Yesterday I stuffed envelopes with my holiday cards while watching NFL football. That's when I witnessed a Christmas miracle. Since the Packers were destroying the Raiders I turned my attention to the Broncos vs Bears match up. After all, Tim Tebow has everyone talking about Denver and their big turnaround since he took over as quarterback. They'd won 5-in-a-row and many of them in thrilling fashion. So when I saw The Bears leading 10-0 with five minutes left in the game I stopped everything and focused on the action.
What I saw cannot be described with mere words. The Bears went to their prevent defense which gave Tebow plenty of time to pass the ball. The guy had completed only 8 out of 23 passes until then but suddenly completed seven in a row including a touchdown pass to make it 10-7 Bears. Divine intervention? No, bad idea to change from an aggressive defense to a conservative one.
Now it was starting to look like a Hollywood movie and I knew how it would end. The Bears would run out the clock because Denver had no more time outs left. Instead, Chicago running back Marion Barber ran out of bounds to stop the clock. Inexcusable since he would have won the game by sitting down and letting time expire! Tebow gained enough yards to put kicker Matt Prater in line for a 59 yard field goal and he made it to send the game to overtime.
Divine intervention? No, just perfect conditions in the thin air of Denver to boom one through the uprights. So the Bears get the ball and only need a field goal to win in sudden death overtime. Except the mistake-prone Barber fumbles the ball and Denver recovers it! Almost looked like Marion was throwing the game on purpose! Tebow made a couple of plays before Prater drilled a 51 yard field goal to win the game for the Broncos 13-10. Even the Packers helped out by beating the Raiders and putting the Broncos in first place in the AFC West.
Divine intervention? Maybe! I cannot explain why Tim Tebow looks like Clark Kent for 55 minutes and suddenly transforms into Superman seizing victory when defeat seems so certain. Someone said he is in such great physical shape he gets stronger while opponents get weaker. Teammate Eric Decker says Tebow radiates positive energy. That doesn't explain why Denver's defense has stepped it up or why the offensive line gives Tebow consistent protection. No one on TV knows the answer and neither do I.
I just know I'll be watching next Sunday...when there's five minutes left in the game.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
The Greatest Night In Baseball History
I went to my first baseball game in 1965. For nearly fifty years I've been a fan of the game. I've never seen anything like the night of September 28, 2011, the greatest single evening in baseball history. Eight teams playing four games with two playoff berths on the line on the last day of the regular season with two of the match-ups going extra-innings. It was something I'll never forget.
One month ago I was like most fans. Bemoaning the lack of a close pennant race as the Yankees and Phillies dominated their respective leagues. Even the wild card playoff berths seemed pre-destined. The Atlanta Braves had a 8 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals, while the Boston Red Sox claimed a 9 game margin over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. But the month of September was cruel to Boston and Atlanta who found themselves tied for the two wild card spots with the teams who finally chased them down..
My TV clicker almost blew up as I went back and forth between the four games on two ESPN channels. The Red Sox took an early lead over the Orioles and the Yankees had a 7-0 lead over the Devil Rays. If the Red Sox held on they were going to the playoffs and Tampa was going home. Then it started raining in Baltimore (as if the night needed any more drama) and Tampa rallied to make it 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs they sent to the plate a guy named Dan Johnson with a .108 batting average. In the type of pressure situation every kid dreams about he knocked out a solo home run to send the game into extra innings.
Meanwhile the Red Sox game resumed and they quickly wished the rain had never stopped. Baltimore, a team with nothing to play for but pride, scored two runs in the 9th to win the game 4-3. Now the Red Sox had to root for their fierce rivals to beat Tampa. The Yankees had clinched top seed in the playoffs a week earlier so they also had nothing to play for and I'm sure they did not want to play extra innings. They held on until the 12th when Evan Longoria hit his second homer of the game, winning the wild card for Tampa and completing the epic collapse of Boston.
While all of this was going on there were two important games being played in the National League. One of them had St. Louis romping over Houston 8-0 . Then the Cards turned their attention to the Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies marathon. The Phils, like the Yanks, already had the best record in the National League and thus had nothing on the line. I'm sure they were not happy to go extra innings but they kept their best players in the line up until finally beating the Braves 4-3 in the 13th. That sent the Cardinals to the playoffs and the Braves into the record books for their historic choke job.
The Red Sox and Braves are two of baseball's heritage teams. When September started they looked like wild card winners. But the Sox won only seven games and the Braves won only nine while the Devil Rays and Cards never gave up hope. It took the greatest night in baseball to decide the ultimate winners and losers. Now its time for the playoffs to see who wins it all. It'll be a tough act to follow.
One month ago I was like most fans. Bemoaning the lack of a close pennant race as the Yankees and Phillies dominated their respective leagues. Even the wild card playoff berths seemed pre-destined. The Atlanta Braves had a 8 game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals, while the Boston Red Sox claimed a 9 game margin over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. But the month of September was cruel to Boston and Atlanta who found themselves tied for the two wild card spots with the teams who finally chased them down..
