Below is a quick recount of Wednesday for us and then some general thoughts on the rest of the week.
We wake up and drop into the downstairs eatery we are the only two not wearing burnt orange. We must flash 30 hook em horns before finishing breakfast. After breakfast we head up to Mulhollend Drive to take in the sites of the city. We then drive down to Beverly Hills and walk around Rodeo Drive. Nothing special there except for the number of horns out walking around. After about an hour of this I am totally bored and we head back to the hotel.
I grab a quick bite at the Hollywood Highlands complex while the wife showers and gets ready. At 12:15 we head to the metro station as the hotel has advised us not to drive to the game due to lack of parking due to the recent rain. We meet some friends at the station and jump on the metro with about 50 Horn fans. We have to change trains at Metro and encounter our first stupid LA thing. The Metro officials are not allowing USC and Texas fans on the same train car. We are shocked and inform the guy we were unaware that Texas Tech fan was in attendance. He wasn't amused.
We get to Pasadena after about an hour total trip. After exiting the metro we walk the three blocks to the free shuttle to the Rose Bowl. We see the line and walk another three blocks to get to the end of the line. Some one informs us that the wait is estimated to be 2 hours. Our group decides to screw the line and we walk the 2.5 miles to the Rose Bowl. Once there we attend the ESPN tailgate party and listen to Big and Rich. Then just before 2 we head over to the Texas Exes Party and I snap this pic on the way.
Our friends are Texas Alumns and they get us into the great party the Exes association threw before the game. Then about 3:50 we decide we will head to our seats. We go thru security and enter the stadium. This was done pretty quickly and we then go looking for a bathroom. This was not done easily. First knock against the Stadium, too few urinals.
Relieved, we head into our seats and I snap these pics:
We had seats in the 12th row right behind the ESPN set. We watch that and then my wife snaps a pic of Lance:
Finally the pregame started and the ESPN set was lowered out of the way for our first view of the field:
You guys saw the game, so I will leave that out of this, I did take a few action shots including this one of the missed PAT:
After the game I got these pics:
I like this one of ESPN kicking the Texas OL off of the set:
After the game we were going to ride back to the hotel with another group of friends who had space on their bus. Two hours later and still not out of Pasadena a big group of us got off the bus and walked back to the Metro. We finally got back to the hotel around 1:30.
All I can say is that it was an amazing game and a great trip. We had a blast. Props to Texas and their fans who all acted with class all week. Props also to them for the numbers they brought to SoCal. They were freaking everywhere. Props too to the SC fans who were nothing but class. The locals on the other hand were somewhat jerks. I don't blame SC for them, but there was a certain thug nature to a lot of the comments around town during the week.
Horrible marks to the Rose Bowl stadium. The tunnels are too small and there are only about 100 too few of them. There are far too few urinals, not to mention toilets for ladies. Also, horrible marks for LA as a whole on their infrastructure. By far the worst stadium and transportation of any of the large bowls. The Big 10 and Pac 10 can have that game. I wouldn't want to go back to that stadium unless it was again for the title game. Here's hoping an earthquake takes it down and leaves the rest of LA untouched.
Give me SD over LA anyday.
Texas WRs block downfield better than any I have seen.
Props again Texas and SC fan. And a special props to Harv who I have had the pleasure of meeting in person. Congrats man.
What's important to me is the history. When you walk down the hill to the stadium and you come upon the entrance and see that famous logo as in lefty's first pic...that is what CFB is all about. Think of all the greats who have played or coached on this very field! Think of all the great plays and games that have unfolded right here. I've been to 2 Rose Bowls and the sight of the stadium gave me chills. I think it's one of those things that cannot be understood until you experience it yourself, with your team playing in the "grandaddy of them all". So I guess I can understand why it's hard for Screw-Mich to wrap his head around.