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Tournament Of Roses

January 2, 2012 by · Comments Off on Tournament Of Roses 

Tournament Of RosesTournament Of Roses, Just Imagine…Not a question of tradition for it has been here since 1890. The Rose Parade 2012 absolutely is the biggest New Year event in the United States. However, this time around, the Rose Parade is not actually January 1 but January 2? What is the reason behind the Tournament of Roses adjusting into January 2?

The New Year fell on Sunday and according to the tradition that was acted upon in 1893, there is no Tournament of Roses to avoid interference on religious activities. Rose Parade is Never on Sunday. Many might have sought for the Rose Parade yesterday and probably some are wondering if today is January 1.

A tradition that features 43 floats that are designed to suit the eyes of the beholder with millions of people watching along the route and even hundreds of millions on television. Furthermore, there’s nothing to deny to the fact that there are also 21 marching bands and 26 equestrian units with about 400 horses. Tournament of Roses’ 2012 theme is “Just Imagine…”. Some of the readers probably might be saying, “Just imagine if I am there”.

Rose Parade will always be a part of the American culture as the people cherish the event annually. This is the most prominent parade around the world that it is being covered nationwide through ABC tv channel. Of course, there were people who already preempted the route so the they can get a better glance of the parade.

Rose Parade 2012 start time is at 8:00 PM PST. Surely, the Rose Parade will always be the biggest event in Pasadena, California yearly. Capping up the Rose Parade is the Rose Bowl football game of Wisconsin vs Oregon that will start at 2:10 PM ET.

One of the most anticipated floats is of the Girl Scouts for it marked its 100th year anniversary. The float is sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation that honors the work and life of actress Elizabeth Taylor.

After the Rose Parade the most awaited Rose Bowl from the Big Ten Champion and Pac 12 Champion. Wisconsin Badgers face Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl 2012. A complete television viewing as we start new year.

Here is the History of Rose Bowl

Every January, the world focuses its attention on Pasadena, Calif., home of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. It’s a celebration more than a century old – a festival of flowers, music and sports unequaled anywhere in the world. The Tournament of Roses is more than just a parade and football game. It’s America’s New Year Celebration, a greeting to the world on the first day of the year, and a salute to the community spirit and love of pageantry that has thrived in Pasadena since 1902.

The 123nd Rose Parade presented by Honda, themed “Just Imagine…,” takes place on Monday, January 2, 2012, at 8 a.m. (PST), featuring majestic floral floats, high-stepping equestrian units and spirited marching bands from throughout the nation. At 2:10 p.m. (PST), the 98th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO showcases the Big Ten Conference champion and the champion from the Pac-12 Conference.

Known as the oldest of bowls, the Rose Bowl Game kicked off a myriad of college football legacies in 1902. Since then, the game has been home to 17 Heisman Trophy winners, produced 29 national champions, featured 193 consensus All-Americans and honored 101 college football legends by inducting them into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.

Rose Bowl Preview

January 2, 2012 by · Comments Off on Rose Bowl Preview 

Rose Bowl Preview, Where: The Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif. Time: 4:10 p.m. Monday.

TV: ESPN. Radio: AM-620. Tickets: Sold out. Line: Oregon by 6.

Series: UW leads, 3-1. Coaches: Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema (60-18); Oregon’s Chip Kelly (33-6).

BROADCASTS
Television – ESPN with Brent Musberger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analysis) and Erin Andrews (sideline).

Radio – AM-620 in Milwaukee and a state network with Matt Lepay (play-by-play) and Mike Lucas (analysis).

FOUR THINGS TO WATCH
NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS: Few defenses have been able to contain the plethora of speedy playmakers Oregon has at multiple positions. UW’s defensive coaches normally prefer to remain in their base 4-3-4 whenever possible, even against spread teams. That probably won’t work against the Ducks, who have more overall speed than any team UW has faced this season. Cornerback Peniel Jean was solid in the nickel package (4-2-5) during the regular season, but UW’s best alignment would be Antonio Fenelus and Marcus Cromartie at cornerback, safety Shelton Johnson in the slot and Aaron Henry and Dezmen Southward as the deep safeties.

Johnson has played cornerback and safety and played well down the stretch. He is tied for the team lead in interceptions (four) and is fourth on the team in tackles (51). He had an interception in each of UW’s last three games.

NO QUICK STRIKES: Oregon uses a breakneck pace and big plays to get defenders out of position and ultimately wear them down. Of the Ducks’ 75 touchdown drives, 41 have lasted two minutes or less. That includes 13 drives of one minute or less. “Guys start standing up a little more, stop bending their knees,” UW defensive tackle Patrick Butrym said when asked to identify signs of fatigue in defenders. “(They) don’t run to the ball as hard.”

When Oregon reaches the red zone, UW’s defense must force field-goal attempts. The Ducks have scored on 86% of their red-zone chances (54 of 63), but the percentage of touchdowns drops to 76% (48 of 63). By comparison, UW has scored touchdowns on 87% of its trips into the red zone (61 of 70).

STAY OUT OF THIRD AND LONG: UW quarterback Russell Wilson can anticipate the blitz before the snap and avoid pressure with his feet. However, Oregon is third nationally in sacks per game (3.3). The last thing UW needs is to put Wilson in obvious passing situations and allow the Ducks to ignore the run.

The Ducks use multiple fronts and use a variety of blitzes, including complex zone blitzes, to confuse linemen and the quarterbacks. They often blitz two defenders through the same gap, one after another, to outman blockers. It will be essential for the linemen, as well as Wilson, to make precise pre-snap reads to identify the potential blitzers. Communication among the linemen and tight ends must be consistent.

“Definitely stop them on first down and make it second- and third-and-long,” Oregon linebacker Michael Clay said of the Ducks’ plan to stop UW. “And take a lot of their key bread-and-butter plays out so they have to go to the high passing game. I think with our defensive line we’ll pin (their) ears back and get to them if they have to go third-and-long.”

FORCE MISTAKES: UW wasn’t able to force a turnover in the Rose Bowl loss to TCU last season. The Badgers must take the ball away from Oregon, which has suffered 18 turnovers (12 fumbles and six interceptions). UW has forced 24 turnovers (15 interceptions, nine fumbles), with 21 coming in the last nine games. The Badgers have turned 17 of those 21 turnovers into touchdowns.

“I think it all starts with pursuit and attitude,” linebacker Chris Borland said. “When you’ve got guys running to the ball and hitting hard, the ball seems to pop loose. It’s all positive when you have guys running to the ball and being aggressive.”

DID YOU KNOW?
The Badgers are 6-3 in bowl games against teams currently in the Pacific 12. The last bowl loss for UW against a team in the Pacific 12 was the 1963 Rose Bowl. Top-ranked USC defeated No. 2 UW, 42-37.

HISTORY
This is the fifth meeting between UW and Oregon but the first since the 2001 season and the first in a bowl game.

The 2000 and 2001 games were entertaining and went down to the wire, with the first game in Madison and the rematch in Eugene.

In 2000, UW tailback Michael Bennett introduced himself to the nation by rushing for 290 yards in a 27-23 victory.

Quarterback Brooks Bollinger scored the winning touchdown with 5 minutes 25 seconds left after a long run by Bennett.

Cornerback Jamar Fletcher sealed the victory with an interception, his third of the game against Joey Harrington.

Harrington led the Ducks to a 31-28 victory in 2001. Harrington passed for 278 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another, the game-winner with 4:03 left.

Jim Sorgi, who completed 16 of 32 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns, drove UW to the Oregon 47 in the final minutes. However, Sorgi threw four consecutive incompletions and the Ducks held on for the victory.

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