My TV clicker almost blew up as I went back and forth between the four games on two ESPN channels. The Red Sox took an early lead over the Orioles and the Yankees had a 7-0 lead over the Devil Rays. If the Red Sox held on they were going to the playoffs and Tampa was going home. Then it started raining in Baltimore (as if the night needed any more drama) and Tampa rallied to make it 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs they sent to the plate a guy named Dan Johnson with a .108 batting average. In the type of pressure situation every kid dreams about he knocked out a solo home run to send the game into extra innings.
Meanwhile the Red Sox game resumed and they quickly wished the rain had never stopped. Baltimore, a team with nothing to play for but pride, scored two runs in the 9th to win the game 4-3. Now the Red Sox had to root for their fierce rivals to beat Tampa. The Yankees had clinched top seed in the playoffs a week earlier so they also had nothing to play for and I'm sure they did not want to play extra innings. They held on until the 12th when Evan Longoria hit his second homer of the game, winning the wild card for Tampa and completing the epic collapse of Boston.
While all of this was going on there were two important games being played in the National League. One of them had St. Louis romping over Houston 8-0 . Then the Cards turned their attention to the Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies marathon. The Phils, like the Yanks, already had the best record in the National League and thus had nothing on the line. I'm sure they were not happy to go extra innings but they kept their best players in the line up until finally beating the Braves 4-3 in the 13th. That sent the Cardinals to the playoffs and the Braves into the record books for their historic choke job.
The Red Sox and Braves are two of baseball's heritage teams. When September started they looked like wild card winners. But the Sox won only seven games and the Braves won only nine while the Devil Rays and Cards never gave up hope. It took the greatest night in baseball to decide the ultimate winners and losers. Now its time for the playoffs to see who wins it all. It'll be a tough act to follow.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Champions League Final Brings Back Memories!
There's something in the air, can you feel it? Do you smell the fresh cut grass and hear the kids cheering on their teammates? Its spring time and that means balls are flying through the air down at the local...soccer field? That's right, I'm talking about that funny little game that most American adults claim to dislike yet somehow all their kids are playing nearly every day. I used to be one of those haters, turning up my nose at the mere thought of watching a match and clinging to my love of a real sport, like baseball. Now the Dodgers are a disgrace and I'm embracing my love for football, the kind that's really played with the feet, not the kind with helmets and bone-jarring tackles.
It took a long time for me to see the light. Back in 1994 when the World Cup final came to the Rose Bowl, I joined up with some fellow skeptics to watch the match between Italy and Brazil at a local pub. The game ended 0-0 and Brazil won the title on penalty kicks. In other words, the perfect example of why most Americans don't like soccer. Low scores, deliberate play and lots of flopping around on the field. It would be ten years before I watched another match.
By then I had a new job and a new co-worker named Kelly. Her love for soccer rivaled my once-passionate affection for the Dodgers. She had discovered the game late in life and was determined to watch and play as much soccer as possible. In 2004 she and her husband invited me over to watch the Euro Cup final between Portugal and Greece. It was another low-scoring game but something was different about this match.
Portugal was heavily favored to win on its home pitch and I became familiar with the names of such greats as Luis Figo, Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite the star-power of the host team, Greece kept the game close thanks to the goal keeping of Antonios Nikopolidis. In a few months, Greece was going to play host to the Olympics, and they looked woefully unprepared for the task. When their team won the Euro Cup 1-0 it seemed to energize the country who ended up staging a wonderful Olympics.
Like any sport, it helps to know the players and the more I learned the more I realized I needed a favorite team to sustain my interest in soccer.
In 2005 Kelly and I watched the Champions League Final between Liverpool and AC Milan. I'd been to Liverpool before and toured all the landmarks associated with my beloved Beatles. It looked bad for "The Reds" who were down 3-0 at the half but they staged a furious comeback to tie the match 3-3. Its been called one of the greatest comebacks in sports history and when Liverpool won the title on penalty kicks I was hooked. Liverpool was my team and I was now a genuine soccer fan.
When I discover something new I tend to get a little crazy with my passions. I started out buying soccer movies to whet my new appetite for the game. The one every knows is "Victory" (1981) with Sly Stallone and Michael Caine. Its a fun movie with marvelous footage of soccer great Pele' in his prime. Then came the little known "A Shot At Glory" with Robert Duvall and soccer star Ally McCoist. This one takes place in the Scottish league and I learned a lot just by watching the opening credits. Later I discovered "The Longest Yard" was remade into a soccer movie called "Mean Machine" with former player Vinnie Jones. My favorite turned out to be "Fever Pitch," the original film version of Nick Hornby's book about growing up in England as an Arsenal fan.
