Armour: Adaptability has Andrew Luck on fast path to NFL immortality

USA TODAY Sports' Tom Pelissero breaks down what's ahead for the Colts in their looming matchup with the Broncos.

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00:03 The colts are headed back in the AFC divisional playoffs 00:06 after Andrew Luck off balance touchdown pass and got in mind 00:10 create. Highlighted a 26 to ten win. Over the Cincinnati Bengals 00:15 on Sunday. In Indianapolis. Now we're going to get to find 00:20 out what their lot and his team are ready to take 00:23 out one of the AFC's elite. On a really big stage. 00:27 The beauty of the colts win was locked didn't have to 00:30 do it all himself though certainly he held up his end 00:33 completing 31 of 44 passes. For 376. Yards with Trent Richardson 00:39 yelled boom Herron ends early and chipped in. Both ran effectively 00:43 hearings fumbles notwithstanding. And the colts defense clamped down in the 00:48 second half. I get to Cincinnati offense that plainly wasn't itself 00:52 we AJ green sidelined. The other three teams still line in 00:57 the AF CR the past three conference champions Denver. Baltimore and 01:03 New England all veteran teams with veteran quarterbacks who have won 01:07 Super Bowls. The colts on the other hand still relying a 01:10 lot of a sending young players. In key positions. Nobody more 01:15 important than Andrew Locke who east tour in five so hard 01:18 his career against Peyton Manning Joseph Flacco and Tom Brady. Including 01:23 Owen to in the playoffs. The next stop for the colts 01:27 is Denver where the Broncos won the season opener back on 01:31 September 7. Kick off sit for 4:40 eastern next Sunday.

Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) waves to the crowd as he leaves the field after the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lucas Oil Stadium.(Photo: Thomas J. Russo, USA TODAY Sports)

INDIANAPOLIS Sure, Andrew Luck has a great arm. Can beat defenses with his feet, too.

What makes Luck great and will put him in the same category as Indianapolis Colts predecessor Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers sooner rather than later is his adaptability.

Lock up his No. 1 receiver and he'll find someone else. Sideline the Colts starting running back, and he'll feed whoever is behind him. Ask him to play behind an offensive line that has seen more changes than a model at a fashion show, and he'll shrug it off.

So long as there's someone who can hike him the ball and someone he can get it to, the Colts' Luck is all good.

"Every win is a definite team effort. But you've got a guy under center who can make plays, can make something out of nothing, takes what the defense gives him and he just kind of manages the game the way you need him to," offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo said.

"We're very happy to have him back there."

Granted, the Cincinnati Bengals imploded in the second half of the Colts' 26-10 victory in the AFC wild-card Sunday.

But that had as much to do with Luck as their own ineptitude.

Even with starting running back Trent Richardson sidelined after an illness forced him to miss practice and the Colts starting their 11th combination at offensive line, Indianapolis was the better team Sunday. But as has been the case other times this season, the Colts struggled in the red zone.

Indianapolis reached the Cincinnati 17-yard line or beyond three times in the first half, only to settle for a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Clinging to a 13-10 lead early in the third, Luck was flushed out of the pocket.

Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap was nipping at Luck's ankle, causing him to pitch forward. But as he was falling, Luck spotted Donte Moncrief downfield and let it fly.

Never mind that Cincinnati safety George Iloka was blanketing Moncrief. Or that the rookie is not the first, second or even third option in the Colts offense.

Luck saw an opening and took it.

"That one magical play to Moncrief was Andrew at his finest," Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. "He was a maestro back there."

Moncrief made the 36-yard catch at the very edge of the upper corner of the end zone for his fourth TD of the season, the Colts had an insurmountable lead and Luck had one more clip for his growing highlight reel.

"That changed the whole game for us because all we did (from there) was pin our ears back and just go," Colts defensive end Ricky Jean Francois said. "Anytime we give this guy good field position on that field, we need to sit back and eat some popcorn.

"It won't be shocking because we know he'll do it, but it'll just be a nice show to see."

The victory was Luck's second in the playoffs, evening his postseason record at 2-2 after just three seasons. Most quarterbacks would happily take those kind of numbers at this early stage in their careers.

But Luck isn't most quarterbacks.

