Sid's Side

Content is King

2011-04-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

I still read several newspapers every day. I watch the morning news before I go to work, and I try to catch a few highlights at night. I listen to the top headlines on the radio, and I traverse the Internet searching for more. I’m always connected to the world on my iPhone, which gives me access to as much information as I can find.

I don’t know if we’re spoiled in today’s information age, but if we want to know something right now, we can. Think about where we’ve come in our lifetimes. If you wanted to find out about something that happened in the past, you could only hope that information was included in your family’s encyclopedia collection. Otherwise, it was off to the library to look it up in books or on microfiche. News that happened today wouldn’t be known to the world until tomorrow morning, unless it was big enough for the television news. In the pre-ESPN days, we’d wait until 11:25 p.m. to get a few baseball scores. Jim Hill’s “Sunday Sports Final,” gave us a full 15 minutes of sports highlights once a week on Sunday nights after the regular late news. When I was young, I used to race my dad to get the morning newspaper so I could read the sports section first.

Still today, one of my favorite things is to read the local high school football coverage in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin on fall Saturday mornings. Unfortunately, because newspapers have merged or folded, local papers like the Daily Bulletin are more regional. So those local football stories include games 30 or 40 miles away. The local paper isn’t as local anymore. And because the coverage area is much bigger and there has been a dramatic increase in the number of schools, most of the games only get a paragraph or two. Sometimes, the scores don’t even get in.

When I was still in college, I covered local high school and college sports for the Pomona Progress Bulletin, which later merged with the Ontario Daily Report to become the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. The newspaper’s circulation area went about as far east as Cucamonga and west to San Dimas, but coverage expanded beyond those areas to include every school in the leagues that were located in the Pomona Valley. Even with a full-time sports staff of four or five guys, they covered almost every local high school game. That’s because there were plenty of “stringers” like me, working for $15 a game. We all did it for experience, because our journalism teachers told us we should. I ended up covering high school football and basketball for about four years. It certainly wasn’t for the money. I loved it, because I’ve always loved sports, no matter what the level of competition. In fact, I still go to high school sporting events regularly from September through May, and I rarely miss a Friday night of football.

We didn’t have laptop computers when I strung for the Progress Bulletin, so we had to write the story back at the newsroom. When I first started, the newsroom didn’t even have computers. We keyed the stories on Selectric typewriters, with special codes that were picked up by the machines that would covert the text for the typesetters.

By the time an evening football or basketball game ended, the building was locked up for the night. I’d have to ring a doorbell and hope somebody would hurry down while I waited on the corner of Third and Thomas streets in downtown Pomona. It wasn’t the best neighborhood, although I think it was pretty lively in its heyday. I always remembered when I was much younger going to the movies at the Fox Theater a block away on Garey Avenue. It was a great place then, but by the time I was in college, the area had changed dramatically. I never had problems as I waited to get into the building, but there were plenty of times I held my breath as I stood on the empty, dark streets and a car would slowly cruise by. Once inside the massive front door, the long, majestic old staircase on the right led to the newsroom upstairs. The vast open room filled with desks was mostly empty at that hour, except for the sports staff and stringers, along with a reporter or two covering the police beats.

That night’s game pairings were all written on a whiteboard, and each reporter filled in the score from his game as he came in. If it was an important game late in the season, the sound of the typewriters fell silent as all eyes watched with curiosity as the reporter posted the numbers. Assistant sports editor Don Bradley would inevitably get mad at somebody, and he’d end up yelling at a coach calling in to find out scores of other games. Then it was back to business, because the deadline was near. I usually had less than an hour to compile the game stats, format a box score and then write my story. Adrenaline took over and we all got it done. I think the “rush” that came from writing on deadline was what kept me going back year after year. Seeing my by-line only a few hours later on the front page of the sports section (and sometimes the front page of the entire newspaper) certainly added to the personal satisfaction as well.

The beauty of local sports coverage was that it used to be truly confined to the surrounding communities. The local newspaper would pick up the Associated Press coverage of the professional and major college teams, but they’d also send their own reporters to cover those games on occasion, too. Don Bradley often went out to the big games, but usually only to watch the game and eat the free press box food before returning to print the AP story of the game he just attended. But for the most part, the readers in the Pomona Valley got the perspective from the reporters who lived in their community or the one next door. You felt like you knew the local kid who made it big.

Mark McGwire was one of those guys. I covered some of his basketball and baseball games when he was at Damien High, and then later when he played on the Claremont American Legion team that played for the state championship. Although his acclaim to that point had come as a pitcher, he started hitting home runs at a frantic pace that summer for the American Legion team. He hit a ball out of the Claremont McKenna College field that went over the tall juniper trees that lined the outfield fence. He later went to play at USC, where our paths would occasionally cross while I was there as a graduate student. I’d also go watch games at Dedeaux Field on campus, where another Claremonter, Randy Robertson was also on the team, as was a tall, raw left-hander named Randy Johnson. Since I continued to contribute to the Prog, sports editor Bill Langley asked me to write a feature story on McGwire. I was living in L.A. at the time, but I came home to file the story on a day when Langley was off and Bradley was in charge. My story ran longer than Bradley wanted, and he barked at me that McGwire would never be big enough to deserve that much attention.

I wish we still had the local sports coverage, but the newspapers are struggling to survive, and their financial and personnel resources are limited. Still, you’d think that since the greatest appeal of a local newspaper is its local news coverage, there would be a higher priority on “backyard” stories and less on the wire-generated stories that anybody can find almost anywhere online. The local stories are what make the local media unique. Aside from local game coverage, the best thing in the current Daily Bulletin sports section is Louie Brewster’s weekly column.

Today’s newspapers are fighting a losing battle. I love them, but unless you grew up reading them, there is no logic in starting now. Unlike free online content, newspapers cost money only carry yesterday’s news.

Instead of sending out reporters to cover all of the local games, sports editors today rely on coaches to call in their scores and game highlights. If a coach doesn’t call, then the game didn’t happen. Like it or not, coaches now have the responsibility of being a reporter, too – or at least assigning it to someone else. The good thing is that today there are other alternatives to the daily newspapers, including a host of online sites. Most colleges and high schools have their own athletics websites, with separate sites for every sport. And MaxPreps is a great one-stop site that has information from every high school in the nation. It not only includes scores, but also box scores from every game and complete statistics, as well as league leaders and standings. MaxPreps has become the best option for fans wanting quick information. In most cases, it’s the only alternative. But if the content on MaxPreps isn’t kept current, or if individual team websites aren’t providing up-to-date information, then the technology is useless. It’s like not updating your blog in a timely manner.

No matter how technology changes the world, the medium that best delivers the information will be the most relevant, because it is the content that matters, not the method of delivery. It’s true: content is king.

Must Have Hit the Snooze Button

2011-03-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, I’m overdue with my blog posts again… Sorry – that seems to be a trend with me. As any blogger knows, you need to have time to dedicate to these things and topics to write about. I started my blog as a way of sharing good news about people I know. No, I didn’t run out of good news, but it doesn’t always come flowing like that, and so my blog has taken different turns along the way. I seem to write about whatever inspires me at the time.

By design, I haven’t focused on one single topic or theme, which goes against the advice of most good bloggers. My lack of focus is probably why I go long stretches without updating my blog. I know – the first rule of blogging is to stay current. I’ve failed in that respect. But I didn’t want this to become a daily journal, because I want it to be at least somewhat interesting. Instead, I write when I can or when something strikes me.

So this blog is about blogs. There are thousands and thousands of them out there, but most people I know don’t have their own blog. Perhaps because most my friends really don’t want to put themselves out there for the world to see, even in today’s world of social media. If they do, it’s so much easier to post tidbits and pictures on Facebook and stay current that way. Then again, there are still plenty of my friends who don’t even have a Facebook account. They only recently got their first cell phones, moved from VHS to DVD, and finally moved their Internet service from Prodigy or Earthlink.

The world has changed, and all of us can pretty much tell our own stories any way we want. It no longer matters if you are a credible journalist. If you have a blog, you’re instantly a published writer. And in this world of social media, you can bet people are paying attention. I found that out when I posted some things about the former baseball coach at Claremont High, and when I reminisced about things that aren’t here anymore.

I prefer to write my blog entries when I have something to say. I realize I’m rambling with this post, without much new information to offer. I commend those people who can do this with regularity and keep people interested. It’s tough. I’ve seen great pieces from people who don’t have blogs and really should be sharing their material with the world (you know who you are), except they likely run into the same challenge of being able to maintain a blog. Instead, their work goes unseen by most, when it really should be shared. If you fall in to that category, please feel free to cut and paste your story into the comments section of one of my posts, and maybe that way the handful of people who read this will also see your masterpieces, too.

Then again, there are a few people I know who have joined the blogging world. In fact, I’m writing this one because my friend Bill Baldwin recently started blogging on behalf of his company, Hartman/Baldwin Design Build. Bill’s goals are to shed light on home remodeling topics while promoting his company’s services. Good approach.

Another friend, Katrina Grabowski, writes about her family in more of a personal journal format. It’s a great way for her to share what’s happening, and it sure beats those silly letters that people still insist on sending as their Christmas cards every year (okay Ginz, yours are good). This is much more personal and meaningful.

Those are key ingredients to a good blog, and that’s what our intern blogger at Cal State San Bernardino is trying to capture with the new Coyote Calling blog. We’ll eventually add more bloggers to the mix, but Caitlin Elgin is doing a great job of telling her college experiences. She’s good. I hope future college students take the time to read and get a taste of campus life at CSUSB.

And while I’m on the subject of future college students, I’ve read the Wise Like Us blog religiously over the past year as Sam went through the process of applying for college, and the preparation and anxiety that comes with taking that next step. Definitely a blog to share.

The best blogs I’ve read are a lot more focused than mine. Typically, they are written by newspaper reporters or former reporters who have zeroed in on a specific “beat.” For example, I enjoy reading Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen’s blog, because he finds offbeat tidbits and observations about local places and people.

Most major newspapers now have blogs for most of their beats. They’re broken down by communities or by traditional newspaper section, such as sports, entertainment, local news and business. Within each of those sections there might be even more separate blogs. In the sports section, for instance, you’ll find separate blogs for every local professional and college team, as well as a high school sports blog. I frequently check out the Varsity Insider blog from the LA Times, as well as Fred Robledo’s Best High School Sports Blog from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

I always read blogs about the local sports teams to find out the latest new sooner and in more detail than I’ll find in the morning newspaper. The Inside UCLA, Dodgers Thoughts and the Dodgers Blog blogs are a couple of my favorites, because I know the main topic they’ll cover and that they’ll be updated several times a day. In both cases (and plenty of others), the same material appears in the newspaper the next day. I read the Inside UCLA blog daily to track media reports about Richard Brehaut, and to keep his dad up to date about what is being written. Another UCLA blog called Bruins Nation incorporates posts from “members.” I assume most are fans, but the tone often gets negative and even hateful. There are countless blogs for pretty much every professional and college sports team around. The bigger the sport, the more blogs there are, including many that charge a fee and have fan forums that are downright nasty.

Perhaps the best baseball blog is Major League Baseball Trade Rumors, which taps the nation’s baseball writers for insights into personnel moves around the major leagues. It has been known to break news about a trade before the players were even notified.

There are blogs that cover the news and the business of news. LA Observed and Gary Scott both follow what’s happening in newsrooms, as well as what is making news.

Along with those written by newspapers, most communities seem to have a few additional blogs. I found a number of others that give me news about Claremont, as well as plenty of others that cover Upland, Pomona and other local cities. Visit any of those and they likely link to the others. The Claremont Insider has its place as a watchdog over Claremont decision makers. Opinionated, entertaining and sometimes sensational, it’s a must-read for city residents, businesses and especially politicos. I don't always agree with the Insider, and I'm sure it gets under the skin of a few people, but that's part of its role and appeal. It's especially good.

Blogs can be pretty addicting, and I really do check out several every day, with the same routine that I read the morning newspaper. There’s no shortage to pick from, so find a few to satisfy your thirst for information. I find they keep me clued-in and entertained. I just hope this one serves the same purpose for you, even if I don’t have a focus.

Thanks.

Keeping Track

2011-02-20T18:03:00.000-08:00

Time again to check in on some friends…

Congratulations to the University of Puget Sound for making the very wise decision to accept Allie Seligman to its freshman class in the fall. Allie was accepted as an early-decision applicant, so she already knows she’ll head to Tacoma, Wash., to become a Logger…

Most other high school seniors I know haven’t yet finalized their college decisions, because many institutions haven’t yet sent their acceptance or rejection letters. I’ll try to update a few others in a month or so, including my son Sam, who continues to give consideration to several universities…

Among those who have committed is Marie Bradvica, who will play softball at Boston College in the ACC next year. Marie’s already a bit of an entrepreneur as a senior at Carlsbad High, after developing “Marie’s Words,” a vocabulary flash card product to assist high school seniors memorize and retain SAT vocabulary words. The cards have an illustration on the front with the word, and the pronunciation, part of speech, definition, sentence, synonyms, and antonyms on the back.

Marie’s Words is actually a family affair, with other Bradvicas taking on various roles in the promotion and marketing of the product, as explained by her brother Nick in this video at the Student Innovator Showcase at USC, where he’s currently a sophomore. Maries’ Words has its own website, Facebook page and the product is available online…

Speaking of USC, Kristen DesCombes is galloping along as a member of the Trojan Equestrian Club Team, when she’s not on stage at the USC School of Theatre…

Her brother Jack had a bit of an eye-opener when he anchored a relay team during a recent swim meet. As he waited for his turn, he looked to the next lane to find seven-time Olympic medalist Jason Lesak, who anchored the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal-winning 4x100 freestyle relay, where he swam the fastest 100 split in history. Jack couldn’t catch Lesak, but his team did finish second in that relay…

And while we’re in the pool, the DesCombes family alerted us that our good friend and former Upland neighbor Nick Hadinger currently has the 29^th fastest 100-meter backstroke time in the nation, swimming for the University of Arizona. Nick is also 33^rd fastest in the 200 backstroke, and ranks 30^th fastest 100 freestyle 56^th in the 50 freestyle, according to College Swimming.com. His University Of Arizona team is currently ranked sixth in NCAA Division I.

The Hadingers were among the original owners on our cul-de-sac in Upland when we all moved into our new homes in 1986. They moved to Tucson in 1993 as part of the General Dynamics reorganization, and have been there ever since. Nick’s brother Kyle also attends the U of A. When our kids were younger, we made our annual trip to visit the Hadingers and take in some spring training games, as well as Arizona Wildcat events, but it’s been a few years since we’ve made that journey. Son Sid dropped in for a quick visit during his New Orleans road trip over the holidays…

Great to see nephew Kevin Bosson on the mound again for Cal Poly Pomona. After sitting out last year because of an injury, he started this season 2-0 before dropping a decision to Chico State, in which he started and pitched into the seventh inning. A couple of Sam’s one-time teammates are also on the Cal Poly roster…

And Richard Brehaut is doubling up his activities at UCLA, trying out and making the baseball team after a couple of years away from the sport. He doesn’t figure to see a lot of action, but it’s still remarkable that he made the team, given the heavy demands of his role as the Bruins quarterback. Football remains his priority, but I’m sure it’s great to be back on the diamond again…

From a fan’s standpoint, it’s just nice to see baseball again. I’m sorry we weren’t able to get in the annual alumni baseball game at Claremont High this year because of the weather. But the season is just ahead. Yep, baseball’s back, and so is volleyball, which will help make the spring sports season a welcome relief from the current “down” period after football ends.

Rained Out

2011-02-18T16:54:00.000-08:00

The Claremont High baseball alumni game scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 19, has been canceled because of rain (and a lot more anticipated rain on the way). We'll try it again next year instead.

Claremont High alumni baseball game on Saturday, Feb. 19

2011-02-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

The Claremont High baseball program will host its annual alumni game again this Saturday, Feb. 19. This is a great event, as former CHS players from many eras return to re-acquaint themselves with old teammates and guys from other eras. It's just a great day of guys hanging out and sharing a lot of laughs. This year, former longtime Claremont coach Jack Helber will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. This event has become a nice tradition, and I hope we have a few surprise participants this year. In the meantime, take a look at my post from last year with first-person accounts from former players Mil Pompa and Rob Haerr.

Below is the press release with details about the game, and here's a story that appeared in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. If you know any former Wolfpack players who'd like to participate or just say hi to old friends (no matter when they played), encourage them to come out on Saturday.

Claremont High to host “opening day” and alumni baseball game Feb. 19

The Claremont High baseball program will kick off its 2011 season with special "opening day" ceremonies, an alumni game and a family barbecue on Saturday, Feb. 19, at Claremont High School.

The CHS varsity baseball team will take on former Wolfpack players in the annual alumni game Saturday as a preview to kick off the 2011 season. The game will culminate two days of special activities at the CHS varsity field to open the new baseball campaign.

Festivities are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., followed by the game and a home run derby.

The CHS junior varsity and freshman teams will play at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18.

On Saturday, Feb. 19, the varsity will take to the field against Wolfpack players from the past. All former CHS baseball players are invited to participate in the game or in pre-game batting practice. Former longtime Wolfpack coach Jack Helber will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game.

The Saturday activities also will include special opening ceremonies and introductions on the field of all players on the freshman, junior varsity and varsity team, followed by first-pitch ceremonies.

A family barbecue will take place throughout the day, and refreshments will be available. In addition, Wolfpack baseball merchandise will be on sale. A home run competition will follow the alumni game.

Alumni game participants should arrive at the CHS varsity field on the Claremont High campus by 9 a.m.

Additional details are available on the Claremont High baseball Web site at www.claremonthighbaseball.com.

Former CHS baseball players interested in participating should contact Sid Robinson at (909) 227-9589 or sid.robinson@verizon.net.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts...

2011-02-12T15:09:00.000-08:00

...Can’t Lose.

Unfortunately, too many people did lose, because they weren’t part of the relatively small portion of the public that tuned in regularly to watch the television series “Friday Night Lights.”

For those of us who were loyal viewers, we may have lost our TV companion from the past five years, but we definitely went away winners.

The series concluded its final season this week on DirecTV’s 101 Network (but the final season will air on NBC beginning in April). Friday Night Lights may have been the best television drama I’ve ever seen.

If you haven’t watched, or were only a part-time viewer, take the time to rent the DVDs on Netflix and watch the full seasons. All of them (the final season will be available on DVD in April, too). The TV show picked up where the novel and film of the same name left off, and it brought you in and out of the lives of the people in the fictional town of Dillon, Texas, as they struggled to get by. There was nothing forced about this program. It was as real as I can possibly imagine life in the heart of Texas could be. Football is a sacred religion, but the show wasn’t just about the football. It was about life the way they know it. The Dillon Panthers, and later the East Dillon Lions, simply provided the backdrop for the rest of life in the slow, country pace of the rural south. Even for those characters who managed to move on, their lives were entrenched in “Texas forever,” by choice or by circumstance.

If you’ve ever read the critics, Friday Night Lights really may go down as one of the greatest television dramas of all time. But it was never successful in the ratings (it even failed in a brief syndication run on the ABC Family network). It has been critically acclaimed and has won its share of awards). Like films such as the holiday classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” it may take years before it finally catches on.

No other show left me shaking my head every week for the past five years saying, “wow, that is a quality program.” Every episode. It was heavy and humorous at the same time. It broke our hearts and lifted our spirits. The characters were seemingly real people living real lives with real problems and real happiness. It was about good people in small-town Middle America trying to do the right thing.

Over the years, the writers did a brilliant job of moving characters out as they graduated from high school and moved on with their lives. As Friday Night Lights came to its final weeks, some of the characters who were stars in the early years found their way back into the storyline. Not as cameo performers, but in primary roles. They were all part of the Dillon family, even if their characters had moved on. They came back gracefully and found their place among the current season’s new personalities.

When the curtain came down on the final episode, the series ended the way it was supposed to end. In its own unique way, the ribbons were tied perfectly and there were no loose ends. It left me smiling, but sad that it was over. But I wasn’t longing for more. The game ended.

The pinnacle moment of the final football game in the closing episode couldn’t have been done more appropriately, even though you never see it. The closing segment that followed was a captivating look forward to the next chapters in the lives of the people of Dillon. It was nothing short of what you would expect from Friday Night Lights.

In the end, it was just a TV show, but a great one that stood above most. Coach Eric Taylor’s frequent inspirational call to his players summed up what the show was all about: “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose.”