One of the things I love about soccer is the brevity of the game. Most matches take only two hours to watch and except for half-time its non-stop action. I read once that an average NFL game features around 12 minutes of actual playing time and it takes over 3 hours to complete! So even if the soccer match turns out to be a boring "prawn sandwich" it doesn't take up an entire afternoon. My favorite time is the 8am Sunday telecast of the English Premier League. In my bed with coffee in hand I cheer for my favorite player, Steven Gerrard, and root against such powerhouses as Chelsea and Arsenal. I'm already looking forward to watching the Champions League final taking place in London on May 28th. This is a rematch of 2009 when Barcelona won the title behind the magnificence of Lionel Messi, perhaps the best player in the world. They beat Manchester United and Ryan Giggs, perhaps the most beloved player in the world, and the Red Devils will be ready for revenge at Wembley Stadium. It should be a helluva match!
It took a long time for me to see the light. Back in 1994 when the World Cup final came to the Rose Bowl, I joined up with some fellow skeptics to watch the match between Italy and Brazil at a local pub. The game ended 0-0 and Brazil won the title on penalty kicks. In other words, the perfect example of why most Americans don't like soccer. Low scores, deliberate play and lots of flopping around on the field. It would be ten years before I watched another match.
By then I had a new job and a new co-worker named Kelly. Her love for soccer rivaled my once-passionate affection for the Dodgers. She had discovered the game late in life and was determined to watch and play as much soccer as possible. In 2004 she and her husband invited me over to watch the Euro Cup final between Portugal and Greece. It was another low-scoring game but something was different about this match.
Portugal was heavily favored to win on its home pitch and I became familiar with the names of such greats as Luis Figo, Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite the star-power of the host team, Greece kept the game close thanks to the goal keeping of Antonios Nikopolidis. In a few months, Greece was going to play host to the Olympics, and they looked woefully unprepared for the task. When their team won the Euro Cup 1-0 it seemed to energize the country who ended up staging a wonderful Olympics.
Like any sport, it helps to know the players and the more I learned the more I realized I needed a favorite team to sustain my interest in soccer.
In 2005 Kelly and I watched the Champions League Final between Liverpool and AC Milan. I'd been to Liverpool before and toured all the landmarks associated with my beloved Beatles. It looked bad for "The Reds" who were down 3-0 at the half but they staged a furious comeback to tie the match 3-3. Its been called one of the greatest comebacks in sports history and when Liverpool won the title on penalty kicks I was hooked. Liverpool was my team and I was now a genuine soccer fan.
When I discover something new I tend to get a little crazy with my passions. I started out buying soccer movies to whet my new appetite for the game. The one every knows is "Victory" (1981) with Sly Stallone and Michael Caine. Its a fun movie with marvelous footage of soccer great Pele' in his prime. Then came the little known "A Shot At Glory" with Robert Duvall and soccer star Ally McCoist. This one takes place in the Scottish league and I learned a lot just by watching the opening credits. Later I discovered "The Longest Yard" was remade into a soccer movie called "Mean Machine" with former player Vinnie Jones. My favorite turned out to be "Fever Pitch," the original film version of Nick Hornby's book about growing up in England as an Arsenal fan.
One of the things I love about soccer is the brevity of the game. Most matches take only two hours to watch and except for half-time its non-stop action. I read once that an average NFL game features around 12 minutes of actual playing time and it takes over 3 hours to complete! So even if the soccer match turns out to be a boring "prawn sandwich" it doesn't take up an entire afternoon. My favorite time is the 8am Sunday telecast of the English Premier League. In my bed with coffee in hand I cheer for my favorite player, Steven Gerrard, and root against such powerhouses as Chelsea and Arsenal. I'm already looking forward to watching the Champions League final taking place in London on May 28th. This is a rematch of 2009 when Barcelona won the title behind the magnificence of Lionel Messi, perhaps the best player in the world. They beat Manchester United and Ryan Giggs, perhaps the most beloved player in the world, and the Red Devils will be ready for revenge at Wembley Stadium. It should be a helluva match!
Monday, March 14, 2011
More Sunlight For March Madness!
Daylight Savings Time is here. In the nick of time if you ask me. With so much trouble all over the world its nice to have more hours of sunlight. Last Sunday was my favorite day of the year. Our politicians screw up many things but moving up daylight savings time was their shining moment. Especially when it comes to the All-American tradition of Spring Break.
I know it sounds funny for a baby boomer to talk about spring break which to many conjures up images of Connie Francis and Fort Lauderdale. In Southern California spring break is redundant. Who needs a break from 72 degrees and hazy sunshine? The people who need a break are those freezing souls east of the Rockies. This has to be their worst winter in decades.
I lived on the Great Lakes for three winters and came home with my California soul craving sunshine. Even in a mlld winter you could go a month without seeing the sun. That was the hardest part for me. I made the drive every March down to Daytona Beach just to see the sun and it was worth every one of the 21 hours it took to get there. In Florida there were college girls and spring training baseball games. Disney World without the humidity or the long lines. Lots of happy people grateful for the sun, watching March Madness basketball games in palapa bars from St Pete to Vero Beach.
