Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Induction Honors Football Legends

” To me this is the finest, most revered game in college football, and certainly deserves to be called the Granddaddy of them all”  Master of Ceremonies and iconic sports announcer Brent Musburger said as he kicked off the 2013 Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Induction ceremony and luncheon held at the Pasadena Convention Center on Monday.

Enshrined that afternoon were Lloyd H. Carr of Michigan, Orlando Pace of Ohio State and Lynn Swann of the University of Southern California.

The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to pay tribute to members of the Rose Bowl Game who have contributed to the history and excitement of the game, and those who embody the highest level of passion, strength, tradition and honor associated with “The Granddaddy of Them All.”

Musburger was a last-second replacement for Legendary Sportscaster Keith Jackson, who is ill, and who personally asked Musburger on Saturday to fill in for him. Musburger jumped at the chance.

” The men inducted today have been a part of memorable games that make the New Year’s Day game an incredible experience,” Rose Bowl Chair Libby Wright said.

The podium was filled with college football greats, one of which was Michigan Wolverine Quarterback Brian Griese, and he gave the speech that officially inducted his coach Lloyd H. Carr into the Hall of Fame. Griese praised Coach Carr’s loyalty to both the program and his players. Carr coached at the University of Michigan for 28 years from 1980-2007, appearing in eleven Rose Bowl Games.

Carr’s crowning achievement came in 1997-1998 when he led his team to an undefeated season, and an AP National Championship after defeating the Washington State Cougars 21-16 to capture the 1998 Rose Bowl .

When Carr accepted his award and jacket, he recalled during his coaching tenure the opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl was the goal every season.

“We as a coaching staff made a point of always mentioning the word Pasadena, the Rose Bowl, and the things that we had to do as a team to make it out to Pasadena,” Carr said. ” Every time I came out here (eleven times), it was perfect weather and the feeling of walking into the Rose Bowl was overwhelming. To look up and see the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains…. I thank the Hall of Fame for this honor, and this is one of the greatest achievements of my life”.

Next, Justin Pace inducted his father, Orlando Pace, in a touching speech which had his father grinning from ear to ear. The crowd seemed impressed with the young man’s confidence and his ability to describe his father’s major achievements.

Orlando Pace is one of the greatest offensive tackles to ever play the sport, NCAA, or NFL. The Ohio State lineman was a two-time All-American, recipient of the Outland Trophy, given to the nations best interior lineman in 1996. In the 1997 Rose Bowl, the Buckeyes’ won a nail-biter, 20-17 over the favored Arizona State Sun Devils. He is also in the College Football Hall of Fame (2013), and Ohio State “O” Hall of Fame (2011).

The final inductee of the afternoon seemed to the fans’ favorite. Lynn Swann has been described as one of the finest athletes ever to lace up a pair of cleats. This USC wide receiver caught six passes for 108 yards and one touchdown in a 42-17 win over Ohio State in the 1973 Rose Bowl. He went on to win four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of them  right here at the Rose Bowl. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 2001.

The man who introduced Swann was Sam “Bam” Cunningham, a teammate and close friend throughout their playing days and long after. When Swann was expected to stay close to his hometown of San Mateo and play for the Stanford Cardinal, USC recruiters convinced him to go to USC with the soft sell. Or so it seemed.

” They told me to just have fun wherever I go. But just remember if you don’t play with us, you will have to play against us. And it scared me to death”, Swann recalled, drawing hearty laughter from the packed crowd.

The 2013 Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Inductees will also ride in the 125th Tournament of Roses Parade down Colorado Boulevard in a 1939 Cadillac Convertible Coupe. This Cadillac is extremely rare, and in fact may be the only one on the entire West Coast. This car represents the Art Deco period of yesteryear, and was lovingly restored by owners Loren and Shawna Burch.  Each inductee spoke of the anticipation and excitement that he feels to be part of such an historic and iconic event.

Over the past 24 years a total of 110 inductees have been selected to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. The inductees are honored with a permanent plaque that includes their name and year of induction at The Court of Champions at the Rose Bowl Stadium, and are announced on the field during the 100th Rose Bowl Game.

To close 125th Rose Parade the Tournament of Roses Association created a special entry which commemorates the 100th Rose Bowl Game and honors great players and coaches throughout the history of The Granddaddy of Them All. The Rose Bowl Game has teamed up with the Football Writers Association of America and selected one representative from each decade to comprise an “All Century Class.” The closing float honors these football legends on the big-screen by showcasing their great plays of the past 99 years.