Until he takes the Colts to the Super Bowl, or at least the AFC Championship, Luck will always be in the shadow of You-Know-Who. And, wouldn't you know it, the Colts will have to beat Manning and the Denver Broncos next Sunday to reach their first AFC title game since Manning was writing the record books in Indianapolis.

"Having a guy that's big and strong like Andrew and can create moving forward, looking at next week, he's going to have to do the same thing," Pagano said. "He's going to have to create some plays. He's going to have to move around and get some first downs with his legs and those type of things."

He'll also have to adapt, because that's what the great NFL quarterbacks do. And as Sunday's game showed, Luck is well on his way to being one of them.

PHOTOS: Best of NFL wild-card weekend

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Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2015/01/04/andrew-luck-indianapolis-colts-adaptability/21268431/

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Little Jimmy Dickens fondly remembered

BOLT Little Jimmy Dickens sister Edna Allen knows for a fact this is her older brothers home town, but at one point she had questions about who their grandparents were.

Theres a 14 years age difference between us, she said last week. One day I came home and asked my mom how many grandparents do we have? She told me we had two on each side and then asked why. I said because everyone I talk to said they raised Jimmy.

Wherever county musics cut-up traveled, he never forgot Bolt was home and hearth.

On Saturday morning, news of the towns favorite son passing away Friday night at the age of 94 traveled fast. He died in a Nashville-area hospital of cardiac arrest after suffering a stroke on Christmas Day, according to The Associated Press.

Almost everyone in Bolt had a positive Little Jimmy Dickens story.

Country Singer Carrie Underwood said before Dickens passing,"When you think of Little Jimmy Dickens, you smile ... He is just one of those people who spreads happiness wherever he goes.

True and accurate, said the people of Bolt. When asked about Little Jimmy Dickens their faces light up and hands wave around with excitement.

He sat right there in those chairs with my granddad and talked for hours, recalled Larry Wright Jr., smiling and talking faster than normal in excitement.

Wright was working on a truck at Larrys Towing when interviewed last week. They talked about the old days, he said. They talked a long time.

It wasnt his fame that made the people of Bolt love Little Jimmy Dickens. No, he was born one of them and stayed one of them, many in Bolt said Saturday morning.

He was always Jimmy around here, said his sister. Dickens would often call on old area friends when visiting Allen.

One person he would visit was childhood friend Carol Worley-Johnson and her husband, Wayville, of Bolt. On a summer visit, he stopped by and accompanied Worley-Johnson to her familys graveyard, where several Dickenses are buried, she said.

Worley-Johnson said Dickens was a popular young man. She and her brothers would fight over who got to sit next to Dickens in church and walk with him to school.

But there is one trait of his that she remembers most: His guitar was always with him, she said. He took his guitar everywhere growing up.

A number of people also told stories of Dickens walking the backroads of Raleigh County with his guitar. Often, it was said, miners going to and from work would stop and offer him a ride.

Jeane McKinney remembers sitting on her familys front porch listening t0 Dickens and her uncle Estel Wood pickin and a-singin country tunes.

My uncle Estel taught him how to pick, McKinney claims. They got together in 42 or 43 and fastly became friends, more like brothers than friends.

McKinney said many a weekend, Dickens and Wood would eat dinner at her grandmothers house before traveling to play music at a local venue.

After dropping out of West Virginia University sometime in the late 1930s, Dickens gained radio experience at the age of 18, where he debuted on WJLS in Beckley, followed by Fairmonts WMMN.

Dickens said of his WJLS experience, I was not paid for it. I was just hanging out and they let me do that. I did it for a year or so, then eventually I worked my way to doing a song.

McKinney said shortly after performing statewide, Dickens headed for larger stations, including WIBC in Indianapolis and WLW in Cincinnati, before heading to Nashville.

He asked my uncle to go along with him, but my uncle did not go, she said. To be honest, Uncle Estle was probably too lazy.

With the help of Roy Acuff, Dickens was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1948.

That was also the year Dickens signed with Columbia Records and had several hits, including May The Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose and Sleeping At The Foot of the Bed.

Dickens did have a number of other hits, including a few romantic ballets. However, he remained best known for humorous songs, which the 4-foot-11-inch performer rendered on stage with gusto.