Winter Woes

2011-01-30T18:21:00.000-08:00

A month ago Southern Californians were getting ready for the holidays while dodging the buckets of rain that drenched the Southland. Temperatures dipped into the 30s and winter arrived early.

Glad that’s over. Okay, I realize the recent springtime conditions were probably Mother Nature’s way of teasing us, since we had a little rain Sunday and there is likely more winter weather ahead. Even if the 80-degree days with crystal blue skies were only temporary, I’m ready for spring. It’s hard not to look ahead after weekends of wearing shorts, barbecuing in the back yard and driving around town with the top down on my convertible. I’m ready for Friday nights at the Tiki Bar.

Naturally, I think that’s the way most of us sports fans feel about this time of year. With only the Super Bowl remaining on the football schedule, this is the most boring time of the year. Baseball’s spring training is still more than a month away, and both college basketball and the NBA are in the middle of the most tedious and meaningless parts of their respective schedules. At least last year we had the Winter Olympics to keep some of the monotony away. How many days until pitchers and catchers report?

I’m not complaining (okay, maybe a little). It’s this way every year, and it’s silly to whine when there really is so much to do around here and the weather is great. When we have rain, cold and no good sports, then winter isn't much fun. Either way, I'm definitely glad to be living in Southern California...

One thing I’m not doing this winter for the first time in 16 years is watching at least one of my sons prepare for an upcoming baseball season. I admit it’s not been easy. Even last year, when Sam eventually transferred his attention to volleyball, he was still taking daily batting practice and focused on baseball in January and early February. But his attention is elsewhere this year, for the right reasons. He’s doing the things that matter to him.

And completely aside from sports, one thing clearly weighing on his mind is graduating from high school. I know he’s excited about headed to college next year, wherever that might be, but I also suspect he’s a little sad realizing his four-year run at Claremont High is about to end. No question he’s enjoyed CHS. We’re all hoping the next chapter reads as well as this one. Naturally, Beth and I continue to think about his college choices daily. Sam would rather wait until all the notifications come in and he can decide among those universities that want him.

He doesn’t know it yet, but he has a lot to look forward to, no matter where he decides to go to college. His summer is already almost full, with hopes for a summer job wedged between several summer trips. And that doesn’t event take into account his and the other graduation parties that await. Yeah, it will be a fun summer for all of us. For now, I’ll just look forward to the seasonal opening of the Tiki Bar instead.

Town and Gown Memories

2011-01-04T19:53:00.000-08:00

With the recent passing of the legendary Olympic documentary filmmaker Bud Greenspan, and following my recent post about how USC really is a great university (even if I am still a UCLA sports fan), I started remembering some of the people I had the chance to meet and things I got to do during the two years I attended USC earning my master’s degree.

Bud Greenspan

Greenspan was among those people. He was a guest speaker on campus one night, and I was invited by a faculty member to join the two of them for dinner. Though I’d seen many of his documentaries growing up, I’m sure I didn’t realize at the time just what an important and influential person I was chatting with. Maybe that’s because it was somewhat common to cross paths with people who had some degree of celebrity status during the time I was at USC. In fact, the list is somewhat remarkable. Not that I’m impressed by that kind of thing, but it is a testimony to the environment that encompasses the university and the accomplished people who are around there. And it’s just another reason why I think it would be a great fit for Sam. The opportunities are seemingly endless, and the contacts are golden.

It’s hard to convey what an extraordinary and invaluable experience this was without sounding like a pompous namedropper. That’s not my intent. It’s simply a reflection back on the things I was fortunate to encounter over a two-year period nearly 30 years ago.

Truth be told, I never expected to find myself at USC, since I was a lifelong UCLA sports fan. The university had a very strong school of journalism and public relations program. The opportunity to attend USC was simply too powerful to ignore.

I still remember visiting campus for the first time in 1981 and meeting with one of the public relations faculty. I didn’t know it at the time, but Kenneth Owler Smith was somewhat of a legend in the field of public relations. As I was doing my best to impress, he was doing a bit of recruiting on his own. He spoke glowingly about some of his former students, including Hall of Fame wide receiver Lynn Swann, who was also one of his protégés. By that time, Swann was in his last year with the Pittsburgh Steelers before working for ABC. When Doc died in 1988, Swann was among the speakers at his funeral.

Although I always assumed I’d head into my professional career after graduating from Cal Poly Pomona in 1982, the idea of continuing my education was suddenly very intriguing. And when Doc called to tell me that I was not only accepted to the graduate program, but that I’d been offered a teaching assistant position that would virtually pay for all of my education, the path for my next two years was crystal clear.

Still many months before enrolling in my first class, I got a jump on my USC experience and began working as a student assistant in the sports information office. That’s when I had first encounter with someone influential on campus. Football coach John Robinson happened to be standing at the adjacent urinal in a Heritage Hall restroom. I introduced myself, but we didn’t shake hands (not quite the right place for that), although he did make a politically incorrect joke about our common last name.

Heritage Hall

My good friend from Cal Poly, Nick Salata, was also accepted to the graduate program, and we rented an apartment together in L.A. We both took internships in the USC sports information office, which was a “who’s who” of recognizable personalities, from Los Angeles sports media to current and former athletes. I’d certainly been around public figures in the past, but not with this frequency. Broadcaster Tom Kelly came by the office regularly, as did well-known LA newspaper reporters like Allan Malamud, Mal Florence, Scott Ostler and John Hall, and TV personalities like Jim Hill, Stu Nahan and Roy Firestone. It was just a bit overwhelming to me, but, as I discovered, pretty commonplace around there. Before long, the players started funneling in regularly during the summer with the start of fall practice, and by that time, I was becoming somewhat familiar with the campus.

One of my assignments was to write a feature story for every “Game Day” home game program. Rather than single out individual players, we focused on all of the players at a certain position. I wrote one feature about the offensive line, which included four players who would eventually play in the NFL: Don Mosebar (Raiders), Bruce Mathews (Oilers-Titans), Kelly Thomas (Buccaneers, Rams) and Tony Slaton (Rams). They weren’t the only eventual NFL players who I interviewed from the team in fall 1982. That group included Joey Browner (Vikings, Buccaneers), Keith Browner (Buccaneers, 49ers, Raiders, Chargers), Duane Bickett (Colts, Seahawks, Panthers), George Achica (Colts), Fred Cornwell (Cowboys), Riki Ellison (49ers, Raiders), Jeff Simmons (Rams), August Curley (Lions), Byron Darby (Eagles, Colts, Lions), Lou Brock Jr. (Lions, Seahawks), Michael Harper (Jets), Darrel Hopper (Chargers), John Kamana (Rams, Falcons), Zeph Lee (Broncos, Raiders), Ken Ruettgers (Packers), Scott Tinsley (Eagles), Troy West (Eagles), Jack Del Rio (Saints, Chiefs, Cowboys, Vikings and current Jaguars coach) and Sean Salisbury (Seahawks, Colts, Vikings, Chargers).

As far as I was concerned, they were just a bunch of big guys who were all relatively unknown. In hindsight, they turned out to be good enough to play professionally. Somewhat surprisingly (at least in retrospect), that team finished only 8-3 and tied for third in the Pac-10.

On game days, we worked in the press box at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, making sure statistics and game notes were distributed to the media. My job after the game was to get post-game quotes from the visiting coach. The first home game was against Indiana, whose head coach at the time was Lee Corso. He wasn’t really a “big deal” at the time, but today he’s a mainstay on ESPN’s College Game Day.

Later in the season, I had the chance to work the UCLA-USC game for ABC over at the Rose Bowl. I jumped at the opportunity, but my duties put me in the TV truck outside the stadium tracking the down and distance for the graphics operator. Beth took her brother Dave with our 50-yard-line tickets, while I was trapped in the TV truck. Definitely not the way I wanted to watch that game (but Beth and Dave enjoyed themselves, cheering for UCLA while surrounded by Trojan fans). So when the offer came up a week later to work for CBS during the Notre Dame-USC game at the Coliseum, I was assured this job would be much better. That week, I was assigned to assist sideline reporter Pat O’Brien and help set up arrange interviews. When I arranged for him to speak to Trojan legend Anthony Davis, O’Brien gave me a leaping high-five. That experience was worth the disappointment of the previous week.

There was a day after the football season had ended when a group of guys came into the sports information office looking for tickets to the USC-UCLA basketball game that night over at Pauley Pavilion. There was no mistaking the identities of this trio – O.J. Simpson, Al Cowlings and Marcus Allen. After the game that night, Nick and I were at a club in Westwood Village when Allen came into the place with women on both arms and others clawing their way to be near him. At the time, it was just a good story to tell people, but it’s a little creepy today, knowing what was going to happen with O.J. and Cowlings a decade later.

Nick and I had all of the same classes together, including a television broadcasting class. One assignment was to go to the Los Angeles Rams’ practice and interview players and then edit a “remote” piece for a news program. It was a big deal for me to interview guys like Jack Youngblood and Carl Ekern, since the Rams had been my favorite team since I was about 8. I also got to go to KNBC and sit in on an editing session with reporter John Marshall, and stuck around to watch the nightly news from inside the studio. That’s the first time I ever saw the “magic” of the green screen for weather reports. It was an entire world that was new to me at the time, but eventually became commonplace in my professional career. I have my education and experiences at USC to thank for that.

As much as I enjoyed graduate school, Nick and I didn’t always make it to class. There was one Monday night when we were headed to our 6 p.m. class, but instead decided to walk across the street to the Coliseum to watch the Los Angeles Raiders play the Miami Dolphins. It was nice having those kinds of convenient distractions.

My most memorable class was during my second year, when my professor Felix Gutierrez arranged for me and another student, Marty Zogg, to do a major research project for the Dodgers. Marty and I put together a team that surveyed fans about the scorecard-program. We tabulated the results using computer punch cards, and presented a full report to the Dogers. Back then, that actually was sophisticated technology. Ironically, years later I ended up working for the Dodgers writing stories and editing the program.

Most of my classes were great. I had instructors who worked for the LA Times, KNBC and were leaders in public relations. I had another who produced the slide-show effect opening to “The Rockford Files,” and our classes were at his studio at the old Helms Bakery building.

Nick and I were also both teaching assistants for the undergraduate sports information major, which they called “SPIN.” It was a hybrid program that combined courses from the school of journalism (before it was known as the Annenberg School for Journalism and Communication) and physical education, with some courses rooted in sports public relations. Doc Smith was one of the chairs of the program, and he became my mentor and good friend.

The other program chair was Ruth Sparhawk, who was friends with Greenspan and the professor who invited me to that memorable dinner. Funny thing, but Doc Smith and Dr. Sparhawk were always butting heads, and I felt like I was in the middle of their disputes, yet they were both very passionate about the progam.

While our graduate classes were interesting, the SPIN courses were just as good, because of the types of people who spoke at the classes, including Jerry West, Dick Enberg, Gil Stratton, Irv Kaze and many more that I’m not remembering right now. Even the faculty had certain panache, like Ted Brock from NFL Properties; Bob Steiner from California Sports (Jerry Buss’ company that owns the Lakers); Larry Knuth, who was a track coach at USC; and Dan Avey, the former Kings broadcaster and radio personality who recently died. I still remember listening to Avey on Kings broadcasts when I was young.

Avey helped Doc Smith launch SPIN-TV, which was a hands-on television venture run entirely by students. I coordinated the operation. Back then, cable television sports were still in their infancy, and a local TV channel called Prime Ticket was just getting started. The local teams had home games telecast over a pay service called “On-TV.” High school sports were never televised – until we started SPIN-TV. We purchased some video cameras and sound and editing equipment, and arranged with a small cable provider in Pasadena to allow us to videotape local football games and then show them several days later over the local access channel. SPIN students did everything. They were the announcers, sideline reporters, sound technicians, video editors, camera operators, graphics people, statisticians and anything else that needed to be done.

One time the SPIN class met off campus over at the Forum. Bob Steiner had Jerry Buss speak to the group of students (which, ironically, included Buss’ latest girlfriend at the time). We then had dinner in the Forum Club with Buss and his entourage before going to our seats about four rows from the floor for the Lakers’ season opener. After the game, Steiner walked me into the Lakers locker room and introduced me to Michael Cooper and others. I remember watching how Kareem avoided the media by darting into the shower. So Sven Nater was the guy getting the attention. It was a blowout, so he probably had a good game that night. For me, it was just another “pinch myself” moment.

SPIN students had the opportunity to do internships with virtually every sports-related organization in Southern California. That allowed me to meet people from those organizations, including the brand-new Los Angeles Express from the USFL. We placed several students in internships with the Express, and I was invited to work game days at the Coliseum. I ended up on the sidelines for the team’s first USFL game against Hershel Walker and Donald Trump’s New Jersey Generals.

Besides assisting the faculty, we also advised undergraduates about the classes they needed. I was somewhat in awe when Steve Riley, a big offensive lineman from the Minnesota Vikings, returned to campus to be advised about the few classes he still needed to take to graduate. Oh, and there were a couple other students that I advised who would later go on to bigger notoriety: football player Sean Salisbury and basketball player Cheryl Miller.

Elsewhere on campus, I’d frequently run into Mark McGwire, who I knew from Claremont and whose dad was my dentist. And it wasn’t uncommon to see actress Ally Sheedy at the bookstore.

By the end of our first year, Nick had taken a full-time job in the sports information office, while I continued working toward my master’s degree. Olympic fever hit the campus hard. People like Greenspan were common visitors. Construction on the Olympic pool on campus was completed, and I worked some pre-Olympic swimming, diving and synchronized swimming events. Former USC swimmer and Olympic gold medalist John Naber spoke to one of my classes. Yes, Olympic fever was in full swing, and I had a bad case.

Doc Smith was a huge fan of the Olympics. He had been to several Games, including the Moscow Olympics in 1980 that the U.S. boycotted. He made it possible for me to work for Track and Field News during the U.S. Olympic Trials and the 1984 Olympics, and to have a pass into the USC Olympic Village. Back in 1983, Beth and I purchased tickets for many other sports, which allowed me to attend something almost every day of the 1984 Olympics. That still remains the most incredible 16 days I can remember.

The Olympics came just a couple of months after I graduated, and when they ended I turned the page on another chapter of my life. But those two years at USC were probably the most significant in shaping my direction in life.

Although Kenneth Owler Smith died in 1988, several years after I graduated, his legacy remains strong at USC. In fact, the university continues to present an annual speaker symposium in his name. I’m proud that “Doc” was able to make it to my wedding in 1985, because he’s the person who made so many things possible for me while I was there. He seemed to take a liking to me, and the feeling was mutual. He opened doors I never thought possible.

My Own Personal Cross-Town Rivalry

2010-12-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

From the time I understood that I had to pick sides, I lined up in UCLA’s corner of instead of USC’s. Whether the notion came from my dad, our family friends or from watching TV, the message was clear that you rooted for one and against the other. There was no middle ground.

I don’t know why I liked UCLA then. Maybe it was because Gary Beban won the Heisman Trophy. Or perhaps it was because our neighbor went to UCLA. But at 8 years old, it was probably because I liked powder blue and gold much better than cardinal and goldenrod.

If you’ve read my blog or Facebook postings, then you know I root for the Bruins still today. If I’ve learned anything about myself, it’s that I’m loyal to my teams (unless their sinister owner moves them to St. Louis). I’m definitely not one to jump ship, no matter how agonizing the experience may be.

Unfortunately, rooting for the Bruins against USC has been particularly painful lately. For most of the years Pete Carroll coached the Trojans, I expected USC to win, so I didn’t let my emotions get the better of me. Before that, UCLA won eight years in a row, so the outcome was just as predictable. But recently, despite their misfortunes, I’ve been especially devoted to the Bruins, because Richard Brehaut has been their quarterback the past two years, including most of this season as the starter. Even though I didn’t go to school there, I’ve thrown myself headfirst into being an avid fan once again, complete with season tickets and hours of pregame tailgate festivities. Moreover, my passion has brought overwhelming joy when the team has done well, and less than desirable emotions when they don’t. I wasn’t a good guy to be around when the rival Trojans won this year’s annual cross-town battle. Of course, I wasn’t the only one, as emotions erupted before, during and after the game all around Rose Bowl.

As hard as this is to believe, I love USC.

Okay, maybe not on the football field, but my allegiance to the university is true.

As much as I wanted UCLA to win last week, I wish equally hard for my son Sam to have the same opportunity that I had, and that’s to go to USC.

I contend to this day that getting my master’s degree at USC was the smartest thing I’ve ever done. It was a great education and afforded me remarkable experiences and opportunities, not only while I was in school, but in the many years that have followed.

For the better part of the past year, Beth and I have taken Sam on numerous college campus tours to let him figure out where he wants to go. When he and I visited USC and UCLA on the same day last spring, there was no comparison. Both campuses are beautiful, but there was a definite “connection” at USC that was missing at UCLA. We both felt it. I could sense he grasped the magic that I knew when I went there. It was obvious that day that Sam knew where he wanted to go to school next fall. Heck, I wanted to go back.

I can’t figure it out… I really do feel a strong affection for USC, but you’ll never catch me wearing Trojan colors or uttering “Fight On!” Give me the Eight Clap any day. I was a UCLA fan before I was a USC student.

Sam and I have made a couple of return visits to USC, and his feelings haven’t changed. Neither have mine. Now, of course, we have to hope he can get in, and then figure out how to pay for it. But those things worked out when I went there, and I’m confident they will again for him.

He doesn’t seem to be enamored with Heritage Hall and the athletic history at USC, but it’s impossible to ignore. We navigated our way to the sports information office to say hello to Tim Tessalone, who was busy chatting with an older guy who still looked to be in pretty good shape. Ironically, it was Sam Dickerson, the wide receiver who caught the game-winning touchdown for the Trojans in their 14-12 victory over UCLA back in 1969. I was only 10, but I remember the catch in “Sam’s Corner.” That one still hurts, too.

If he’s accepted, our Sam’s biggest problem will be dealing with his brother, who is a true-blue Bruin fan, and will never understand the appeal of USC. I still don’t think he’s fully accepted Sam going to Claremont High instead of Upland, which is Sid’s alma mater. Claremont was a better fit for Sam, just as Upland was right for Sid. Sid’s as loyal of a person as there is, and he’s stubborn with his convictions. This won’t sit well with him if it happens, but the opportunity would be foolish to ignore, if Sam is fortunate to be accepted and the other pieces fall into place. But it’s probably a longshot.

If it happens, it won’t go over well with my UCLA friends, either, but I think they’ll understand. After all, my good friend Jim Moore married into a USC family, and I am reasonably sure he still roots for the Bruins over the Trojans. In truth, there is probably nothing in the world Jim hates more than USC, even though two of Andi’s brothers went there. Jerry Shaw – one of the football-playing Shaw brothers from Claremont – earned three Rose Bowl rings playing rover-back for the Trojans during the late 1960s. And Dennis Shaw went to USC but transferred to San Diego State because John McKay thought Dennis was too big to play quarterback. Dennis did okay as an Aztec QB, and was the Rookie of the Year with the Buffalo Bills. Nevertheless, Andi bleeds blue and gold.

I wish picking sides in this rivalry could be as easy as rooting for both Southern California baseball teams at the same time. It’s much easier to like both the Dodgers and Angels.

But it doesn’t work that way with college football – at least USC vs. UCLA, and I'll continue to keep my loyalties. I’ve just resigned myself to being a walking contradiction.

Mad Men

2010-11-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

Most people outside of the profession don’t know the difference between public relations and advertising. For example, a component of public relations is “earned” media. That is to say, PR helps develop stories that the news media determine to be appealing or newsworthy, so the media report your story. With advertising, you pay for your space or time in the media. Both disciplines demand creativity and a strategic approach. In most organizations, there are clear walls between those handling public relations and those in advertising. That’s by design.

I’ve spent my entire career on the public relations side and only dabbled with paid advertising. But with recent developments within the California State University system and the sudden reversal to once again admit more students, we need to get the word out. Unfortunately, our university (much like most CSU campuses) doesn’t have an advertising department – or even an advertising budget, for that matter. The free media, including social media, helps, but it doesn’t reach our entire audience.

So this month I crossed over to the advertising side as Cal State San Bernardino introduced its first television advertising campaign. Since funds are limited, it’s limited to cable subscribers in designated Inland Empire areas, and only on a handful of cable networks. Naturally, I’ve posted the spots here and on Facebook. You can find them all at the CSUSB YouTube channel. Take a look and let me know what you think. Thanks.

