What could be more appropriate to end...

What could be more appropriate to end a decade that has seen more televised football than any other than a weekend with almost round-the-clock football?

There are seven games this weekend, five college bowls and two National Football League playoff contests, not counting another seven bowl games New Year’s Day.

Today’s schedule begins with the John Hancock Bowl between No. 16 Texas A&M; and No. 23 Pittsburgh at 9:30 a.m. on Channels 2 and 8. This game has gone through a metamorphosis through the decade as corporate sponsorship has taken more control over sports.

From 1936-85, the El Paso, Tex.-based game was known as the Sun Bowl. In 1986, it became the John Hancock Sun Bowl. However, because nearly all the media continued to refer to it as the Sun Bowl, the game’s name was changed again in June to ensure mention of the corporate sponsor.

The Freedom Bowl matching Washington and Florida follows at 11 a.m. today on Channels 4, 36 and 39. When only 30,365 tickets were sold for Freedom Bowl I in 1984, some felt that the first Freedom Bowl would also be the last. But the Anaheim Stadium-based contest survived, and has grown to get its own major-network television contract.

In today’s other bowl action, Georgia meets Syracuse in the Peach Bowl at 11:30 a.m. on Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42, while ESPN carries the Gator Bowl match-up between No. 14 Clemson and No. 17 West Virginia at 5 p.m.

The football decade, which began with the Cotton Bowl and Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1980, concludes with the inaugural Copper Bowl in Tucson, pitting Arizona against North Carolina State at 5 p.m. Sunday on TBS.

In pro football Sunday, the Rams begin their long-shot hopes for Super Bowl XXIV against the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football Conference wild card playoff game at 9:30 a.m. on Channels 2 and 8. (When the decade began, Rams Coach John Robinson was saying he’d be staying at USC until at least 1984. He left USC for the Rams after the 1982 season.)

In Sunday’s other NFL game, the Houston Oilers play host to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the American Football Conference wild card playoff game at 1 p.m. on Channels 4, 36 and 39.

In non-football action, both Philadelphia winter professional teams pay visits to Los Angeles tonight. The Philadelphia Flyers have a 7:30 p.m. Prime Ticket date against the Kings at the sold-out Forum. At the same time, the Philadelphia 76ers, no longer a bad team, go against the Clippers on SportsChannel.