Badgers: Rose Bowl

Wisconsin is going back to the Rose Bowl. It's a great way to begin 2011.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Wisconsin has had an unprecedented run of postseason success. Now the fourth-ranked Badgers get to play in the Big Ten's marquee game against undefeated No. 3 TCU in the Rose Bowl.

Wisconsin (11-1) will face the only perfect team that isn't in the BCS title game and will play in a program-record ninth straight bowl game on Jan. 1.

"That's so special, there's not many teams that can say that," quarterback Scott Tolzien said Sunday night. "You're always greedy, in that regard, you don't just want to go to a bowl game, you want to go to a better bowl game. It's been a nice gradual progression, and hopefully it's the start of something big for this program."

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema says the three losses last season helped propel the Badgers through a loss at Michigan State in the opening game of Big Ten play. Since then, the Badgers have won seven straight to make their seventh Rose Bowl appearance in school history.

"I've said it a couple times and I'm not joking, we don't have to wait 10 years to get back to where we are," Bielema said.

It will actually be 11 years since Wisconsin made consecutive Rose Bowl appearances in 1999 and 2000, winning two of its three Rose Bowl titles under Barry Alvarez. Alvarez handpicked Bielema as his successor five years ago.

Wisconsin's success is helping to stimulate the local economy.

From Channel 3000: Businesses Already Cashing In On Rose Bowl

While many are celebrating Sunday’s official Rose Bowl announcement, workers at one Madison company are simply too busy to party.

Madison Top Company employees will be working through Sunday night to produce thousands of 2011 Rose Bowl T-Shirts that will start shipping out across the state before most Badger fans get out of bed Monday morning.

It may be a cold December night, but Madison Top Company’s presses are hot, and employees at Madison’s oldest silk-screening business hope that sales are even hotter.

"We don't know the final count, but because the demand's there, we'll be printing all week long, and hopefully further," said Aaron Frank of Madison Top Company.

But Madison Top Company isn’t the only local company cashing in on the Rose Bowl news.

Student-run Badger Trips, a company started two years ago that buses Badger fans to away games, is now operating in full bloom.

"355 seats out of Madison, and we're working on a 150-seater aircraft out of Chicago," said Badger Trips CEO Alex Goldstein of Sunday’s activity.

"It's not just for students," continued Goldstein. "We originally started with the focus of that, but why not take all the Badger fans?"

Travel packages include transportation and accommodations.

..."With the struggling economy and everything, it's always tough in the business, but something like this definitely makes a nicer end to your year," said Aaron Frank of Madison Top Company.

And many more Rose Bowl items are sure to appear as Rose Bowl excitement hits a fever pitch as the New Year’s Day game approaches.

So many businesses will benefit from the Badgers' Rose Bowl appearance.

Every sports bar in Wisconsin will be packed on January 1st.
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Rose Bowl fan gear available here.