The Old College Try

2010-11-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

This is a bittersweet time in our household. Sam just turned 18, his senior pictures arrived and he’s looking ahead to college next year. At this point we really don’t know where he’ll be in the fall, but it’s not because he hasn’t had a chance to look at colleges. He and Allie Seligman spent the past weekend with Megan Moore, who gave them the grand tour of Sonoma State and the local area. More than anything, it was a great opportunity for a road trip and for all of them to spend time together – and to spend a few days seeing what it’s like to be living on their own. Sam came back with Sonoma high on his list of choices.

Sam got a taste of that the previous weekend, when he spent his 18^th birthday weekend with his brother Sid at Cal State San Marcos. I didn’t ask many questions, but I’m sure it was more than a “taste” of college life.

There are still a few more campuses that Sam will visit, but he’s been to Northern Arizona, USC, Redlands, UCLA, UCSB, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and others. Some will make the cut and others won’t… Of course, he won’t make the cut at some of those, but the value is in seeing what he likes and doesn’t like. He seems to have settled on a top three, but the final decision will be based on where he is accepted and what we can afford. By springtime the pieces will fall into place.

This entire process is pretty interesting and inspiring; not only with Sam, but hearing what schools other high school seniors are visiting. Most are still in the same boat as Sam – sending out applications and waiting to find out where they are accepted before charting out the next chapter in their lives. Stay tuned.

Friday Night Lights, College Gameday, The NFL Today

2010-11-20T14:25:00.000-08:00

The best thing about the fall is that every weekend is filled with football. And this time of year, the football feast goes well beyond the weekend, with NFL games on Thursday nights, too.

Fridays mean high school games, and I go to a prep game almost every Friday night. I saw most of Claremont High’s games this year, but skipped a couple to catch Upland High and watch some of the kids who played baseball with or against Sam when he was younger. Both teams advanced to the CIF-Southern Section playoffs, and I opted to stay closer to home for the Upland game against Temecula Chaparral instead of traveling to Eastvale (near Corona) for the Wolfpack’s game against Roosevelt High. Both the local teams faced tough challenges in the first round. Claremont lost its game to Roosevelt, 28-21, and apparently had a chance to tie the game late. Roosevelt was the regular-season second place team in the league that was won by nationally ranked Corona Centennial. This was the best season for the Pack in several years, finishing with an overall record of 7-4.

Meanwhile, Upland outlasted Chaparral, 40-35, but was clearly the better team, despite the close score. The Highlanders gave up a pair of touchdowns on turnovers, but also took advantage of very questionable coaching decisions on the part of the Pumas. Upland moves on to host Corona Centennial on Nov. 26.

Saturdays are reserved for college football. When UCLA has a home game, that eats up the entire day, which is set aside for hours of tailgating, plus the game itself. There is plenty of college football action on TV when the Bruins are on the road, although I’d just as soon forget about their performance Thursday night at Washington. Ouch.

It’s actually hard for me to sit down and watch an entire NFL game on Sundays, mainly because I have a need to use my time constructively, even if that’s doing chores and running errands. The only thing that matters anyway is how my fantasy guys are doing, and those updates are available all day.

I love when it rains on the weekend. It’s the perfect excuse to sit and watch football and not feel guilty about not being productive around the house. That lack of guilt only goes so far, because the rain also means that I should sit down and update my blog.

Tonight I’ll turn my attention to women’s volleyball and hope that Cal State San Bernardino wins the NCAA Division II West Regional. If the Coyotes beat Seattle Pacific, they’ll advance to the national tournament Dec. 2-4 in Louisville for a shot at the university’s elusive first national championship.

Good Seats Still Available

2010-11-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

No matter which school you favor, the UCLA-USC game is always an event. There’s nothing quite like the college football experience, and when rivals square off, it’s nothing short of chaos and mayhem. Depending on what time you arrive to start tailgating, that description doesn’t even begin to set the scene.

Of course, I mean that in a pleasurable, positive way. For the past two years I’ve had UCLA season tickets, and there is absolutely nothing better on a Saturday in the fall than to be with family and friends at a college football game. And it’s all the more fun when some of your tailgating friends are the parents of the quarterback.

The past two years have been incredible watching the remarkable development of Richard Brehaut as the Bruin QB. After watching from the sidelines for most of last year and a bit of this season, the job is his. He’s performed admirably, demonstrated leadership qualities and has shown tremendous potential. Yeah, this really is fun to watch, and just as enjoyable watching Danny and Yvonne along the way.

It’s great to watch the games on television – and UCLA plays on TV Thursday night at Washington and on Friday, Nov. 26, at Arizona State. But you gotta be there. There is only one more home game at the Rose Bowl, so your opportunities are running out for this year. Yep, that’s the rivalry game against the Trojans on Saturday, Dec. 4. Tickets are still available.

I found this graphic on Facebook

If you’re reading this, you likely know me, which means you might know Danny or Yvonne, too. So why wouldn’t you go to watch their son lead the Bruins in the biggest game of the year? This is one of those rare and extraordinary experiences in life, and you have the opportunity to be there.

The game’s at 7:30 p.m., but the tailgating starts many many hours earlier. We’ll be in Lot H on the south side of the Rose Bowl. Give me a call once you have your tickets and join us for the pre-game activities. I really do hope to see you there.

Eight is Enough

2010-11-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

It’s been more than eight months since I last updated my blog. Truth be told, I’ve let it go dormant because it’s a heck of a lot easier to post bite-size notes or links on Facebook and other sites instead.

For a blog to have value, you really do need to give it regular attention. Unfortunately, I spend most of my day at my computer – both at work and at home – and don’t relish the thought of adding to that time. Like most of you reading this, it’s hard to find the extra hours for yet another “assignment.” Another problem is that I when I write, I like to put some time into formulating my thoughts. So there you have it; I haven’t felt like spending another couple of hours at the computer each day. Thanks for understanding.

Enough of my whining. It’s time to take this thing off life support and give an honest effort in reviving "Sid’s Side." This time I’ll try not to let it consume so much of my time so that it drives me away again. I’ll be brief – perhaps a compromise between the previous postings and the Facebook model. I’m giving it another shot.

So why dust off the blog after so long? Because today is a significant day and it seemed appropriate.

My dad would have been 100 years old today if he was still alive. That’s an incredibly strange concept to wrap my head around. Obviously, he was older (48) than most of my friends' fathers when I was born. My dad – the previous Sid Robinson – died when he was 60 and I was just a couple weeks shy of my 12^th birthday. I don’t know that I ever really thought a lot about his age when I was younger, except that I was the first of my friends to lose a father. But I’m thinking about it now. Today it got me.

Our Own Field of Dreams...

2010-02-22T22:06:00.000-08:00

I think most people I know do some kind of volunteer work. For some, it’s helping a cause they find worthy or assisting a non-profit organization. It might be helping with an event or just donating a little time or money. And most of us tend to jump in where our kids are concerned, helping out in classrooms or with their sports teams or other extra-curricular activities. The fun starts when you take that extra step and volunteer for a PTA committee or to be the coach of your kid’s team. The next thing you know you find yourself on the board of directors. It becomes part of your life, so you just keep going when they move along to high school.

This year I’m the president of the Claremont High baseball booster club. Overall, the ride’s been pretty fun, but a couple of weeks ago my son Sam decided he wasn’t interested in playing baseball at the high school anymore. He just wasn’t having fun playing anymore. Given my tremendous passion for the game and Sam’s truly natural talent, I’m sure the decision wasn’t easy for him. But it was his decision, and I’m proud of the way he handled it. I’m sad he won’t be playing baseball, but it feels good to see him happy. When the game is no longer fun, it’s time to find other adventures.

Nevertheless, I’m still the baseball booster club president, and that’s still something I enjoy. So as we embarked on the busiest part of our pre-season preparations, I had doubts as to how much I’d still enjoy my role.

Then came our alumni game and opening ceremonies on Saturday, Feb. 20. This event was something I helped revive last year, and I’ve been in charge of getting the former players back to participate in the game. Given the weather forecasts, we figured we’d be rained out. As much of the Bosson family gathered at our house on Friday night to celebrate Marilyn’s birthday, and with the rain pouring outside, we turned up the volume on the birthday party. But the overnight rain cleared on Saturday morning, and I was shocked to find myself headed to the ballpark for what will probably be the highlight event of the season for me.

From an event-planning standpoint, it was a great success, and the entire board and many volunteers who participated made that a reality. What made the event a true success and my day so fulfilling was that so many former players showed up. I felt absolute joy seeing the smiles on the faces of the guys in the alumni team dugout, while they jarred their memories for old stories and shared a lot of laughs.

The real stars of the day where the former CHS players who came back to reminisce and try to make the plays on the field. A few of them had trouble staying on their feet, and I know there were a lot of sore muscles the next day. I sense the experience was probably worth it.

The highlight for me was seeing Ed Wolfe from the class of 1953 throw out the ceremonial first pitch, and then later watching him hit a line drive to second. He told me later that was first time he’d used an aluminum bat.

There were a number of guys who played in the alumni game last year, but quite a few new players this year. The event brought back generations of former players spanning eras from the 1970s through last year, with an especially strong turnout from the mid-1970s and from the class of 1992.

Here are some photos from the day (see the link).

Rather than let me tell the story, I’ll let a couple guys from the class of 1976 reflect on their experiences, as posted on their class Yahoo forum. This isn’t to give myself a pat on the back, but rather to share the events of the day through the eyes of two friends who really enjoyed themselves on Saturday...

From Rob Haerr…

“It all started with Sid Robinson ingesting mass quantities of spiritual nectar and performing anti-rain dances the night before and into the wee hours of the morning. The ceremony was disguised as a birthday party for Marilyn Bosson, but the rain during the night did a superb groundskeeping job in preparing the infield with the perfect amount of moisture. Sid's sacrifice for the team does not go unnoticed. Beth (Bosson) Robinson said his last words at 3 a.m. were..."I-love-you," or something like that. His energy was sapped.

I woke up at about 5 a.m. ... too dark to get up. My return to sleep took me into a dream of seeing some of the CHS ‘75 guys at the game...Matt Weinberg, Tim Helton, Danny Thomas, David Aguilera. To my surprise...Danny Thomas did show up. I immediately told him about the dream...funny stuff. Tim Helton passed away shortly after high school from a brain cancer I think...but lots of stories started flowing...great stuff. Other guys from '75 also showed...Brian Fitzgeralls, Mark Robertson. Both look great and it was very cool to catch up with their history.

I woke up again at 7 a.m. and the sun was shining! Before I was fully awake, I checked Facebook...Sid and Mil (Pompa) both said..."GAME ON SPREAD THE WORD!"

Coffee, oatmeal...Aleve.

The highlight of the day was meeting with CHS ‘53(!!!) baseball alumnus, Ed Wolfe. He warmed up with Danny Healey and I. We talked about how these kids have 3 or 4 uniforms, batting cages with pitching machines, nice park, dugouts, etc. He said, "I wore the exact same uniform my dad had worn 20 years earlier in 1932. Had his name still inside. It was about ‘this thick,’ made of wool." He threw out the first pitch. When his turn to bat came up...he hit a line shot to second base. Great stuff. I meant to ask him if our old Pony League field was the field they played on.

Other CHS ‘76ers Mike Woodley, Rocky Smith showed up and hung in the dugout. CHS ‘77ians Danny Brehaut, Dave Bosson (actually 1978), Paul Sokolowski came out (and Brian Zell was there, too). Great to see Paul...he still has a sweet swing. My brother, Kenny, was the lone CHS ‘78er to show up...he pitched and inning and played 3rd.

Brett Vondereith and Trish Young were there. Man, they look great. I have encouraged them both to chime in here. They were up for Mr Young's funeral. Mr Young was a fixture and wonderful man around all of our practices and games in our youth.

My (Ravelers) bandmates, Martie and Hai even came to give me a razzing and a birthday card. There was a nice crowd...and it was very nice to see Paul Sokolowki's parents...also fixtures at practices and games thru our youth.

I lasted an inning. Got a base hit, stole second (that catcher should get razzed for the rest of this season for that), then scored on a base hit down the right field line. As I started to round third, I felt a ‘pop’ in my left calf...pulled it pretty good. It's not like I was rippin' up the base path or anything...one small attempt at a burst of acceleration took it's toll on my 52-year-old original springs and bushings. My suspension parts are not what they used to be.

While warming up, Danny Thomas asked me, "Haerr, can you still run?"

"No." And I proved it.

Sokolowski did the same thing. Nurse Debinator gave Paul some information if he had torn his Achilles tendon or not. Hopefully he just pulled something like I did. Paul's Mom, "Mrs. Sok" was just shaking her head as she would have 35 years earlier...priceless. Mr. Sokolowski was always a hitting coach to all of us.

Mil looked great on the mound. I will let Mil tell more about the day from his view.

Looking forward to next year and who might walk up.

This is a great tradition that Sid has started!

Rob
...and Debi enjoyed making fun of our "glory days".

Mike Woodley so aptly said..."our brains are writing checks our bodies can't cash."

And here’s the day from Mil Pompa’s vantage point …

“On Wednesday when I did my last work out I had to do what any man would do. Make sure to watch Jackie Johnson on TV. Watch her weather report of course. I don't know what anyone else could be thinking? As she delivered her gloomy report of rain on Friday, drizzle on Saturday with rain till Sunday I knew there was only one thing to do. Yes, I check in with Swedish Thunder (the late Jon Erickson from CHS '76) and asked for a simple favor. In return I promised to dedicate one inning to him. Deal.

As it started to rain on Friday night I knew it was only going to be the pre-field dusting we would need. I finished my chicken dinner, mashed potato's and green bean dinner went upstairs and gazed out at the rain.

I woke up around 3 a.m. with a crazy dream of Sid Robinson and most of the Bossons huddled around a black cauldron smoking like the vile of Dr. Frankenstein. They were dressed in traditional Native dress and were dancing in a circle around the cauldron waving some smoking sage as they chanted and danced with desire. Beth Robinson read from some old tablet and a giant blue flash made me jump up out of my mid-nocturnal male testosterone period deep sleep. Uh, that's another story...anyway, I looked at the clock; it read 3 a.m. I gazed out of the window and saw the sky. The clouds seemed to be scooted along by some spiritual hand clearing off a table of cotton balls. I could see the stars start to twinkle and had that feeling that my simple favor had been granted and now it was up to me to keep my end of the deal.

My Saturday was filled with the pre-game ritual I had performed for over 22 years in Northern California: Two packs of Oatmeal, 1/2 cup of coffee, 1 cup of juice, two slices of peanut butter toast. Now off to La Puerta to take my daughter to her Opening Day Ceremony for her first softball game. My wife's helping me coach my daughter and due to the fact that we only found out two weeks ago there was no one to coach our team, My wife and I volunteered to coach. I wanted someone who wanted to coach, who wanted to teach the girls (6 and under) and most of all, make sure they all have a good time!

I arrived at the high school just as the this booming voice came over the P.A. system, "all alumni who have not signed in please do so by the cages, thank you." I walked through the gate, sign in and look up to see Danny Thomas! I HAD TO PINCH MYSELF! Then I see Brian Fitzgeralls! ANOTHER PINCH! Then I see Mark Robertson! ONE MORE PINCH AND NOW I BELIEVE IT! Then Rob, Ken, WHAT THE @#%$(*!!, Paul Sokolowski walks up, "hey old man!" What a sight!!

I have traveled back into time to see some of the best athletes come home. It now doesn't matter if I played or not. This was too good to be true and I am so upset with myself for not playing the year before. I now see Rocky (Smith), Mike Woodley and everyone else starts to file in: Davey (Bosson), George (Hernandez)… I could just go down the list! Meeting all the players and getting to sit in the dugout. That would of done if for me. I can't believe it's all real and the feeling of being back in the dugout brought back that old long-wristed magic.

The opening ceremonies were priceless and watching Eddie Wolfe throw out the first pitch was like I had stepped into a lost scene of Field of Dreams. We had a wonderful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by a local Claremont girl (Stephanie Inglese) who sang very well.

Game on:

Now what I have not said is that Sid Robinson has been in five places at once all during this time. He's taking pictures, he's making the lineup, he's getting everyone all the information at once. He's over by the announcer. That dream of the smoking cauldron came back for a flash, how did you do it Sid?! No doubt, the MVP!!!

The game started and it was interesting to see the method of pitching to ourselves. Simply put, when we batted, our pitcher pitched when the high school team was on the field and their pitcher pitched when they were at bat, we were on the field. Runs were scored on both sides and the show got going when it seemed one-by-one we started pulling up lame!! Ha Ha. Rob first, but hey don't think he didn't show up to play! He gave his all, hustled (cough, cough) out to second and I'm pretty sure made the first out defensively for us fielding a ground ball and throwing to first. Ken Haerr hustles out, takes his cuts, throws an inning - what else could he do?!! Oh yeah, give 110% and pull a thigh muscle! BASEBALL - GOTTA LOVE IT!!

Paul Sokolowski was the best hitter I ever played with. Todd Ervin was the best, but I only got to play one year with him and no, he was not at the game. Paul was willing to pitch if we had no one to go. He was willing to go to first or just sit and hit. And hit he still can. His second at bat he singles to right. And during a delayed steal, he collapses in between first and second. He's puzzled why it felt as though during his attempt at a delayed-steal, the catcher threw the ball and hit him in the ankle? When he collapsed, I ran out to help him and in and this is what he told me. He then realized he pulled and Achilles when he tried to walk on it. It was funny ‘cause he was tagged out and ended the inning and Dan Brehaut tried to get the fans and teammates to forgive him for falling flat on his face innings earlier while fielding a very routine ground ball! I know there's pictures of that!

Ok, now my turn: I've been waiting to pitch cause I was hoping my wife and kids would arrive from the softball ceremonies to see me play but it's now the fifth inning and we have more than enough guys to pitch. I've been preparing for a month. Throwing the rock in my back yard, the same one I threw at my little brother in high school. Having a little brother was cool cause he was always up to a game of, "Dodge Rock." I also was doing push-ups in the shower and sorry Carrie, the damn camera lens kept fogging up to prove to you I was really doing them! Two trips around the park soccer field and 200 jumps on the jumping stick, everyday, I'm ready.

As I strut out to the mound I have this routine that I do but this time it was different. I just couldn't get that dream picture out of my mind, "those clouds being swept like cotton balls."

Dan Brehaut was first up. He begged me and bribed me to be easy on him and not bring it in on the hands (darn!) I couldn't help but smile as I took my warm ups with the high school catcher. I kind of felt weird flashing back to Cahuilla Park for a moment. Dan Brehaut scooted out of the way on the first pitch, which I tried to throw high and in but came in low! He moved pretty good and I wondered if his big bro, my buddy the late Burt Brehaut played Dodge Rock with him?!!

A couple of pitches later, he ground's out to third, one out. The next alum up I got to strike out on four pitches and the last hitter struck out on five pitches.

I thought to myself as I walked off the field, (geez Thunder, I think I was suppose to let them hit!) It was in slow motion and strangely silent as I walked off the mound. I raised my cap in thanks and got a huge roar from the fans and teams. There's no crying in baseball.

BS.

What a great day! Great weather! Great friends! And topping it off I got to meet Leslie, Robyn Floyd came up and said hello, Jennifer was there as well as lots of kids and to see the Sokolowski's, Rob's true in his words. Growing up in Claremont, if you played baseball, you knew the Sokolowski's! It had to be. There had to be. I'm not going to be convinced easily on this thought: Trish and Bret come to the game. Mr. Young, my mentor, his service was that day. I asked them why they came? "We were in town." No, Mr. Young and Thunder hooked up, made our day and brought together so many wonderful people!! No other way to explain it. Don't try.

Did I say there's no crying in baseball?

I can't wait for next year!

Moonlight (with a little help) Mil

CHS Baseball Alumni Game, Opening Ceremonies Set for Feb. 20

2010-01-31T11:05:00.001-08:00

The Claremont High baseball program will kick off its 2010 season with special "opening day" ceremonies, an alumni game and a family barbecue on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Claremont High School.

The CHS varsity baseball team will take on former Wolfpack players in the annual alumni game Saturday as a preview to kick off the 2010 season. The game will culminate two days of special activities at the CHS varsity field to open the new baseball campaign.

