[NU Sports] Re: Utah and the playoff ... (fwd)

[Tom Maycock]

> I may be in the minority on this, but a crystal football
> shaped trophy is less important to me than the 3 recent Big
> Ten Championship trophies we already have (plus the old
> ones, of course), and a Rose Bowl trophy (whatever that
> looks like) would be great also.

+1

> 
> I might even feel a little let down if we went 12-0 and
> didn't go to Pasadena.? Again, in my mind, Pasadena on
> New Year's Day is an incredible feeling, a matchless
> experience.? 

+1

The thought of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, with all those damn Tostitos signs everywhere, makes me a bit ill. I'm sure if a national championship was on the line, I'd be happy enough to deal with it. But the Rose Bowl reigns supreme. 

I grew up in Big 8 country, so the Orange Bowl always meant more to me than the Rose Bowl. 

So, late in the '95 season, I didn't really care where we went--I figured any bowl trip would be as good as any other. As it happened, I was in LA the weekend we were playing Purdue for (at least a piece) of the championship. I made sure to stop by the Rose Bowl to check it out, and I was awestruck. Suddenly, it really, really mattered to me that we end up there. And thanks to Michigan beating OSU, we did. I can't wait to go back. 

Tom