Under the financial bailout, taxpayers are becoming silent investors in numerous banks and other financial institutions. While Uncle Sam shouldn’t wield a heavy hand in business decisions, a savvy investor would review these investments to see if they make sense in this new climate. Many of bailout recipients have paid big bucks for naming rights on everything from sports stadiums to soccer (uh, football) teams. Even before the economic downturn, many advertising experts pointed out that these naming deals were more about ego than economics.

In the go-go years of easy money, maybe this corporate edifice complex made sense, but considering the tin cups some of these companies have been passing around, these arrangements need to be reviewed.

Citi Field– Fresh out of double dipping for more federal cash, Citigroup is poised to have the new New York Mets ball park named for them. Hmmm, considering the Mets have failed to win the last game of the season and thus get into the playoffs each of the last two years, maybe they are thinking Citi’s home runs with the Treasury will come in handy.

AIG – The front of the jersey of Manchester United is emblazoned with a large AIG, the team’s sponsor. However, considering the $150 billion U.S. taxpayers have poured into the company, perhaps “U.S. Taxpayer” would be a more appropriate moniker. Or maybe rename the team Manchester United States.

NFL (Not Free League) – Several NFL teams are banking on the stadiums, the Carolina Panthers play at Bank of America stadium, and the Baltimore Ravens play at M&T Bank stadium.

Slap Shot – Well, 76ers play there too, but the Philadelphia Flyers have had more recent success at Wachovia Center – more success than Wachovia Bank, which was recently purchased by Wells Fargo. The Penguins play at Mellon Arena, which was paid for by Mellon Bank before they merged with Bank of New York to form Bank of New York Mellon that tapped the financial bailout. And not to be left out, the Vancouver Canucks play at General Motors (Canada) Place.

Bowling for subsidies – College Bowl season kicks off with the EagleBank Bowl, played in the nation’s capital and named for one of the applicants for the financial bailout package. Formerly known as the Citrus Bowl, the Capital One Bowl will be played New Year’s Day in Orlando, FL. Later that same day, the Nittany Lions will be playing in the granddaddy of bowl games, the Rose Bowl Presented by Citi. And while they haven’t gotten federal cash yet, GMAC, the financing arm of General Motors, will have an eponymous bowl game played on January 6.