Festivities are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., followed by the game and a home run derby.

The CHS junior varsity and freshman teams will play at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19.

On Saturday, Feb. 20, the varsity will take to the field against Wolfpack players from the past. All former CHS baseball letter winners are invited to participate in the game or in pre-game batting practice.

The Saturday activities also will include special opening ceremonies and introductions on the field of all players on the freshman, junior varsity and varsity team, followed by first-pitch ceremonies.

A family barbecue will take place throughout the day, and refreshments will be available. In addition, Wolfpack baseball merchandise will be on sale. A home run competition will follow the alumni game.

Alumni game participants should arrive at the CHS varsity field on the Claremont High campus by 9 a.m.

Additional details are available on the Claremont High baseball Web site.

Former CHS baseball players interested in participating should contact Sid Robinson at (909) 227-9589.

Claremont Baseball to Host Annual Golf Tournament Jan. 29

2010-01-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

The Claremont High School baseball program will host its Seventh Annual Golf Tournament and Auction on Friday, Jan. 29, at San Dimas Community Golf Course.

All proceeds support the Wolfpack baseball program and will help fund current and future projects, including field improvements, equipment purchases, uniforms and other projects.

Golfers and event sponsors can download a registration form and find more information at the Claremont High baseball Web site.

For additional information or to donate an auction item, contact Bob Miletich at (909) 621-2345. Or contact me and I'll make sure you're part of the group. Thanks.

Back to Blogging

2009-12-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

After another long hiatus away from blogging, it’s time to pick it up again, especially with the start of the holiday season. This time, I decided to lay low for a little while and give priority to the many other assorted activities in my life that keep me busy. I’ll try to get the postings back on track as time permits…

Although the UCLA team managed only a 6-6 record this year, I absolutely loved having season tickets. There’s nothing quite like college football, and the tailgate parties before every home game at the Rose Bowl were tremendous fun, especially with our good friends. Those season tickets were an incredible birthday present from Beth – and they’ll be the gift that keeps on giving, since I’m sure we’ll continue to renew. Maybe one of these days we’ll get an R.V. and park it out there early and really do it up right. Beth’s response is, “Not a chance in hell!...” For now, I’ll enjoy the comfort of my fold-up chair and ice chest…and we’ll have more tailgate parties at home, too, when the team is on the road…

Thanksgiving really is a special holiday – maybe my favorite. The daylong activities at Dave Bosson’s are hard to top, including the annual Turkey Bowl football game. I’ve resigned myself to being a spectator in recent years, but now it’s especially fun watching my boys play along with their cousins and uncles, instead of just trying to keep up with the older guys. They aren’t the little guys any more, and they’re very happy to share their on-field exploits with anyone who’ll listen…

A couple of Sid’s classmates and friends from Upland High distinguished themselves when they were named to the All-Pac 10 women’s soccer team. Both Lauren Barnes (UCLA) and Alyssa Davila (USC) earned second team honors…

A big happy 21^st birthday to Sid on Dec. 14…

Best wishes to Upland High’s football team, which escaped with a narrow victory over Claremont in the final game of the regular season and finished fourth in the Baseline League to earn a wild card berth in the CIF-Southern Section Central Division playoffs. The Highlanders then beat Damien and Colony to advance to the division semi-finals against Chino Hills on Friday. The winner of that game will play either Los Osos or Rancho Cucamonga – two other Baseline League teams – in the championship game next week…

Seemingly unnoticed in Upland’s come-from-behind victory against Colony was Cole Chapman’s huge gain on a draw play as the final seconds ticked away, setting up the eventual winning touchdown with less than a minute to play…

It’s been so long since I last blogged that I never did post the pictures of Sam as the guy who crowned the Homecoming queen at Claremont High. Dressed as a king, he crowed state hurdles champion Kori Carter as this year’s queen. Coincidentally, I had the honor of crowning the queen when I was at Claremont High, dressed as Superman. As Sam noted, we were both “men in tights.”…

No matter what logic you use, Pete Carroll was wrong. The fact that Rick Neuheisel called time out didn’t mean it was okay to run up the score. Sure, Carroll had the right to run any play he wanted. But a coach with any amount of class would have continued to run out the clock. He should have continued to play and gone for a first down. Having quarterback Matt Barkley (the next Jeff George -- incredibly talented and over-hyped) throw deep was inexcusable. I know I’m a UCLA fan, but I don’t dislike USC, where I earned my master’s degree. My time there was not only valuable, but also enjoyable. I still have many friends from when I attended USC, so I try to see these things from both sides and I just can’t in this case.

Some people have said Neuheisel shouldn’t have called time out. As a coach, what choice does he have? He can’t throw in the white flag, if for no other reason than for the morale of the team. I bet all but a handful of coaches in America – Carroll included – would have called time out in that situation, too. The difference is that most opposing coaches in America would have understood the logic and would have continued to run out the clock. Any self-respecting coach wouldn’t have thrown deep, then pumped his fist, leaped in the air like a loon and celebrated like he just won the national title. This game was already over.

I compare this to a baseball team stealing bases with a 10-run lead in the ninth inning, just because the pitcher throws over to first base a couple of times to keep the runner close. Does that all of a sudden make it the right thing to do? Of course not.

Given the score, time remaining and field position at that point of the game Saturday, Neuheisel’s time out call was inconsequential. It wasn’t necessary, but it wasn’t the wrong thing to do. I don’t think the coach or anyone else on the UCLA sideline felt there was a chance to win the game at that point (especially after the awful game by the interim quarterback and the senior backup). The time out wasn’t about trying to win the game. It was about not throwing in the towel.

Carroll, on the other hand, was wrong. No excuses. No justification. No reason. Just go ahead and run up the score.

The victory was not in doubt. Carroll simply showed a complete lack of character and class. Even though I root against USC when they play UCLA, I often root for the Trojans, especially in non-conference games. I always root for them against Notre Dame, and they've brought positive attention to the Pac-10. Sports in Los Angeles as a whole has benefited from USC's success. I always respected their program and their coach. Not anymore.

I'm sure I sound like a bitter fan, but this is more than a game. This was just wrong. And it's time for people to stop saying it was okay because Neuheisel "started it by calling a time out." That's only an excuse. It was a blatant display of what not to do. Heck, I accepted the loss, but when Carroll threw it in UCLA's faces, I was outraged. The whole thing certainly filled my passion bucket.

I suspect there are a few high school recruits out there who might be thinking twice about playing for a coach with that kind of judgment and character, especially after USC’s comparatively disappointing season. Things are definitely starting to get interesting once again in our local major college football battle.

Wait Until Next Year

2009-10-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

The longer your team plays into the postseason and advances in its port, the harder it is to accept when it finally loses. So I felt the pain a bit sharper when the Dodgers dropped the National League Championship Series to the Phillies on Wednesday, missing out on a trip to the World Series. Actually, the hurt really set in on Monday, when Jonathan Broxton blew the save and Philadelphia took a commanding three-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series before clinching the title in the fifth game.

Longtime Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo (who was the team photographer when I worked for the ballclub many years ago) posted several shots on his Facebook page shortly after the game. This one says it all.

I suppose if the Dodgers had beaten the Phillies and then lost in the World Series, then it would have been even harder to stomach. But I’ll take the heartache at the end any day over the season-long torture of being a Giants or Padres fan.

I still hold out hope for the Angels – my second-favorite team – to give it their best shot, but it sure looks like a Yankees-Phillies World Series. If that's the case, I’ll still watch, because I love baseball. But I’m not really as interested. This World Series is the post-game show.

As Dodger fans have said for decades after so many seasons have come to a heartbreaking conclusion, dating back to the 1940s and ‘50s in Brooklyn, “Wait ‘til next year.”...

While we wait, there’s good reason to think a bit more about football. The prospects of an NFL team returning to our area figure to take a huge step forward today. Gov. Schwarzenegger is expected to sign the environmental impact exemption, which clears the stadium project from its current legal battles and will allow developer Ed Roski and partners to start to move forward with the stadium project in the City of Industry.

The next major step will come immediately after the season, when Roski is able to court NFL teams to move to the new Los Angeles Football Stadium. I wouldn’t be surprised if a verbal deal is already in place. I’m open to just about any organization moving to Los Angeles, except the Raiders, who should stay in Oakland where they belong. They are an undeniable dysfunctional organization, and would only put a black eye on a great new start for professional football in Southern California…

The CIF is scheduled to approve re-leaguing proposals today, and the most likely scenarios move Claremont High from the Baseline League to the Sierra League, beginning in 2010-2011. The move is supposed to provide relief—especially in the major sports of football and basketball—but the Wolfpack will have its hands full against the likes of Charter Oak, Chino Hills, Ayala and Damien/St. Lucy's high schools, and probably South Hills (or it could be Glendora). This doesn’t look like the relief Claremont wanted… stay tuned...

I’m not ready to say I jumped the gun on my predictions of Richard Brehaut taking over as the UCLA quarterback. He hasn’t emerged as the starter, but he has looked pretty good in his brief time on the field. His body language shows the confidence that the Bruins need in their quarterback, and his mechanics look to be far superior to those of Kevin Prince and Kevin Craft. As soon as Richard gets a better feel for the offense, including the way he judges his offensive line protection, he’ll be in the lineup for keeps…

In the 26 previous years of our fantasy football league, I’ve always managed to put together a pretty competitive team, and I’ve even finished first a number of times, including last year. Well, not this year… The season is six weeks old and I’m already looking ahead to next year. It’s just one of those (really bad) seasons…

Finally, this blog isn’t just about sports. I learned recently that the annual Victoria’s Secret college vote is well underway, with the winning school being added to the campus collection of logo merchandise (yes, they have a campus collection). Looks like Claremont is well represented, as Harvey Mudd College has an insurmountable lead. And Scripps College is in third... Start ordering that lingerie with the Claremont mark soon…

Odds and Ends - October

2009-10-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend marks the fourth game of the season for the UCLA football team as it travels to Stanford. It will likely put to rest my earlier prediction that Richard Brehaut would be the Bruins’ starting quarterback by the fourth game. I’m not giving up hope that he will be the quarterback by the weekend – just not in the starting role. Unfortunately, unless Coach Rick Neuheisel decides to have Richard split duty with senior Kevin Craft, then the only way Richard takes over the job is if Craft is injured or has a terrible game. Neither seems like a good outcome for Bruin fans. Let’s just hope the coaching staff wants to see their true freshman QB in a game situation and that he has the opportunity to shine…

Son Sid and a group – including Karli Moore – are headed to Palo Alto for the game and to hang out with Megan Moore and friends, who are also going to the game. And I understand UCLA freshman Lauren Seligman is headed north for the game and weekend activities, too. Ahh, I loved college road trips. Hope it’s a great time…

Along with the UCLA-Stanford game, this should be a great college football weekend, with USC taking on Cal on the road at Berkeley. SC freshman Kristen DesCombes is driving up with friends for that game, while Cal alumnus Gordon, along with Sus and Jack, will be at the Homecoming game for the Bears… I love college football season and look forward to being at the Rose Bowl the next two weeks for Bruin games against Oregon (Oct. 10) and Cal (Oct. 17)…

Friday nights are alive with plenty of high school football. Claremont, which won only two games over the previous two years, is already 2-1 and is hoping for two more wins before starting Baseline League play on Oct. 16. The Wolfpack’s Oct. 9 Homecoming game is against Chino High, which is coached by Claremont High graduate Greg Setlich (although he and his family are legendary in Chino)…

Son Sam is having a blast as part of the CHS ASB group organizing a lot of the Homecoming activities. Today he donned his sports coat to introduce the court at the Homecoming rally on campus. Doesn’t seem that long ago that I was doing that stuff…

Hopefully the baseball season will still be going for a few more weeks for the Dodgers, who have sputtered down the stretch against inferior teams. Even though they’re guaranteed a spot in postseason play, it would be awfully embarrassing to lose such a huge Western Division lead and finish second in the division to Colorado, who they have owned throughout 2009 entering the regular season’s final weekend. More importantly, it would be a discouraging way to enter the playoffs, where the teams that seem to have the most success just happen to get hot at the right time. The Dodgers were very hot just over a week ago, but right now they can’t hit the ball…

Can’t say I am terribly surprised that the 2016 Olympics have been awarded to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After all, this will be the first Olympic Games ever held on the South American continent. I was surprised, however, that Chicago was the first of the four final cities to be eliminated from consideration. When the voting reached its final round, Rio received more than twice the votes as runner-up Madrid. Maybe the USOC will finally put Los Angeles back into the running for 2020...

Happy birthday Len…

Enjoyed celebrating Jim and Andi's "100th" birthday last week as they both hit 50 (actually, Andi's birthday is today!). Judy Devens Seligman joined the club a couple days ago, as did Danny Brehaut. Cheers to all of you half-century-old New Year's Eve babies...

This is also the final weekend of the Los Angeles County Fair, which concludes Sunday, Oct. 4. I get the impression that the experiment of extending to five weekends is getting mixed reviews, but it’s really tough to give a fair evaluation in this economy. Hopefully those people making the hard decisions will consider the event a success, despite the tremendous challenges this year…

I enjoyed my visits to the Fair again this year, not only doing the house announcements before the End of Summer Concert Series shows, but as a participant in Upland Day (including a ride in the parade) and also watching Jack Harper honored as a community hero at Claremont Day. Upland High's band is among three finalists to win a spot marching in the 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade. Those are the kinds of activities that really get local people involved and make the Fair special. Another high point was the annual Child Development Center auction, which is still going strong after its inception in 1992, when I was part of that first organizing committee (and still working for the Dodgers at the time). A year after that I was back working at Fairplex and putting together slide shows for the CDC auction…

Very sad news came from the Fair over the past couple of days. Our prayers are focused on Wendy Talarico and her family right now. Wendy, who replaced me when I left Fairplex in 2000 and has been the public relations manager there ever since, gave birth to a healthy son just a little over a week ago. But shortly afterwards, it was discovered Wendy has a unique heart condition and suffered what was reported to be a heart attack. She’s currently in critical condition, battling with all she has as she awaits a heart transplant. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Nothing Official Yet, But...

2009-09-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Times photo

As of early Wednesday morning, UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel and staff remained non-committal in announcing the Bruins' starting quarterback for Saturday's game against Kansas State. However, most media reports continue to speculate that Richard Brehaut will get the nod, or at least share the duties with senior Kevin Craft. Either way, Richard has been thrust into the spotlight, as the media links him with other true freshmen who are starting at quarterback for major universities, including Matt Barkley at USC and Tate Forcier at Michigan. Check out these stories from the Los Angeles Times, Daily Bulletin (Daily News) and even USA Today. Notice the references to dad "Daniel."

Thanks to Renee for sending along this story from the Press-Enterprise, too (also posted in the comments section).

This is the only home game that I will miss this year, because it's the same night as Beth's high school class reunion, but at least Sid and Sam will be there. We'll catch the first half on TV somewhere before heading over to the reunion.

How 'bout that Crystal Ball?

2009-09-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

When I wrote on July 24 that Richard Brehaut would be UCLA's quarterback by the fourth game of the season, naturally I was only hoping. But now that looks like my prediction might come true, with a game to spare. Starting quarterback Kevin Prince's fractured jaw suffered against Tennessee Saturday will sideline him for three to four weeks, and Richard is preparing to take over the starting role this week against Kansas State -- in the team's third game of the season...

Remember, my prediction was that he'd take over by the fourth game -- not in the fourth game. So this counts.

No official announcement has been made yet, but sources (you know who you are) indicate Richard will get the nod over incumbent Kevin Craft, who tossed a school-record 20 interceptions for the Bruins last year, but has a year of experience under his belt. Actually, the reports that Richard will start have appeared in other blogs as well, and assuming they are true, the decision makes sense . I can't believe that Coach Rick Neuheisel didn't put Richard in the game against San Diego State just to have him hold the clipboard for Craft.

My next prediction is that Prince soon will be linked to Wally Pipp. If the name doesn't ring a bell, he was the first baseman for the New York Yankees who sat out a game because of a headache. A rookie named Lou Gehrig took his place and kept the job for the next 2,130 straight games. Richard won't play that many games, but, as a true freshman, he has a long and promising career ahead as the UCLA quarterback...

It's worth noting, however, that my predictions aren't always on the mark. While I nailed a few other forecasts in that July blog, my standing as a fantasy football draft expert may have taken a serious hit this year. I had one of my absolute worst weeks ever in 26 previous years of doing this, and I don't hold out a lot of hope for the rest of the season. It's going to be a long and painful year (a prediction I hope is completely wrong)...

Lastly, happy 50th on Thursday to my good friend Jim Moore ... and right on his heels with 50th birthdays of their own are Danny Brehaut, Judy Devens-Seligman and Andi Moore. Remember, 50 is the new 18. Cheers!

2009-09-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to former Cal State Fullerton, Rancho Cucamonga High School and Upland National Little League star Josh Fellhauer, who wrapped up his first season in professional baseball playing for the Cincinnati Reds’ single-A Dayton affiliate in the Eastern League. A seventh-round June draft selection by the Reds, Josh led Cal State Fullerton to another appearance in the College World Series, and then began his professional career with the Dayton Dragons, where he batted .280 this summer. Despite playing just 57 games, he was third on the team with seven home runs in 236 at-bats, while also hitting 16 doubles and driving in 23 runs. He also stole seven bases. Given the natural progression of the minor league player development system, Josh is likely ticketed to play at Sarasota in the high-A Florida State League next year.

The Shirt's Not Red

2009-09-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

There were a couple notes in local blogs earlier this week about Richard Brehaut following his appearance in Saturday's game against San Diego State. Take a look at "Brehaut Not Burned" in the Daily News blogs and The OC Register blog. The Inside UCLA blog even has a poll about whether he should have played. Hey Danny, hang on, the stories will just keep coming.

Ready for Tennessee?

2009-09-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

The photo collection of Saturday's UCLA game against San Diego State on the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin Web site includes several great shots of Richard Brehaut, including the one above. Here's the link.

The newspaper notes today that Coach Rick Neuheisel is prepping Richard for further action during the season and will not red-shirt the freshman quarterback (and son of Danny and Yvonne). "I just feel like he's ready to play," Neuheisel said in the article. "Over the course of the season, you're going to need all your guys. With him playing and competing and getting practice reps, he's not only going to improve, but he'll keep the heat on Kevin Prince. They'll have to really work to be good quarterbacks. Now that he's played, he's going to play."

Who's missing?

2009-09-07T07:53:00.001-07:00

Once again there was a big crowd for the annual Iggy Biggie Football League draft. But once again, Dave Bosson missed the activities...

Fantasy World

2009-09-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

The Iggy Biggie Football League will hold its 27th annual player draft Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Robinson draft headquarters. See you there...

End of the Season

2009-08-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

Odds and ends as we enjoy one last weekend at the beach as the summer comes to an end. It’s nice that the Southern California coastline is less than an hour from home, but a world away (and 20 degrees cooler). It makes for a great escape. Along with our annual week at Newport, we’ve been very fortunate to have generous friends who allow us to stay at their incredible place on Balboa Island, As always, thanks so much...

And an even bigger thanks to the DesCombes for including Sam on their trip to Kona. Sam and Jack have spent the week entertaining each other endlessly while Jack’s oldest sister Lauren is interning in New York City and sister Kristen is rushing sororities in her first week as a freshman at USC. I look forward to hearing the stories from Hawaii, especially to know if the boys ever worked up the nerve to actually talk with Leighton Meester, the Gossip Girl actress who was sunning at the pool while vacationing at the same resort…

The diminished crowds at the beach are a good indication that summer is winding down (although you wouldn't know by the temperatures). There were still a lot of people out on the sand, but the boardwalk was considerably lighter than it was just three weeks ago. Looks like people were at Newport to get away from the sizzling temperatures hitting Southern California this week, and not so much for the weekly rentals. It appears that season is just about over…

Of course, there are plenty more signs that fall is upon us. Labor Day is just ahead and schools will all be back in session. In fact, some have already begun, which I still think is a little early. August and September are historically the hottest months of the year in Southern California, and you’d think the schools would want to stretch summer in to September. The old traditional schedules make a lot more sense to me, and I’m glad the Claremont school district hasn’t buckled to those who’d rather start earlier. It’s August and it’s summer. Let it stay that way…

Sam will take a day to rest after his return from Hawaii before jumping back in the pool for water polo two-a-days, and then the start of school Sept. 9. Meanwhile, Sid kicks off the fall semester at Cal State San Marcos on Monday, although he’s also taking a class at Palomar College that started last week. Given how hard it is to get classes at universities because of cutbacks from the state budget shortage, it’s become necessary for students to try to pick up a few general education classes at the local community college, too.

