For most fans, a bowl game is the last game of the season you watch from your TV at home during the winter holidays or a chance to follow your team to a different city. For players, bowl games are rewards and the Rutgers football team immediately found that out upon arriving in Orlando for the Russell Athletic Bowl.

Shortly after arriving to the team hotel, players were treated to pizza in the “player lounge,” an event room in the hotel filled with pool tables, big screen TVs and an Xbox.

After entertaining themselves for an hour or two in the player lounge, the players were treated to what most of them were most excited for out of the whole bowl week (other than the bowl game of course), a shopping spree at Best Buy.

Team members were given a generous Best Buy gift card they used to buy computers, DVD’s, video-game consoles, smart phones and more. Although the Rutgers’ players were given the gift cards to use on themselves, most players decided that this was the perfect opportunity to get some Christmas shopping done for family and friends.

“This is a tremendous event for the players,” said Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood. “To have the opportunity to not just get a gift, but in this case choose and pick out their own gift is just an added bonus.”

“There are quite a few players here tonight who will pick stuff out for other people in their family as well and will have some gifts after the [bowl] game to give out.”

All-American linebacker Khaseem Greene was one of those players shopping for his family members.

“I’m shopping for my mom and little brother,” Greene said. “They both want one of those iPod touches.”

The Best Buy shopping spree will not be the last extra curricular event the Scarlet Knights will enjoy during their time in Orlando. The team will visit different shopping areas, theme parks and Orlando nightlife areas periodically throughout the week before taking on Virginia Tech in the Russell Athletic Bowl.