I saw the Dodgers play in the latter city and loved the whole Dodgertown vibe. Tom Lasorda driving a golf cart along side a group of fans heading to the ballpark. Sitting on the grassy knoll with served as the outfield barrier before they installed fences. My friend sleeping one off under a tree in the adjacent park and getting hit by a foul ball. Driving back to Daytona and hoping an old friend wouldn't mind if we crashed on his floor. A free MTV concert at the historic bandshell on the beach. Florida in March will always be the epitome of Spring Break.
Back then the only problem was Daylight Savings Time arriving in April, too late for most vacationers. This year it arrived on March 13th, right before the fun starts. St. Patrick's Day, March Madness and of course, Spring Break. Kind of a holy trinity for party people. Unless you gave up partying for Lent. If so, good luck.
I have no such reservations. Upon returning to California twenty years ago, I have kept the spring break tradition alive. Even if its just a three day weekend to get away from the foggy coast, I go somewhere and its always a blast.
Now that flying is such a hassle, I'd rather drive which means I can bring everything I need to have a good time. Beach chair, boombox, food and drink. Minimalism for maximum fun.
Last year I did spring training in Arizona. The new Dodgers ballpark is nice but lacks the funky vibe of Vero Beach. Its way out in the boring suburb of Glendale. I preferred riding the Metro trolley to the A's ballpark in Phoenix and getting in 9 holes at Rolling Hills Golf Course! Right across the street from the stadium. Something I couldn't do in Florida when it was still standard time.
This year I'm going to Las Vegas. There won't be any baseball games but there will concerts, hot tubs and girls. Did I forget March Madness? The greatest thing about this wonderful month? That's why I'm going to Sin City, to watch the action in the sports book and make some money betting on the games. This year is special because my alma mater made it to the Big Dance. That's right, the UCSB Gauchos take on mighty Florida in the first round. Chances are they won't be playing by the time I get to Vegas, but its spring time, and hope springs eternal!
I know it sounds funny for a baby boomer to talk about spring break which to many conjures up images of Connie Francis and Fort Lauderdale. In Southern California spring break is redundant. Who needs a break from 72 degrees and hazy sunshine? The people who need a break are those freezing souls east of the Rockies. This has to be their worst winter in decades.
I lived on the Great Lakes for three winters and came home with my California soul craving sunshine. Even in a mlld winter you could go a month without seeing the sun. That was the hardest part for me. I made the drive every March down to Daytona Beach just to see the sun and it was worth every one of the 21 hours it took to get there. In Florida there were college girls and spring training baseball games. Disney World without the humidity or the long lines. Lots of happy people grateful for the sun, watching March Madness basketball games in palapa bars from St Pete to Vero Beach.
I saw the Dodgers play in the latter city and loved the whole Dodgertown vibe. Tom Lasorda driving a golf cart along side a group of fans heading to the ballpark. Sitting on the grassy knoll with served as the outfield barrier before they installed fences. My friend sleeping one off under a tree in the adjacent park and getting hit by a foul ball. Driving back to Daytona and hoping an old friend wouldn't mind if we crashed on his floor. A free MTV concert at the historic bandshell on the beach. Florida in March will always be the epitome of Spring Break.
Back then the only problem was Daylight Savings Time arriving in April, too late for most vacationers. This year it arrived on March 13th, right before the fun starts. St. Patrick's Day, March Madness and of course, Spring Break. Kind of a holy trinity for party people. Unless you gave up partying for Lent. If so, good luck.
I have no such reservations. Upon returning to California twenty years ago, I have kept the spring break tradition alive. Even if its just a three day weekend to get away from the foggy coast, I go somewhere and its always a blast.
Now that flying is such a hassle, I'd rather drive which means I can bring everything I need to have a good time. Beach chair, boombox, food and drink. Minimalism for maximum fun.
Last year I did spring training in Arizona. The new Dodgers ballpark is nice but lacks the funky vibe of Vero Beach. Its way out in the boring suburb of Glendale. I preferred riding the Metro trolley to the A's ballpark in Phoenix and getting in 9 holes at Rolling Hills Golf Course! Right across the street from the stadium. Something I couldn't do in Florida when it was still standard time.
This year I'm going to Las Vegas. There won't be any baseball games but there will concerts, hot tubs and girls. Did I forget March Madness? The greatest thing about this wonderful month? That's why I'm going to Sin City, to watch the action in the sports book and make some money betting on the games. This year is special because my alma mater made it to the Big Dance. That's right, the UCSB Gauchos take on mighty Florida in the first round. Chances are they won't be playing by the time I get to Vegas, but its spring time, and hope springs eternal!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Packers Win Brings Bittersweet Memories
The Packers beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV to win their 4th Vince Lombardi trophy.
I couldn't make it to Dallas but I enjoyed the game surrounded by friends, beer and bratwurst.
