Something or Another. The funkiest tie in these days, one dude’s opinion, the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.

Though it hardly stands out that much from the various and sundry scrimmages named for tax prep apps, insurance companies, cities, vacation housing providers, financial institutions, TV services, gas stations, tire brands, some doohickeys or another which remain elusive to define even after googling them, and of course most famously these days, food stuffs.

“Uh oh, Cheez-It Bowl,” Mizzou’s Eli Drinkwitz declared upon seeing a couple of that game’s blazers in his presser after a W.

Oops. The Tigers shall be playing in NashVegas in the Music City Bowl, which is sponsored by a NY based concern that provides translation services.

??????? I dunno.

At least he won’t have to face a bunch of cheese crackers being dumped on his noggin’ should his charges prevail.

Or Fries in Boise. Or munch on a toasted fruit thingie that’s been walking around the stadium all day at the Pop Tarts Bowl.

But what I’m looking forward to, other than obviously an occasionally tight entertaining exhibition of post season college football, is Minnesota’s ever-vested and shirt-and-tied PJ Fleck doused with a bucket of gloppy mayo should his Gophers best the Hokies..

That, mes amis, is what bowl season is all about. These days anyway.

Along with Flo and Jake and Sheriff Bos.

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Plus intersectional jousts in diverse time zones.

Like San Jose State vs. South Florida in Hawaii.

Or Boston College vs. Nebraska in the House that Ruth Built. How balmy!

Or Buffalo vs. Liberty in the Bahamas.

Or, yeah, the one that yours truly and most of his loyal readers care about, U of L vs. Washington in El Paso.

Oh that Isaac Brown or Duke Watson will get in touch with their inner Ken Porco at the site where the Cardinals first bowled in ’58. (Cards 34, Drake 20.)

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So, yeah, these bowl games have changed names through the years.

Oh really, we hadn’t noticed.

None quit so much as the tussle in Phoenix, which is now the Rate Bowl.

Again, not the slightest clue of Rate what?.

Which has also been known at times as the Copper, Insight.com, Insight, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cactus, Guaranteed Rate and — that Drinkwitz dude be damned — Cheez-It. That last one’s now in Florida somewhere.

Then there’s the one in Tampa I always want to call the Sarsaparilla Bowl, but it’s actually the Gasparilla Bowl, sponsored by a mortgage company, and named for a community rah rah organization which is named for a legend by the name of Joe Gaspar. Florida vs. Tulane.

The Military Bowl features 4-F schools, East Carolina and North Carolina State. The game’s in Maryland.

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Playoffs, I heard somebody say.

Playoffs, there are actual playoffs, to determine the “best” teams in the land?

Who knew?

— c d kaplan