Last weekend marked the kickoff of the college bowl season. But as Americans relax and watch their alma maters or favorite regional powers clash on the gridiron, some taxpayers may be seeing red. Not from looking at the opposing team's jerseys, but at the bowl sponsor – who quite possibly could be a bailout bank. And luckily for those banks, earlier this week, Treasury Secretary Geithner exercised his authority to extend TARP, the bailout, through October.

Taxpayers are deeply invested in the future health of numerous banks, auto manufacturers, and other institutions. But many of these same fiscally strapped companies are shelling out big bucks to be title sponsors of college bowl games. So while many Americans concerned about making ends meet this holiday kick back in the Lay-Z-Boy to try and relax with a little football, they will instead get a glaring reminder that billions of their tax dollars now bolster bank bottom lines.

The Bailout Bank Bowl Championship Series (BBBCS) kicks off in Congress' own backyard. The Eagle Bank Bowl is played December 29th at RFK stadium – a mere two miles from the Capitol. Title sponsor Eagle Bank received more than $38 million under the bailout.

Fans get a bit of bailout relief with the Capital One Bowl on January 1st. After finding $3.55 billion of taxpayers' cash in their wallet, Capital One has since repaid the Treasury. But unfortunately this relief is short-lived. Bailout frequent-flier Citibank is the title sponsor of Pasadena's Granddaddy of all Bowl Games, as well as the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship game on January 7th where fans will see the Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide square off. Those universities have apt team mascots for this game because Citibank is hooked on bailout cash to the tune of nearly $50 billion, and is contributing to the tide of crimson ink that is rolling out of the Treasury.

And sandwiched between the big money bowl games and the National Championship is the perennial clash of the titans between Michigan and the Trojans. Well, that is Central Michigan and the Troy Trojans in the GMAC bowl. Perhaps this bowl should be renamed the Cash for Clunkers bowl because the sponsor, GMAC, has tapped taxpayers for nearly $21 billion–and it is unlikely that we are going to be repaid anytime soon, if ever.

While Uncle Sam shouldn't wield a heavy hand in business decisions, taxpayers propping up the financial, automotive, and other industries must demand the wise investment of their hard earned dollars.

Now as people on Main Street facing high unemployment and tight credit dig deep and cut luxuries, we think it only fair to push bailed-out banks reliant on taxpayer investments to overturn their couch cushions looking for every possible penny. The sooner they can right their ships and pay back their share of the nearly $250 billion still outstanding, the sooner taxpayers can begin sleeping better at night. These bowl game sponsorships are some pretty easy examples of where to trim the fat.

After the unprecedented government interventions to prevent the collapse of our economic system, and with a projected one and a half trillion dollar deficit, taxpayers can no longer afford business as usual. Bailed out banks should stop adding insult to fiscal injury and start calling better plays with taxpayer dollars.