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For the 2011-12 holidays I was in sunny Pasadena, enjoying the absolutely first rate hospitality a media member receives when covering the Rose Bowl; the greatest bowl game of them all. And to top it all off:
I’m told by the winning coach of a BCS game (Oregon Ducks’ Chip Kelly) that my business and marketing ideas are superb! In a crowded room full of my media peers no less!
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It’s combine time, the male version of a swimsuit calendar shoot. But don’t get too high or too low about this stuff. Like my friend Bill Smith says, “beware the workout warrior.” The site of the past Super Bowl, Indianapolis is also hosting the 2012 NFL Draft Scouting Combine. Let’s take a look at who’s draft stock is trading higher and who’s trading lower after the workouts.
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It’s hard not to have a very high opinion of oneself after covering the Rose Bowl. Because you and all the other journalists who cover the game are indeed treated like royalty all week.
Granted I knew I was “kind of a big deal” before going to Pasadena, but all the superb hospitality and first-rate service made me feel like even more of a rock star. Now I’m ready to work on that New Year’s Resolution- stop being a nice guy.
The Rose Bowl game takes place on what is by far the best sports day of the year- New Year’s Day. A good chunk of major bowls, the NHL Winter Classic, some NBA and conference play in college basketball take place on this day as well. Even though it’s sports overload, it’s one of my favorite days of the year.
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Records fell left and right. The 2012 Rose Bowl set a new record for most points scored in a quarter, half and entire game. The Wisconsin Badgers saw their tailback Montee Ball tie the college football record for most TDs in a season.
The UW quarterback, Russell Wilson set a new season mark for passer rating. But it still wasn’t enough as the Oregon Ducks won their first Rose Bowl in 95 years, 45-38.
The offenses were as hot as the weather; as this was the sixth warmest Rose Bowl in the 98 year history of the game.
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Update: new links!
The 98th Rose Bowl takes place at 2 pm PT. Should be a shootout, and as good a college football game as any you’ll see this year. Lots of points- the over/under (again just for recreational purposes) is 72.
And the passer rating record will likely fall in this game too. (More on that here)
So here’s everything you need to know about the “Grand Daddy of them All,” created and produced with the WIFI at “Grand Daddy’s Lounge” in downtown Los Angeles.
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Is the third time a charm for Chip Kelly and his Oregon Ducks? Will the 2012 Rose Bowl end differently than last year’s national title game and the 2010 Rose Bowl?
The knock on Kelly’s Ducks is that if you get an entire month to prepare for them, then stopping the 3rd in the nation in total yards Quack Attack isn’t so difficult.
However, the Ducks are 6 point favorites in this game. And this is the first year of the Pac-12 Championship game, so the layoff this year is significantly shorter. They are the school to have a current three game BCS streak.
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Running back LaMichael James made some headlines this week. For what appeared to be his deathly fear of roller coasters.
He’s not afraid to go really fast on the college football field, as he is the focal point of Oregon Ducks offense. The Ducks go at a ridiculously fast pace; as they have scored 35 touchdowns on drives of 70 or more; each consuming less than three minutes. James is averaging a national best 149.6 yards on the ground while running for 1,646 yards; 4th in the country. Despite missing two games with a dislocated elbow.
He’s the school’s all-time leading rusher; just 77 yards shy of 5,000. Just don’t confuse with LeGarrette Blount, which is surprisingly easier to do than you think. James took over for the now Tampa Bay Buccaneers tailback at Oregon when Blount was suspended for his involvement in that brawl in 2009.
But question #1 for James is obviously: forgoing his senior year to enter the NFL draft?
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For the second consecutive year, the Wisconsin Badgers find themselves representing the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. However, this time around, they get a Pac-12 powerhouse in Oregon instead of a pesky TCU squad who proved to be too much in an upset in Pasadena.
The battle between the Badgers (11-2) and Ducks (11-2) is one of the most intriguing match-ups of the bowl season, particularly because the two teams are so much alike. The game will feature two of the most potent offenses in the country and both teams seem to be playing their best football right now. [Read more…]
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The Granddaddy of them all, the Rose Bowl awaits for the #5 Oregon Ducks. Chip Kelly is going for his first BCS win in three tries. But plenty of stories have already surfaced RE: the Ducks during this Rose Bowl week. Let’s get you caught up.
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Rose Bowl rivals Wisconsin and Oregon began their Rose Bowl week by visiting Disneyland in Anaheim yesterday. This event traditionally marks the first official joint public appearance of the two Rose Bowl teams, a Disneyland tradition dating back to 1959.
Both teams were welcomed by Mickey Mouse in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle. Following the ceremony, Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson and Ducks tight end David Paulsen led their teams onto the Matterhorn Bobsleds and then took a spin on the Tea Cups. Numerous players and coaches including Badgers safety Aaron Henry and Oregon Coach Chip Kelly enjoyed the 76 degree weather at the happiest place on Earth.
From the AP, via the San Francisco Chronicle:
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The Oregon Ducks 2011 college football season will commence under the dark cloud of an NCAA investigation, but Oregon’s exciting, super-charged offense (#1 in the nation in scoring, total offense) will give their fans some sunny skies. Third straight conference title? Getting back to the national championship game? Ma.
By the way, (according to Fox Sports, but you’ll see that in the video in the link below) the body temperature for an Oregon Ducks cheerleader is 186 degrees fahrenheit, more than double the 98 degrees of the next closest competitor, Texas and quadruple that of any school in Ohio’s cheer squad. Obviously Oregon has replaced the USC Song Girls, Florida “Dazzlers”, UCLA and anyone else as the hottest in college football, or college basketball for that matter.
Therefore, we present to you…..the Definitive Collection of Hot Oregon Cheerleader pics Click on the pictures to see a larger version….And now back to the season preview:
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The Oregon Ducks open up against the LSU Tigers at Cowboys Stadium Saturday night at 7pm CT. Talk about starting fast out of the gate! Two top 5 teams with national title aspirations, and one will go home with those championship hopes severely impaired. Forget warm-up cream puff scheduling in the non-conference. Let’s get right to it!
I’m adding a new wrinkle to the brutally honest game previews this year. I’ll still do two previews each week; only this time It’s going to be a nationally significant/sometimes out of region game in addition to the regional game I’ll be at the press box for. Not only is this the game of the week by miles and miles, it’s also the last two teams I previewed in my 77 in 77. That’s 77 college football teams in 77 days.
So let’s kick 2011 off!
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