Going bowling? Here's your free crap

Here's a story that's getting kicked around quite a bit this week: Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal put together a breakdown of all the free items given to players participating in a bowl this year.

State's players will be making out alright. A free digital video recorder, a knit hat and an Ogie backpack/bag/thingy. Some of the bigger bowl participants will get a few hundred bucks to blow in closed-down shopping parties at retailers like Best Buy.

This is one of those weird rules in place by the NCAA that doesn't seem to jive with the rest of the rule book. There are stiff penalties if a player sells shoes or complimentary tickets, or gets post-playing-days graduation gifts from boosters of the team, but somehow a $400 shopping spree is kosher? Seems counter-intuitive.

But enjoy your free crap, State players. Can't wait for it to show up on eBay.