In the book Country Music Changed My Life, Dickens credits Minnie Pearl for helping him cultivate his comedy performance. She knew I was new to the Opry, and she took a liking to me. Id go on the stage and do some little gag and shed watch me while I worked. When Id come off shed say, Do you want me to teach you how to get a better laugh out of a joke? The shed take the time to show me what to do, the timing on it. The timing on being funny is the most important thing and she taught me all that, he wrote.

To write Dickens loved the Grand Ole Opry is not too strong. He was the longest running member of the show. He last performed there on Dec. 20, 2014, singing Out Behind the Barn.

In a recent quote, Dickens said, I look forward from one weekend to another to get back out on that stage of the Grand Ole Opry and try to entertain people who have some traveled for miles and miles and state to state to be entertained with country music. We do our very, very best to give them a good presentation and hope that they enjoy themselves.

In Bolt, his humorous songs are popular, but Country Boy, a ballad about growing up in a rural area, and Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait) are favorites.

I am a plain, old country boy/A corn-bread lovin country boy/I raise cain on Saturday/But I go to church on Sunday/I am a plain, old country boy, the chorus goes.

It continues, Where I come from, opportunities, they never were too good/We never had much money, but we done the best we could ...

In his first Top 10 Country hit, Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait), Dickens may have explained his small size.

Now taters never did taste good with chicken on the plate/But I had to eat em just the same/That is why I look so bad and have these puny ways/Cause I always had to take an old cold tater and wait, a stanza goes.

Allen said those songs have some truth to how they grew up. We ate a lot of corn bread, she said.

Dickens was the oldest of 13 children born to a coal miner, but raised mostly by his grandmother. The family was poor, but proud. They always had food to eat even it it was a cold tater or corn bread and friends and family near.

In Country Music Changed My Life, Dickens wrote there was always a guitar around the house that a relative was playing and he learned the basics from them, forging his style during family sing-alongs.

I knew from childhood that I wanted to be an entertainer, he wrote. That was my one wish in life, to be on stage as an entertainer.

Once he was asked why he did not become a coal miner. I wouldnt have worked in the mines; I wasnt large enough, he quipped.

Crooning isnt the only thing Dickens was known for. He also had a lasting impact on American popular culture via his rhinestone western wear. His suits were made by Los Angeles designer Nudie.

Well, I was the first on the Grand Ole Opry to wear rhinestones, he said in the book. Mr. Nudie had made some suits for me during the the early fifties without rhinestones and one day I was in his office there in north Hollywood and he said Im doing something with rhinestones now if youd be interested in it. Then he showed me some of his work that he had done and I said Thats for me! So I started wearing the rhinestones and the rest is history.

In her Raleigh County home, Allen has a few of those rhinestone suits. I am so proud of them, she said, holding one such suit decorated with sparkling rhinestone studs.

After a pregnant pause to think, Allen added as an afterthought, I am proud of Jimmy.

On Friday night and Saturday morning, scores of country musicians sent out tweets, texts and Facebook messages honoring Little Jimmy Dickens.

Another West Virginia native, Brad Paisley, who sometimes featured Dickens in his videos, wrote: There was no one funnier, or with a better sense of it. A true entertainer? The best Ive ever seen. Charm? Unmatched. Love? This was a big one. I think he loved everyone he ever met, and if not, he never let it be known.

Carrie Underwood Tweeted: I know why its raining in Nashville. Little Jimmy is in heaven now making the angels laugh so hard, theyre crying. Well miss you, friend!

The vice president and general manager of the Grand Ole Opry, Peter Fisher, said, The Grand Ole Opry did not have a better friend than Little Jimmy Dickens. He loved the audience and his Opry family and all of us loved him back. He was a one-of-kind entertainer and a great soul whose spirit will live on for years to come.

Allens sibling may have been the first country singer to circle the globe, he may have performed for millions of people, recorded more than 200 songs, been elected into the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame, or been a household name.

He (was known) as just Jimmy around here, she said.

Dickens is survived by a wife, Mona, and two daughters. A public memorial is slated for a later date.

Daniel Tyson is a reporter for the Register-Herald

Source: http://www.bdtonline.com/news/little-jimmy-dickens-fondly-remembered/article_b1888862-93b1-11e4-9acd-b7fa1cd88c97.html

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Hear Paul McCartney and Kanye West's Emotional Ballad 'Only One'

By Jason Newman | January 1, 2015

D'Angelo notwithstanding, there were no Beyonce-esque surprise albums for the end of 2014. But as the clock turned on another year Wednesday night, Kanye Westunveiled "Only One," a minimal, poignant new track featuring Paul McCartneyon keyboard. The song is available to hear on West's websiteor via the iTunes store.

