by Greg Kincaid
It’s January 1 at 12:01 a.m. People are jumping up and down, celebrating a new year and new things to come. The champagne cork is popped and there are plenty of new things to celebrate. However, there is one thing about the New Year that people forget: College football.
New Year s Day by far is the greatest day to kick back and watch a football game. With two BCS championship games airing that day, many people along with myself make best friends with the couch. However, I made a new friend this New Year’s: The town of Pasadena, home to the Rose Bowl.
Attending the “Granddaddy of them all” may be one of the greatest things a sports fan can ever do. The Rose Bowl Game is not just about football. Making the trip to Southern California to watch a game like this is a great experience. What makes it impressive is how things are run before, during and after the game.
When a fan goes to the Rose Bowl Game, it is not just going to any other typical game. I was lucky enough to get the full in-depth experience of what the Rose Bowl was all about. It is by far the greatest sports experience I ever had. In addition, the number one thing I learned about the Rose Bowl was how professional it was from top to bottom.
Hospitality
On December 29, 2008, I found myself in the city of Los Angeles at the Downtown Marriot Hotel, which played host to all media members for the Rose Bowl Game. As you pull up to the Marriot, you know in fact that this is the hotel to be at. With the pillars decorated with Roses and hotel employees standing outside in red suits, you get shivers down your spine.
Media Events
On December 30, Chappin and her staff held the final Rose Bowl Media day in the banquet room of the hotel. Since both team had to be at practice, the media was allotted 30 minutes for each squad. Time was determined by an actual clock that was placed at the front of the media room. Penn State was the first squad to enter the room for the thirty minute period. Each player wore their white jersey with a Rose Bowl patch attached to their jersey.
As the players entered the room, they were required to sit at the round tables where their nametags were. From there, the clock started and media members were allowed to walk up to players and conduct their interviews. For the more popular players like Derrick Williams and Darryl Clark, they were given small podiums at random spots in the room so more than one person can talk to them at a time. Everything was going smoothly until one man entered the room and took the main podium at the front of the room.
82-year old head Coach Joe Paterno was in the room and spirits were brightened from there…sort of. As members of the media poured to the front of the room, Penn State players sat at their tables and chatted. The problem being, they were talking too loud, to the point where they needed to quiet down in order for the press conference to begin. Joe spoke up and provided some entertainment.
“Come on guys I don’t have all day, I want to get out of here!” demanded Paterno. “If you people want to shoot the bull, take it outside in the lobby!”
From there, everyone was quiet.
When Paterno was done, the media had about five more minutes. The horn sounded, and the Nittany Lions headed out to practice. It was now Southern California’s turn.
I stood over the railing as I watched Ray Maualuga and the rest of the Trojans ride the exalter to the second floor in their bright crimson red uniforms, with Rose Bowl patch stitched of course. Following behind them is USC head coach Pete Carroll. Unfortunately, I did not stay for USC’s portion of media day because I would have felt left out being a Penn State person. But overall, the professionalism of the event was incredible.
Pep Rally
- Beverly Hills High School football field where Pep Rally was held
- Joe Paterno speaking at the pep rally
The pep rally was held at Beverly Hills High School. Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions made an appearance in front of nearly 30,000 Penn State fans. This was just another incredible memory that sank in the mind of every fan making the trip.
The Game
As you travel to the game, you get a nice tour of the small and beautiful little town of Pasadena. It just may be the most peaceful place to live. As I travelled through the town at about 10 a.m. pacific time, I would have never thought it was game day because of how quiet and peaceful the town was.
The game is something that just can’t even be described. The atmosphere is incredible. The stadium is incredible. The teams are incredible. The fans are incredible. The organization of the event is incredible.
I entered the stadium right as the gates opened. The Rose Bowl design is different, as the seats don’t go up very high. There are ninety rows, but the rows go more out than up. Nearly every seat in the stadium is red. All of the seats are bleachers, with some sections having seat-backs.
As the stadium begins to fill up, you get chills. You actually think to yourself, “Wow, I can’t believe I am here.”
When the bands entered the stadium, you really get the feeling of the game beginning to start. With the triumphant USC Trojan band and the classic Penn State Blue Band doing their pregame routines, I just had the special feeling of the game just about to start.
Being a Penn State supporter, the game wasn’t the greatest. But overall, it was an excellent experience. It wasn’t just the atmosphere at the game that impressed me. It was the quality and professionalism of how the whole event was coordinated.
Greg
Wow!!! What a debut on ‘The Bench.’ It is great to think how Pickin’ Splinters was on site for one of the biggest sporting events of the year.
Great pictures – keep ’em coming.
I can hear Joe Pa bringing everyone to attention.
Wonderful post, Greg. Thanks for sharing this with the rest of us! Hopefully some day I’ll get to the Rose Bowl … it’s somewhere on my Bucket List.