It brought back memories of the big game I saw in 1998 when the Packers played the Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The great thing about going to a Super Bowl is the fact you will see a national champion crowned. I've been to the World Series, The Rose Bowl and NBA playoffs but until Super Bowl XXXII I'd never seen a title game in person. It was everything I thought it would be except for one little thing: the wrong team won!
I became a Packer fan in 1965 when Don Chandler kicked a game winning field goal to beat the Colts in a sudden-death playoff game.
I was eight years-old and I'd never heard of "sudden-death" before and I could only imagine the pressure felt by Chandler. Growing up in Orange County you would think I’d have rooted for the Rams, who held training camp at nearby Fullerton State College. I even have pictures of me posing with legends like Merlin Olsen and Deacon Jones. That didn't keep me from worshiping Bart Starr and Jim Taylor who ended up leading the Packers to victory at the very first Super Bowl in 1967.
As a kid I always dreamed about seeing a game at legendary Lambeau Field, site of the famous "Ice Bowl" in 1967 where the Packers beat the Cowboys in below freezing temperatures. Sometimes those childhood dreams come true and in December 1990 I went to my first game in Green Bay. Unfortunately for me it was the second coldest game in Lambeau history with the wind chill dropping as low as minus-35. Being a California kid whose only experience with winter came from skiing at Mammoth Mountain I was ill-prepared for the elements. When my friends noticed my windbreaker and tennis shoes they thought I was nuts.
"When I go skiing I dress in layers like this," I explained. "Well you're not going to be working up a sweat like you do on a mountain," said my buddy Stuart. "You are going to be sitting on a metal bench for three hours and you are going to need the heaviest jacket and boots you can find."
They actually borrowed clothing from strangers in the parking lot which included a pair of lady's ear muffs and fur lined Sorel boots. It was so cold my beer froze by the time I made it back to my seat! To add to my misery the Packers lost to the Barry Sanders-led Lions but thanks to my friends I avoided getting frostbite.
I was able to go to that game because I was actually living in Wisconsin at the time. For some reason I still don't understand I left sunny SoCal and ended up living on the beautiful Door County peninsula for three years. In 1992 I was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. Working for a small radio station I was assigned to cover the Packers for the upcoming season. That meant not only going to the games but actually getting access to the hallowed locker rooms at Lambeau. It turned out to be a quite a year which began with the hiring of coach Mike Holmgren and the acquisition of an unknown quarterback named Brett Favre.
The Packers missed the playoffs by one game but I knew great things were in store and I was right. They won the Super Bowl in 1997 and were huge favorites to beat the Broncos in 1998. By then I’d landed in Playa Del Rey and still had connections back in Green Bay, including a former girlfriend who scored me a precious ticket. I happily paid the $275, still the most I've ever spent for any event, and drove down to San Diego with high hopes. The night before the game my friends and I rode the trolley to various NFL sponsored parties and heard bands like Smash Mouth and Kool and the Gang. I was out late but still managed to get to the stadium by nine the next morning.
For the next six hours I treated my friends to bratwurst for breakfast and grilled chicken for lunch. (I remember it cost $10 to park back then, now its $100 just to stand in the parking lot!) Once inside I could feel the energy flowing throughout the stadium. The anticipation was nothing I’d felt before and by the time Jewel finished singing the national anthem I was ready to explode from the excitement. When the game finally began the action on the field had me riveted. Players always talk about the atmosphere at the Super Bowl. To call it “electric” would be an understatement.
Especially this game, a back and forth battle between quarterbacks Favre and John Elway, whose Broncos led at halftime 17-14. I hadn’t left my seat the entire time and was ready for a cold beer since it was an unusually hot day. Little did I know that the ushers would be stomping down the aisles, issuing instructions to everyone for the upcoming half time show.
I should have known it was coming since I’d been handed a seat cushion with a pocket full of goodies when I arrived. Now they were yelling at all of us to be prepared for the big production. I couldn’t believe how quickly a stage was set up and it looked liked hundreds of people had flooded the field. I was told to use a flashlight and then hold up a banner while Smokey Robinson and The Four Tops belted out a tribute to Motown. I loved the music and only later found out we were creating the illusion of a record album spinning around the stadium.
The second half action was even better than the first. John Elway scrambled for a first down and landed right in front of me after spinning around like a helicopter. Eventual game MVP Terrell Davis scored to make it 31-24 Broncos with 1:45 on the clock. The Packers made a desperate drive down the field but when time ran out the Broncos were Super Bowl champions.
I knew I’d just seen one of the greatest NFL games ever played. I knew I’d been part of history. There was just one problem. The wrong team won!
I couldn't make it to Dallas but I enjoyed the game surrounded by friends, beer and bratwurst.
It brought back memories of the big game I saw in 1998 when the Packers played the Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The great thing about going to a Super Bowl is the fact you will see a national champion crowned. I've been to the World Series, The Rose Bowl and NBA playoffs but until Super Bowl XXXII I'd never seen a title game in person. It was everything I thought it would be except for one little thing: the wrong team won!
