Rose Bowl IV: The Game

The main event of January 2, 2023, was, of course, the Rose Bowl game, played by the University of Utah against Penn State.  "You've got to dress for the game," Camille instructed me.  Lisa and Kyle gave Dave and me Rose Bowl t-shirts for Christmas, and Steve and Camille gave us red and white University of Utah sweatshirts.  We were dressed right.

It looked like a slow morning for Jonny's family, and the Rose Bowl game didn't start in Pasadena until 2 p.m.  Dave, Mike, and I squeezed in a quick trip to the Reagan Presidential Library in the hills of Simi, California, near Pasadena.  Both the Nixon Library and the Reagan Library are first class museums, filled with movies, interactive displays, knowledgeable guides, and precious artifacts.  The Reagan Library even included the original Air Force One which Reagan used--a full-size Boeing 747!  We walked through it, glancing at his and hers bedrooms, a study and conference room, the press seats, and the galley, where an extra chocolate cake was always stowed for anyone who had a birthday or anniversary.

Dave, Mike, and I paid for not arriving hours early at the game.  There was a sea of cars, and we parked at the back of it.  We walked at least a mile to get from our car to the stadium.

We passed many attendees savoring tailgate lunches. 

The game was sold out.  Three-fourths of the stadium was bright red, with only a fourth blue for Penn State.  Our seats were in the end zone, in a mixture of red and blue.  There was a rabid Penn State fan a few rows behind me, who spewed profanities to urge on his team.  Either he stopped swearing or I eventually got used to the sound.  "This isn't just about football," I decided, viewing the spectacle before me and on the jumbotron behind me.  "This is a war between tribes and their gods."  I felt like I was one of the hordes roaring as Elijah competed with the priests of Baal!

I brought an issue of The Economist with me, just in case I got bored.  I didn't.  I am a kindred spirit to Thomas.  He brought his electronic tablet and happily played video games throughout the game.  We were all relieved.  There were much more disruptive things a four-year-old could do at the Rose Bowl game (such as repeatedly demanding to go to the bathroom, crawling back and forth under the seats, eating too many hotdogs and throwing up...).

Camille and Emilie joined us at halftime.  The Eberts had dropped Emilie's fiance, Jake, off at the Las Vegas Airport, to fly back to work in Dallas.  Jake teased Emilie that what he was really going to do was fly to Pasadena and attend the game, cheering for Penn State! "Jake does prefer Penn State," Emilie said ruefully.

The University of Utah looked great during the first half.  Its quarterback was injured at the beginning of the second half and it was all downhill from there.  When Jonny rose to leave, near the beginning of the fourth quarter, I asked, "Isn't that disloyal?"  He looked at me as if I were mad.  "The players are used to it," he insisted.  I have lot to learn about football.