These athletes are gifted

The tradition and honor of playing in a college football bowl game are intangibles, but the freebies and the swag that come a player's way are very real rewards.

FoxSports.com recently compared the giveaways offered by 20 bowl games, and payouts differ. The Rose Bowl ranked among the middle of the pack, giving each player a Sony DVD camcorder, a commemorative Fossil watch, Ogio backpack, New Era 5950 fitted hat, plaque, autograph football and one-year subscription to ESPN The Magazine.

The national championship game gives out a high-end gift (up to $300 worth of Sony electronics) and a low-end (customized luggage tags) and an assortment in between (watch, duffel bag, Bowl Championship Series championship game customized Crocs).

Coming out on the light end is the Gator Bowl, which hands out Oakley electronic sunglasses, a Bulova watch and a hat.

• BREATHING MONEY -- Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard talked to MLB.com about meeting Donald Trump at a recent taping of "Costas Now" for HBO.

"It was different to be in his presence," Howard said. "I think when (he) was breathing, a thousand bucks came out."

• THAT '70S SHOW -- From Reggie Hayes of the News-Sentinel of Fort Wayne, Ind.:

"Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Antonio Bryant was upset by comments about him that were made by ESPN's Emmitt Smith and Trent Dilfer. 'I can put on a suit just like you and get on TV and talk just like you,' Bryant said, calling out the pair.

"The NFL had no reaction, but I think it's overdue for the league to take seriously the threat of another player turning into an analyst. Before long, the professional journalists will be out of a job, and then who'll be around to make up nicknames using dated 1970s references?"

• TAKE A NUMBER -- Former NBA star Charles Barkley was back at work doing studio commentary on TNT on Thursday night, just days after criticizing his alma mater's hiring of football coach Gene Chizik. A snippet:

Barkley: "I've been fortunate enough to get my number retired in Phoenix and Philadelphia ..."

Chris Webber: "And Auburn."

Barkley: "They might take it down at Auburn."

• 11-TIME LOSER -- Reader Jeff Funnekotter, to the Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) StarPhoenix, after Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher declared himself the "Susan Lucci of the NFL" after getting passed over for the Pro Bowl for the 11th year in a row: "His highlight reel career can be seen on 'Plays of Our Lives.' "

• NUMBERS GAME -- Nathan Cleverly, to BBC Sport, on his unusual combination of being the Commonwealth light heavyweight boxing champion and boasting a degree in mathematics: "Sometimes I go to bed dreaming about my next fight and wake up thinking about my next equation."

• NOW THAT'S OLD -- FanIQ.com, a sports blog, dug up an interesting fact on Joe Paterno, the 82-year-old Penn State football coach: JoePa is older than sliced bread, which was invented in 1928.

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