"Good work, good work," Will Schnell mutters at a tone that is barely audible as he inspects the recently applied paint job at the Rose Bowl Stadium. 

Yard lines, hash marks, end zones and logos appeared flawless in an inspection tour Schnell was taking earlier than he had wanted. Even the 100-plus-year-old history and tradition of the Rose Bowl Game is no match for Mother Nature. Getting to this point was no easy task.

With more rain in the forecast in what already has been a wet December by California standards, the old gal is calling many of the shots as the field staff at the Rose Bowl Stadium prepare for the 106th edition of the New Year's Day classic.

Neither Lauren nor I have ever been anywhere near a paint gun, so being handed one to help paint something as important as the Rose Bowl field can be pretty intimidating. My greatest concern was just creating a mess for someone else to fix. Lauren was more of a natural. We bought a pair of sneakers at Walmart for $9 that she could throw away at the end of the week. Covered in Wisconsin red, they became a trophy that made the trip back home. 

Like most things, painting wasn't as hard as it looks. Besides, a bucket of water and wet cloth can help fix just about anything that even I could create. We did lose our social media expert Lauren for a time, however, when she showed a real talent for the paint gun and thus was pulled away to help paint the north end zone (Wisconsin) and the end line behind it (top) as well as some of the numerals on the field (below).

Even the process of giving the field a second coat of paint was moved up a couple of days to beat the rain and get it covered to keep the playing surface dry and firm.

Built on a layer of sand, the field at the Rose Bowl is essentially a very large USGA green. Just like a green becomes softer when it rains, so too does the Rose Bowl field. And that is something Schnell wants to avoid in the final days leading up to the game.

Schnell is always thinking about the weather. His day begins between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. as he monitors weather and plans for the day. Just how much rain is too much to provide the universities of Wisconsin and Oregon with the type of playing surface the Rose Bowl has come to be known for?

"At this time of year, almost anything is too much," Schnell said. "That's why it's important we get it painted and covered."

First thing in the morning on Saturday, Dec. 29, the team was busy getting paint ready - Wisconsin red; Oregon green and yellow; a lot of white; and rose red, stem green and black for the Rose Bowl emblem at midfield.

With overnight lows in the mid-30s in SoCal, a portable heater worked overtime to keep paint and people warm in the tunnel leading out to the field. The forecast called for sunny skies, but early morning clouds helped a stubborn frost layer wear out its welcome, delaying the scheduled start by nearly an hour. By the time paint guns fired up the clock already was running.

"It's cold in the morning and the evening. We have a small window," Schnell said. "We have to get this done by 3 o'clock, because the sun goes down behind the stadium early."