@Tequilla asked a good question on Twitter which was what the Rose Bowl means to you, and it made me think AND CARE a bit about how truly special it is. I looked back at how UW Rose Bowl years lined up to family events, and in doing so realized that the 18 year gap between 2001 and 2019 is the
longest time between Rose Bowls in UW history. We went 16 years without one, from 1944 to 1960, which we would have tied if not for the playoff format sending us to Atlanta two years ago. Sigh. Anyway the entire Football marketing department should be fired since this was the time to educate today's generation about our history and we have failed.
My Grandmother went to UW in the 1930s and I believe was still in school for the 1937 game. Being born in Seattle her first RB exposure would have been the 1924 one as a child.
My Grandfather was on the 1937 Pitt team that beat us.
@RaceBannon was there and could verify.
They settled in western WA.
1960 was the first UW Rose Bowl of my dad's life and UW's first Rose Bowl win. My Grandpa died later that year.
A UW alum, widowed to a player from a RB team, living in Western WA, the RB meant a ton to my Grandma. The first UW ones of my life were when I was too little to know what was going on, but I watched the 1993 one with my Grandma. That was the last UW RB of her life.
I was lucky enough to be on campus for 2001.
And now my daughter gets to see her first UW RB. She's older than me, my dad and my Grandma were when UW went to the RB for the first time in each of lives. There's a good chance it will be the last one for my dad.
It's tradition and it matters. 18 fucking years is a long time. I can finally educate the next generation in my family.
Comments
(I bought and read The Dawgs of War)
My parents and older brother and sister went to the 61 Rose Bowl and called me from Disneyland while I stayed with grandma. That lit a burning desire to go to the Rose Bowl and watch the Huskies. I was 4 years old.
I watched the 65 Rose Bowl between my two dads on the coach as Bill Douglass went down with a broken leg and Dick Butkus and Jim Grabowski led the Illni to the win. Then they took our recruits.
The rest of my ill spent youth was spent watching USC or UCLA with a couple of Stanford appearances in the Rose Bowl. Mainly USC who won like 4 national titles. The idea of UW winning anything was so far faded in the background that all I had was the SI with Bob Schorledt on the cover and the program from the 61 RB to show it really had happened.
When James showed up in 75 and beat John McKay in his last year as USC coach hope arrived again. In 1977 I was home for the holidays and watched the Rose Bowl with my mom as we FINALLY won one for the Gipper.
Flew into LAX in 81 with a suitcase full of weed from Hawaii to watch the rematch with Michigan. My first live look. And we lost. Rather easily. Did sell the weed in South Central. Didn't have any issues with the Brothers until I pointed out that UW had beat USC that year and actually did EARN the Rose Bowl. It got quiet and I thought that perhaps I should have just let it ride,
Next year my Mom and I were there to see the DAWGS win over our bitch Iowa. Did it again in 91 again with Iowa. Gave the boss my natty Rose Bowl tix and watch us win it all with the family in Seattle on TV. Went again the next year and we lost to Ty Wheatly. Watched us beat Drew Brees in 2001. I'm 3-2 in person.
Went to the CFP and the Fiesta but there is nothing like a Rose. Nothing.
I don't think they're taking me seriously. It's been so long since our last Rose bowl that they don't remember what kind of shit they're going to be dealing with.
I have some halibut, some crab, some smoked salmon, and some ling cod that I'm going to bust out. Just have to figure out what I'm drinking.
The Granddaddy. Can't wait.
I will never call you old again. . . .
Between then and the next time against Iowa, I started falling in love with college football although being the product of a catholic school and their success at the time, I loved Notre Dame along with Washington. By time we? played the Irish in 95, I was constantly asked who I was rooting for. It wasn’t until I walked into the bar and saw the game being played that I left the Irish for good.
I remember watching the 91 RB with my parents not knowing mom would die before the next game. On January 1st, 1992, I was home from basic training and watched the game with my 2 dads, my brothers and a guy named Mike who would died shortly afterwards. Maybe I should only the RB with people I don’t like?
By time the 93 RB rolled around, I was stationed in Korea getting yellow fever and probably a few other diseases. One of my roommates was a Michigan fan and yeah, he fit every Midwest trash stereotype that existed. I didn’t know it’d be another 8 years until we? made it back. I think we all got a little spoiled under the Dawgfather.
I was married and had a 3 year old for the 2000 season. I remember watching and thinking we’re back under Rick. Fast forward to today and I feel confident about our? chances to get a little more often under Peterman.
Me......The last tim we played t-OSU
Me.......flash forward to 2019, midway through the 3rd quarter, again.
F' me for not learning the first tim. History does repeat itself and I'm one of the retards standing in line for a re-Pete. Jake Browning, if you are reading this, we deserve better than this....we? Really do
My brother and IGAF, my family not so much they’re east coasters who settled in Seattle. I plan on almost blacking out. If it was a regular season game I would. But it’s the fucking Rose Bowl. Go fucking Dawgs!