Clear Eyes, Full Hearts...

...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.”

Town and Gown Memories

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

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.

Friday Night Lights, College Gameday, The NFL Today

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

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.

Back to Blogging

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.

Odds and Ends - October

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...

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?

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!

The Shirt's Not Red

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?

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?

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

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

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.