Ever seen a grown man cry? If not, drop by Eric Holmes’s house Saturday after daughter, Tori, spies a college bowl parade on the television.

Friday, December 31, 1999

Ever seen a grown man cry? If not, drop by Eric Holmes’s house Saturday after daughter, Tori, spies a college bowl parade on the television.

"She’s two-and-a-half and she absolutely loves them," he says, then chuckles. "I can’t let her catch me while I’m thumbing through channels."

If caught, it’s bye-bye for the remote, so Holmes tapes parade recaps and replays.

"We let her watch them later."

The Dawson-Bryant school administrator and former coach is not the only one who will dabble with such family crises this weekend just to catch a little gridiron action.

College bowl games are such a tradition that the streets likely will be deserted during each one, he said.

Actually, Holmes will take to the streets New Year’s Day, traveling to his father-in-law’s house to meet up with six to eight other family members who also follow the bowl game custom.

"He’s got a big screen TV and it’s usually a toss up for the remote," he said laughing. "But it’s a lot of fun."

Yet, it can be complicated, too.

Strategy for the game day’s watching and snacking gets almost as elaborate as the teams’ plays, except without the chalkboards and coaches’ explanations, Holmes said.

First, there’s choosing the snacks.

Starting fare includes chips, dip, shrimp, two bags of nachos, a jar of cheese sauce and at least one big trip to Sam’s Club for more, he said.

Then, there’s winning the marital battle for the remote.

"I lay out plenty of those flyers that tell about the sales that occur for New Year’s," Holmes said, chuckling again. "My strategy is to place them all around the house."

The stereotypical debate between watching the parades or the pigskin doesn’t really happen, though.

There are enough television sets to keep everyone happy, he said.

But if the flyers work, the cost of watching the college bowls goes beyond that trip to Sam’s.

"You feel the pain at the end of January when the canceled checks come back."

Lastly, how do you choose games?

It’s usually agreed upon, although the TV owner sometimes has a little more say in the matter, Holmes said.

Obvious choices for game day include the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl, most always the Cotton Bowl, and of course, flipping around between commercial breaks.

"Really, it’s not exactly about what games to watch," he said, adding that it isn’t about winning the remote, either.

"It’s wrapping up the holiday, and eating."

And, over in Ironton, at former Dawson-Bryant athletic director David Waller’s house, Saturday’s bowl games give the football fan a chance to root for Marshall University, although the Herd isn’t playing.

"I’ll watch them all," Waller said.

The outcomes of some of this weekend’s games could put the final glitter on the Herd’s perfect 13-0 season. A couple key victories and Marshall could be in the top 10 – or higher.

And, of course, he has a big screen TV, too.

"But I’ll be in hopes of anyone in the top 10 losing so Marshall can move up," he said. "The skeptics ought to realize what kind of year they’ve had."