Hope Sid and his friends are doing better following the recent tragic death of one of their fraternity brothers. Their benefit carwash last weekend drummed up more than $2,000, and the memorial service was scheduled for Saturday.

With Labor Day comes our annual fantasy football draft Sunday evening at the Robinson draft headquarters. This will be the 27^th year of the Iggy Biggie Football League. We were doing this a long time before it got popular. The majority of our owners have been here since the early years, including several of us who were among the charter group that held our first draft in 1983 at the Kinsey home in Claremont. The picture above is from 1985 at Dave's old place on Baseline, with our fancy draft board. Our draft has changed a lot since then, but it’s still one of the most fun events of the year. Draft night is the best, because it pretty much determines how each of us will watch NFL football over the next four months. I guess I ought to do a little research soon if I want to defend my championship…

Labor Day weekend represents a couple more milestone events this year, too. For the first time ever, dating back to 1922, the Los Angeles County Fair will open on Labor Day weekend. With hopes of taking advantage of people looking for something to do over the holiday weekend, the Fair opens on Saturday, Sept. 5, and will be open through Labor Day before resuming its normal Wednesday through Sunday schedule all the way through Oct. 4. That’s five weekends – and 23 total days of the Fair. Way back when I worked there, we had several years when the Fair was 24 straight days. Those were tough. These days, I'm there to do the house announcements at the grandstand before the concerts, but I'll miss a few of those this year for other special events, including football games, Beth's class reunion and nephew Jeff Bosson's wedding to Jackie Linton...

With the Saturday opening, the Fair’s annual premiere party will be on Friday, Sept. 4. This is a great fundraiser for their Education Foundation, complete with a lot of good food and tons of award-winning wines (and beer). Even at $125 a pop, it is well attended and worthwhile.

Throughout the Fair, local communities have their own special day. Claremont Day is Sept. 24, and Upland Day is Sept. 30. There are community celebrations for most of the nearby cities as well. As part of the celebration, each city honors a community hero, and one of those in the spotlight from Claremont this year will be longtime friend Jack Harper (see this story). He’s a deserving recipient, considering all he’s done as a teacher, administrator and coach at Claremont High, as well as his skill as a team owner in the Iggy Biggie Football League…

Among Jack’s many jobs at CHS is as the defensive coordinator for the Wolfpack football team. CHS kicks off its season with a scrimmage against Capistrano Valley on Sept. 4 and then the official season opener on Friday, Sept. 11. The non-league highlight of the season comes on Friday, Oct. 9, when Claremont hosts Chino High and great friend and coach Greg Setlich, a 1977 Claremont High grad who grew up in Chino and has been a fixture in that community for most of his life...

Upland High opens against A.B. Miller on Sept. 4. Word on the street is that a new quarterback transferred to Upland during the past few weeks and will challenge for the starting job. I haven’t had confirmation from anybody with the program, so I don't have details and I am not sure who it is. But the guy who told me is reliable. Sounds like a situation straight from the “Friday Night Lights” television series (by the way, the best show on TV)… I know a number of the kids playing for Upland (and Claremont, too) this year and wish them all well. You can be sure to find me at a prep football game every Friday night over the next few months, and I'll post a few observations along the way…

Another former Claremont High 1977 graduate looking forward to Labor Day weekend is Danny Brehaut, whose son Richard will officially put on the powder blue and gold uniform for the UCLA Bruins when they host San Diego State on Sept. 5. Right now, Richard is penciled in as the No. 2 quarterback behind Kevin Prince. I’ve had the chance to see a couple of Bruins’ scrimmages, and it’s hard to give a true evaluation of Richard’s progress. When he’s been in there, he’s looked pretty good. My take is that coach Rick Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow would prefer for Prince to succeed so that Richard can red-shirt and take more time adjusting to college and gaining a better command of the playbook and the speed of Pac-10 football. But the times I’ve seen him, Prince has not looked good, and that seems to be the consensus among those watching practice every day. Last year, when Kevin Craft bombed, UCLA had nowhere else to turn for relief, since Craft was already the third-string QB. This year, if Prince gets hurt or is ineffective, the coaching staff has options. I still think they’d rather preserve Richard’s red-shirt year, but I get the feeling Craft hasn’t exactly been knocking anybody’s socks off in practice. So Richard may get his shot as a true freshman after all, although not with the fanfare of Matt Barkley over at USC. If not this year, then I don’t think it will be long (although I stand by my prediction that he’ll be starting by the fourth game this season)...

I look forward to spending Saturdays at the Rose Bowl during the fall watching the Bruins. Those season tickets were an exceptional 50^th birthday present from my wife. Thanks Beth. And I look forward to spending time with my dear longtime friends the Moores (yep, more CHS ’77 grads) at the UCLA tailgate parties and games. And despite what I’m sure will be Jim’s protests, I’ll try to visit the Coliseum for USC games on some of those other Saturdays when UCLA is on the road…

Speaking of college football, did you ever notice how when local kids go away to play at a university outside of Southern California, you rarely ever hear about them unless you make an effort to follow them or they otherwise establish themselves among the nation’s elite? They probably gain notoriety in their new locations, but not at home. Most seem lost to the Southern California hometown media...

The start of September also means the final month of Major League Baseball’s regular season. I still remember when I worked for the Dodgers, and they trailed the Braves by a game in the 1991 NL West standings. Both teams were spectacular in September -- each winning more than 20 games during the month and tied for first entering the season’s final weekend. The Dodgers closed the season by losing two of three games at Candlestick Park and finished a game behind Atlanta—the first of many consecutive division championships for the Braves. Naturally, it was heartbreaking for us Dodger fans (and employees). I just hope that they don’t leave us frustrated this year, after a largely successful season. There are too many signs that they could crash early. The pitching has actually held together better than expected, despite not having a staff ace (although the starters have struggled lately, except for Randy Wolf, who has been great). What is especially frustrating is that the Dodgers don’t hit with runners on base. James Loney, Russell Martin and Rafael Furcal have been awful offensively, although their numbers don’t look that bad. Even the team batting numbers are respectable, but that’s because they pad their stats with big 11-4 wins, and then come back and barely win, 3-2 in 12 innings the next day. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have carried the offense, but Manny hasn’t been Manny, and lately he’s shown considerable ineptitude in the outfield. He’s not the Hall of Fame hitter that he was last year and before he was caught cheating this season. The Dodgers have played better with Juan Pierre in the lineup, but it’s hard to bench Manny or any of their other outfielders. Los Angeles has a favorable schedule over the final month, but they have to play a lot better baseball all the way around if they want to keep playing in October.

Hope you had a chance to watch the Visitors video in the previous post.

I’m ready for some football… but first let me enjoy this one more summer weekend at the beach.

Visit the Visitors

2009-08-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

I've often thought about posting a blog about "the Visitors," our softball team that played in the Claremont city leagues from 1980 through about 1992. As you'd imagine, there are plenty of stories to tell over that time. The Claremont Courier even wrote an article about the team. But the best way to tell the story is through Mark Baum's terrific 1982 documentary. At long last, we've been able to convert the old videotape to digital, and to a format that works on this blog. In other words, we're finally taking advantage of technology. Anyway, the footage is grainy, but it's from 27 years ago (as is obvious from the appearance of many of the stars featured in the video). Some of these guys look a lot different, and it's always great to re-visit Brent Bosson, who died shortly after this video was completed. Pull up a chair, because this one will run an hour or so...

And if you don't have an hour to spare, here's a teaser of what you're missing...

A Day at the Beach

2009-08-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Summer Beach Collection starts here... (more to come)

Apples to Apples anyone?

Beach Cruisers...the only way to travel...

Good thing the skipper and crew are wearing their party pants....

Jacko at the JOs

2009-08-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

When we last checked in on Jack DesCombes, he was prepping for this week’s North American Challenge Cup as part of the U.S. team.

In the meantime, he had a huge week at last week’s Junior Olympics swimming for the Mission Viejo Nadadores. When the five-day JO meet was over, Jack swam away with a pair of individual gold medals, three relay golds, four individual silver medals and one relay silver and a relay bronze medal.

He also set new Mission Viejo team records in both the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle. His 100-meter record time of 55.08 shattered Matt McCluskey’s previous mark of 55.28 that stood for 28 years. And his time of 24.68 is the sixth fastest 50-meter freestyle time in the nation this season and the fastest in Southern California. That broke the old record set by Philippe Demers in 1993. Both of the previous record-holders trained with the Mission Viejo team on the way to earning Olympic team berths for countries other than the United States. Demers also was an All-American swimmer at USC

Jack’s 100 free performance was good for a silver medal on the opening day of the meet, as he chopped 2 seconds off his previous best time. In Thursday’s 200-meter freestyle, he came in to the event seeded eighth, but qualified fourth and finished second, erasing 6 seconds from his previous best clocking over the two races that day.

With two silvers in the first two days, he added two more on Friday in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley. In three of those races, Michael Haney from the Claremont Club was the winner, while Mission Viejo teammate Mason Wong edged Jack in the 200 IM by .16.

In the last day of individual events, Jack was seeded fifth in the 100 backstroke coming into the meet, but dropped more than 4 seconds and out-touched two swimmers to take his first individual gold.

In the final showdown of the meet, Jack qualified third in the 50-meter freestyle. From lane 3, next to Haney in lane 4, Jack swam a perfect race and beat Haney by .06 seconds for his second gold medal, in a blistering time of 24.68. This was a time drop of 1.5 seconds from Jack’s previous best time.

Jack helped the Nadadores win the Junior Olympics meet by anchoring the gold medal-winning 4 X 50 and 4 X 100 free relay teams and also providing the fly leg in the gold medal-winning 4 X 50 medley relay team. His 13-14-year-old relay teams also took silver in the 4 X 100 medley and bronze in the 4 X 200 free.

Good luck this week!

Support CHS Baseball: Buy Dodger Tickets

2009-08-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

Claremont High families and friends have the opportunity to save on the purchase of tickets to several select Los Angeles Dodgers games and also support the CHS baseball program.

Through a program called Ticket Booster, you can buy tickets to Dodger games on Aug. 19, Aug. 23 or Sept. 19, and save any shipping or handling costs that typically come with ordering tickets.

In addition, a portion of each ticket purchased will be returned to the Claremont High baseball program.

Prices quoted below are face value, except the field box, which is actually less than face value.

Simply provide the information requested on the order form posted on the Claremont High Baseball Web site and e-mail it to ian@ticketbooster.org. Ian at Ticket Booster will coordinate the receipt of your check.

Details can be found at the CHS Baseball Web site.

Western Regionals Come to Upland

2009-08-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

Eleven champion teams will converge in Ontario and Upland from Aug. 4-11 to determine the best team in the West at the Senior Little League Western Regional Tournament.

Thanks to Upland Guy for adding this at the "All Things Upland" blog, too.

The tournament, which will be held at Jay Littleton Field in Ontario and Memorial Park in Upland, is the final event before the Senior Little League World Series in Bangor, Maine, featuring teams with players ages 14-16.

State champion teams from Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, Oregon, Southern California and Washington, along with the host team from California District 23, will compete in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to earn a trip to the Senior Little League World Series.

Opening Day activities will begin at Memorial Park with the kick off on Tuesday, Aug. 4, with a pancake breakfast for $3 hosted by the Upland Fire Department from 7-10 a.m. Outback Steakhouse will serve lunch for $5 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda will speak at 10 a.m., along with Upland Mayor John “J.P.” Pomierski.

A home run derby featuring two players from each participating team will follow the ceremonies.

Four games are scheduled for every day from Aug. 4-8, with games at each field at 4 and 7 p.m. Two games will be played on Aug. 9, leading up to the tournament semi-finals on Aug. 10 at Jay Littleton Field. The championship game will be played at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

The 4 p.m. Opening Day contests feature Montana against Northern California at Jay Littleton Field and Arizona vs. Southern California at Memorial Park. At 7 p.m., Hawaii will play Oregon at Jay Littleton and Nevada will play the District 23 team at Memorial Park.

Many local organizations have contributed either with financial, service and other support. The most notable supporters include Doubletree Hotel, Mark Christopher Chevrolet, Aires Hotel, Pro Nine, Colonies Partners, and the City of Upland.

A complete schedule and more tournament information can be found here.

For more information, contact Ralph Cavallo at (951) 990-4595.

Looking into the Crystal Ball

2009-07-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

A big part of being a sports fan is the intrigue and mystery that surrounds the news that takes place off the field. No, not reports about steroid use and felonious activities, but the gossip of front office rumors that keep us all guessing.

This is the stuff us sports fans love. It’s our chance to play general manager and propose our own trades and free agent acquisitions. And it’s why fantasy sports are so huge and why people care about watching the NFL and NBA drafts on television.

With baseball’s non-waiver trading deadline upon us next week, the NBA still in its free agent signing period, and NFL teams soon headed to camp, the rumor mill is burning. Sports talk radio is full of the latest hearsay, and Sports Center and Baseball Tonight are focused on the latest trade buzz. Media “experts” are doing their best to scoop their colleagues about the next big player move. Most of the major media conglomerates like ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Fox Sports have sections on their Web sites dedicated to rumors of the day. My favorite is MLB Trade Rumors, a site that is updated regularly every day with the quick-hitting speculation about player transactions. I read somewhere that some players have learned they were traded by reading this site.

A couple of major deals have already taken place, so I better jump get my predictions in now. Here's a look into my crystal ball for some useless predictions, based only on hunches. No reason for this, except to show my brilliance if any of these actually come true. And if they don't, well nobody cares anyway. This is the only way I can play G.M. until our fantasy football draft, but that’s more than a month away. Here goes…

The Dodgers will land a starting pitcher and probably a reliever. They could use both, but they shouldn’t give up any of their current key roster parts to get either. Remember, the team is comfortably in first place and already likely headed to the playoffs, barring a late-season collapse. But post-season baseball is all about pitching, and it’s important to be able to send a reliable ace to the mound. Chad Billingsley had a great first half of the season, but he doesn’t yet stack up with other No. 1 starters. Clayton Kershaw is the hottest pitcher in baseball right now, and someday may be among the elite. But I’d rather have an experienced veteran starting the first game of the playoffs. But, if L.A. can’t pick up a legitimate top starter, then these guys are not bad fallbacks…

Despite all the experts thinking he’ll be dealt to the Phillies, Toronto’s Roy Halladay will be traded to the Dodgers – or he won’t be traded at all. I get the impression Ned Colletti will go hard after the best pitcher in baseball, offering prospects and maybe a current major leaguer. It would be a huge mistake to deal Kershaw, and I doubt he’ll be included. I just have this feeling he’ll pull this off – like he did in acquiring Manny Ramirez last year…

If Toronto declines, then the Dodgers will focus on Cliff Lee of the Indians. It appears that an offer of prospects would get the deal done for the American League Cy Young winner. He definitely wouldn’t be a bad guy to have, either…

After that, I don’t think there are many other No. 1 pitchers on the market. Most of the other guys that would be logical targets are on teams still in contention (Roy Oswalt, Justin Verlander) or injured (Jake Peavy). If that’s the case, then the Dodgers will likely pursue a back-of-the-order guy, like, Bronson Arroyo or, ehmmm, Brad Penny (okay, maybe not him)…

I have limited guesses on the reliever. There are many available, and so it will probably be a matter of cost. My guess is that they’d try to get a guy who hasn’t been overworked this year, since most of the Dodger bullpen is already getting up there in innings pitched. Maybe George Sherrill of the Orioles or one of the Cincinnati relievers, like Francisco Cordero (although the Reds claim to be buyers and not sellers, even though they may be the worst team that I watched play against the Dodgers this year, along with the Mets)...

The Angels won’t make a move, except for maybe a middle-reliever…

Lamar Odom will finally come to his senses and sign with the Lakers. Ever notice that he has his moments when he seems to forget his surroundings – like those times he doesn’t pay attention to the clock or just disappears at some games. This is one of those cases. He’ll be back. Why wouldn’t he?...

Allen Iverson won't be a Clipper...

The Los Angeles Football Stadium proposal in the City of Industry will clear its final hurdle before the end of the year, and the Roski Group will soon start courting NFL teams. My guess -- the Chargers and the Jaguars will both be playing in Los Angeles within a few years (yep, two teams)…

And by the fourth game of the year, true freshman Richard Brehaut takes over as quarterback of the UCLA Bruins.

Now that I’ve put those out there, I’ll take credit if any of these come true.

Making Ends Meet in California

2009-07-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Most of the material that appears here is a light-hearted view of sports, family and friends, the community and some of my life experiences.

So forgive me while I get sidetracked by real life. We all know the economy is in dire straits, and most of us have started to tighten our belts. And we probably know a few people who have lost their jobs or homes (or both), or people whose own businesses are in trouble.

Now we’re getting to the point where this news has an impact on a lot more of us. With so many of my friends putting their kids through college – or getting ready to – our wallets just got a little bit lighter.

The California State University Board of Trustees Tuesday approved a 20 percent student fee increase for this fall. That’s on top of a 10 percent increase enacted just a couple of months ago. Annual full-time undergraduate student fees at all CSU campuses will increase by $672, from $3,354 to $4,026 per year. This is in addition to the $306 annual fee increase for full-time undergraduates adopted in May. Add on mandatory campus fees of a little more than $800, and California State University students will pay around $4,850 a year in fees per year.

Here's a video of Chancellor Reed detailing the CSU situation...

Even with the fee increase, CSU campuses continue to offer the lowest fee rate in the United States among comparable institutions. They remain a remarkable bargain for the high-quality education they provide.

That may not be a consolation for those of us with college-aged kids, but it’s still the most economical alternative for a top-quality university education. The state’s other four-year higher education system, the University of California, boosted its fees several months ago.

What’s happening is that the financial responsibility for public colleges and universities is falling more and more on the true users of the product, rather than on the general state population as a whole. This is actually more in line with what happens in other states, and not necessarily a bad thing, but is a contradiction to the California Master Plan for Higher Education, a 1960 roadmap for the state’s three college systems – the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges – to guarantee any qualified California resident who wanted a college education the opportunity to receive one. But in the past 49 years, it seems the CSU has gone from state-supported to state-assisted to now just being state-located, and that guarantee is becoming harder to promise. Access to higher education is more difficult. It’s not to the point where public universities are being privatized, but with fewer state funds from taxpayers, college students have to cover a larger slice of the pie. Geez, is it really that long ago that state university fees were around $75 a quarter when I was a student at Cal Poly Pomona? Nah, 30 years isn’t really that long ago.

Nevertheless, a CSU education is still an incredible bargain today, and it puts the comparable cost of a UC or private institution in perspective.

The state’s financial support for the California State University has fallen dramatically, and because of the extremely messy state budget situation, which just came to a tentative resolution this week, support for the CSU has been reduced a staggering $584 million, which is an unprecedented 20 percent decrease.

Then again, the state does not have a whole lot of choice when it comes to balancing its $26.3 billion budget deficit. Education accounts for a huge amount of the California budget expenses line. Beyond social programs and prisons, the Legislature had few options when it radically peeled back state expenditures, and those other areas also took big hits.

And so is everybody else. As such, the CSU will adopt a potpourri of actions to address the state-funding shortfall. The fee increase is only part of the solution and addresses about 25 percent of the problem. In the coming weeks, we’ll see more measures put into place at Cal State San Bernardino and all CSU campuses, so that the university can continue to provide a high-quality education to as many students as possible. Those steps include employee furloughs and layoffs, enrollment reductions, a hiring and salary freeze, and significant travel and purchasing restrictions.

A big chunk of the issue will be addressed with a combination of furloughs and layoffs. Some of us at CSUSB will begin working a furlough schedule in August through the next 11 months, which, to me, is a much better option than the alternative. I will gladly take furlough days to avoid seeing people lose their jobs.
We’ll see fewer students at college campuses over the next couple of years, and classes may be harder to get at CSUs, depending on whether or not faculty vote to negotiate a furlough program or opt for large-scale layoffs.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the fee increase will have little or no impact for many people, including a lot of folks in the Inland Empire. For example, one-third of the revenue from the fee increase will be set aside for financial aid, and virtually all dependents from households that make $75,000 or less will not pay any fees. More than half of the students at Cal State San Bernardino (around 55 percent) will be completely covered for the increase through a mix of grants, fee waivers and federal tax credits. There are a lot of scholarships and other financial aid packages available to students, and it’s worth a visit to a campus financial aid or admissions Web site for more information.

