My ultin By Janet Adamy and Peter Romer-Friedman Daily Staff Reporters PASADENA, Calif. - For the thousands Michigan fans who traveled across the count Pasadena to watch the Rose Bowl, it was tru "great to be a Michigan Wolverine." "I can die right now," said University alumni Greg Galdes, as he smoked a cigar while vide taping the celebration at the stadium. "My uli mate football dream has been fulfilled. We' No. ." As time ran out on the clock, Wolverine fa embraced friends and strangers alike whi unleashing screams of victory. "It was incredible," said Engineering seni ott Wigton. "There are not any words scribe that. It's absolutely the best feeling I'" ever had." University alumna Leslie Sibery said aft years of near misses, it was great to witne Michigan win the national championship. "We've been the bridesmaids so many time it's nice to finally be the bride," Sibery said. As disheartened Washington State fans silent ly filed out of the stands, Wolverine fans lii gered in the stadium to savor the sweet feeling tory and watch the presentation of ti urnament of Roses trophy. Some ascended the top of the stadium to catch a glimpse of the entire celebration, while "We've b4 others attempted to move toward the players. bridesma "This is the most exciting day of my life," times, it said Engineering senior Dave Hilger, who cited finally be harles Woodson's inter- ption as the highlight of the game. The possibility of a Washington State comeback made the Wolverir victory more climactic for Michigan fans. "I felt like I was either going to throw up o celebrate in the last two minutes," said LS sophomore Mike Siegel. "It's awesome," said LSA senior Adan Garbooshian, who received a high five froi ichigan quarterback Brian Griese during tf st-game celebration. "We're seniors and w+ waited four years to do this, and it's a great w to start the new year." The Rose Bowl staff was well prepared fo post-game chaos. Security guards stood shou der-to-shoulder in a ring around the fiel backed up by two other loose lines of police an security. Fans "were going up the rails on the side," sai security guard Tony Noble. "One guy g rayed with mace. Just the general police off rs had mace." Many of the fans who jumped onto the fiel were stopped by police, although several nimbi fans sprinted toward the players in the center o the field, where police used physical force t Students m: Peter Romer-Friedman Daily Staff Reporter After all the votes were counted, Michigan's fiT national championship in 50 years was split in hal leaving some fans angry and bewildered, while ot ers saw the final vote as an even-handed decision. "I thought it was fair," said LSA first-year sti dent Eric Knapp. "It was unfortunate, but fair. Y have to put yourself in both teams' shoes. If we di n't win the championship we would be upset, but Nebraska had lost, they would also be upset. TI ly way to decide it is on the field." Since Michigan does not have the chance to ph Nebraska, sports writers and coaches were force to speculate on which team performed bettc Parade si By Maria Hackett Daily Staff Reporter PASADENA, Calif. - The Granddaddy of all parades blossomed with enthusiasm as Michigan fans gathered on the streets for the 109th annual pre-game event. This year's theme, "Hav'n Fun," was taken to heart by crowds of Michigan fans screaming "Go Blue!" before and during the parade. The parade, which consisted of 105 differ- ent entries, commanded the attention of fans as horses, floats and marching bands pro- ceeded down the streets for more than two hours. For some people, the event was over- whelming. "I can't even remember the floats," said Engineering sophomore Bryan Metti. "There were a lot of them, so it's hard to remember any one of them." "It got to be a little long at the end:It was a really good parade, though," said LSA sophomore Erin Baird. Some students said they were surprised to see the streets lined with sleeping bags, tents and RVs more than 24 hours before the parade was set to begin. ROSE BowL 1998 The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, Januarv 7. 1998 - 5A late football dream has been fttllfilled' guide them back to the stands. But the boundary of security guards and police didn't prevent the players from walking to the students' section with open arms. "Charles Woodson came over to us "said LSA sophomore Jeff Blank. "The cops tried to stop us, but he came straight to us. He was waving his arms and raising the roof. We pushed and tried to get on. We stormed past them and got on the field. This is something I'll tell my kids about." Woodson, the Heisman trophy winner, took a victory lap around the field, followed by a few young Wolverine fans who tried to keep pace with the exuberant cornerback. Back in Ann Arbor, South University Avenue was crowded with fans singing "The Victors!" and cheering. Enthusiastic fans ran down South University and stood on the steps of the Michigan Union to savor the afterglow of victory and continue their cheers. "We've been here (at Touchdown Cafe) since noon," said Jason Sinlon, a student at Eastern Michigan University. "It's going to benefit (Michigan's) reputation. But you can't make it any better than it is already." Early in the afternoon, 230 people filled Touchdown Cafe to capacity. "It was a great game. The bars around were een the ids so many S nice to the bride." - Leslie Sibery University alumna full - Touchdown was packed," said Jim Grueber, a recent University graduate. High costs prevented many students and fans from traveling to Pasadena, but the crowd of about 500 people was there in spirit. Huron High School senior Kosta Johnston MARGARET MYERS/Daily Michigan fans cheer together in the Rose Bowl on Jan. ± as they watch the Wolverines beat the Cougars, 21-16, during the 84th Rose Bowl. Fans used their voices and maize-and-blue pom-pons to help cheer the Wolverines