Written from the perspective of Kanye's late mother Donda, who died in 2007 from surgery complications, "Only One" sounds like a bittersweet bonus trackfromKanye's 808s and Heartbreak. "Remember how I'd say one day/You'll be the man you always knew you would be," West's Auto-Tuned voice sings. "And if you knew how proud I was/You'd never shed a tear/Have a fear/No you wouldn't do that." McCartney, for his part, eschew any histrionics in favor of a simple and plaintive style befitting the emotional lyrics."My mom was singing to me, and through me to my daughter," West said in a statement, also noting that the name "Kanye" means "Only one."

The surprise track appears to be more jumping-off point for the two icons than random one-off. According to a spokesperson for West, "Only One" is the first "publicly available recording from what has become a prolific musical collaboration between these two legendary artists."

McCartney and West began work on the track earlier last year in Los Angeles, starting with, as the statement notes,"a simple brainstorming session between the two, with McCartney improvising on the keyboards and Kanye vocally sketching and shaping ideas in a stream-of-consciousness riff.

"Kanye sat there with his family, holding his daughter North on his lap, and listened to his vocals, singing, 'Hello, my only one...,'" the statement said. "And in that moment, not only could he not recall having sung those words, but he realized that perhaps the words had never really come from him.The process of artistic creation is one that does not involve thinking, but often channeling. And he understood in that moment that his late mother, Dr. Donda West, who was also his mentor, confidante, and best friend, had spoken through him that day."

As Complex notes, West's wife Kim Kardashian called "Only One" her favorite track by her husband.

McCartney's Kanye fandom extends back to at least 2013. Asked in a Twitter Q&Afor the last albums he bought, the musician replied, "The last albums I bought were by Kanye West, the National, the Civil Wars and Jay Z."

Source: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-paul-mccartney-and-kanye-wests-emotional-ballad-only-one-20150101

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Country Stars Honor the Late Little Jimmy Dickens on Social Media

Little Jimmy Dickens in 1977

AP Photo

By Kathy Ehrich Dowd

@kathyehrichdowd

01/03/2015 AT 11:15 AM EST

The death of Grand Old Opry legend Little Jimmy Dickens on Friday sparked an outpouring of remembrances from country stars on social media, who affectionally paid homage to the diminutive star's giant heart and sense of humor.

Brad Paisley, a close friend and fellow West Virginian, posted a touching tribute to Dickens on his Facebook page Friday, honoring the man who died at 94 as the Opry's oldest and longest-tenured member.

Paisley unabashedly called Dickens his "hero" and was open about how Dickens took him under his wing when he was new to the Nashville music scene.

"Jimmy made moreout of his time on earth than anyone I've ever known; an incredible life in every measurable way. Longevity? Yes, practically unheard of. Faith? Totally and wholeheartedly. Humor? There was no one funnier, or with a better sense of it. A true entertainer? The best I've ever seen. Charm? Unmatched. Love? This was a big one.I think he loved everyone he ever met, and if not, he never let it be known," he wrote.

"Much will be said and written about his incredible and unique place in Country Music history. Which could fill a book. But that isn't how I'll remember him," he continued, while also posting tributes on Twitter. "I will remember the human being that best check-marked all the boxes of a complete and wonderful life. My hero."

It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to my hero and friend today. I loved you Jimmy.

Brad Paisley (@BradPaisley) January 3, 2015

Carrie Underwood also paid homage to Dickens's sense of humor which was evident to fans of his novelty hits, including "May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose" his only No. 1 single.

"I know why it's raining in Nashville. Little Jimmy is in heaven now making the Angels laugh so hard, they're crying. We'll miss you, friend!" Underwood Tweeted.

I know why it's raining in Nashville. Little Jimmy is in heaven now making the Angels laugh so hard, they're crying. We'll miss you, friend!

Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) January 3, 2015

Keith Urban was also quick to honor Dickens on Twitter Friday.

"Go rest high Little Jimmy... and thank you for bringing your beautiful light into the world" he wrote.

Go rest high Little Jimmy... and thank you for bringing your beautiful light into the world. - KU

Keith Urban (@KeithUrban) January 3, 2015

Other stars who paid tribute to Dickens include Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and The Band Perry.

