Alabama Football: What Is the BCS Game Giving to the Players in Gifts This Year?

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer)  For the old-timers that remember going to a bowl and possibly getting a T-shirt and cap as souvenirs, these are certainly different days.

Now, players look forward to the "bling" that accompanies a bowl trip.

Oh, they'll still get a shirt and cap to remember the game by, but it's a stitched cap in colors and the shirt is a nicer Boxer and Stone brand than the cheapies their fathers may have gotten.

The Fossil watch is nice, I still have the watch I got last year for being credentialed at the Capital One Bowl Game.

But the gift suite is what the players all look forward to.

Think of it as a gift catalogue where they can pick gifts till they reach their limit of $550.

What are the most taken gifts? Electronics of course. Laptops, iPads, Blu-ray players and televisions for the dorm room. Game consoles and games to play in them are also big list items.

Then there are mountain bikes to get from class to class which have been heavily chosen as well.

But the schools are also in the giving mood, and each school can give an additional $350 worth of fun and gifts to each player.

But to the winner belongs the spoils and the winners will also get national championship caps, T-shirts and best and most meaningful of all, a championship ring, not to mention the undying adulation of admiring young women that goes with being a champion.

Maybe that's the best prize after all.

Here's a list of this year's SEC bowl participant bling for this season:

Music City Bowl – Mississippi State – Gift suite, Reactor watch.

Liberty Bowl – Vanderbilt – Best Buy gift card, Fossil watch, Nike training shoes, Nike sport sandals, Nike sunglasses, Nike Air Jordan backpack, commemorative game ball.

Chick-fil-A Bowl – Auburn – $250 Best Buy gift card, Fossil watch, Russell Athletic ski cap, Russell Athletic travel bag, $15 Chick-fil-A gift card, commemorative football.

Outback Bowl – Georgia – $150 Best Buy gift card, Fossil watch, Jostens ring, cap, $25 Outback Steakhouse gift certificate.

Capital One Bowl – South Carolina – $420 shopping trip to a local Best Buy, Timely Watch Co. watch.

Gator Bowl – Florida – Fossil watch, Gator Gear performance headwear, rolling luggage bag, Jostens ring, commemorative football.

Cotton Bowl – Arkansas – Fossil watch, bowl would not disclose further gifts.

National Championship Game – Alabama and LSU – Gift suite, Fossil watch, New Era cap, Boxer and Stone shirt.