to victory. was cheering with the, crowd for more than one reason. He will play football this fall with the Michigan football team, "I'm so fired up," Johnston said. "I'll be playing (in Pasadena) the next four years." Hours before the game began, Michigan fans arrived at the stadium in Pasadena to tailgate, purchase tickets and souvenirs and enjoy the per- feet southern California weather, "This makes the four years of hellish Michigan weather worth it," said University alumnus Joe Navaleza, who sported a short-sleeved maize-and- blue T-shirt for the game. "I'm glad I graduated and am here in sunny California" Navaleza said the Wolverines' performance made him proud to wear maize and blue. "I'm going to Europe for six months and all I'm wear- ing is Michigan clothing," he said. In the parking lots surrounding the stadium, fans opened car trunks filled with tailgating food and beverages. ."We've been tailgating since 8 a.m.," said LSA junior Nora McGillicuddy. For fans who. didn't get enough partying before entering the stadium, beer vendors sold cups of brew inside the gates for $5 per cup. "This is the first time I've ever gotten to drink beer and watch a Michigan game live and I love it," said LSA senior Stephan Merriweather. Like any home game, there were a few eccen- tric fans who stood out in the crowd, including a row of students who wore maize-and-blue clown wigs and numerous fans with painted faces. "There's probably more maize and blue here in the crowd than there is at home," said LSA senior Ethan Holtz. Among the unique fans was Engineering junior Tim Dirrenberger, who wore several maize-and-blue pom-pons around his waist to create a skirt. "I've been drinking a lot, so that probably had something to do with it," Dirrenberger said. Other fans, like Engineering first-year Mike Haller, used their voices to shoe their spirit. "I yelled myself hoarse," Haller said. "I was screaming til I just couldn't breathe." For many Wolverine fans, the trip to Pasadena became an expedition, with crowded airports and long drives from cities as far away as Ann See REACT, Page 7A ixed on split poll results Beginning next year, the Bowl Alliance will pit the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in one of the four major bowls. Many students claimed that although Michigan and Nebraska were both undefeated, there were several factors that should have put Michigan atop both the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls. "I think Nebraska employed some shameless tactics, like leaving their starters in when they were up 35-9 and complaining incessantly," said Inteflex senior Toby Morrow, who plays trombone for the Michigan Marching Band. "They're a great team, but no one will ever forget that illegal play against Missouri or their weak non-conference oppo- nents." LSA sophomore Akosa Akpom said splitting the national championship was the only legitimate option. "I don't really like it, but they deserve it as much as we do, even with that lucky catch against Missouri," Akpom said. "We both were undefeated" Many sports writers and Michigan fans have vehemently expressed their belief that Nebraska coach Tom Osborne's retirement was the sole rea- son for the split national championship. "I think they shouldn't have split it," said LSA senior Janet Wordell. "If we won the Rose Bowl, we should be No. 1. They just gave it to Nebraska because Tom Osborne retired" MARGARET MYERS/Daily Fans share in the excItement of the Wolverines' national championship-clinching win over Washington State at the Rose Bowl. iowcases roses, creativity organic materials on Christmas Day. "I couldn't believe how intricate the floats were," Baird said. Volunteers contin- ue to add flowers and details to the floats up until the last minutes before the parade began. Some students were able to experience the intricacy of the floats from a closer van- tage point after braving a long line. For the first time in history, the public could view six of the Rose Bowl floats on the eve of the parade while the judges made their consid- erations. "It was about an hour and a half before we finally got up to the floats," said Engineering first-year student Dustin Williams. "It was cool because you got to see all the flowers close-up." Among other restrictions, each of the floats must be covered in flower petals to be eligible for competition. Judges chose the best floats the day before the parade, pre- senting a total of 23 awards. Trophies were- given in categories ranging from best pre- sentation of color to best display of fantasy and imagination to most amusing. A float named "Adventures in the Rain Forest" won the Sweepstakes Trophy for the Michigan fans tackled in Bowl ticket sotg By Jason Stoffer Daily Staff Reporter Several hundred Michigan fans doled out $1,500 for a trip to Pasadena they hoped would yield a lifetime of Rose Bowl memories. Instead, many saw their trip crumble, with no Rose Bowl tickets and a week of frustrations. State and federal officials launched separate investiga- tions last week into charges that Atlanta-based Worldwide Sport Travel, Inc. forced travelers to pay an additional S250 for game tickets that the company advertised as included in the Rose Bowl package'. Bill Kandler, who bought Worldwide's tour package, said he was promised tickets two weeks before Christmas, and was told several times that the tickets were in the mail. But he was still empty-handed when landing in California. "Travel agents weren't even showing up to advertised meetings at the hotel," Kandler said. "It was such a nega- tive experience. I felt so bad because this was a Christmas present for so many families." Kandler and other angry travelers demanded immediate action, and Worldwide representatives offered them three options. Tourists wishing to get tickets on their own were ., C<1 1,-;. '11",n,....cn~itr ~~ nrr .,,, ...:: r w=