My bucket list too, especially after reading your post. I find your reaction to the Rose Bowl especially impressive when I know you have attended many games in Happy Valley. If the Rose Bowl can impress you after being in THAT venue numerous times, then indeed it must be an experience to behold. Thanks.
Welcome to the bench, Greg, from a fellow Nittany Lion. If you had brought him in sooner, Casey, Penn State might have won our mythical national championship–undeservedly, of course.
After going to approximately 25 games at Happy Valley, plus road games at Syracuse (thrice), Pitt, West Virginia, Maryland, and the Meadowlands (Kickoff Classic), I attended the Blockbuster Bowl. I wasn’t impressed. 😉
I think I dated myself with references to those opponents. 🙂
I bet West Virginia is the greatest football venue you’ve ever been right? =)
I’m not sure it’s the greatest Doug (having spent many Saturday afternoons at ND) but it is also on my bucket list. When I retire (in June) my bucket list is to travel the USA seeing great college campuses and attending sporting events like TX HS football or Friday night Hoosier Hysteria, just to name a few. Casey is hoping that I will recount my travels on the Bench. A stop in Mountaineer country is a must. My only view of that campus was at night as I passed through Morgantown. Doesn’t do it justice I’m sure. Hope to catch it on aSaturday afternoon in the Fall to compare it to ND. BTW, I have NEVER been to Happy Valley and I can’t wait to sample it too.
I would be interested to know what venues and sporting events you fellow benchwarmers think this old man should visit or attend.
Pete – Casey and I have already discussed this. Add this to your bucket list: We have to set up a ‘Bench’ trip to the cathedral of college basketball. The Palestra in Philly for a Big 5 game (preferably one with Temple). I will be your gracious tour guide to the City of Brotherly Love.
Greg,
Welcome the “Bench” and what a great debut!! Thanks for sharing. I had the pleasure of only driving by the Rose Bowl as few times as my brother lived in Pasadena for a time. I would have loved to have seen a game there.
Funny – in talking with my brother. He managed to see games in every venue in the LA area except the Rose Bowl. Games in the Rose Bowl are few….
Pete – you know a couple of my requests already – any conference tournament will do. The ACC tourney in Greensboro (where it belongs) tops my list. The Big East tourney is right there. But don’t stop there – the West Coast Conference tournament would be great. Have I bitten off too much?
Oh yeah – you might want to consider catching a Cape Cod Baseball League game. What an atmosphere.
After reading the Last Best League the Cape Cod League definitely made my list. Those BB tournaments are possibilities , but not high on my list at this point. ND always sends Big East order forms. So maybe someday. For now I am content to have seen games at Cameron and Dean Dome. And JACC when it was ACC and Austin Carr and company put the front bookend on UCLA’s 88 game win streak. They wouldn’t lose again until Dwight Clay and Co. put the back book end on 3 years later. That game in ’72 was the MOST electric event I have ever attended. I hope to re-create some more electricity with my travels. Pat, I once saw Jordan play at the Palestra. I have a picture of Manute Bol blocking one of his shots – he blocked 2 that night. It was indeed a good venue which I suspect becomes even better when it is college ball on the hardwood.
Pete – Undoubtedly you need to catch a Cape Cod game. Baseball at its finest. Plus there is nothing like being on the Cape in July.. Good weather and good baseball.. But bring your lawn chair and bring them early.
Might I also suggest a stop at Wrigley Field and also – Dodger Stadium in LA. Before going I thought people were joking that is a great place to go. But I went and it was just a great place to catch a game.. Great experience.
Wrigley was a great experience everybody should have. I sat in the upper deck front row on first base side and almost fell into the lower level reaching for a foul ball off Sosa’s bat. My daughter and her family live within walking distance of that baseball shrine. I said before that next fall Casey and I have to procure some ND tix and I have to get my Chicago people to get me some Cubbies tix and we have to have a live Splinter’s session at my place in Indiana (10 miles from ND and 1.5 miles from a South Shore train station that will connect us to Wrigley)! 2 Meccas in one weekend; doesn’t get any better than that.
Never been to Dodgers’ stadium, and had not heard (until now) that it is a good place to watch a game. Have to try it some time. Would be hard to beat the old Yankee stadium. I sat in the front row of the second section over from the bull pen (near the foul pole that was 296 feet from the plate) when Maris hit #61. It landed in the section next to the bull pen. At the time I could not understand why the guy who caught it was fighting to dive in the bull pen. My dad had to explain, right after he cuffed me in the head for booing Maris.
Pete!!!! You were there when Maris hit #61? Why have you never told me? Holy #@*^!!!!!
This is the mother of all HELMET STICKERS!!!!!!!
Seriously.. I had to read that 5 times before I believe me eyes..
Why has that not been shared.. And you boo’d him too? This is awesome.. Please share more..
