He had termed it the Leftover Bowl, and he was a participant, so you can imagine how it struck the rest of us. But it was a bowl just the same, and in this season of Liberty, Cotton, Bluebonnet and Gator, that's all that counts.

It was a bowl which escaped public attention, but for those who just never get enough, the American Bowl was indeed played in Tampa, Fla., last Sunday. And Jim Kubacki, of multi-flex fame, did indeed play.

The funny thing, though, was that he didn't play quarterback, at least not exclusively. Kubacki did call a few plays from behind center, but in the first half, the Crimson senior operated from the flanker position.

But here's a funnier thing: he scored the winning touchdown, although no one knew it at the time.

Behind the play of Purdue's Mark Vitali, the North (Kubacki's side) jumped out to a 21-0 first-half advantage. It was 14-0 when Tim Moresco returned an interception to the South three yard-line, and then it was April fools.

Just seven seconds remained in the half when Vitali dropped back to pass and flipped the ball to Kubacki in the endzone. Then it was 21-0, and Joe Restic was probably wondering where he had gone wrong.

Naturally the South stormed back in the second half with three touchdowns, but when it came time for the tie or the win, the South chose tie and then proceded to miss the extra point. And Jim Kubacki, out of position and all, was the hero...sort of.

For in games like this, it's hard to achieve truly heroic status. Kubacki didn't leave for the game until the Wednesday previous, a good indication of how much practice goes into these affairs, and he had to bring his pads and helmet with him, as the bowl people provided just pants, a jersey, and a prayer.

Unfortunately, much of the Harvard community was en route back to school on Sunday afternoon and missed the game as a result, but even had they been in Cambridge, not too many people would have watched a bowl game the day after New Year's day, not to mention one solely on cable television.

It was the same Kubacki, wasn't it?