Flocks of Oregon football fans are en route to Southern California for the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2, and the school's local alumni chapter is waiting for them with open arms.
An official Ducks pep rally is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Santa Monica Pier on Jan. 1.
"There'll be thousands of Ducks at the pep rally," local chapter president Susan Gilbaugh Ross said.
To help prep for the Rose Bowl game against the Wisconsin Badgers (No. 10), Oregon's marching band will be attendance at the pier, plus the Oregon Cheer Squad. Athletic Director Rob Mullens and "celebrity guests" are scheduled to attend. The event is free.
Mariasol restaurant on the pier will serve as an unofficial meeting spot for "casual margaritas and Duck fun," Ross said.
On game day, the alumni association is hosting an official tailgate party from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event costs $90 and organizers warn it will sell out.
The party includes a buffet and complimentary soda, beer and wine. The mascot, cheerleaders and marching band will help entertain fans.
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While Badger fans may be planning a "jump" for the third quarter, Ross said the Ducks (No. 5) have their own traditions to worry about.
"I think every school should bring every tradition to the game," Ross said. "But at the end of the day, any tradition the Ducks bring is what I'm most concerned with."
The big tradition, at least for Ross, is the team's uniforms, famed for constantly changing thanks to a partnership with Nike. For the Granddaddy of Them All, the Ducks boast "the most advanced football uniform system ever assembled."
Or as one sports writer eloquently put it, "Darth Vader meets the Black Swan."
Ducks fans heading to SoCal will also want to "keep it simple," Ross said.
"If you're walking around town and you see someone in green and yellow, all you need to say is 'go Ducks,'" Ross said.
Ross, a 31-year Pasadena native, had one other piece of advice for incoming Oregonians.
"Truly, put on sunblock," Ross said. "There'll be a lot of pasty white Ducks rolling into town. I'd imagine the same with the Wisconsin fans."
The No. 5 Oregon Ducks take on the No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers in the 98th Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 2 at 2:10 p.m.
Oregon Alumni Los Angeles Chapter Events:
Rose Bowl Game Kickoff Luncheon
Jan. 1, 2012 | Noon
Rose Bowl Stadium Area
Cost: $90
Official UO Rose Bowl Pep Rally
Jan. 1, 2012 | 3 p.m.
Santa Monica Pier
Cost: Free
The Oregon Tailgate - Rose Bowl
Jan. 2, 2012 | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Brookside Golf Club
Cost: $90
Related: See how the other half lives, aka "Badger Fans Launch Operation Jump Around"
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