Tradition of Roses

The Rose Bowl has been played for over a hundred years. When a tradition lasts that long, you need something to spice it up.

"You want me to kill him?"

"Not kill him, Jimmy. And certainly not you personally."

"I don't know boss. What if we get in trouble?"

"Listen Jimmy, I've been running sports at this network for a long time, and there's two things I've learned. One: if you want good ratings for a game, you have to make them happen. And two: folks like us are never the ones who get blamed. Someone may take the fall for this, but it won't be you or me, and then the news division gets their own ratings boost for a while. It's a win-win"

Of course, in the game itself, someone had to lose. Oklahoma was trailing, Texas was running down the clock, and the score was clear. The Oklahoma players started clearing the sidelines even before the final whistle was blown, while the other side had already started celebrating.

Two bulky defensive linemen poured the traditional cooler of ice over the Texan coach, but they didn't know what was really inside. As the poison covered the coach's skin, he instantly began to shiver. His knees buckled, he shook and vomited and curled up on the grass. The cameras all turned away from the players on the field. Medical professionals rushed in every direction and panic began to spread.

It was the highest rated college game in history, and a new football tradition was born.