New Year's Day? No it's Rose Bowl Day!

I'll get the customary happy new year wishes out of the way first.

Because seriously people. There are more important things to concentrate on today than trying to remember to write 2011 instead of 2010 on my check (which will probably take me until mid-February to do successfully) or figuring out resolutions (which I still haven't thought much about for this year...maybe I'll skip them).

No. There's more important things. Like college football. And most importantly, the Rose Bowl.
Because in just about 2 hours you'll find me glued to a TV, crossing my fingers, hoping, praying and screaming that my Badgers can kick some TCU Horned Frog butt, come away smelling roses and add another Rose Bowl title to its collection.

It's game day.

And while I'm super excited, there's a part of me that's a little disappointed. See all week I've been following blogs, Tweets and local media reports of what's been going on out in Los Angeles, which tens of thousands of Badger fans have taken over to the point that it's been dubbed Madison West.

It reminds me of 2000, the last time the Badgers were in the Rose Bowl, when three friends and I packed up the car and drove 2,200 miles and 33 hours to watch the Badgers beat Stanford 17-9 to win the school's second straight Rose Bowl title.

That whole day was magical. Starting with celebrating New Year's Eve on the streets of Pasadena by watching fireworks at midnight (while our parents back in the Midwest were worried we wouldn't survive Y2K), returning to the same spot to watch the Rose Parade later that morning and finally the game itself. Amazing. Watching Ron Dayne rumble into the end zone in the third quarter and the excitement that was going through the stands as the final minutes ticked off the clock and us Wisconsin fans realized the title would be ours.

Sigh.

An amazing experience. One I had memories of during the past week as I read about everybody's 2011 Rose Bowl. And one that I want to experience again. So the next time the Badgers head out to Pasadena for the Granddaddy of the All? It's probably a safe bet that this Badgergirl will be out there, cheering them on and living the Rose Bowl experience.

I hope you all have a great start to 2011. Mine will be that much sweeter if the Badgers can pull out the Rose Bowl win. Now you'll have to excuse me. Kick off is in 2 hours and this Badger fan needs to get ready to cheer!