For only being 25 years of age, I have seen a lot. I have also been lucky enough to see the struggles both in life and on the field to truly appreciate when things are good. I have been to Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park among other professional baseball stadiums across the country. I have attended a football game at Notre Dame and USC. I have also been lucky enough to attend a playoff game for all 4 major sports in the Bay Area. \

I have been a season ticket holder to Stanford football for 15 years and have gone to every Big Game but 1 since I was 7. And yet, those feelings that I had being in those places doesn't compare to what I felt and you probably have felt or will feel January 1st in Pasadena. For the first 21 years of my life, I got to see one Rose Bowl Game with Stanford and I was 9. I did not get to go and I had to watch Ron Dayne run all over the field for Wisconsin and I heard from family and friends that it was a game that was probably better to watch at home as you could change the channel. Even though Stanford lost, I told myself that the next time they go, I am going no matter what.

And when 2012 came along and Stanford had finally clinched a spot, I had booked my hotel. Now let me put the 2013 and 2014 games into my perspective as I attended both. The pregame stuff whether it's tailgating with friends or family or playing the games right outside of the stadium or even going to the "Big Store" and if you've attended before, you know what I mean are all great things to see and do. However, that moment that you walk onto the field and see the Rose Bowl emblem on the field and see Stanford's name on one of the end zones does it really hit you. The eyes that little children have on Christmas Day is the same way my eyes probably looked. I felt like I was doing something that only the greats have done and I was only a spectator.

I hope Stanford can play in a National Championship someday but until then, I could watch them play in the Rose Bowl every year for the rest of my life and not get tired of it. In 2013, Stanford had scored two touchdowns before you could blink and that was it. It became a game of defense and it kept you on your feet the entire game. Seeing the clock run down to zero was one of the greatest feelings I've ever had and watching the confetti come down live is something I'll never forget.

Being an athlete, you always remember the losses more than the wins and for me, 2014 will never leave my thoughts either. I respected Michigan State as a program but thought that we were just too good to be stopped. Unfortunately, I was wrong and Stanford lost 24-20. It wasn't the loss that hurt or seeing the other team with the confetti that will forever haunt me, it was getting a feel that once Michigan State had went up 24-20; I didn't feel like I was in Pasadena anymore. I felt like the Rose Bowl became East Lansing as this turned into a home game for Michigan State and Stanford was now fighting an uphill battle too steep to climb. On the infamous 4th-down stop by Michigan State to clinch the game, I couldn't hear anyone next to me wearing Stanford red but I could hear myself say "if they try to run power, it's going to get stuffed" and that is exactly what happened.

So as I have now witnessed both spectrums of the Rose Bowl, I can say that it is something you will never forget whether it's a win or a loss for your team. I was unable to attend this year but I will be having a party at my house cheering on Stanford. I hope to hear back from the fans that attend this year and hear your stories on "The Granddaddy Of Them All."