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A little luck helps the Rose Bowl team stay ahead of schedule


John Reitman

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After being dealt a lucky hand with no frost or rain, the team removes the tarps long before sunrise. Photos by Lauren Reitman

After four days at the Rose Bowl, I'm continually amazed at how people are so awestruck by a 2,5-acre plot of turf.

There are tours running through this place all the time, and the field is the big draw for them. They can get to the fence ringing the field, but not on the turf itself. So close, yet so far away.. When both teams visited the stadium Monday, first Oregon then Wisconsin, the players stood on the sideline admiring the field, but not walking on it until superintendent Will Schnell gave the OK: "Go ahead," he said. "You've earned it."

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Even ESPN's Rece Davis, stood on the sideline and gazed out across the field after he, David Pollack and Desmond Howard completed a live update from a set in the northwest corner of the field. An ESPN camera crew even followed along as members of Schnell's team applied a second coat of paint to the north end zone.

What people don't see is what happens before the gates are open.

Covers went on the night before in anticipation of rain and cold overnight temperatures that had been causing frost. The thought was rain and/or frost might force the tarps to stay on until just before Oregon's arrival around 9 a.m., which would have been a tight and stressful turnaround for Schnell and his crew.

Luck was on Schnell's side as neither made its presence known. It never rained, but the cloudy skies also helped keep temperatures up. That allowed the team to take the tarps off first thing in the morning. Instead of starting the removal process around 8:30 or 9, the tarps were off, folded and put away 8. His team is a well-oiled machine, and no one was any the wiser when Oregon arrived.

day6paint3.jpgBesides each end zone, the midfield logo and the numbers at each 10-yard interval were repainted throughout the day. The sidelines will get a fresh coat today as final preparations are made for Wednesday's game.

One thing I've learned this week is when preparing for a large event, especially one tied to a holiday, time sort of stands still. I've lost track of what day it is each day. Instead of thinking in terms of Sunday, Monday, Tuesday . . . the reference point is "how many days until game day".

A constant reminder of game day drawing nearer is the increasing activity around the stadium.

Even when the Rose Bowl game is not in town, the area around the stadium and adjacent Brookside Golf Course is abuzz with activity. The area is a magnet for joggers, bikers and people walking dogs and babies. In the days leading up to the game, the crowds have been on overdrive. 

Tailgate villages have been set up everywhere, food vendors have made their way in, high school bands are here daily to have their pictures taken in front of the stadium and a fan experience across the street allows people to get up close and personal with the float-decorating process. For those who might not know Rose Parade floats must be covered in natural materials like flowers, plants, seaweeds, seeds, bark, vegetables or nuts. Artificial flowers and artificial coloring are not allowed.

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A camera crew from ESPN follows along as the team repaints the north end zone.

A small building across the street allows visitors to see a half-dozen or so floats under construction. At each station, people are busy cutting flowers, gluing pieces into place and climbing around on scaffolding to make sure everything is just right.

Speaking of floats, navigating through town becomes more challenging tonight as road closures in advance of Wednesday's Rose Parade go into effect. With the football stadium and hotel on opposite sides of Colorado Boulevard, I'm still trying to figure out how we're going to get to the Rose Bowl on Wednesday morning. 

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Will Schnell (bottom left, with his back to the camera) thanks his crew for all of their hard work.

 

 

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