Red vs Blue... at the Rose Bowl

Ah, LA in September.  Living in this great city around this time is so interesting.  The baseball season is winding down and both the Dodgers and Angels are almost out of their respective playoff races.  The NFL season has just started and, as everyone knows, the second biggest market in the United States that used to have two NFL teams, at the same time, is entering its nineteenth consecutive season without one.  That alone is an amazing fact to consider.  There is no professional football in America’s second biggest market and one of the most revered cities in the world.  Although perhaps that’s just a technical distinction, as we’ve joked here before, because they do still arguably have a pro team… the University of Southern California Trojans!  Zing!  Aw, but, c’mon, they’ve paid their penalties for that!  Or one hopes so at least, (in so far as it is possible that is, given the inherent hypocrisy of the major College-Football-Program scene.)

The Stadium was actually packed.  This was halftime.  

Anyway, the lack of an NFL team doesn’t really seem to have much affected the sports nature of the city though.  People are extremely passionate about their Dodgers, and USC for their football, and UCLA for their college basketball.  UCLA is legendary in hoops, but a perennial after-thought during the football season.  So when a few of my Nebraska friends (some living here already, others flying in direct) told me they were coming in for a Huskers game against UCLA, I thought, “great, shouldn’t be too hard to get a ticket.”

I live in Culver City, just south of Westwood, where the beautiful UCLA campus nestles into the landscape.  I have been there a few times, once for a basketball game at the immortal John Wooden’s court, and a handful of other times just to hang out in the area.  Friends of mine across the country, who went to school there, are always jealous to know the times that I’ve stopped into the great ice-cream spot Diddy Riese for a bite.  They just can’t stop talking about that place! 

But on the football front, I hadn’t thought much about UCLA.  There certainly wasn’t a large football stadium on or near the campus, so at first I didn’t even know where they’d play their games.  Stupidly, as it turns out, because of course they play in Pasadena… at the Rose Bowl!  That stadium has to be used for something else right?  Not just the Rose Bowl!  Suddenly I got excited.  I’d love to go to the Rose Bowl, hang out with friends, and watch their storied Nebraska team dismantle the overmatched Bruins.     

What a beautiful afternoon for a football game.  Located just north of the Ventura Freeway in the Arroyo Brookside park, the stadium is everything that you’d imagine it to be.  You can just feel the history.   Outside of the stadium there is a Carnival with rides and games, and when you get in to the stadium, there are more outdoor concessions surrounding it.  But once you’re actually in, no frills, just football, the way that it should be.  Simple.  And you can tell that the UCLA faithful like it that way.  They believe in their team even though, given their spotty history, no one else in the country does. 

As I expected there was a huge contingent of red within the stadium, entire sections in fact.  The Husker state represented enormously and enthusiastically.  I have to note here the particular phenomenon that I experienced, having worked twice now, in Nebraska.  They LOVE the Cornhuskers.  It’s beyond just football.  I’ve seen that level of passion frequently in American college sports, but never before had I seen an entire state so united behind one flag. 

While I was in high school and college in Florida, for instance, the state was split between the University of Florida, Florida State, and even the Miami Hurricanes.  Texas has the Longhorns, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Baylor. Even Oklahoma has Oklahoma State.  In Nebraska, it’s one team.  One.  And it’s so clear.  If you ever talk to someone from Nebraska, just mention the Huskers and they beam.  It’s their birthright.  And they’re proud, because they’ve had great years.  Three national championships in the last eighteen years and a whole bunch of Big 12 championships bring that kind of devotion.  And especially after joining the Big 10 last year, I’ve pulled for the Huskers to win that conference.  Because, c’mon, it’s about time Ohio State and Wisconsin had some competition (cough cough, sorry Michigan friends.)  Coming into the game, the Huskers were ranked number 16 in the country, UCLA, not at all.    

So as I drove to the game, I was expecting a big win, but my more educated Nebraska friends were cautious.  They weren’t crazy about what they’d seen from their team so far.  One of my favorite moments during the game, was when the UCLA fans, wanting to give the Nebraska faithful some grief, started chanting, “OVER-RATED”… clap clap, clap clap clap, “OVER-RATED”… clap clap, clap clap clap!  Steve looked at me and Erinn and said editorially… “Yea!  You think we don’t know that already???” 

Nebraska fumbled away a few chances... 

It was a thrilling first half with a lot of scoring, including a 90 yard touchdown run by Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez.  The second half got tighter, but there were still clutch plays on offense and defense.  It basically came down to one play, one that Nebraska desperately needed.  It was a short route that should have been a touchdown.  A Husker wideout broke right and was completely alone by the sideline, a clear path to the endzone before him.  Martinez saw him all the way, and so did the entire stadium.  The UCLA fans groaned, Nebraska fans stood in anticipation, it was a broken defensive assignment!  He was wide open.  The receiver appeared to be looking right at Martinez as he threw it, but then something strange happened.  He froze. 

... as the diehards held their breath.

As the ball was coming toward him he waited, his arms down.  He waited, and still waited.  The ball passed right by his helmet, his hands still down, and suddenly he flailed his arms awkwardly as he saw something in his peripheral and realized what had happened.  But it was too late.  He hadn’t even seen the pass.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  He saw Martinez throw.  Did he think he faked it?  He must have lost it in the lights, although to me, because of the angle, it didn’t seem like that was possible.  Either way it was a huge blow for the Huskers.  The ball landed out of bounds, as the red throngs watched in disbelief, and the drive ended with a field goal.  And it wouldn’t be enough, because UCLA had no intention of letting this one slip away.  

The Bruins made some wonderful plays on offense and eventually it carried them to a thrilling and improbable win.  The underdog came up big against the storied Nebraska program.  But even Husker fans have to admit this is a feel good ending.  Not only was the UCLA football team an underdog in this game, and an underdog within their own city, but they are underdogs on their own campus!  Second class citizens to the hardwood heroes.  

You could feel some of those demons being exorcised last night, as they realized their achievement.  The crowd was obviously extremely excited, but you could also see the surprise underneath.  Like this was new territory for them.

Today UCLA is in the top 25 at number 22, and Nebraska has slipped out.  And while I feel bad for Steve, Scott, Chris, Erinn, both Joes, and all the rest of Husker Nation, I’m not too worried for them.  They still have a chance to come out of the Big 10, and I’ll root for them against everybody in that conference.  And it was great to hang out with you guys while you were here.  Thanks for the invite!    

But meanwhile, I’ve found a new interest in the PAC-12 and the upstart UCLA football team.  Can the Bruins ride this momentum?  Can they become a Cinderella Story and shock the world by de-throning USC while finally claiming this city for their own?  After seeing them last night, I think they can.  

And wouldn’t that be Rosy?

Thanks for reading.

Underdogs out!