I became a Packer fan in 1965 when Don Chandler kicked a game winning field goal to beat the Colts in a sudden-death playoff game.
I was eight years-old and I'd never heard of "sudden-death" before and I could only imagine the pressure felt by Chandler. Growing up in Orange County you would think I’d have rooted for the Rams, who held training camp at nearby Fullerton State College. I even have pictures of me posing with legends like Merlin Olsen and Deacon Jones. That didn't keep me from worshiping Bart Starr and Jim Taylor who ended up leading the Packers to victory at the very first Super Bowl in 1967.
As a kid I always dreamed about seeing a game at legendary Lambeau Field, site of the famous "Ice Bowl" in 1967 where the Packers beat the Cowboys in below freezing temperatures. Sometimes those childhood dreams come true and in December 1990 I went to my first game in Green Bay. Unfortunately for me it was the second coldest game in Lambeau history with the wind chill dropping as low as minus-35. Being a California kid whose only experience with winter came from skiing at Mammoth Mountain I was ill-prepared for the elements. When my friends noticed my windbreaker and tennis shoes they thought I was nuts.
"When I go skiing I dress in layers like this," I explained. "Well you're not going to be working up a sweat like you do on a mountain," said my buddy Stuart. "You are going to be sitting on a metal bench for three hours and you are going to need the heaviest jacket and boots you can find."
They actually borrowed clothing from strangers in the parking lot which included a pair of lady's ear muffs and fur lined Sorel boots. It was so cold my beer froze by the time I made it back to my seat! To add to my misery the Packers lost to the Barry Sanders-led Lions but thanks to my friends I avoided getting frostbite.
I was able to go to that game because I was actually living in Wisconsin at the time. For some reason I still don't understand I left sunny SoCal and ended up living on the beautiful Door County peninsula for three years. In 1992 I was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. Working for a small radio station I was assigned to cover the Packers for the upcoming season. That meant not only going to the games but actually getting access to the hallowed locker rooms at Lambeau. It turned out to be a quite a year which began with the hiring of coach Mike Holmgren and the acquisition of an unknown quarterback named Brett Favre.
The Packers missed the playoffs by one game but I knew great things were in store and I was right. They won the Super Bowl in 1997 and were huge favorites to beat the Broncos in 1998. By then I’d landed in Playa Del Rey and still had connections back in Green Bay, including a former girlfriend who scored me a precious ticket. I happily paid the $275, still the most I've ever spent for any event, and drove down to San Diego with high hopes. The night before the game my friends and I rode the trolley to various NFL sponsored parties and heard bands like Smash Mouth and Kool and the Gang. I was out late but still managed to get to the stadium by nine the next morning.
For the next six hours I treated my friends to bratwurst for breakfast and grilled chicken for lunch. (I remember it cost $10 to park back then, now its $100 just to stand in the parking lot!) Once inside I could feel the energy flowing throughout the stadium. The anticipation was nothing I’d felt before and by the time Jewel finished singing the national anthem I was ready to explode from the excitement. When the game finally began the action on the field had me riveted. Players always talk about the atmosphere at the Super Bowl. To call it “electric” would be an understatement.
Especially this game, a back and forth battle between quarterbacks Favre and John Elway, whose Broncos led at halftime 17-14. I hadn’t left my seat the entire time and was ready for a cold beer since it was an unusually hot day. Little did I know that the ushers would be stomping down the aisles, issuing instructions to everyone for the upcoming half time show.
I should have known it was coming since I’d been handed a seat cushion with a pocket full of goodies when I arrived. Now they were yelling at all of us to be prepared for the big production. I couldn’t believe how quickly a stage was set up and it looked liked hundreds of people had flooded the field. I was told to use a flashlight and then hold up a banner while Smokey Robinson and The Four Tops belted out a tribute to Motown. I loved the music and only later found out we were creating the illusion of a record album spinning around the stadium.
The second half action was even better than the first. John Elway scrambled for a first down and landed right in front of me after spinning around like a helicopter. Eventual game MVP Terrell Davis scored to make it 31-24 Broncos with 1:45 on the clock. The Packers made a desperate drive down the field but when time ran out the Broncos were Super Bowl champions.
I knew I’d just seen one of the greatest NFL games ever played. I knew I’d been part of history. There was just one problem. The wrong team won!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Good Luck Makes for Good Football Trip
The rain is falling again on Playa Del Rey as I write this while watching the last NFL game of the regular season. On my TV its the Rams vs Seahawks for the division title. Or maybe its a replay of the Rose Bowl. It seems like I've seen a year's worth of football in the last ten days so I'm a little fuzzy on the details. I've just come home from a 1400 mile road trip during the holiday break and I'm the most grateful person in the world. I did not hit a single traffic jam during my journey which took me through three states. While miserable travelers were stranded in airports due to the east coast blizzard, I avoided three major traffic jams by pure luck! They say luck and preparation are the makings of success. This journey proved it.
