Should Wyoming turn down Bowl bid?

First read this article from Robert Gagliardi. This is where the idea got started.

So yes, times are tough but what state is really rolling in money right now? Want to guarantee a failure of your football program? Well then turn down that bowl bid and see what happens. After getting a solid coach who has young and talented players coming into the system the quickest way to kill that momentum would be to stay home this December.

Why would any recruit come to a school that qualifies for the postseason and then opts out. Why did they spend months practicing and pushing their bodies to the limit if it they could never make it to a bowl game?

The team EARNED a fifth place finish in the Mountain West this year.

The University is spending a ton of money of the new Wildcatter suites at War Memorial. They will sell a lot more suites by going to a bowl game then by saving a few dollars now. Why should a company plunk down $40k a season to support a University that has no postseason aspirations.

Wyoming can gain extra income with increased ticket and merchandise sales related to the bowl appearance. Sponsors are more likely to come on board for a team with a history of going to the post season. Cowboy Joe Club donations are also likely to increase.

I'm sure that the other schools in the Mountain West would be big fans of Wyoming staying home. Sure Wyoming has benefited from Utah making it to a BCS game before just like TCU is doing this year. But if the Pokes just want to take the money that other schools earn and run with it - I'm sure they would have no problem with it.

What if we are 6-6 in two years and the state is doing well financially. Should we go to a bowl then? We may not even get an invite in the future if we turn down a trip this year. Or if we are 7-5 along with another MWC team, guess which team will get picked for the bigger bowl?

The Cowboys have sold nearly 1,500 already to the New Mexico Bowl and an official announcement hasn't even happened yet. The University must 4,000 tickets to cover its allotment which seems pretty easy. Anything above that is extra income for the Cowboys.

Here you go history buffs:

Remember back in 2006 when the Cowboys finished 6-6 with victories over Utah and New Mexico that year? Well despite having an identical record with New Mexico and winning the head to head matchup the Lobos went bowling instead of the Cowboys. I wasn't happy about that and I doubt you were either.

Now is not the time to get picky about our bowl games.

The Cowboys haven't been to a bowl game since 2004 when they upset UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl. Before that it was the 1993 Copper Bowl. We need to shorten the time between bowl appearances not lengthen it.

Notre Dame has turned down bowl games before because they felt they were too good to play in a lower bowl. This year they are staying home because of the Charlie Weiss fiasco. Luckily we don't have head stuck in the clouds like the Golden Toppers. Yes, Notre Dame is 6-6 like the Cowboys but they have the national spotlight shining on them non-stop and it has been mostly negative for the last two months. Also with Weiss gone ND has no play callers to actually run the offense or defense. None of their assistants are being considered for the head job so they don't want anyone else acting as head coach for the next month.

If the Cowboys weren't going to accept their bowl bid then what was the point of scoring 24 unanswered points to beat San Diego State? Or even taking back the Bronze Boot? This team has put together four fourth quarter comebacks this season, I want to see what else they can do.

One last note. The average temperature in Albuquerque on December 19th has been 47 degrees. Not tropical by any means but sure sounds nicer than the average of 36 degree in Boise or 33 in Laramie.

Go Pokes!