Rest in peace Little Jimmy. Thanks for all the smiles, great music and your big loving heart. http://t.co/hJ89sS2qn9

Reba McEntire (@reba) January 3, 2015

Little Jimmy, we will miss you forever. Rest peacefully. http://t.co/CrShIRPZIK pic.twitter.com/UTHQ1A1Y0k

Rascal Flatts (@rascalflatts) January 3, 2015

Little Jimmy Dickens - the first person to greet us at the @opry for our first performance. Thanks for the memory. pic.twitter.com/ab3IdJaRmk

The Band Perry (@thebandperry) January 3, 2015

Source: http://www.people.com/article/country-stars-honor-little-jimmy-dickens-brad-paisley

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Baylor DE Shawn Oakman expects to return for his senior season

Junior defensive end Shawn Oakman addresses the media on Monday at the Omni Dallas Hotel in Dallas, Texas.Skye Duncan | Lariat Photographer

By Shehan JeyarajahSports Editor

DALLAS Baylor football junior defensive end Shawn Oakman announced that he plans to return for his senior season in Waco.

Its what youre supposed to do; its not my time, Oakman said. My body of work isnt there yet. And on top of everything, thats not how you leave a program that brought you back to the light where youre supposed to be.

Despite his concerns about body of work, the former Penn State transfer posted one of the most dominant seasons in Baylor history. Oakman led the team with 18.5 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks in 2014, which ranks third and second respectively in single-season Baylor history with a game left to play.

For his efforts, he was named consensus All-Big 12 First Team and an All-American by four publications, including Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press.

Oakman was considered by many analysts to be a first round draft selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, despite starting only one season at Baylor; ESPNs Mel Kiper has him as No. 8 on his 2015 Big Board. However, Oakman believes he has not reached his collegiate potential.

If Im top 15 right now, I havent done anything, Oakman said. I think I could be No. 1. I just know my work ethic and potential is so much higher.

I couldnt care less about what any NFL scout or mock draft has to say; its all about me and my teammates.

Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Bennett struggled to contain his excitement when he was told on Monday morning Oakman would be returning.

I like it; I like it a lot, Bennett said. I think in a year, you could be talking about Oakman as a Jadaveon Clowney, an Ndamukong Suh or a J.J Watt caliber of a player with another year of development. Its just delayed gratification.

Oakman pointed to the potential Baylor has in the 2015 season as a key motivator for his decision.

It was a huge factor. Were going to be great, Oakman said.

With Oakman returning, Baylor football will return nine of its 11 starters on both offense and defense from the 2014 Big 12 Championship team, including every defensive lineman. The All-Big 12 First Team duo of Oakman and sophomore defensive tackle Andrew Billings combined for 30.0 tackles for loss in only 12 games this year.

With an experienced defensive line returning, along with another year of development from the secondary, Baylors defense has the potential to be among the best in the Big 12 Conference next season.

Source: http://baylorlariat.com/2014/12/29/baylor-de-shawn-oakman-expects-to-return-for-his-senior-season/

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Purple Heart recipient awarded Hampton home at Rose Parade

Retired Army Sgt. Dominic Perrotte III was presented with a giant red key to the home at the 126th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena Calif. on New Year's Day.

With a seat of honor in the Rose Parade and keys to a mortgage-free home, 2015 is already a shaping up as a decent year for Dominic Perrotte.

And he can reflect on his good fortune in Hampton, because thats where his new home will be.

Perrotte is a retired Army staff sergeant who received the Purple Heart while in Iraq. He was selected to ride in the 126th annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on New Years Day to represent Americans who have served in the military.

They rode in a stagecoach courtesy of the banking and financial services holding company Wells Fargo. The theme of this years parade was inspiring stories, and Wells Fargo teamed with the Military Warriors Support Foundation to make it a very special ride for Perrotte and his family.

During the parades closing ceremony, the Perrotte family was surprised with a mortgage-free home.

Although Perrotte is a western Pennsylvania native and has lived in Washington state for several years, he chose Hampton to be closer to family and friends, according to a Wells Fargo news release.

Perrotte could not be reached for comment Friday about his future plans, but his Facebook page was crowded with messages from well-wishers.