I don’t need to tell anybody that it’s tough out there. But hold on and keep college at the top of your priority list. Even if it costs a little more, it’s well worth it.

Cool in the Pool

2009-07-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

Congratulations and best wishes to our friend Jack DesCombes, who was selected to swim for the United States in the North American Challenge Cup Aug. 5-7 against teams from Pacific Swimming (San Francisco), Pacific Northwest Swimming (Washington), Mexico and two time defending champion Canada.

We charted some of Jack’s success last summer, here and here, but he has since changed swim teams and is now a member of the Mission Viejo Nadadores.

Southern California all-star swimming teams have a rich history and a "golden" past – having been the first real competition outside of Southern California for many recent and past Olympians such as Aaron Piersol, Amanda Beard, Kaitlyn Sandeno, Anthony Ervin and many more.

Jack had a successful short course season, where he posted six times in the “Top 16” in Southern California for his 13-14 age group. He was the fifth fastest in the 50-yard freestyle and seventh and eighth fastest in the 200-yard and 100-yard backstroke.

He qualified for the NACC team by posting some of the best long course times in Southern California this season, including second place finishes at the recent June Invitational at La Mirada in both the 50 and 100 meter freestyle (times of 25.97 and 56.83, respectively).

The Nadadores are now preparing for the Summer Junior Olympics in late July. Jack and his 13-14-year-old relay teams have a chance of setting some Southern California records and posting the fastest times in the nation this year.
Looks like another former participant in our kids’ fantasy football league who is making a name for himself (see blog from June 11).

Fair Concerts

2009-07-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles County Fair announced its 2009 End of Summer Concert Series and Adrenaline Nights lineup today. The Fair starts on Saturday, Sept. 5, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 4.

Check out the Fair's concert Web page for ticket information and show details.

Here's the lineup:
Sept. 5 Al Green and the Spinners
Sept. 6 Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
Sept. 7 Jaguares
Sept. 10 Monster Truck Madness
Sept. 11 Peter Frampton and Kansas
Sept. 12 Good Charlotte
Sept. 13 Lynyrd Skynyrd
Sept. 17 Creedence Clearwater Revisited
Sept. 18 WAR and Average White Band
Sept. 19 LeAnn Rimes
Sept. 20 Mariachi USA Fiesta
Sept. 24 TBA
Sept. 25 Donna Summer
Sept. 26 Ciara
Sept. 27 The Beach Boys
Oct. 1 Demolition Derby
Oct. 2 Charlie Wilson and the Gap Band
Oct. 3 World Championships of Freestyle Motocross
Oct. 4 Shinedown, Puddle of Mud and Saliva

Football Around the Corner

2009-07-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

UCLA has posted its 2009 football media guide, and it's huge. In fact, you can't download the entire thing in one shot. There is a table of contents, and you can download a .pdf of each of the sections.

Here's a link to the publication.

Interestingly, freshman Richard Brehaut is listed among the returning players instead of the newcomers. Since he enrolled in the spring quarter and had the chance to practice with the team during the spring, he's considered a veteran.

Batter Up

2009-07-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

This one's for Dave Bosson. Bet he's fun on Thanksgiving. But he can't do Bobby Tolan...

25 Years Ago in L.A.

2009-07-12T18:29:00.000-07:00

This isn’t an Olympic year, but Los Angeles is celebrating anyway. It’s hard to believe that it was 25 years ago when L.A. hosted the Olympic Games. But then again, it’s hard for me to believe I just turned 50. I was fortunate to be right in the middle of things back in 1984 as I finished up my master’s degree at USC and then worked several pre-Olympic events and the Games themselves...
The Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games and the Los Angeles Sports Council are hosting a celebration at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, July 18, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Los Angeles Games. At $184 a pop, I’m going to pass, but it’s still nice to remember when Southern California truly was the center of the world...

While I’m reminiscing about the Olympics, the Games in Beijing last summer were incredible. Then again, as is evident from many past posts here, the Olympics have always held a special place for my family, my friends and me. Check out some of these pictures, courtesy of the Moore family, from our traditional Opening Ceremonies party and competition last summer at Newport Beach...

Gotta love those 1984 shorts...and hair.

Maybe I shouldn't use "borrowed" artwork to include with my blog, because it seems to have been taken literally. Yeah, the tiki bar is open, but better check in first (see below)...

Claremont High hasn’t had a lot to celebrate in recent years when it comes to football, but the Wolfpack should be proud of its passing league championship this past weekend. The tourney, held at CHS, featured schools from throughout Southern California, including some powerhouse programs. The Pack beat Orange Lutheran on Friday, and then came back to beat the Lancers in the championship game Saturday to finish the tournament with a perfect 8-0 record. Orange Lutheran finished first last year in the mighty Trinity League (which includes Mater Dei, Servite and others), and came within a game of the Pac-5 Division championship game. USC quarterback Aaron Corp is a graduate of Orange Lutheran, which knocked off a strong Upland High team in the semi-finals. Claremont’s victories came against decent competition, including Bonita and Crescenta Valley, among others. I don’t know how this will translate to September, when they put on the pads, but it has to be a good sign. Regardless, it's worth celebrating now. Congratulations…

Upland High has also enjoyed passing league success this summer, and making the final four of the Claremont tournament shouldn’t be dismissed. The Highlanders should again be a formidable foe for defending league and CIF Inland Division champion Rancho Cucamonga for the Baseline League crown this year. As always, the Baseline League should be a battle. Rancho returns most of its team from last year and is the probable favorite. Upland and Los Osos lost starting their QBs to NCAA Division I programs, but both should be competitive again this year. And Etiwanda looked strong in the Claremont passing tournament. If Claremont can find big bodies for the line, the Pack could pull off a few surprises. Football season is less than two months away…

I’ve missed seeing results of local Little League tournament games in the newspaper. But with the way newspapers are shrinking, it’s not a surprise. Too bad. But Upland National Little League has links to brackets for all divisions in District 23, and those are updated daily. Claremont Little League does a good job of keeping track of the District 20 results, too...

It’s time for Major League Baseball’s All-Star break, and the Dodgers are sitting pretty atop with National League West with the best record in baseball. That makes me happy. But they definitely need more pitching for the second half and postseason. I like the Los Angeles Times' Bill Shaikin’s trade proposals to acquire Roy Halladay from Toronto. It might take a five-for-one proposition to bring the best pitcher in baseball to Los Angeles. I’m fine with the names he mentions, as long as they don’t throw Clayton Kershaw in the mix. As soon as he gains a better command of the strike zone and stops walking so many hitters, he will be the best pitcher in baseball. It took Sandy Koufax six years to master his control, and for six years that followed he was so dominant that he is still considered by many to be the greatest left-handed pitcher to ever play in the big leagues. Not that Kershaw is Koufax, but watch this guy. I have a feeling we'll remember him for a long time.

The Tiki Bar is Open

2009-07-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

More random thoughts as I enjoy a summer Friday. Unfortunately, these are likely to become furlough Fridays before too much longer…

I love the 4th of July. But hidden in the mix of all the other better-known traditions are some others that don’t quite get the widespread attention. Like the gathering at Dave Bosson’s house on Eighth Street as the runners fly by in the Claremont Freedom 5,000 5k run/walk. I can think of no better way to start Independence Day than with a Bloody Mary watching the fun. His house is just a couple blocks from Memorial Park, where the rest of the community gathers later in the morning. I get the impression that people who don’t even know Dave show up and take advantage of his hospitality (and bar)…

And then there are the mid-day festivities at the Seligman residence in Claremont. It’s another one of those less publicized holiday traditions, but one that you can count on most years. Cheers…

By the time those get-togethers break up as people head off to parades or fireworks shows, I’ve usually about had it. So while the crowds flock to their favorite stadium shows, I’ve always favored finding a good vantage point where you don’t have to battle the people or traffic. For years, that meant parking going to the great shows at Fairplex or parking at the bowling alley across the street from Upland High, where tailgate parties were spread throughout the parking lot… and at businesses all along Foothill from Euclid to San Antonio. But those have gotten pretty popular, so this year we reverted to pulling up a couple chairs out on the driveway and watching the aerial explosions from the distance. The view was surprisingly good and the drive home was a breeze, since I already was home…

This year we revived an old tradition by starting the fun on July 3 – something we did for many years before kids came into the picture, including my bachelor party at Dave’s house on Baseline 24 years ago. Not a bad way to start the summer. The tone of the parties have changed, but the Robinson tiki bar is now officially open for summer 2009. Come on by…

Beth and I made a brief, relaxing trek to the beach this past weekend to celebrate our 24th anniversary. Newport Beach was pretty crowded, but it is always great. And even though Balboa Island was full of holiday weekend vacationers, it’s hard to beat the peace and serenity of the beach. We’re just thankful our good friends generously open their home to us to unwind and relax. These coastal getaways are truly a world apart from our daily grind in the Inland Empire, and they are something I’ll always appreciate…

While we were there we dropped in on Beth’s sister Marilyn Bosson Skidmore at the Tabu Grill in south Laguna Beach. Marilyn’s pretty proud of this place, and with good reason. This intimate restaurant has been getting great reviews and recently became the highest rated restaurant in Southern California, scoring 29 out of a possible 30 points on the Zagat scale. Aside from that, the food was incredible (as was the service, of course)…

Another fun summer tradition is the weekly Monday concerts in the park series in Claremont. That’s just a great way to start the week. The LCR Band opened last Monday and sounded great. The Ravelers are set for Aug. 3…

Along with the Monday concerts, Claremont has a full calendar of music and family events, including the Claremont Village Live music on Friday nights and Claremont Wednesdays, which is a street fair event with music, retail booths, food and more in the village area west of Indian Hill. A couple of weeks ago I saw there was a musician scheduled by the name of Cydney Robinson. I went to the event so I could tell her that she spelled her name wrong, but I couldn’t find her…

Did you happen to catch FM radio station 100.3 “The Sound” today? They’re calling it a tribute to the old KMET (94.7) and have brought back a bunch of the old DJs from the past. Just heard a tape of the old fish report with Paraquat Kelly and “The Burner” Mary Turner. Great memories. Just like a little bit of heaven. KMET was such the soundtrack for most of us in the 1970s, and it’s pretty cool to hear some of the DJs and air-checks from years ago, including tapes of late, great pioneer jock B. Mitchel Reed and others. The Sound is doing the KMET format throughout the day, closing with an hour of Dr. Demento…

The Orange County Fair opened today and runs through Aug. 9. Now they’re calling it the OC Super Fair. Maybe that’s because of the Fair’s extensive entertainment lineup at the Pacific Amphitheater and at stages around the fairgrounds (where the local favorites the Dogs will perform July 15-19). Or maybe it’s because the fair has been extended over five weekends. This seems to be the trend with fairs – utilizing more weekends and closing on Mondays and Tuesdays...

The Los Angeles County Fair also will be longer this year, covering five weekends from Sept. 5 through Oct. 4. That’s a long haul, but the total run only adds up to 23 days when you subtract the dark days. With a few days to rest, that isn’t so bad, especially compared to the years in the early 1990s when the Fair was open 24 straight days. That was a killer, but still something I’ll always remember fondly.

This year the LA County Fair is opening for three days over Labor Day weekend from Saturday, Sept. 5, through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. The event then picks up a couple days later and is open every Wednesday through Sunday from Sept. 9 through Oct. 4, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. I like the idea of trying to get a few folks in the gates before school starts after Labor Day.

Upland Day at the Fair is Wednesday, Sept. 30, and Claremont Day is Thursday, Sept. 24. All of the local communities have their own day at the Fair, along with ceremonies to honor their community heroes…

I expect the Fair to announce its End of Summer Concert Series lineup pretty soon. I haven’t talked to anyone at Fairplex, but it’s not hard to find a schedule of some of the acts that will be playing this year. Most of these acts have been there before: The Spinners on Sept. 5 (I suspect they’ll be part of a bigger show), Blake Shelton on Sept. 6, Kansas on Sept. 11, Lynyrd Skynyrd on Sept. 13, Creedence Clearwater Revisited on Sept. 17, War on Sept. 18, LeAnn Rimes on Sept. 19 and the Beach Boys on Sept. 27. There will be more, so we’ll mention those when they are officially announced. And I’ll try to preview the shows as they come, since I believe I’ll be back doing the grandstand house announcements again this year before each show. So when you hear “Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the End of Summer Concert Series…” look for me at the soundboard in the box seating area…

I’m really not ready to think about the end of the summer yet, since it just started. Enjoy, and I hope to see you at the tiki bar soon (yeah, even tonight). Just give us a call.

4th of July, Claremont, Calif.

2009-06-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

July 4, 1980, in Claremont, Calif. This float (see the photos--sorry for the quality) was the highlight of the annual parade, as guys in togas and cowboy hats ran alongside down Indian Hill Blvd. It's hard to believe anyone would allow a parade float today with Uncle Sam drinking a huge can of Coors (the arm moved by the way), with keg mounted on the side. The keg was empty, but there were plenty of other adult refreshments along the parade route. The most amazing thing, however, was that the float won an award from the city. Not sure who those guys were, anyway (but I think I still have the trophy stashed somewhere).

Down The Stretch They Come

2009-06-19T12:51:00.000-07:00

LA Sketchbook's Steve Greenberg in LA Observed

The Los Angeles Times wrote recently that Hollywood Park racetrack could soon give way to a $2 billion real estate development.

While rumors of the demise of Southern California’s major horseracing venues have been making the rounds for several years, this time it might actually happen. Given the state of the economy it’s no surprise that Hollywood Park ownership would rather invest in a development project that could bring big returns, as opposed to sinking more money into a sport that continues to decline.

The Inglewood City Council on June 3 approved the final environmental impact report for a proposed development on the Hollywood Park property, thus replacing the racetrack with a retail center.

The next step is for the council to approve an ordinance for the development agreement, and that is scheduled to happen on July 8.

I watch this with interest, not only because Hollywood Park was where I had my first “real” career job out of college, but because the closure of the 71-year-old racetrack would be another nail in the coffin for the sport in Southern California. Or, it could mean that the horse racing industry will try to stay alive by looking elsewhere to fill the void. And if it does, then Fairplex Park in Pomona could be a possible candidate.

For that to happen, the track probably would likely have to be expanded from its current 5/8-mile configuration, to a main-track oval of at least a mile. And the grandstand, which was constructed in 1933, would have to be rebuilt. Of course, that takes money, not only to expand the track, but also to raze or relocate the current structures that stand within the footprint of the bigger track.

I suspect that if the industry wants thoroughbred racing to continue in Southern California, it will find the bucks to construct what would essentially be a brand new racetrack. If not, then the sport will probably continue its slow decline, trusting fans will still visit the old venues at Santa Anita and Del Mar, plus the Los Angeles County Fair meeting at Fairplex thrown in every September (recently shortened to 15 days). Without something to attract new fans and rejuvenate the faithful followers, I don’t know that there would be enough to keep horse racing alive. A new track and grandstand could make Fairplex Park the premier racing venue in California.

But would that be enough to revive horse racing? Hollywood Park had to cancel a day of racing earlier this season, and the track is now running four days a week instead of the traditional five. Del Mar and Fairplex Park have had reduced the number of days they race, too. Santa Anita is reportedly in bankruptcy protection, and the track is for sale.

Since I haven’t worked at Fairplex in many years, I don’t know if the Fair Association even wants to expand the track to a mile anymore. If it makes good business sense, then I’m sure they’ll consider it. But it will take OPM (other people’s money) to make it happen, and I have no idea if it’s a priority. The investment will have to come from the various sources throughout the horse racing industry. And it won’t be cheap.

The idea of expanding Fairplex Park to a mile has been tossed around for years – as far back as 1995, when I still worked there. Back in 1985, the track was expanded from one-half-mile to 5/8-mile, which was fine for the Fair meeting, but not for a regular horse racing season like those held at the major racetracks. So engineers and architects plotted out the new track configuration, and experts estimated the construction costs at around $10 million. I wouldn’t be surprised if the same project today is 10 times that price, if not more. Just a few years ago, Fairplex Park officials presented a new expansion plan to the California Horse Racing Board.

The cost was the prohibitive factor years ago, and there wasn’t interest from the industry or other investors to add another racetrack to the Southern California circuit back then, either. Nor was there a need. The industry had other priorities than to spend money to expand a perfectly good track that was only used for a few weeks of racing every September. Without outside interest in building a new mile-long track at Fairplex and granting the racetrack additional racing dates, the Fair Association considered dropping the sport completely.

But horse racing during the Fair has remained a money-maker, even with the limited schedule and bullring track. Even with today’s continued downward spiral in popularity, I assume horse racing still contributes greatly to the bottom line. And so the idea of expanding the track probably still has merit. Only now, it appears that it’s the horse racing industry that needs Fairplex Park, rather than the other way around.

Last year, Blood-Horse magazine speculated that if Hollywood Park should close, the Inglewood track’s dates could be moved to Pomona. The article noted that legislation was in the works to provide financial assistance for a proposed Fairplex Park expansion plan.

No racetrack will ever relive the pre-satellite wagering days when the grandstands would be packed for horse racing, but the Pomona track has an incredible advantage over other tracks in reaching out to potential new fans. There are tens of thousands of people on the grounds every day during the Los Angeles County Fair, and usually more than 100,000 every weekend day. All they have to do is go inside to watch the horses run. The wagers will follow.

Seems simple enough, but the current configuration of the facility doesn’t exactly say “come on in.” But back in 1933, the people who built the place were probably trying to keep the masses out instead of bringing them in. They had no trouble filling the house and had to turn people away.

But trends change. This time around, architects and industry experts need to take a careful look at their audience and the state of their sport. Horse racing needs to reinvent itself if it wants to survive. Some traditions are fine, but this is an activity that’s gasping for air. It needs a big shot of something strong.

The architectural design of the physical plant can make Fairplex Park the boost the industry needs -- an entertainment destination that separates itself from the racetrack grandstands throughout Southern California that were built in the 1930s. It needs to be so unique that it is a lure for those people already on the fairgrounds, but also for anyone looking for a leisure-time alternative. Done right, it would be more than a racetrack. It would be the entertainment anchor to support the addition of other developments at Fairplex like restaurants and retail outlets, and it would boost the Fair, NHRA drag races and the other events at the complex.

Whatever direction this goes, the idea of expanding the Fairplex Park track is either a really great one, or an incredibly bad one. There’s no middle ground (unless, of course, it really is done with other people's money). It would be a risky move, but it might be more of a risk for the horse racing industry to not do something like this.

So before I get too much farther ahead of myself, especially in this economy, let’s see what happens next in Inglewood. These things never seem to happen fast, but Southern California horse racing needs a big stretch run before it gets clipped at the finish line…or even worse, comes up lame around the turn.

Stay tuned.

Scout.com Football Recruiting Widget

2009-06-18T06:49:00.001-07:00

Scout.com: Your home for College Football Recruiting

Random thoughts

2009-06-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

I’ve got to hand it to my son Sam. He has no experience, and he’s really not a strong swimmer, but he’s now playing water polo at CHS. He may be years behind the other guys, but I don’t see him giving up on this. He’s just one of those kids who needs a change of pace, and if he wants to improve as a baseball player, he needs a break. And it won’t hurt that he’ll come back in much better shape, physically and mentally. New experiences are good, especially when you’re that age. I’m glad he’s embracing high school, because these kinds of opportunities won’t always be there, and so I’m glad he’s making an effort to better himself and have fun at the same time. Plus, I think he secretly likes wearing the Speedo…

Son Sid took advantage of his high school fortune to run track, something he had never done before his sophomore year at Upland High. He turned into a pretty good quarter-miler and advanced all the way to the state championship meet as part of the Upland High 4 x 400 relay team, and he even got to compete for a year in college for a former Olympian and U.S. record-holder in the mile, coach Steve Scott. But this year Sid turned his attention toward school, his fraternity and his job at Project Walk. Yeah, they grow up quickly…

This picture is just too good not to share. Len fell off his bike…

Congratulations to all of this year’s new high school graduates, including Lauren Seligman from Upland High and going to UCLA in the fall, Spencer Eckert from Claremont High (headed to Dominican University in San Rafael to play soccer), and Kristen DesCombes from Mission Viejo High, who is headed to USC’s theater arts program (and we look forward to attending her shows). And to college grad Megan Moore, who graduated from Sonoma State and looks to embark on a teaching career, and to new Vanderbilt alumna Lauren DesCombes, who has internships lined up at Rolling Stone, Marie Claire, Shape, Lancome over the next six months… Claremont High held its graduation ceremonies Thursday, followed by the traditional all-night grad night event at some secret location. Upland held its graduation last week, and Cal State San Bernardino will hold commencement exercises the weekend of June 20-21. After that, the university moves to its always-anticipated 4/10 summer schedule. Aahh, yes... summer Fridays...

