So began the bowl era in Arizona — on a bet and a bribe.

Creating interest in the Salad Bowl became a precursor for what the founders of Tucson’s Copper Bowl (1989-99) and second-year Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl would experience.

It’s not easy getting someone off the sofa during bowl season.

When Air Force and South Alabama play in the second Arizona Bowl Friday at 3:30 p.m., Tucsonans will have the option to watch any of that day’s other five bowl games, or 15 college basketball games, not to mention NBA and NHL programming, and the late-night Arizona-Cal basketball game.

To their credit, founders of the Arizona Bowl have not sold out to ESPN and homogenized the Tucson bowl experience. ESPN owns and operates 13 mid-major bowl games, from Boise’s Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to Albuquerque’s Gildan New Mexico Bowl.

Except for some ice and fog, one seems no different from another.

The Arizona Bowl chooses to fly solo and create its own personality. That might (or might not) ultimately lead to bowl suicide, but it’s a better idea than selling out. That’s what the Copper Bowl did by going into business with Fiesta Bowl operatives 20 years ago.