I just want to say thanks for all the congratulations, he wrote in response. We are definitely feeling the love. Super thanks to Wells Fargo Bank and the Military Warrior Support Foundation. They have changed our lives today.

The details of his service record were not available from the Army on Friday, but a bio supplied by Wells Fargo said the nine-year veteran was working with a recovery unit for a combat repair team in Baghdad when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Perrotte and his men remained on the battlefield for 30 hours until it was safe for them to be evacuated.

Perrotte deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan during his career. He is a native of Ford City, Pa., about 40 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, according to a story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The Military Warrior Support Foundation is a non-profit charity that aims to ease the transition from military to civilian life. It provides help with education and employment, plus recreational activities.

Its home donation program is called Homes4WoundedHeroes, which awards mortgage-free homes to combat wounded veterans.

Wells Fargo began working with the foundation in 2012. That same year, Wells Fargos Military Affairs program pledged $35 million over three years to help service members find housing and jobs, and to receive financial education. Of that, $30 million was set aside for home donations.

The foundation was responsible for selecting Perrotte, and Wells Fargo donated the home.

It all paid dividends Thursday for Perrotte, his wife, Kayla and their son.

During the closing ceremony, Perrottes wife wept as her husband accepted the key, prompting parade co-host Bob Eubanks to remark: If that doesnt bring a tear to your eye, what will?

The Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.

Lessig can be reached by phone at 757-247-7821.

Source: http://www.vagazette.com/news/dp-purple-heart-home-hampton-rose-bowl,0,4281045.story

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Rose Parade crowd braves cold, inspired by honored heroes

PASADENA >> It took Maria Roppel a week to ferry from Alaska to Washington and then drive to Pasadena, but she said the effort was worth it because seeing the Rose Parade on Thursday was a dream come true.

Since she was a 7-year-old living in Honduras, Roppel, now 36, said the first thing her entire family did on New Years Day was turn on the TV to watch a resplendent display.

So today, my family knows I am right here. Probably they are looking for me in the public, she said. This is my dream come true: coming here on the first day of the year and watching live.

More than 700,000 spectators lined a 5 1/2-mile route Thursday to watch the 126th Rose Parade, themed Inspiring Stories. Near-record breaking cold temperature on Jan. 1 did not deter crowds, who later peeled off bundles and layers as the sun shoved away temperatures just four degrees above freezing.

Photos: Rose Parade 2015 in images

People came from near and far to watch 40 arresting floral floats, 20 bands and 18 equestrian units.

For the 15th year, Ning Ning Yu, of Pasadena, watched the Rose Parade on Colorado Boulevard. The veteran spectator and her group of friends had a folding table loaded with potluck goodies: noodles, Asian pancakes, soy milk, hot dogs, yams and Starbucks coffee.

She said her gang has made going to the Rose Parade a tradition. Its easy, she said, when she feels so connected to it. Last year the Rose Queen was her daughters classmate, and four years ago, her Eagle Scout son was in the procession.

You feel like youre part of the community, Yu said. You cheer for them. Its like a celebration of the family and everyone involved.

Paul Smith and William Healey, a San Francisco couple, said they celebrated by kissing as the Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band marched by.

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Many Oregon Ducks fans drove to Pasadena for the 101st Rose Bowl Game. Tom Elam, from Powers, Ore., said his favorite aspect of the Rose Parade was the droves of people who lined the streets. Coming from a small city with less than 700 residents, seeing such a large crowd was quite something, he said. He applauded the city of Pasadena for pulling off a parade like this.

Yet Elam really came to the Southland to watch the Rose Bowl game. He ran into only one Florida State fan, but he said he wasnt surprised at the Seminoles low fan turnout in Pasadena.

Florida has been good for so long, and Oregon has only been good recently, he said.

As for Roppel, who made sure to capture stellar moments with her mobile phone, the Rose Parade was the main attraction. She has lived in Alaska for seven years, but her yen for the Rose Parade came way before that from fond childhood memories.

On Thursday she said she made new memories and friends. Its not just the music, color and excitement of the Rose Parade. Its feeling the crowds energy and sharing a cup of Joe and warm food with temporary neighbors, she said. The Rose Parade certainly helped her start 2015 on an inspired note, Roppel said.

Source: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/lifestyle/20150101/rose-parade-crowd-braves-cold-inspired-by-honored-heroes

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