Ok, correct me if I'm wrong, but... the only reason Illinois is in the Rose Bowl is because Ohio State has to be in the BCS championship game. So, in other words, Illinois was the alternate, the substitute, the backup, the other choice, the standin.
It just cracks me up that all of these "Illinois fans" are so happy that Illinois was "invited" to play in the Rose Bowl... HA!! Consider it this way...
You're looking for a date to take to the prom. You have already purchased two tickets and made the reservations for a very nice dinner. You've already rented the tux and even already made the corsage order and an order for a dozen red roses (have to keep with the "Rose Bowl" theme somehow). You have your eye on a cute girl... she's all you have been thinking about and you get so excited for the chance to be with her for a whole evening.
You call her up, have some small talk first then you finally ask... "Ohiostate, will you go to the prom with me?" You hear a giggle... "Oh, I really wish I could give you an answer right this second, but... I have to wait a see. There's a much larger more important dance that same day that I might be invited to. I'll let you know."
And of course she gets asked to the "more important dance." So... such a quandary, what do you do? Who do you ask... you already have the tickets, the reservations, the flowers, the tux. Well, of course, the 2nd prettiest girl in school... the backup, the second choice, the substitute, the alternate... Illinois. And the whole time you're at the dance with "her" you really want to be with your first choice... Ohiostate.
Will I watch the Rose Bowl... you bet... I watch as many of the bowl games as I can. Will I root like a made man for Illinois, just because I live in Illinois? You've got to be kidding!! That doesn't mean I'll be rooting for USC, though, either. It's just not in me to cheer for Illinois just because I live in Illinois. Growing up in westcentral Illinois, I knew many more Iowa fans than I did Illinois fans.
I've never been one that cheered for a team just because everyone around me was cheering for them or because my geographical situation put me close to a certain team. In the summer of 2002 I made a very important decision... one that I have not regretted or been ashamed. After getting to know an executive with the Chicago White Sox and attending a couple of games, I made the slow and difficult transition of becoming a White Sox fan. I grew up a Cubs fan, everyone in my family are Cubs fans. But, I just got tired of Cubs management having what appeared to be a lack of interest in truly managing a major league baseball team and having more interest in managing a "beer garden" for baseball lovers. So... I made the switch. And yes, that was well before they became world series champions. In fact, they weren't all that good in 2002.
So, back to my original point... the Fighting Illini playing in the Rose Bowl. So what... I'm sure USC isn't very excited about the matchup either.
No comments:
Post a Comment