Every Rose Has Its Thorn

By Phil Hecken Well, the big day is FINALLY here. The Granddaddy. Is. Today. Oregon versus Wisconsin. Today is the Rose Bowl, the ONLY bowl that, while corporately sponsored, still maintains some semblance of past glory. So traditional that you can look back on a game from decades ago and still recognize both teams. We will look back on this game decades from now and instantly recognize both teams, right? Of course not, this isn’t your granddaddy’s Rose Bowl anymore. No, we’re in the age of marketing by press release and hype. Both teams today will be wearing *special* uniforms, designed JUST for the big game. And their manufacturers are driving the hype train — Nike and Oregon, and adidas and Wisconsin. Both teams have gone in markedly (pun firmly intended) different directions for their one-offs. Let’s look at the B1G representative first. I don’t even need to do any research — Wisconsin’s Press Release does all the work for me &...