For the past twenty years I've tried to make a trip to see a college bowl game at the end of the year. The games are full of blaring bands and rabid fans and great half time shows with fireworks better than the 4th of July. A couple of times that meant a short trip to the Rose Bowl before ticket prices became absurd. This time I planned to go to the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona and the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Two games, two days and 350 miles apart. A perfect storm of football mania.
Then another storm of the rainy kind hit the southland and flooded my hotel in San Diego. The Days Inn sent me an email and promised to rebook me but all the rooms near the Holiday Bowl were sold out. Fans from icy Nebraska and rainy Washington were coming south to bask in the sun and I had to change my plans. If I couldn't go the Holiday Bowl I would go to a place where I could bet on the game: Las Vegas. I booked my room for the following week and with my plans finalized, I was ready to hit the road. On a sunny Christmas Eve morning, I headed north to my first stop, Santa Maria, where most of my family lives.
Highway 101 was clear and beautiful all the way up the coast before I turned inland to take the San Marcos pass through the Santa Ynez valley. I stopped at a turn out overlooking Lake Cachuma and took a couple pictures.
I used to live in Santa Barbara and drove this route countless times but never stopped to"smell the roses." This time I dropped by the Chumash Casino and won $20 from a video poker machine. Not a bad way to start a vacation.
I had the usual fun with my family playing card games like UNO and catching up with my sisters and their husbands. On Christmas Day it rained hard and I was glad I wasn't going anywhere. The next day I drove back to Playa Del Rey under clear skies and pondered taking PCH once I hit Oxnard. Fortunately I turned the radio to KNX and found out Highway One was closed due to a mudslide. I stayed on 101 and avoided the first major traffic snarl of my trip.
I had one night at home to pack and prepare for my 400 mile drive to Tempe. When I was younger I would sleep late before starting a road trip. Now I know I better. When there's less cars on the road there's less chance of a major accident so I was on the freeway by 6am. The weather was fine and the road was clear for all of us heading east but for anyone heading back to L.A. the scene was quite different. Major highway construction had reduced I-10 to one lane in each direction about 50 miles outside of Tempe. For some reason I skated through the area while cars heading west found themselves in a five mile backup! I don't know know why more people were going that way on a Monday at noon but it looked like a nightmare. I counted my blessings and filled up on gas which was about twenty cents cheaper per gallon than back home. That's why I always buy gas after I cross the state line.
Before I checked into my Days Inn on Apache Blvd. near Arizona State University I did a quick check of the pool area. I'd stayed there in the spring and knew they had a nice jacuzzi which is my number one requirement of a budget motel. I was dismayed to find the pool gate locked so I asked the woman behind the desk about the situation. She said they were remodeling some rooms by the pool and were worried about debris and dust but it looked clean to me. I told them I would have to cancel my reservation when one of the managers came by and said he would open the pool just for me! Another lucky break and the reason I like small motels.
This Days Inn is next to the light rail which I rode to Sun Devil Stadium for the exciting Insight Bowl between Missouri and Iowa. After spending all day in my car I appreciated public transit and the fact I didn't have to pay $20 for parking. The weather was sunny and mild for my two days in Arizona. This allowed me to get in 9 holes of golf and some serious pool time. On the last Wednesday of the year I said goodbye to my favorite college town and took off for Las Vegas under ominous dark clouds.
The Phoenix area and Las Vegas are two of the nation’s largest cities not connected by an interstate. That leaves Highway 93 as the most direct route. In the past that meant driving over the Hoover Dam which was usually congested. I’d heard about a brand new bridge over the Colorado River which was expected to shave twenty minutes off the 300 mile drive. I was halfway through the trip when a light and steady rain started to fall but once again I counted my blessings. I’d rather have it rain on a lonely desert highway than a crowded city freeway.
The rain let up when I reached the border and crossed the bridge. There wasn’t much to see from the road but people were out there, braving cold winds to take pictures of the bridge, supposedly a great engineering feat. Then things turned ugly. Apparently no one thought about the effect of re-routing traffic through tiny Boulder City after the bridge opened in October. As I headed north I noticed cars driving south were backed up for miles. Once again I was going in the right direction while others were stuck in a major traffic jam. I only hoped my luck would hold in Las Vegas.
I checked into the Super 8 next to the Ellis Island Casino and immediately went to the jacuzzi. It was about thirty degrees outside and would get much colder but I was feeling fine. The next day I heard about snow falling on Highway 93 and stranding travelers throughout Arizona. Once again I’d dodged the traffic bullet. After two fun days betting football and playing video poker I was ready to go home.
The highway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas is a crap shoot at best. I knew most of the traffic on New Year’s Eve morning would be heading north and once again I enjoyed a 300 mile drive without a single traffic problem. Sure, I left earlier than I usually do and of course my car was filled up with cheap Nevada gas. So I was prepared for the drive home. Yet I know it took a whole lot of luck to make this holiday road trip one I’ll never forget.
