The first signs appear early in December with the construction of massive bleacher seats along Colorado Boulevard, with a few even on TPI's own Sierra Madre Blvd. On New Year's Eve, we never have to watch TV for the midnight count. Opening the window will do, as tens of thousands of people have already gathered along the parade route, three blocks away, to claim spots on the sidewalk and to count down the New Year's arrival while they wait.
The New Year's Eve celebration won't happen this year -- the parade's "Never on a Sunday" rule shifts it to Jan. 2 in 2006. And the traditional Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup in the Rose Bowl Game is also gone, due to a Jan. 4 national championship contest between my USC and the University of Texas.
But other traditions do continue. Today, my family and a few friends headed over to the park just south of the Rose Bowl to watch the float decorating. Take a look at some of the photos I shot over on our Tournament of Roses Parade page.
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This should be, um, interesting....