Sam celebrated the last day of school Thursday with his friends over in Claremont. That’s the one bad thing about living in a different town. Most of his friends are over there, and many of ours are, too, which means we don’t have a lot of people just dropping in to visit in Upland. That wasn’t the case when Sid still lived at home, because his friends frequently visited. But he’s working this summer in Carlsbad and spending most of his time there. I still want to move back to Claremont, but only in the right place at the right price. And I still have to convince my wife that it’s a good idea. Throwing a big red dog in the mix might help...

Congratulations to Josh Fellhauer, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday. That has to rank right up there with being the first overall choice by the Upland National Little League Minor “B” Dodgers back in 1996 when I drafted him as an 8-year-old (as noted in my blog last summer). Clearly, the UNLL coach had a keen eye for talent. I might as well take some credit, no matter how undeserved. Before he jumps into negotiations with the Reds, Josh will lead Cal State Fullerton into the College World Series this weekend in Omaha. All he did this year was bat .399 with six home runs for the Titans...

Richard Brehaut’s first experience at college must have been a whirlwind. He just finished his first quarter at UCLA, but he was supposed to spend the past several months finishing up his senior year of high school, but he graduated early. He walked in commencement ceremonies at Los Osos this week while also finishing spring quarter final exams at UCLA. He enrolled at UCLA in March, moved into his dorm room on a Sunday, started classes the next day, started spring football on that Thursday and within 10 days was playing in a scrimmage with his new teammates. Two weeks after that he was playing quarterback in the Rose Bowl in the Bruins’ spring scrimmage (pictured above). But the thing that has to be hardest for him to grasp is that when he walks around campus, people notice him. Not that he hasn’t had the spotlight in recent years, but that was in high school, and now he’s suddenly a celebrity in the big city of Los Angeles. Somebody has even created a Richard Brehaut Web site. He might not yet be the starter, but he’s the UCLA quarterback…

Years ago, my sons and their friends assembled their own fantasy football league to play along with their dads. Looking back, those kids have grown up and include some guys who are still enjoying athletic success of their own. Josh Fellhauer is on his way after being drafted by the Reds. Richard Brehaut is embarking on a college football career at UCLA, nephew Kevin Bosson enjoyed a great freshman baseball season at Cal Poly Pomona and Rudy Muniz is pitching at Mt. San Antonio College. Good thing it wasn’t a betting league…

Checking back on my old team in Upland National Little League, the Major League Braves failed to make the playoffs this year. That may not seem like a big deal, but the Braves qualified for the playoffs for 10 years in a row, and were in the championship game in each of the past nine years, winning five titles (great coaching again). I’d put that in the dynasty category…

Congratulations to Steve Jackson on the completion of his first season as head baseball coach at Claremont High. No, the Wolfpack didn’t make the CIF playoffs, but the program is headed in the right direction and, overall, the season was a success for the CHS varsity, despite losing the final three games and falling to fifth place. That happens when the pitching is inconsistent and the defense has its lapses. But this was the first season in many that the year didn’t end in controversy. There was near unanimous support for the coach and the program. Steve’s the fifth coach in five years, but if the reaction from most of the players (and families) is any indication, he should be back. His players and many parents gave him two standing ovations at last week’s end-of-the season awards banquet, and 13 senior players graduated with the Class of 2009 on Thursday. A big tip of the cap…

I love the Lakers, but I have a hard time watching them...

Len's okay, although still banged up. See, he's already doing better, as evidenced in this picture.

Changing Perceptions Daily

2009-06-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

I’ve been to some pretty good fundraising events, but I was blown away by the organization and response to the Be Perfect Foundation’s second annual dinner this past Saturday at the Hafif Estate in La Verne.

We missed the inaugural event in 2008, but it’s obvious that in just two years, this has quickly become a “can’t miss” affair. I’m sure the 800 people in attendance would echo that feeing.

It might be the first time I’ve been to a dinner with 800 people and it still felt intimate. I just added this slide show, so see for yourself.

The astonishing exhibition of support for Hal Hargrave, who founded the Be Perfect Foundation, and for others who have suffered spinal cord injuries is a testament to a great community. But the birth of the foundation and its remarkable progress is because of “Li’l Hal” and his drive and determination. It’s pretty hard not to be impressed with a kid who graduated from high school just two years ago and has had his life turned upside down – only to make the most of his tragic truck accident to try to make the world a better place for others with spinal cord injuries.

He’s making an impact in a big way. I hear Saturday’s event netted an incredible $250,000, matching the funds raised in 2008. The proceeds help purchase wheelchairs, ramps, equipment and therapy sessions at rehabilitation hospitals and facilities such as Casa Colina, the Claremont Club and Project Walk, which are all closely tied with the Be Perfect Foundation and where Hal and others, including locals like Brian Goodwin and Jared Andreason, go for exercise-based therapy.

I’m sure many of the people at the event were there for the social aspects (and they weren’t disappointed), but they had to be inspired by the progress being made toward stem cell treatments for SCI, as explained by Dr. Hans Keirstead from the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center at UC Irvine. And by the therapy work that Eric Harness described is being done at Project Walk, the internationally recognized spinal cord injury recovery center in Carlsbad. After they delivered their messages, Li’l Hal talked about his experiences and how perceptions about spinal cord injuries are changing daily, both from the perspective of those with the injuries and those who are treating them. He's even adopted the slogan "Changing Perceptions Daily" for his foundation.

Many of the speakers talked about Project Walk, which was special for us, since our son Sid works there as an aid and frequently works with Hal. He says Hal is his favorite patient because he is the hardest worker. It’s truly gratifying to know Sid has the opportunity to be a part of an organization that is making such a difference. I hope he is able to continue to work there through college as he pursues his degree in kinesiology, and to have the good fortune to return to work at a place like that someday. I'm thrilled he wants to.

I’m glad Sid and his brother Sam were able to work the event Saturday, just to gain a greater appreciation for some of the tests and turns that life can take.

It was because of the Hargraves that Sid works at Project Walk, and he loves it. And it is because of the Hargrave family that the Be Perfect Foundation dinner event was again such a success, and why 800 people had a good time on Saturday. Naturally, they showed up to support an important cause, but they also showed up because Hal and Lori and their kids are good people. The entire family should be congratulated, as well as the committee members and other volunteers who made the event happen.

Beth and I went Saturday not knowing who else would be there. But it didn’t take long to see a confluence of friends from so many parts and pieces of our lives. People from different places and phases were around every corner, seemingly somehow intertwined with each other, too. Somewhat magically, they all came together to enjoy themselves and each other, as the LCR Band played deep into the night. My favorite part of the entire evening came as Beth and I rocked out alongside many longtime friends as the band jammed to “Freebird.” As I looked up, I noticed my nephew Kevin on stage singing with friends, and son Sam up front in the middle of the action – us watching him dance while he watched us…

Ah yes, some perceptions do change daily.

Here are links to the event preview story in the Claremont Courier and San Bernardino Sun/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

Blogged Down

2009-05-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

It was about this time last year that I decided to try out the idea of blogging. This blog was born as a way of sharing news about family and friends, and to express my opinion about a few things on my mind. It was pretty fun at first, and I built up some momentum.

Then the comments started to come in. That wasn’t bad, but then they started coming from people I don’t know. That was kind of cool – to a point.

But about five months into this thing it hit me. In this world of social networking and personal postings, nothing is private. More than anything, that kind of bothered me. Somebody I barely know came up to me and told me they read my blog and offered an opinion on something I wrote. Then a few other distant acquaintances mentioned they had been reading my commentaries. You’d think that would inspire me to write more. But instead I shut down.

I’m really not interested in sharing with the world everything I’ve done or that I’m doing. You’ll never find me posting my status on Facebook to let you know I’m headed to lunch or that I’m glad it’s Friday. Seriously, who cares? So when I started writing this, I really didn’t have the masses in mind (not that I have a readership that compares to Aston Kutcher’s Twitter following).

But I like to write. Even if I originally intended my target audience to be relatively small, I realize that isn’t how these things work. I get it. So I’ll take another stab at it and see where it goes. I’m not a reporter working for a daily media outlet, so it’s impossible to follow their lead and post daily updates. And I don’t have the time to write long feature stories. Plus, it’s enough trouble to maintain the Claremont Baseball Web site and my fantasy football league site, along with keeping up with my pals on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

I’ve got some material already in the can, but I’m still not sure if I’ll post the already-written 15-part series recalling my college days at our own version of the “Animal House.” While those stories are great memories for all of us who shared those times, we’ve all grown up and aren’t the same guys we were 30 years ago. That series of stories might have to stay in the vault, but I’ll work on new material to keep this blog alive.

Thanks for reading.

Baseline Blues

2009-05-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

On the day I wrote about the competitive virtues of the Baseline League, all four of the league's baseball teams that qualified for the CIF playoffs lost their first-round games. Upland, Alta Loma, Rancho Cucamonga and Los Osos were eliminated from post-season competition on Thursday. Meanwhile, teams from the Sierra League, where Claremont will land in fall 2010, fared better. Chino Hills and Damien both won, while Glendora lost. Charter Oak and South Hills were both scheduled to play their first-round games on Friday.

How Do You Spell Relief?

2009-05-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Claremont High will get a little competitive relief when it moves to the Sierra League beginning in 2010. School principals from 42 schools in the Mt. SAC area have finalized their proposals today (see story), but the final re-alignment won’t be finalized until a vote by league representatives on Oct. 22. There are three proposals on the table, and all put Claremont in the Sierra League with Charter Oak, Chino Hills, Ayala and Damien/St. Lucy's high schools. The only question is whether the sixth team will be Glendora or South Hills. If it is South Hills, then Glendora will move to the Baseline League to replace Claremont. If Glendora stays in the Sierra, then South Hills will be moved to the Miramonte/San Antonio League and the Baseline League will be left with only five schools.

The move is intended to give Claremont some competitive relief from the bigger schools in the Baseline League – especially in football and basketball – as was noted in this blog back in November. But the Wolfpack will still have its hands full in the Sierra League, and there will be more distance to travel. There are probably other local leagues where Claremont would be a better fit, but numerous other issues factor into the equation, making this the logical solution. The next time leagues will have the chance to shift will be 2014, so let’s hope this works.

Happy 50th

2009-05-18T09:49:00.000-07:00

Happy 50th birthday this past week to my good friends Grant Warhurst (May 14) and Mike Greer (May 16), and this week to Larry Seligman (May 19). And happy 50th wishes to old friend Craig Allen, who celebrated May 4.

We're not getting too old. Some guy just proclaimed 50 the new 18... Okay, maybe that was me, but I'm going with it.

Cheers!

Freshman Success

2009-05-13T20:39:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to nephew Kevin Bosson, who recently wrapped up his freshman season as a pitcher for the Cal Poly Pomona baseball team. Kevin emerged as one of the top starters for the Broncos, and led the team with four victories, 59 1/3 innings pitched and 46 strikeouts. He posted a 4-5 record with a 4.55 earned run average in 11 starts.

Unfortunately, the Cal Poly folks didn’t seem to go to bat for Kevin when it came to post-season honors. He was surprisingly passed over as the California Collegiate Athletic Association’s Freshman of the Year, which went to Cal State San Bernardino’s Aaron Brooks. Kevin put up better numbers in every significant statistical category (Brooks had a 2-3 record, 4.70 ERA, 48 strikeouts in nine starts and 53 innings).

Maybe this one should have gone as a no-decision.

2009-05-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

For those of you who've followed my blog, you may have noticed some of the artwork that I've chosen to include with my writings. Most of these were pieces portraying the Olympics or football and were done by artist Ernie Barnes.

Barnes died this week at the age of 70. A former professional football player, Barnes gained my attention with the paintings he commissioned for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Beth bought the set of five posters for me, and they still hang in my house. He was unquestionably my favorite sports artist.

The things that most captivated me about his art were his portrayal of athletic bodies and determination. I remember hearing that his characters always had their eyes closed, too. That is mentioned in the obituary from the April 30 Los Angeles Times.

The Times also provide a link to a photo gallery of Barnes and some of his work.

Wolfpack to Play at Epicenter May 9

2009-04-27T14:31:00.000-07:00

The Claremont High School varsity baseball team will play against Los Osos High at the Epicenter in Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday, May 9, at 1 p.m.

The Epicenter is home to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes minor league baseball team, the single-A California League affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Tickets to the event are available for $10 each in advance and are good for admission to all three Baseline League games at the Epicenter on May 9. The Claremont-Los Osos game gets the day started at 1 p.m., followed by Upland against Etiwanda at 4 p.m. and Alta Loma versus Rancho Cucamonga at 7 p.m.

All tickets are general admission and parking is free. Re-entry to the stadium will be allowed. Gates will open at noon.

To obtain tickets for sale and purchase, download a form from the Claremont High baseball Web site at www.claremonthighbaseball.com and return the completed form to Nicole Troli at nicoletroli@ca.rr.com, Debbie Inglese at eddeb6@earthlink.net or Sid Robinson at sid.robinson@verizon.net. Ticket orders are due Monday, May 4.

For more information, contact Troli at (909) 455-4059, Inglese at (909) 238-7153 or Robinson at (909) 227-9589.

Do I Look Older?

2009-04-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

I am sorry.

I’ve been really bad about blogging over the past six months. Not to make excuses, but this is a lot harder to maintain than I ever expected.

But it’s time to start writing again. I hope to be able to maintain the column again. And there is no better motivation than to share a few photos and memories from my 50th birthday party.

Thank you to everybody who joined us Saturday night at Piano Piano in Claremont. I’d never been to a dueling piano bar, but that was fun stuff. The best part, of course, was that so many people were there to share in the fun. Even Nick Salata, my old college roommate, and his wife Cathy drove out from Pasadena.

The event was especially fun because I could share the spotlight with Greg Setlich, whose 50th birthday is four days after mine. He had plenty of family and friends there, along with all the people we invited. It was just a ton of fun. It was just a gratifying feeling to look around the room and see old friends and new friends, and so many family members, having a great time.

I paid for my fun the next day, but it was worth every bit of it. Thank you Beth, and thank everybody for sharing this one with me. Enjoy the photos…

COLONIES DONATES TO SENIOR LITTLE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

2009-04-08T08:41:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to add this story, and thanks to Upland Guy for posting it on the All Things Upland blog, too.

UPLAND, Calif. – Colonies Partners, investors and developers of a housing community and shopping center in north Upland, has donated $5,000 to help support the Senior Little League Regional Tournament to be held Aug. 3-11 at Upland Memorial Park.

The tournament, which will feature up to 12 state champions, is the final event before the Senior Little League World Series in Bangor, Maine, and is the highest level Little League baseball tournament ever held in Upland.

“This is just another example of the generosity and community involvement of the Colonies Partners and their investors, ” said Ralph Cavallo, president of Upland National Little League, which is co-hosting the tournament with Little League Baseball’s California District 23.

In 2006, Colonies Partners and their investors contributed $50,000 toward Upland National Little League’s field renovation project at Olivedale Park in Upland. The ballpark is now known as Colonies Crossroads Stadium.

“Without the donation from the Colonies, we would not have the beautiful artificial turf field that is there today,” Cavallo said. “They have been more than generous and an outstanding supporter and partner, not only with our Little League, but with organizations throughout the community.”

The tournament will include teams from the Western United States. Players ages 14-16 from Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, Oregon, Southern California, Utah, Washington and Wyoming will have achieved their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete for a berth at the Senior Little League World Series.

The donation from the Colonies will go completely toward assisting teams with travel, dining and hotel expenses. Last year, three of the state champion teams did not travel to Southern California to participate in the Western Regional Tournament, because expenses are not covered.

“We know things will be difficult this year, too, because of the economy,” Cavallo said. “But with donations from the Colonies and we hope many others, the players from those teams who have earned a place in the Western Regional Tournament will be able to participate in the tournament and experience their dreams of competing for a berth in the World Series.

“It is a great honor to have a tournament of this level in our town of Upland. I hope we can make it memorable for all involved,” Cavallo said.

Contributions can be sent to Little League Baseball, CA District 23, P.O. Box 92, Upland, CA, 91785.

For more information, contact Ralph Cavallo at (951) 990-4595.

Upland National Little League to open Saturday, March 14

2009-03-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Upland National Little League will kick off its 56th year Saturday, March 14, at Bob Hargis Field at Colonies Crossroads Stadium, located in Olivedale Park in Upland.

Former Major League pitcher Dave Coggin, who graduated from Upland High School, will speak to the players and families during the opening ceremonies. In 1995, Coggin was a first-round draft pick (30th overall) out of Upland High and played for three years with the National League’s Philadelphia Phillies (2000-2002).

A full day of activities starts at sunrise with team pictures and a pancake breakfast prepared by members of the Upland Fire Department. Opening ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. with team introductions, special presentations and recognition of the top sellers from the league’s candy fundraiser. Those players will be rewarded for their fundraising prowess with a visit to the league’s famous money booth, where each winning child could walk away with hundreds of dollars.

Outback Steakhouse will serve opening day lunch specials beginning at 11 a.m.

The UNLL season is scheduled to open with four major league division games at Olivedale Park on March 14, with the opener set for 12:30 p.m. The junior league division launches its season at the south field at Memorial Park at 1 p.m. Other Upland National divisions begin their regular seasons on Monday, March 16.

Upland National is the only Little League in the United States that throughout its 55-year history has never charged a signup fee so that every eligible child wishing to play baseball can do so, regardless of his or her family’s economic situation. Every child in the league is provided with a cap and use of quality uniforms, safe equipment and well-maintained fields, largely because of the generous support of families, the community and sponsors.

Be sure to check out All Things Upland for more about what's happening in the City of Gracious Living...

Olivedale Park is located at 550 E. Eighth Street in Upland, east of Euclid and west of Campus.

For more information, please contact Ralph Cavallo at (951) 990-4595.

Claremont High to host alumni baseball game Feb. 21

2009-01-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

The Claremont High School baseball program will host a special alumni baseball game for former Wolfpack players against the 2009 CHS varsity team at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21.

All former CHS baseball letter winners are invited to participate in the game or in pre-game batting practice. Former Claremont High baseball players should contact Jim Munsey at jmunsey@chs.cusd.claremont.edu for more information and to confirm their participation.

The Saturday activities also will include special opening ceremonies and introductions on the field of all players on the 2009 CHS freshman, junior varsity and varsity team, followed by first-pitch ceremonies.

A family barbecue will take place throughout the day, and refreshments will be available. In addition, Wolfpack baseball merchandise will be on sale.

For more information about the Claremont High baseball program, send me an e-mail at sid.robinson@verizon.net.

Time to Make a Change

2008-11-06T20:44:00.000-08:00

Why is Claremont still part of the Baseline League? There was a time when this league was a good fit for the Wolfpack, but that was several years ago. In fact, it was only recently that Claremont won a share of the league football championship for three years in a row.

But these things change in a hurry. I remember when Claremont was part of the old San Antonio League, with Upland, Montclair, Damien, Pomona, Ganesha, Garey and Chino. I think Chaffey may have been in there at one time, and later Don Lugo came along. The league eventually split and became the Baseline League. Alta Loma was added and others dropped. Schools like Glendora and Walnut have been part of the league. Reorganization over the years added Rancho Cucamonga, Etiwanda and Los Osos. Now it’s time for Claremont to move to a different league.

The population base for the four Rancho Cucamonga schools in the Baseline League continues to grow, and even Upland has expanded, with the recent addition of the Colonies development. There are other San Bernardino County schools that would be logical matches for the Baseline League schools.

Claremont simply isn’t big enough to play with the bigger schools any more. The high school has a smaller population base than the other schools, and growth in Claremont stopped years ago. The high school accepts many transfer students from other cities just to keep up enrollment numbers, but most are there for reasons other than sports.

