My special Rose Bowl experience

Submitted by 4wheeljive on January 5th, 2024 at 7:39 PM

The Rose Bowl has always been a special place for me. I grew up in the town next to Pasadena, and my dad got involved with the Tournament of Roses when I was 8. He was actually the president of the ToR for the 2007 game, the last time Michigan was there. Here's a pic of our family getting ready to walk across the field during the pre-game ceremony before the coin toss:

I'm in the middle carrying my 2-year old daughter. (The guy lurking behind me on the right was that year's Rose Parade Grand Marshal, George Lucas.)

And here's a pic of the 2007 coin toss with my dad, GL and Steve Breaston:

Fast forward 17 years and my daughter is now a sophomore at UM. Coming full circle, I took her to this year's game, and we enjoyed the extraordinary good fortune of being able to use the two tickets my dad got as a past president. The panorama above is the magical view from our seats.

And here we are during one of the greatest sports moments I've ever experienced:

I am so happy we got to share this occasion and that this will be a part of the Michigan experience she will remember and treasure her whole life. I didn't think the Rose Bowl could become an even more special place for me and my family than it already was, but there you go.

 

(Now, as a bit of a postscript, after the game I learned that a certain someone was sitting in the front row a bit to the left of us. If you zoom in on the pano above, you'll see him faintly circled. Grrr.) 

Football

Comments

4wheeljive

January 5th, 2024 at 7:50 PM ^

This is the first Diary I've tried to create. For some reason, it doesn't show the panorama image I uploaded as the main Diary image, and I don't see any way for me to edit the post. Very frustrating. Here it is, although it only lets me upload a relatively low-res version of the file in a normal comment post like this (so you can't really zoom in as I wanted people to be able to do).    

Joined: 10/27/2023

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Amaizing Blue

January 6th, 2024 at 7:28 AM ^

Thanks for posting!  My dad and I went in 1979 when I was 14.   I met Bob Hope and Bob Ufer, and saw a crushing Michigan loss to USC on the Charles White phantom touchdown.  (He fumbled at the 2, somehow no ref saw it.)  Still great memories, though.

I'm curious-who was the certain someone sitting in front of you that we can't zoom in on?  :)

Joined: 12/02/2013

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XM - Mt 1822

January 6th, 2024 at 7:44 AM ^

guessing it was c. stalion as to that 'who'.

i remember reading something about the white fumble details with the refs.  IIRC, the crew was a mix of conferences and it was the B10 ref that called it a TD.  the other refs tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn't budge.  don't know if true, but that's one possible take. 

Joined: 12/21/2011

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Amaizing Blue

January 6th, 2024 at 8:19 AM ^

"Big Ten refs, F-ing up games since 1979!"  Wouldn't shock me at all, XM.  They haven't really improved much in the intervening 45 years.  For everyone not of my...vintage, you can clearly see the ball out under his left hand, and he is just crossing the 2-yard line.  Oof.  And apparently my picture pasting skills need work as well.

Joined: 12/02/2013

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AngryAlum

January 5th, 2024 at 7:58 PM ^

Wow that looks awesome!  What a great memory.  I chickened out from going.  Seems like every time I go to a bowl game we lose and I can't stand the though of paying and going only to lose anymore.  I'm thinking I'm the bad luck reason for our bowl record.  (I'm not going to Houston so we should be good.)

Joined: 10/31/2010

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moldee_raspberry

January 5th, 2024 at 10:44 PM ^

The contrast and warm tones of those 07 film photos is amazing. I took a disposable to the RBG last weekend so hoping some of my shots hold a candle to those you posted (even though I never made it to center field, props on that btw). 

Joined: 11/20/2018

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BlueinLansing

January 6th, 2024 at 2:27 AM ^

This weekend made me remember a lot about the 1987 Rose Bowl, things I had sort of let fade from memory.  I haven't been back, one of my great regrets.  The whole experience is a treasure and I'm sorry to see it changed the way it has, but its very clear this week that it means so much more to Michigan fans.  

Joined: 09/01/2009

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grumbler

January 7th, 2024 at 10:20 PM ^

I'm still not clear on what people who hate on CS are hating on him for.  Paying for game video is perfectly within the rules (else All-22 would be out of business).  I can understand why some people fell for the con at the beginning, but don't understand why they have not wised up.

Joined: 08/17/2011

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4wheeljive

January 8th, 2024 at 1:41 PM ^

I was not hating on CS. I've been quite vocal from the outset that his arrangement for capturing video of future opponents was not advance scouting and is not against the NCAA rules. I was just a bit peeved by his (in my opinion, selfish) decision to attend the Rose Bowl Game. I thought it was a shame that he inserted himself (in a small way) back into the story lines on a day that should have been about nothing but positives for Michigan. (Of course, I say this fully aware of the irony that I chose to give him a bit role in my story of the day. I just couldn't resist pointing out that little Easter egg.)

Joined: 10/27/2023

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