Battle of the Bowls Roses, Chariots, and a College Football National Champion
Our Best Tips f Your Car This W
If you’ve lived in Illinois for a while, then you know winter is far from over. We have weeks of cold snaps and winter storms to drive through, which means our vehicles have to be up for the challenge. After more than 55 years of servicing vehicles, we have collected expert tips on how to ensure your vehicle survives the harsh season. Check out these three to get started! Check your battery. When the temperature drops, one of the most common issues we see is faulty batteries. Our vehicles rely on batteries to charge our engines, but the extreme swing in temperatures can weaken this device. You can prevent this by having your battery inspected each winter. Replace any old or damaged batteries with new, strong ones and run your vehicle for more than 10 minutes regularly. If you do have to jump-start your car, have the battery checked immediately. Confirm your vision. Your lights and windshield wipers are going to be valuable tools should you have to drive
December and January are prime months for college football greatness. Each year, the top teams in the nation duke it out in more than 40 bowl games during this two-month span. In its 130-year history, the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) bowl games have changed a lot, but the competition is just as fierce now as ever. The origin of bowl games has nothing to do with football. On Jan. 1, 1890, the Valley Hunt Club in Pasadena, California, adorned their horses and buggies with flowers and paraded around the city before squaring off in athletic competitions that included polo, greased pig catching, and chariot races. By 1902, the organizers for the Tournament of Roses saw potential in America’s fast-growing collegiate football leagues and scheduled the much-anticipated Tournament East-West game between the nation’s top two teams on Jan. 1.
That game was a dud though. Michigan University toppled Stanford University 49-0, and Stanford forfeited the game with just eight
minutes left on the clock. Admitting defeat, organizers went back to their athletic competitions of yore until 1916, when Washington State took on Brown College in the second Tournament East-West game. In 1923, this competition was dubbed the Rose Bowl. The name “bowl” comes from the shape of the Rose Bowl Stadium, and other collegiate leagues across the nation have adopted their own versions. The widely accepted original bowl games include the Rose Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, and the Sun Bowl, and each is played on New Year’s Day. Over time, the number of bowl games grew, which resulted in teams with as few as five wins claiming titles in smaller bowl games. Experts began to ponder how to determine the “true” national champion when there were so many championship games. In the 2014–2015 season, the NCAA sought to answer that question. The championship semifinal games between the top four teams are rotated each year between pairs of the six top bowl games. The winners of the two semifinal bowls then face off in a college football championship. The other bowl games are still played and unofficially determine runners-up. While bowl games may take on a different flair this season, the time-honored tradition of friendly competition and bragging rights is still just as powerful today as it was 130 years ago in Pasadena.
Let That F
4 Tips to Make
Hunkering down and waiting for the dark and chilly winter season to pass sounds pretty nice. But the reality
is, if we deprive ourselves of time outside, we do ourselves a big disservice both mentally and physically. Staying indoors all day affects your energy and mood, which makes it hard to get anything done, so here are four easy tips to make it easier to get a little fresh air. 1. Make it a priority. Getting outside means making the conscious effort to do so. If you want to reap its benefits, you have to decide to make it a priority in your day-to-day schedule. If you make the act important to you, you have more motivation to actually do it. 2. Use mornings effectively. Waking up and getting the day started can be hard. But studies have shown that natural light helps decrease your melatonin production, which means you feel ready to face the day sooner. So, set yourself a second alarm to head outside and take a quick walk around the block just after waking. Don’t even wash your face or grab coffee. Just get out there.
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