I am glad my speaks with Mr. Bart Bigham’s 11th grade English classes will not happen until the spring.  If I stood in front of them next week, I would probably be rather emotional trying to convey my thanks to them for putting me and my dear wife, Carrie, inside a place I hold in the highest regard.  That place is The Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.

How it all exactly happens that I give Mr. Bigham’s junior classes the credit is something I won’t be able to explain in full until the time comes when I can share it with them.  And share I will indeed.

Two years ago I took my Dad to the Rose Bowl to see the USC-UCLA game. That was a special time.  The USC-UCLA game is the greatest rivalry on the west coast and ranks there with Michigan-Ohio State and Auburn-Alabama.  These games are historic.  Tomorrow, though I am writing this near midnight and this will probably post officially on Saturday and  it is nearly 9 PM on the West Coast as I type these words, Carrie and I will attend the UCLA-USC game.  I am glad to report that Carrie and I have already visited the Rose Bowl.  We did that on Thursday afternoon.

I have Darryl Dunn and Will Schnell to thank.  They were willing to help me out.  Darryl is the CEO/General Manager of The Rose Bowl Stadium.  Will is the Turf Superintendent.  These two men will be remembered as two guys that helped me help some North Harrison High School students.

I still get out and swing my leg from time to time.  Though there is considerably less pop in the old leg, I can still kick a football over a goalpost when I feel like doing so.  55 yard kicks have been replaced with 35 yard kicks.  And I don’t care about that.  I am just delighted I can still do it.  On Thursday I kicked on the greatest place to do so on the planet.

Lined only with five yard lines on Thursday, I was not the nervous wreck I thought I would be when I stepped on the lush grass carpet that is the field of the Rose Bowl Stadium.

Led to the field by Will Schnell, I felt like being there was the right thing to be doing.

Will and I talked Rose Bowl history.  An old Missouri boy, Will understood my Midwest fascination with The Rose Bowl.  The BIG 10 Champ traditionally plays in The Rose Bowl against the winner of the PAC 12.  The Rose Bowl is the Granddaddy of them all in college football bowl parlance.

Carrie and I standing together on the turf of The Rose Bowl Stadium was a humbling experience that I was glad to be able to share with her.

I thought it only appropriate that I wear a North Harrison shirt in The Rose Bowl.

Will Schnell was a gracious host.  Look at that field.  It is the most impressive thing I have ever seen in sports.  The man is an artist and The Rose Bowl is his canvas.

In earnest, I brought my kicking shoe and my cleats with me in the hopes of getting a hold of one.  I toted them onto the field in my old Brownstown Central gym bag that is over 40 years old and is still in good shape.

Though I had my kicking shoe, I was not about to get that shoe out and plant it into the turf of the finest football field on the planet. Will was appreciative of my respect for the field. So, I kept my Brooks on, tightened them up and put the ball on the tee a little past the ten yard line.

My first kick was true.  I never thought about the possibility of missing.  As I kicked I thought about Mick Rutherford and Kelly Samons and I wished they could have been there.  When I kicked in high school, Mick was the snapper and Kelly was the holder.  I could not have done this without them.  I also thought about my Dad and how we came out here two years ago and how he would have loved to have seen this too.

My second kick was true.  I had enough.  Two for two in The Rose Bowl was all I needed.  It was a wonderful feeling.

The PAC 12 logo.

The outline of the the script UCLA at midfield.

Sure hope the Bruins take care of business on Saturday.  I think they will.

More fun.

Carrie and I visited the Santa Monica Pier today and walked up to Venice Beach and back.  I know we walked over twelve miles today.

This is a great place.

Under the pier.

I gotta have a picture of the Hollywood sign, right?

Below is my photographic contribution.

This is the fountain in the courtyard of Pasadena City Hall.

Carrie took this one at Union Station in LA.  There is a great deal of beautiful architecture out here.  That and most places are VERY clean and tidy.  Not much trash on the side of the road or on the sidewalk or in the street.  And, most folks here are very kind and polite.

WEEK 12 College Football Picks….an abbreviated version.

Mississisppi State beats Arkansas

UK beats Middle Tenn

Northwestern beats Minnesota

Ohio State beats Maryland

NC State beats Louisville

Penn State beats Rutgers

Iowa beats Illinois

Purdue bears Wisconsin

Michigan beats Indiana

Ole Miss beats Vandy

Washington State beats Arizona

Arizona State beats Oregon

UCLA beats USC

Now this was speaking the rights!

Danny Johnson