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Tokyo game has bowl nameTOKYO (AP) — If Wisconsin makes it to the Rose Bowl this year, no one will be accusing them of taking any shortcuts. In fact, they couldn’t have gone any farther out of their way.“We could have played in Van couver. British Columbia.’’ coach Barry Alvarez joked today at a press conference in downtown Tokyo. “It would have saved us some time.’’Standing between 10th ranked Wisconsin (8 1-1 overall, 5-1-1 Big Ten) and the New Year’s Day game in Pasadena. Calif., is No. 25 Michi gan State (6-4. 4-3).The two will meet Sunday in the Coca Cola Bowl, the only regular season college football game played outside the United States. A loss for Wisconsin would mean Ohio State would get the Big Ten invitation to the Rose Bowl.And it would also mean a long, lonely flight home for the Badgers.“We’d prefer to play every game in Madison, Alvarez said. “Butwe’re taking a positive attitude towards it. We just have more riding on it. that’s all.”Co-captain and offensive lineman Joe Panos, a senior, was less reserved.It’s a huge game for me. Panos said. This game means everything. Going to the Rose Bowl would be a great way to finish off my collegiatecareer.We re going to do what needs to be done. said Spartans coach George Perles “We don’t care if we play in Japan, we don’t care if we play in Germany. You play in life the cards that are dealt.“Once we kick ofT, we won’t realize that we’re in Tokyo or East Lansing or Madison, he said. “You lose all that just going onto the field.Perles may have to repeat those upbeat comments to offensive lineman Bob Denton, who did not enjoy the journey that began Tuesday morning.I mean, it’s incredible, you’re inthe air that long that you lose a day, he said. “And. man. it was brutal. It made you 9tart to wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to play this game in Madison, where it was supposed to be.After arriving late Wednesday in Japan on the same plane, both teams ran through relatively light workouts today at Jingu Stadium, a converted baseball facility.On Sunday — when it will be Saturday night in the United States because of the time difference — the teams will play at the 50,000-seat Tokyo Dome stadium. Organizers say they expect a sellout crowd.Although Wisconsin is favored, the Badgers have lost eight straight to Michigan State. The Spartans' all-time record against the Badgers is 23-12.No matter what Sunday’s outcome. Michigan State will play Louisville on Dec. 28 in the Liberty Bowl. It will be the Spartans' first bowl game in three years.ESPN rigid, Badger fans put on holdMILWAUKEE (AP) - To a Wisconsin fan, the choice is obvious. But ESPN has other ideas.Complaints from some Badger fans have the cable sports network defending its decision to let a telecast of the Kansas-De Paul basketball game run a half hour into live coverage of the Michigan State-Wisconsin football game in Tokyo.Josh Krulewitz, a publicist for ESPN, said the decision is in no way a snub to the Big Ten Conference.I think anyone who watches us knows we do a Big Ten game every single week,” Krulewitz said. No one else can say that. We have done that for the last few years now. Obviously, the commitment to showing it every sin gle Saturday— 10 or 11 games during the season— we don’t have that commitment to any other conference.The basketball coverage is scheduled to run until 10:30 p.m. Central time, when ESPN plans to join the game in Tokyo.Krulewitz said Badger fans should be happy to be getting what they’re getting.Stretching out after plane rideAP photoCoach Barry Alvarez talks to defensive back Theo Carney while Wisconsin football players do their stretching exercises at Jingu Baseball Stain Tokyo, Japan Thursday. Theteam arrived In Japan after a 15-hour flight. Sunday’s game (Saturday evening Kenosha time) will be played In the Tokyo Dome before an expected crowd of 55,000.
Newspaper Details
Kenosha News
Kenosha, Wisconsin, US
Fri, Dec 03, 1993
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Jillian S.
NA, 18 Jan 2024
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