I have to admit. I didn't deserve to be at the Rose Bowl. I WANTED to be at the Rose Bowl. Boy did I WANT to. But deserve? Hmm...
How can anyone deserve to be handed two beautiful, lovely, shiny rose bowl tickets? I haven't been THAT good this year. Certainly there are more deserving people than I?
But here they are... "People paid $3500 for tickets just like these." I think to myself.
Hands begins to tremble.
"Very rich donors have invested big dollars... for 35 years.... waiting for this opportunity... and couldn't get tickets."
Sweat begins to bead on forehead.
Alan.... remind yourself to thank Carol Baker for brokering this transaction...she has worked a miracle for you.
And so my day begins:
8:40 AM: I wake up. Vision of sugar plums and crystal national championship trophies dance in my head. My head is groggy and my blood sugar is all jacked up from the countless grams of poor quality carbs ingested over the last 3 weeks. I can feel my pancreas. It is cursing me.
9:02 AM: First sip of coffee. Take that pancreas…you little bastard. I eat some whole grain goody two shoes cereal that my mom has in the cupboard.... Blood sugar levels stabilize… why am I so growly this morning. It’s national championship day yo!
10:29 AM: On the road to the IE (Inland Empire for all you out-of-the-loop
10:47 AM: I pick up a bottle of
12:01 PM: Limo is now officially late. I’m agitated. Blood Pressure Rises.
12:03 PM: Limo arrives. Heart attack avoided. Now in good spirits again. Emery, my brother-in-law and LA sporting event compadre, and I hop in the white stretch
12:33 PM: We take a quick detour off the hwy to one of the few L&L Hawaiian BBQ’s on the mainland. Hot Dogs and Potato Chips are for amateurs. There’s nothing like tailgating with Chicken Musubi and Raw Ahi Poke!
1:38 PM: We pick up Dax and Stacey at their burnt orange bungalow in
2:44 PM: We are stuck in the ass that is Rose Bowl game day traffic. We are becoming agitated and some of us have to pee. I watch ants scurry along the ground faster than the car is moving. Desperate scalpers and fans meander through the cars looking for tickets.
3:31 PM: I experience the agony and the ecstasy of a Rose Bowl portable toilet. Note to self… find a bush next time.
3:55 PM: We meet up with some friends who hired a bus to shuttle them, their 25 companions and a whole slew of tailgating accoutrements to the game. We enjoy a “pre-game nerve-calming beer” with them.
4:16 PM: We fight through the crowds massed around the gates. Wow! I notice the sea of orangebloods in attendance.
6:15 PM: Game is underway… It’s surreal… very exciting/nerve-racking. A small cluster of us honrs fans gets into a shouting match with some old fart USC Alumni who are whining that we won’t sit down in front of them. Seems they forgot they were at a football game…errr, a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP football game. Sad really… the effects of senility…
7:10 PM: Halftime. Horns are leading… good game though. Both teams came to play. Score isn’t as high as I was guessing… expected another touchdown or two in the first half, but no matter. Our team showed up. Goody. It’s marching band time… Now THAT’S entertainment!
8:54 PM: 6:42 in the fourth quarter and USC is up 38-26. Ugh. My head starts hurting. So much scoring on both sides… but USC has done it a few more times. Doesn’t look good.
9:25 PM: UT Wins!!!! Oh my gawd! The greatest game I’ve ever seen… Vince Young is amazing! UT 41. Heisman winners 38!
10:10: Finally get out of the Stadium… Post game festivities begin…and so does this entry. “The eyes of texas are upon you…”
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