For the past twenty years I've tried to make a trip to see a college bowl game at the end of the year. The games are full of blaring bands and rabid fans and great half time shows with fireworks better than the 4th of July. A couple of times that meant a short trip to the Rose Bowl before ticket prices became absurd. This time I planned to go to the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona and the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Two games, two days and 350 miles apart. A perfect storm of football mania.
Then another storm of the rainy kind hit the southland and flooded my hotel in San Diego. The Days Inn sent me an email and promised to rebook me but all the rooms near the Holiday Bowl were sold out. Fans from icy Nebraska and rainy Washington were coming south to bask in the sun and I had to change my plans. If I couldn't go the Holiday Bowl I would go to a place where I could bet on the game: Las Vegas. I booked my room for the following week and with my plans finalized, I was ready to hit the road. On a sunny Christmas Eve morning, I headed north to my first stop, Santa Maria, where most of my family lives.
Highway 101 was clear and beautiful all the way up the coast before I turned inland to take the San Marcos pass through the Santa Ynez valley. I stopped at a turn out overlooking Lake Cachuma and took a couple pictures.
I used to live in Santa Barbara and drove this route countless times but never stopped to"smell the roses." This time I dropped by the Chumash Casino and won $20 from a video poker machine. Not a bad way to start a vacation.
I had the usual fun with my family playing card games like UNO and catching up with my sisters and their husbands. On Christmas Day it rained hard and I was glad I wasn't going anywhere. The next day I drove back to Playa Del Rey under clear skies and pondered taking PCH once I hit Oxnard. Fortunately I turned the radio to KNX and found out Highway One was closed due to a mudslide. I stayed on 101 and avoided the first major traffic snarl of my trip.
I had one night at home to pack and prepare for my 400 mile drive to Tempe. When I was younger I would sleep late before starting a road trip. Now I know I better. When there's less cars on the road there's less chance of a major accident so I was on the freeway by 6am. The weather was fine and the road was clear for all of us heading east but for anyone heading back to L.A. the scene was quite different. Major highway construction had reduced I-10 to one lane in each direction about 50 miles outside of Tempe. For some reason I skated through the area while cars heading west found themselves in a five mile backup! I don't know know why more people were going that way on a Monday at noon but it looked like a nightmare. I counted my blessings and filled up on gas which was about twenty cents cheaper per gallon than back home. That's why I always buy gas after I cross the state line.
Before I checked into my Days Inn on Apache Blvd. near Arizona State University I did a quick check of the pool area. I'd stayed there in the spring and knew they had a nice jacuzzi which is my number one requirement of a budget motel. I was dismayed to find the pool gate locked so I asked the woman behind the desk about the situation. She said they were remodeling some rooms by the pool and were worried about debris and dust but it looked clean to me. I told them I would have to cancel my reservation when one of the managers came by and said he would open the pool just for me! Another lucky break and the reason I like small motels.
This Days Inn is next to the light rail which I rode to Sun Devil Stadium for the exciting Insight Bowl between Missouri and Iowa. After spending all day in my car I appreciated public transit and the fact I didn't have to pay $20 for parking. The weather was sunny and mild for my two days in Arizona. This allowed me to get in 9 holes of golf and some serious pool time. On the last Wednesday of the year I said goodbye to my favorite college town and took off for Las Vegas under ominous dark clouds.
The Phoenix area and Las Vegas are two of the nation’s largest cities not connected by an interstate. That leaves Highway 93 as the most direct route. In the past that meant driving over the Hoover Dam which was usually congested. I’d heard about a brand new bridge over the Colorado River which was expected to shave twenty minutes off the 300 mile drive. I was halfway through the trip when a light and steady rain started to fall but once again I counted my blessings. I’d rather have it rain on a lonely desert highway than a crowded city freeway.
The rain let up when I reached the border and crossed the bridge. There wasn’t much to see from the road but people were out there, braving cold winds to take pictures of the bridge, supposedly a great engineering feat. Then things turned ugly. Apparently no one thought about the effect of re-routing traffic through tiny Boulder City after the bridge opened in October. As I headed north I noticed cars driving south were backed up for miles. Once again I was going in the right direction while others were stuck in a major traffic jam. I only hoped my luck would hold in Las Vegas.
I checked into the Super 8 next to the Ellis Island Casino and immediately went to the jacuzzi. It was about thirty degrees outside and would get much colder but I was feeling fine. The next day I heard about snow falling on Highway 93 and stranding travelers throughout Arizona. Once again I’d dodged the traffic bullet. After two fun days betting football and playing video poker I was ready to go home.
The highway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas is a crap shoot at best. I knew most of the traffic on New Year’s Eve morning would be heading north and once again I enjoyed a 300 mile drive without a single traffic problem. Sure, I left earlier than I usually do and of course my car was filled up with cheap Nevada gas. So I was prepared for the drive home. Yet I know it took a whole lot of luck to make this holiday road trip one I’ll never forget.
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