It has gone the point where Claremont High can’t compete with its Baseline League rivals on the field and the court. Now, it is a case where the kids are getting hurt. It seems there have been kids carted to the sidelines every game this season. Sure, that’s one of the risks of football, but there seem to be more injuries than usual.

The Wolfpack simply can’t put the numbers of players on the field to compete at the same level – at least in football. This season, Claremont was 2-3 in non-league play. All but one of those games was relatively close. Since then, CHS is 0-3 in Baseline League competition and has been outscored 145-22. The average margin of defeat is 41 points in the three games.

It’s a battle in other sports, too. CHS competes in the Baseline League in track and field, but its athletes compete in a different division than the bigger schools when they go to CIF competition. It makes sense to compete schools that are the same basic size. So why not do it during the league season – and in all sports?

I know that sports aren’t the top priority, but they are still part of the extra-curricular menu. CHS teams should be in a position to compete.

It’s definitely time to reorganize the local leagues again. There are plenty of nearby schools that have similar enrollment numbers and are in cities that aren’t growing. I suspect it might take some work for CIF-Southern Section officials to re-draw the leagues, but that’s their job.

Friday Night Lights

2008-10-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Daily Bulletin photo

For a high school football game, last Friday’s Los Osos-Upland contest had all the bells and whistles. This one had two best teams in the Inland Empire, featuring two future NCAA Division I quarterbacks. The pre-game attention was magnified by stories in most Southern California newspapers and blogs (including this one). Fox Sports Net Prime televised it live.

Fans expecting an aerial shootout between Los Osos quarterback Richard Brehaut and Upland QB Josh Nunes might have felt this game fell short of the hype. But football fans who saw the game were reminded again that football shouldn’t be evaluated only by the numbers.

The story lines from this game were obvious: Los Osos dominated both sides of the ball in its 41-28 victory, which wasn’t as close as the score. Running back Arby Fields led a strong running attack and scored four touchdowns. The Grizzly defense shut down the high-powered Upland offense and limited it to two touchdowns (Upland’s two other TDs came directly from turnovers).

But there was so much more, beginning with Los Osos quarterback Richard Brehaut. Despite throwing for (only) 170 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for another 108 yards and a TD, the thing that is most impressive about Richard is his leadership ability and field presence. He has a definite command of the game. It shows in his body language, but is more evident with his actions. I remember noticing those traits when I watched him play as a sophomore and junior, but now his confidence and physical skills have clearly elevated him to a new level.

Watching him Friday, it’s no surprise he is considered the No. 4 high school quarterback in the United States, and that UCLA offered him a scholarship. They have to love what they see. Even though he threw an interception that was run back for a touchdown Friday, he never lost his head. He responded by moving his team, even though Upland took a 21-20 lead at the half. But he led three Grizzly TD drives in the second half. Brehaut can clearly think on his feet, and if his first option isn’t there, he does a good job of improvising.

Fantasy football fans would have been throwing their sandwiches at the TV when one of the Los Osos receivers was ruled down on the one-yard line. Replays showed the receiver rolled over the defender and didn’t hit the ground until he was in the end zone. Los Osos scored on the next play, but Richard didn’t get credit for the TD pass. Well, that’s not what Rich Neuheisel and Norm Chow care about anyway.

Josh Nunes had a tougher time for Upland. He hadn’t seen that strong of a defense all season, and the Grizzlies held him without a TD pass and he was intercepted twice. The Upland offense was shut out in the second half. I think the reason Los Osos defense was so good was because it was unpredictable. Josh is a very good quarterback within the scripted system. He has a different kind of presence behind the offensive line. He is great at getting rid of the ball quickly and usually doesn’t feel the pressure. He’s able to mix things up to sell the play-action and buy time to throw mid-range and deeper passes, too. Because of that, the Upland offense can be unstoppable at times. But that’s when it is able to follow the game plan. The Los Osos defense threw different looks at Upland, and the Highlanders didn’t know how to respond. Upland had trouble adjusting and improvising, not only in the booth and on the sidelines, but on the field as well. If the play didn’t unfold the way it did in practice or in the playbook, then it didn’t work.

Now that the showdown is out of the way, it will be interesting to see how both Los Osos and Upland respond the rest of the season. While not the high-profile game of last week, the Grizzlies might have their toughest game of the season this week when they play Rancho Cucamonga. The undefeated Cougars may not be as good as Upland, but they have their own talented quarterback and more speed than any team in the league. Their skill position guys are all sprinters on the track team, and Rancho Cucamonga typically sweeps most of the Baseline League sprints.

Like last year, when there was a three-way tie for first place, it will be hard for any team in the Baseline League to go undefeated.

Pac-10 Preview

2008-10-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

The prep football world turns its eyes to the Inland Empire this weekend for the long-awaited matchup between Los Osos and Upland high schools. The spotlight belongs to their respective quarterbacks, Richard Brehaut from Los Osos, who has verbally committed to a scholarship offer at UCLA, and Upland’s Josh Nunes, who has given a verbal commitment to Stanford.

This is a big deal locally and throughout all of Southern California. The game will be televised live at 7 p.m. on Fox Sport West Prime, which might be the only way most people get to see the game, since reports have been circulating for months that there won’t be an empty seat in the Los Osos campus stadium.

With both QBs headed to the Pac-10, there figures to be plenty of future battles between the two, who played on the same Pony League baseball team several years ago in Upland. This is the third meeting between Brehaut and Nunes, who both started as sophomores and juniors. Both are seniors this year, although Josh is almost a year older than Richard. Los Osos won both previous meetings pretty convincingly. Upland comes into this year’s contest with a perfect 6-0 record (1-0 in the Baseline League), while the Grizzlies are 5-1 (1-0).

I haven’t seen Los Osos in the regular season this year, but I saw Upland last week and watched both teams in passing league tournaments during the summer. Upland runs the spread offense with lots of crossing patterns and short routes. It’s an impressive offense, and especially so against a far inferior opponent last week. Just when it looks like Nunes will dump off another short pass, he sells the play-action and goes up top. From what I have seen in the past, Los Osos runs more of a pro style offense, and Richard will run for big gains just as easily as throwing for them. On both sides, the defenses will definitely be tested.

I just hope both teams keep things clean. Rumors were floating around during the summer that the Upland kids were going to go after Richard. Sure, those kinds of threats have been making the rounds as long as the game itself. They are part of the game of football, but only up to a point. Who wins when those “targets” find themselves in the hospital with a senseless injury? Even last week, the buzz in the Upland-side stands was that the Upland players had targeted one of the Claremont kids, who grew up and lives in Upland. In the second half, that player went down and is now reportedly out for the season with an injury that might keep him from attempting to participate in other sports through the rest of his senior year.

Cheap shots have no place in this or any game, just because a thug-bully high school kid wants to win points with his pals. There is just too much at stake. It goes beyond what happens on Friday nights. Injuries are part of the game, but they also could change a kid’s future. They could destroy his life. Every player on the field should be doing all he can to prevent injuries. Unfortunately, most of the goons doing the dirty work aren’t exactly college material anyway, so they don’t get it. Perhaps they should spend some time at Casa Colina or Project Walk to get some perspective.

Friday’s game at Los Osos could be a classic battle between two outstanding teams and a pair of future NCAA Division I quarterbacks. But it could get ugly in a hurry if the cheap shots start to fly, which is the buzz once again. I’m sure if that happens, the opposing team won’t hesitate to fire back quickly. Former Dodger pitching great Don Drysdale used to say, “If you hit one of our hitters, we’ll hit two of yours.” Seems like during the Cold War when the U.S. and Soviet Union threatened each other with force: “You drop the bomb on us, we’ll drop two on you,” or something along those lines. It’s the same philosophy here. Let’s just hope it never goes that way, and that this game gets the attention it deserves for all the right reasons.

Ziggy Socky, Ziggy Socky, Hoy! Hoy! Hoy!

2008-10-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

There once was this bar on Wilshire in Santa Monica called “The Fox Inn Rathskeller,” where visitors would stand in line for up to an hour, just to get into the crowded, smoke-filled room. Nothing fancy about the place – just picnic tables and benches, and a piano up front. No TVs along the walls. They only served beer.

Everybody came to drink beer and sing along with the guy playing the piano.

It was the closest thing we had to a German pub, with the beer flowing freely and everybody inside singing choruses of raunchy beer-drinking rugby songs. Beer wasn’t poured by the glass, but by the pitcher.

Of course, that was a different time, and society was a different place. There was no such thing as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. I can’t imagine a place like that could operate today, which is why it’s no wonder officials closed The Fox Inn in 1989, depriving future generations of the unique exploits of Bill “The Fox” Foster.

I think people have a hard time believing there really was such a guy, but The Fox was a legend. He could drink beer faster than anyone ever. Even the characters portrayed in the film “Beerfest” couldn’t hold a cold one to the Fox.

Standing behind an upright piano holding two mugs of beer, and with a cry of “Ziggy socky ziggy socky, hoy! Hoy! Hoy!” he would dump both mugs down his throat in less than two seconds. Not surprisingly, he held the title of “World’s Fastest Beer Drinker” for 25 consecutive years. Really.

Anytime he was met with an “automatic challenge,” he’d drink two beers faster than the challenger could drink even one. He’d turn a beer glass upside-down and fill the crown with beer and offer it to his opponent, then drink his full glass before the other person could drink the one-ounce shot of beer. He rarely lost a challenge, if ever.

The best part, of course, was watching him stand on his head and chug a glass. He’d still win. He’d probably drink close to 40 glasses of beer a night, and then come back the next night and do it again.

Between chugs, The Fox led the room in song. He’d play piano, calling out sing-along-style parodies of popular standards with raunchy lyrics and crass choruses. It was pub entertainment at its best – a room full of drunks belting out what he called "songs your mother wouldn't sing." I taught my sons The Fox version of “Take it out at the Ballgame,” which we routinely still sing every time during the seventh-inning stretch. I don’t think they know the real words to the song anymore. The Fox’s “censored” version is much more fun.

I found a bunch of short clips that were recorded at the Fox Inn. Go to this link to listen to them one at a time.

The Fox Inn was filled with picnic tables, and more wooden benches were lined end-to-end along the walls. It was standing room only on Saturday nights, and people stood on the benches just to get a better view. The line outside was 25 feet long. I first heard about the place in college, and my friend Nick Salata first took us there. Nick seemed to know everywhere to go in Los Angeles, and this was one of his favorites. It was one of mine, too.

Foster performed nightly at The Fox Inn from 1961 until it was closed in 1989. It was a mandatory stop after going to a Lakers or Kings game at the Forum, or on a visit to our friend Trip Oates’ place in Santa Monica.

My favorite memory is running into the Fox at a UCLA-Stanford football game at the Rose Bowl on a November afternoon in 1982 (UCLA won, 38-35 in a shootout between quarterbacks Tom Ramsey and John Elway). Back then they still sold beer at college games, so when Greg Setlich, Robert Villanueva, Grant Warhurst and I saw the Fox roaming the concourse area, we offered up an automatic challenge. He refused because he had to work that night. Naturally, the four of us figured we needed to go see him at work. We had a generous head start, having several large beers at the game. Add a few more at some other watering holes around town, and we eventually found our way to Santa Monica. The Fox recognized us from our meeting at the Rose Bowl earlier in the day, and called us out for an automatic challenge. We were already pretty saturated, but none of us stood a chance anyway By that time we truly looked foolish.

The songs made it especially fun. Anyone could chime in with their own limerick or rhyme, but they better be good, or else they’d be met with a chorus of “F--- You,” sung to the tune of the “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” Christmas song. And if the Fox spotted you heading toward the restroom while he was at the piano, he’d likely stop in mid song and start repeating, “We know where you’re going, we know where you’re going…”

And if you dared spill your beer, he’d call you out with another “F—You” song in your honor.

After the sale of the Fox Inn, Foster continued to perform in and around Los Angeles and at college campuses and special events. He later gained notoriety as a cast member of “The Man Show” on cable TV, where he chugged beers and sang songs with the audience. We saw him perform at Irrelevant Week at the Balboa Bay Club and at a bar in Pasadena, but it never was the same as the Santa Monica pub. It was always fun, but the last time we saw him in Pasadena, one of the guys in our group got us kicked out of the restaurant early that night, so we never got to enjoy him again at his best.

Here is a video tribute to the Fox that aired on "The Man Show." Definitely worth watching, but it doesn't come close to capturing the atmosphere that filled "The Fox Inn Rathskeller" on Wilshire.

On May 10, 2000, Foster died at his home in Santa Monica after a long battle with prostate cancer. Gone, but long remembered.

Back to the Blog

2008-10-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't written on my blog for more than a month. There's always plenty to write about, but the hard part is getting the time to do it. When I started this thing in early summer, it was a lot easier to make time. But fall is the busiest time at a university (along with spring), and that spare time went away pretty quickly.

But today we had one of those “emergency situations” on campus, which ended up giving me some time to write. The Santa Ana winds caused Cal State San Bernardino to close today. The winds sparked a fire south of campus in San Bernardino, which closed Interstate 215, the primary access route to the university. The location of the fire led to evacuations, and CSUSB was designated as an evacuation site. Fortunately, the fire was controlled early and families were allowed to move home, which meant the evacuation site wasn’t necessary after all. But by that time, the decision had been made and the word was out that classes were cancelled. The CSUSB community seems to anticipate a closure every time the winds kick up. I’ve worked there since 2002, and every October we have had some kind of event in which our office had to respond. It hasn’t always been wind-related, but it’s always something in October. So when the phone rang at 5 a.m., I wasn’t surprised. We got the word out quickly, and I got a lot of work done in the quiet offices before my day at work ended early.

So, that’s a long-winded way to say that I had a little time to write today. For now, I’ll focus on more odds and ends. Soon I have a couple of longer pieces that I’ll post, but they still aren’t finished. One of those is already broken into three parts, and it could easily go twice as long as that. Good stuff, too. In the meantime, this one is mainly just to let you know my blog is still alive.

This is a great time for sports fans, with the NFL and college football seasons in full swing, and baseball nearing the World Series. I’m heartbroken over the Dodgers’ performance last night – mainly the inability of the pitching staff to hold the lead in the eighth inning. That was frustrating. I said at the outset of the series that I was just glad that the Dodgers made it this far, but once they get there, it’s impossible not to want or expect more. I’m not giving up on them yet, but the odds are against them. But, this is baseball, and I’ve certainly seen stranger things happen.

As for the Angels, I’m disappointed, too. They just didn’t play well in the AL Division Series. I can’t blame Mike Scioscia, and I agree with his call to try to squeeze in the go-ahead run in the final game of the Boston series. Think about it—that was probably a higher percentage move than letting Aybar swing away. He’s a good bunter, and all he had to do is get it down. If anyone is to blame, it’s the Angels’ middle infielders Aybar and Kendrick, who both melted down in the post season.

Fantasy football is well underway, too. I decided I’m never really happy with my team – no matter what year it is. I always have to add and drop guys, and I would love to make more trades, but nobody ever seems interested in dealing anymore. I get so I like or hate NFL guys, based on how they perform for my fantasy team (but I’ve never broken a bone because of one). I’m having a decent year, but I’d easily swap most of my starters. In the meantime, my sons Sid and Sam are taking the minimal management technique and have had the top score in the league in three of the season’s six weeks. Not bad, considering their top pick was Tom Brady, who’s out for the season with an injury.

Congratulations to nephew Brian Bosson, who was promoted to vice president of merchandising operations at Rip Curl. Pretty big deal. Here’s a link to the story. Also, happy anniversary to Brian and Felissa, who celebrate two years of marriage today. And while we’re in the family, belated public acknowledgement to Brian’s brother Jeff and fiancé Jackie, who are engaged to be married next Sept. 18. And good luck to another nephew, Kevin Bosson, who started college a couple of weeks ago at Cal Poly Pomona.

Best wishes to Tim Dickinson, who thinks he is Bo Jackson. I hope his hip surgery went well and he’s back running the ball for the Raiders soon… They need somebody. On second thought, I think Tim would be a lot better off without the Raiders. Los Angeles certainly is. Hope you’re doing well Tim.

Son Sid seems to be really enjoying his second year at Cal State San Marcos, but the load is a lot harder, too. He’s not running track this year, but he’s very involved in his fraternity and he’s working at Project Walk, the spinal cord injury and recovery center in Carlsbad. All the more reason for him to crack down at school, especially since he plans to earn that degree in kinesiology and put his education to work in that field…Sid recently returned from a trip to Tennessee to visit Lauren DesCombes at Vanderbilt. Poor guy. He said he was surrounded by 10 beautiful girls the whole time. And he got to go to a football game while he was there.

Son Sam is headed to his first semi-formal dance at Claremont High. The annual Homecoming Dance is a couple weeks ahead. I’m not sure how that will compare with what he and his pal Kyle Jackson have planned for their combined birthday party – a toga party at our house. Otis Day and the Nights have a previous engagement at the Dexter Lake Club that night and won’t be able to perform, so they’ll rely on the soundtrack instead. Any parents who decide to crash the gathering should dress appropriately. And please wear something under that toga.

Steve Jackson is already making a positive impact on the baseball program at Claremont High. I stopped by practice recently and watched a few minutes and it just confirmed to me that these kids are getting remarkable fundamental instruction. Because of their fall sports and other commitments, many players who were on the team last year aren’t yet working with the team. I think they’ll be surprised just how much they’ll learn about the game.

It appears Richard Brehaut may graduate early from Los Osos High and enroll at UCLA for the spring quarter. Clearly, the Bruins can use help, and it makes sense for Richard to start learning Norm Chow’s offensive system as soon as possible. It’s certainly not a given that he’ll get the chance to play as a freshman, but coach Rick Neuheisel and staff will get a long look at him before next fall. The downside, of course, is that Richard won’t be able to play his senior season of baseball, after ranking among the Baseline League leaders in hitting as a sophomore and a junior. In fact, there’s a good chance he’d be drafted by a Major League team in June, or at least receive a college baseball scholarship offer. Who knows—maybe he’ll get a chance to be a two-sport athlete at UCLA.

The Los Osos game against Upland on Friday, Oct. 24, will be telecast by Fox Sports Prime Ticket. The word is that tickets will be hard to find, so it looks as if there will be a tailgate party at the Robinson garage instead, which has yet to reach capacity. That’s the game in which Brehaut will face off against Upland’s Josh Nunes, who recently de-committed from Tennessee and switched his verbal commitment to Stanford. That seems like a much better fit for a number of reasons, and it simply makes more sense. I claimed all along that he wouldn’t go to Tennessee. That wasn’t a malicious comment – just a common sense observation. I can’t imagine anyone going across country to a school they’ve never seen (until after he committed) to a program with a head coach that will probably be fired. He’s a smart kid, and I understand Stanford was one of his top picks anyway. Still, it took some good fortune for the pieces to fit right, since Stanford didn’t offer him a scholarship earlier. The Cardinal’s first choice is reportedly going on a Mormon mission instead, which opened the door for Josh. I guess it doesn’t matter how he gets there. Who wouldn’t want to go to Stanford or UCLA, even without football?

The Los Angeles County Fair kind of came and went quietly this year. The attendance numbers seemed on par with most years (it doesn’t fluctuate much anyway). Nothing really got my attention this year, but I always enjoy being there and being a part of it. That will never change. For so many years, I lived and breathed that place, and it will always be part of me. But now, it seems, I rarely have reason or opportunity to go over there after the Fair ends. Too bad. Maybe one of these days I can get involved with something else over there.

And speaking of the Fair, the word is that it will open over Labor Day weekend next year (although I haven’t read anything in the newspapers). I assume that means it will extend to five weekends. That’s a long time, but there’s definitely an opportunity there. I’d be concerned that a Labor Day weekend opening would dilute the traditional opening day. I mean, people generally have their routine for Labor Day weekend, since is the final weekend of summer before school starts. Barbecues, the beach and the annual fantasy football drafts are etched in calendars. And there is huge competition from the California Speedway, which holds one of its major events that weekend. There is already a lot happening that weekend, and the opening of the Fair in Pomona might get lost. And then what becomes of the following weekend, which was the usual opening. That will likely lose its luster, too. Getting vendors moved from the State Fair in Sacramento to Pomona is also a challenge, and I hope the employees can last that long. But opening the Fair over Labor Day could just work, and it could be the start of a new tradition – but only if they give it enough years to take hold.