The coffee is free.  The pastries are free.  And the Wi-Fi is … well … available at the Marriott Courtyard Blackstone — media headquarters for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

Thanks to Boingo and its roaming ability, I got right on the Wi-Fi network, to download the latest Armed Forces Bowl news release, rather than walk across the room and grab one.  (All departures from the cushy chair are reserved for coffee and cinamon rolls from Corner Bakery … LOL!)

The Marriott’s Wi-Fi signal is also muy delicioso.  Strong signal, lots of roaming partner options via iBAHN — including one of my faves Boingo — 6 pings.

Here’s the latest from Armed Forces Bowl HQ:

FORT WORTH – Both Air Force and Houston will practice here Monday morning for the last time at the training facilities at TCU as both teams finish their preparation for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

http://armedforcesbowl.com.s13175.gridserver.com/

The sixth annual Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will be played Wednesday (December 31) with ESPN and ESPN Radio covering the post-season college contest starting at 11 a.m. (CST) for the first of five bowl games to be played on New Year’s Eve.

The game will be the fifth this season between schools from Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference. The Mountain West Conference has won three of the four meetings with Conference USA schools in 2008. Tulsa scored a 56-14 win at home over New Mexico September 20 while TCU was winning 48-7 at SMU. Houston dropped a 31-28 decision to Air Force in Dallas at SMU September 13 followed by Colorado State’s 28-25 win over the Cougars in Fort Collins. Schools from the two conferences also played nine times the past two seasons with the MWC holding an 8-5 edge in the competition over the last three seasons.