Chad's spot for various thoughts, musings, poetry, ideas and whatnot

Thursday, January 01, 2004

The Grandaddy of Them All

While many feel that the BCS College Football National Championship thing is all screwed up, I couldn't be happier with the outcome (other than the whole National Championship thing in the first place). You see, all is right with the Rose Bowl this year; Big Ten champ vs. Pac Ten champ. I remember as a kid getting up early (8 am early) on New Year's Day in Oregon to watch the Rose Parade. After the parade I'd go out and play for a while and then come back in for the game. Back then it was Big Ten vs. Pac Eight, usually either USC or UCLA vs. Michigan or Ohio State. Usually the game was pretty exciting with implications in the College Football National Championship. I was pretty much unaware of what was going on in the SEC or the SWC or anywhere else. Sure there was Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Alabama and a host of others but all I cared about was the Rose Bowl. I'd try to watch the Cotton Bowl or the Sugar Bowl or something else but I wasn't interested. There was no parade, no Keith Jackson saying "Welcome to the "grandaddy of 'em all", no real pagentry. I always wished I'd see Oregon or Oregon State in the game but I was realistic about things. Later on you'd see Washington or Arizona or, even, Cal but as a kid I rooted for Bruin Blue or Trojan Red and Gold. You couldn't hate the other team though (this wasn't an SEC game). You had to respect them for their toughness, grit and determination.

So this year all is as it was when I was a kid. As I type this Michigan is driving but it's a hard fight with a 4th down conversion. Two great teams with Championship implications. Should SC be in the Sugar Bowl? Maybe, but I'm glad that they're not. Bring on the Grandaddy!

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