[TreeWeird]

[quote='FarmBoy link' dateline='1382385945']
[quote]
I think it's a generational thing. I certainly "grew up" in the era in which the Rose Bowl was the end all be all, but almost half of my football fandom has been during the BCS era, and the prestige of the Rose Bowl has given way.

[/quote]


I agree this is generational.  Kids who grew up in the BCS era (e.g., Publius, I assume) don't quite understand the mystical attraction of the Rose Bowl versus all others. 

Still, having been at the bowls the last three years, I have not hesitation saying the Rose Bowl is superior.  Compared to the Orange and Fiesta bowls, at the Rose Bowl one tailgates on grass with trees rather than on an asphalt parking lot.  The Rose Bowl is in a real college stadium with tradition and character, not a sterile NFL stadium whatever its creature comforts.  And at the Rose Bowl we weren't blasted non-stop with commercial messages during every stoppage of play, with booming TV commercials playing over the college bands (especially Capital One ads at the orange bowl).  Finally, although our fans showed up well at all 3 games, it was glorious to walk into the Rose Bowl and see more Stanford fans there than at least the opening of the new stadium and probably since the last Rose Bowl.

 

[TreeWeird]

[quote='FarmBoy link' dateline='1382385945']
[quote]
I think it's a generational thing. I certainly "grew up" in the era in which the Rose Bowl was the end all be all, but almost half of my football fandom has been during the BCS era, and the prestige of the Rose Bowl has given way.

[/quote]


I agree this is generational.  Kids who grew up in the BCS era (e.g., Publius, I assume) don't quite understand the mystical attraction of the Rose Bowl versus all others. 

Still, having been at the bowls the last three years, I have not hesitation saying the Rose Bowl is superior.  Compared to the Orange and Fiesta bowls, at the Rose Bowl one tailgates on grass with trees rather than on an asphalt parking lot.  The Rose Bowl is in a real college stadium with tradition and character, not a sterile NFL stadium whatever its creature comforts.  And at the Rose Bowl we weren't blasted non-stop with commercial messages during every stoppage of play, with booming TV commercials playing over the college bands (especially Capital One ads at the orange bowl).  Finally, although our fans showed up well at all 3 games, it was glorious to walk into the Rose Bowl and see more Stanford fans there than at least the opening of the new stadium and probably since the last Rose Bowl.