(and now for a change of pace with one of my deepest passions....Michigan football)
I was glancing at ESPN last night and I noted that college football's bowl season has already begun. Traditionally (at least when I started watching CFB in the late 1970's) college football season would begin on Christmas Day and would end with the New Year's Day orgy of the Big Four bowls (Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton).
Being the lifelong Meeeeeeeeeeeeechigan Wolverine fan that I am, New Year's Day has offered very generous helpings of both joy and heartbreak. Here are some of my favorites (and yes, I have a Wolverine bias).
1) 1998 Rose Bowl- Michigan 21 Washington State 16- The 1998 Rose Bowl was the culmination of Michigan's national championship season which featured Heisman Trophy winner (and future NFL Hall of Famer) Charles Woodson. The 1997 regular season also featured the most dominant performance by a Michigan team that I have seen in my 35 years of watching Michigan football.
Oh, and we did beat Ohio State but that was par-the-course in the John Cooper years.
The 1998 Rose Bowl game featured the notorious disappearence of the final two seconds off of the clock as Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf spiked the ball. but even that followed the most egregious non-call of a penalty that I have ever seen; the pass interference of Charles Woodson which got the ball in position for Washignton State to win the game.
The part of this clip that rarely fails to bring a tear to my eye: Keith Jackson's announcement of the Rose Bowl MVP.
2) 1989 Rose Bowl- Michigan 22 USC Trojans 14- The 1989 Rose Bowl game is especially memorable not simply because Michigan won but also because of who Michigan beat. The USC Trojans have been the bane of many a Michigan team's appearence in the Rose Bowl and, more often than not, the Trojans haven't needed the assistance of a phantom touchdown. Even with Michigan making up an 11-point halftime deficit to take a one-point lead, I remember feeling that sense of impending doom because, well...we were playing USC.
And then Michigan RB Leroy Hoard broke one. Big. The most cathartic moment I have ever felt in my 35 year history of watching the Wolverines in bowl games.
3) 2000 Orange Bowl- Michigan 35 Alabama 34- The next clip will probably get thousands of hits prior to the Michigan-Alabama showdown in Arlington, Texas September 1, 2012 to open the college football season.
Two of college football's most storied programs squaring off on one of college football's biggest stages. Tom Brady. Shaun Alexander. So many lead changes, Overtime.
And the must stunning end of overtime that I have ever seen in college (or professional) football.
4) 2005 Rose Bowl- Texas 38 Michigan 37 Many people forget that Michigan freshman quarterback Chad Henne went 18/34 with 4TD passes and that Michigan wideout/kick returner Steve Breaston broke a longstanding Rose Bowl record held by USC's OJ Simpson's with 315 total yards (passing and kick returns).
But the 2005 Rose Bowl remembered for Vince Young's phenomenal performance at QB for Texas. Vince Young is the greatest player in Rose Bowl history, period.
Yes, the clip is long but the game was sooooooo good and I couldn't find another clip of the game without annoying music.
5a) 1981 Rose Bowl- Michigan 23 Washington 6 - Bo Schembechler's first Rose Bowl win after five losses in Pasadena. Oh, and Anthony Carter, the greatest Michigan receiver of all time. 'Nuff said.`
5b) 2008 Capital One Bowl-Michigan 41 Florida 35 - Lloyd Carr's final game as Michigan's head coach, the year that saw what Michigan fans now call The Horror. Michigan went into this game a decided underdog (10-11 pts) and most people (even Michigan fans) thought that the Florida Gators (and a QB named Tebow) would rout the Wolverines. Oh, and I still get goosebumps watching Adrian Arrington's catch at 4:50.
A few of my most memorable non-Michigan related bowl games would include the 1978 Orange Bowl, the 1979 Sugar Bowl (yes, because of the goal line stand) the 1984 Orange Bowl, the 2003 and 2007 Fiesta Bowls.
What's yours?
