I grew up in the midwest in the 90’s watching the Rose Bowl every January 1st. Most were with my dad as we listened to Keith Jackson calling the games. I recall my first game and watching Tyrone Wheatley run over Washington in the '93 Rose Bowl. I was fascinated with the colorful end zones, big stadium, and perfect grass. This is the game where I learned a lot about college football, the history, traditions, and the beauty of Pasadena and my fandom for Michigan and their winged helmets living in Badgerland started.
My father and I tried to go several times, we even made it out in 1998 for the Washington State/Michigan game, but could not find tickets for what my father was willing to pay. I always wanted to go, he always wanted to take me, it just never worked out for us. About 6 weeks ago after the Michigan/Penn State game I called my brother (a Michigan alum) and told him that we were getting tickets and going to the Rose Bowl.
We planned our day, it was simple, go to the parade, walk to the game, tailgate and have the best damn time possible.
We parked at the stadium just before 6am and walked up with several others to the parade. It was a calm, enjoyable walk and a great way to start the new year. Sun rising, clear skies, and everyone full of excitement. We watched the parade just past the secured area. 3 rows back with great views. The parade exceeded my expectations and I was impressed.
On a side night we were walking up to the parade and I saw a house that looked just like Doc Browns house in Back to the Future, I was almost certain it was his house. After a quick search I found out it was! The Gamble House.
But we had a higher priority and you could feel energy change as everyone turned around and walked back to the game.
Walking back down into the Arroyo Seca from Colorado Ave took me right back to Badger Saturday mornings, walking down Regent with my dad. You had Michigan and Alabama fans all ready for a great game, no fighting, no drunk fans, just good fun casual strolling down to the game, everyone was a fan of the Rose Bowl and were looking forward to a great game.
The stadium sits in the bottom of a valley with mountains surrounding it in a neighborhood. The corporate sponsors are minimal and you can tell the Rose Bowl is doing everything it can to withstand the corporate greed that has taken over sporting areas the past few decades. The stadium is old, half seat backs, half bleachers, 2 small video boards, that is it. The rest is full of fans. The seating wasn’t even that crowded, we were in bleacher sits and had plenty of room.
Tailgating is everywhere! A golf course sits just north and everyone is out tailgating having a great time, Alabama fans tailgating with Michigan fans, walk up and someone will offer you a seat, a hot dog or some food. Everyone is out to help everyone have a great time! The only issue we had is that wi-fi is none existent near the stadium and we couldn’t access our tickets so we had to resolve that issue and missed most of the tailgating.
What stood out to me was seeing so many fathers giving their sons the absolute best time and experience possible. I heard one dad on the phone with what I would assume was his wife saying how much fun his son was having. I hope to be able to experience that with my son as he grows older.
We got into the stadium about 90 minutes before the game, the stadium was already half full, everyone just wanted to soak in the atmosphere. I stood there just enjoying the atmosphere thinking about all the games I have watch on TV previously remembering specific plays and where they occurred on the field. It took 30 years, but I was finally at the Rose Bowl.
We spent the next 90 minutes walking around, checking out the stadium and watching some of the pre-game and band festivities. The anthem was great with a beautiful backdrop of the San Gabriel mountains but the highlight was the B-2 flyover. You could see it coming and as it flew over the stadium you felt and heard the power of what American engineering can and has done.
Gametime
We didn’t know what to expect, we just wanted a good competitive game especially with the prices that tickets cost, and we bought them early! We had no idea what we were in for. It was a good old fashion slobberknocker in the trenches game that both coaching legends, Harbaugh and Saban had their teams ready for. This is what college football is. Michigan brought the pressure, Alabama held on and took over for awhile. This game had everything; great defense, trick plays, momentum shifts, great coaching and gameplay, and of course drama…lots of drama! Overtime with a defensive stop by Michigan to end a goal line stand sealed the game and it was pandemonium in the stands. High fiving, fist bumps, hugging strangers, it was pure joyful chaos!
I’ve been fortunate to have gone to many college football games including a couple bowl games a Michigan/Ohio State game and several Badger football games. This was hands down the best game I have ever been to in every way possible.
If you are a fan of college football, go to the Rose Bowl game. It is an absolute must in every way possible. It is what college football stands for. And in a moment with so much change in the game, expansion, and everything else, this stadium, this game brings you back in time to your childhood in the best way possible.
As some of you may know, my father passed away unexpectedly on December 1st. I talked to him about 2 hours before he passed and we had a casual conversation. Part of that conversation was my dad sharing his excitement that his two sons were going to the Rose Bowl, I could hear in his voice how happy he was for us. Walking into that stadium, seeing the colors, the mountains and reminiscing all the new years days I spent with my dad watching games in this exact stadium was a surreal moment in time for me. In what has been a very challenging and rough month for my family, this game allowed us to move forward a bit and I could feel my dad at our side the whole day.