I booed Maris because at Cooperstown I got on the Yankee team bus following a rain-out of the old Hall of fame game. I got autographs like you wouldn’t believe, but not the Mick. Maris gets on and I ask him for his autograph. He looks down at me and says “I don’t know how to write”. Couldn’t have more thoroughly crushed a 9 year old because I knew he was lying. Whitey Ford signed, Bobby Richardson signed, Tony Kubek signed, Elston Howard signed, if Mickey ever got on that bus before I got kicked off, he would have signed too. But not Maris. Just cause for booing him on that Sept day when he hit #61. Too this day I believe that I was kicked off that bus because Maris blew me in. The summer of ’61 I went to the stadium twice. My first trip was to see the Yanks play the newly re-located Senators. That was the day I became a Minnesota fan (in all sports until I quit on the pros). Maris turned me sour on my once-beloved Yankees (but not on Mickey, NEVER on Mickey). That’s my story – I’m apparently STILL bitter. My hate for the Yankees has abated a bit over the years; it’s tough to hate Derek Jeter. But I still gain much satisfaction from the Yankees prolonging A-Rod’s contract, thereby prolonging the A-Rod jinx. As long as he is there they can’t win and will be lucky to even make the playoffs. There’s a world of difference between being the best player and being a winner. A-Rod’s on the wrong side of that fence and he and the Yankees I hate deserve each other. Sorry for Derek.
Greg,
When you wrote this piece, did you have any idea the direction we would take? 🙂
My sad but true autograph story:
As a boy I idolized a few athletes – Bobby Orr, OJ Simpson (yikes), David Wottle (look up that one), and Willie Mays. Yeah the Say Hey kid. My dad frequently expounded on Willie’s virtues. When Willie was traded to the Mets, I instantly began cheering for NY. ’73 Mets were my first favorite team – it’s true. Any way to the story – a few years after Willie retired he joined Frank Robinson (then manager for my hometown Red Wings) in a home run hitting contest at Silver Stadium. We arrived when the gates opened. By the time Willie was introduced, I was standing as close to home plate as was allowed. When Willie finished with his swings, he made his way over to the group of kids I was a part of. He began signing autographs. There I was standing with my Red Wings score card nearly hyperventilating. Willie made his way down the line. Just as he was about to grab my score card an usher came along and redirected him for some photos behind home plate. I waited and I waited, but I went home without Willie’s signature.
A few years later I found out about the HOF autograph session at Cooperstown on induction weekend. The event is limited to children 12 and under. The better half read about it in the paper the day of the event. We were young – had nothing to do for the day and the girls were 9 & 10 at the time (not exactly sure), so we packed up the vehicle and headed for the Leatherstocking Region. Little did we know the event is a major draw and people sleep in the street two nights in advance for their child’s admission. Needless to say Ceil and Ab did not gain admission. To the best of my knowledge I think that year was the only time Willie attended when my daughters were younger than 12.
Okay – I will share..
When I was younger it was a rare treat if we got to see a Buffalo Sabres game. Between myself playing basketball and my brother playing hockey – it was impossible for free time. Well the Edmonton Oilers came to town – the same Oilers that at the time had Gretzky, Messier, Lowe, Coffey — the works. My Dad managed to get tickets for us and we went. Can’t even begin to tell you how excited my brother was or I was for that matter. I should mention that the Oilers were my brother’s favorite team at the time and Gretzky — well he was every kid who played hockey at the time – his idol.
We were treated to unbelievable game. The Oilers won 6-5 and Gretzky was what you hoped to see – magic. Messier scored on one the hardest shots I have ever seen. Similar to Casey’s Mo Vaughn story. Messier took at slap shot just across the blue line and there was a 5 second delay before anyone realized that the puck had gone in and out of the goal. Even Tom Barasso stood still not realizing that the puck had gone by him.
Well after the game – my Dad being the trooper that he was and realizing how important it was – took us down the Oilers locker room where we stood with about 30 other people to get autographs. One by one they all came out. Andy Moog, Charlie Huddy, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, Kevin Lowe.. all came out and they paitently signed our programs. I wasn’t even a huge hockey fan and I was on cloud nine.. Mark Messier came out and he was immediately surrounded.. My brother managed to squeeze in get his autograph right away. Myself I was getting boxed out by older people, but I was fighting my way..
Then I heard him say, “Sorry gotta go” and people began to back away.. That is when I heard “Hey kid, come here.. Walk with me.” .. So I got to walk with Mark Messier, as he took my program and signed it. He checked the autographs on my program and said, “nice job on the autographs, but if you are waiting for Wayne – he left already through a secret exit. ” I told that was okay, thank you and I told him I liked the goal he scored. He smiled, said thank you, shook my hand and got on the bus..
It is why I will always have respect for Mark Messier.. I felt bad though for my brother, as it broke his heart that he didn’t get Gretzky’s autograph that night..