Finally got back to a computer and have been reading the boards. What a friggin roller coaster ride it was, my highlights below, what were yours ? Never been to the Rose Bowl and was a little unprepared for the pre-game cluster of people who walked up from Pasadena into the RB between the ESPN and Razorgator pre-parties. The team bus came through and they shut off the road making it a zoo, we couldn't ever make it to the other side of the stadium. ATT sucks, I couldn't text/call and missed out on a few tailgate spots of random friends. Glad we bought a 12 pack on the way in. We just stood and people watched...right next to a little tailgate Jason Schwartzman was at, pretty funny scene, the religious zealots didn't disappoint...overhead a funny debate on masturbation. Ran into a couple old friends that I hadn't seen in years, good times. Took us almost an hour to get in and piss. Bailed out on a beer, lines too long. Was blown away at some people around us who missed half the game grabbing beers. Wanted to punch a drunken idiot next to us...wobbly, distracting dip ****. First half was unreal. Started so strong, Colt hurt, lead slips away, gets worse, shuttle pass pic was a massive kick to the nuts. Slip out for beer/food. The mood out there was crushing. Get back to seats moments before kickoff. Was sure we were going to get slaughtered, very little faith in the stands. Third quarter is a blur. Didn't really appreciate our defensive efforts like I should have. The comeback was surreal. History was unfolding. Devastating dropped passes. Devastating officiating. Emotional high after the 2 point conversion, deafening noise. A chance for a final 90'ish yard drive to take lead. Interception. Game slips away, garbage points scored. Day started Thursday at 3:45am CST, barely made it out of Dallas after a long de-icing. Through Denver into Orange County, met lots of great fans on both sides. Day ended at hotel after midnight PST (2:00am CST). Was up almost 24 hours and crashed hard. Flew back yesterday at 11 again through Denver. Sat next to a players sister and a guy whose dad is a coach with Colt's dad. Get home at 8, hug and play with the kids. Re-watch game with my wife on TV. The party was over. Had the time of my life.
My experience was similar. What a fantastic experience short of the last half of the fourth quarter. The bama fans were congenial until the cheers of sec. Man that sucked as much as the cell service.
Wednesday, our crowd had lunch at the marina in Redondo Beach -- a very pleasant and relaxing time. That night we went to the Texas Exes Bash on Sunset Blvd. and had a good time (in spite of the ripoff $6 Bud Lites) and the raffle that we were lied to by the ticket sellers about when the drawing would occur. On Thursday, we got to Old Pasadena about 1:00 p.m. (an hour later than we had planned because I let my GPS guide me onto the Glendale Freeway and then 134 -- instead of taking the Pasadena Freeway north and then onto Fair Oaks from the south, like I used to do when I lived out there some years ago). There were vastly more Texas fans than Alabama fans in the South Bay and in Culver City (where we had stayed at the Four Points Sheraton), but the Bama fans were out in force when we hit Pasadena. We parked in the Parsons Engineering lot on Walnut (prepaid parking pass), just north of Colorado at Fair Oaks, and our group of 10 met up and found a Chinese restaurant just south of Colorado that served good food and drink. We stayed there until about 3:00 p.m. and walked to the stadium -- about a 15 minute walk. We got caught in that bus barricade for about 10 minutes, but managed to go into the stadium a few minutes later. We were going to head over to the Hornfans' tailgate but decided to just head into the stadium. I felt surprisingly calm during the pre-game, confident that Texas would do well against the Tide. Losing Colt changed all of that and hearing that he had a broken collar bone (which, of course, turned out to be just a rumor) caused me to just sit there and be resigned to losing the game. Getting back to 24 - 21 gave me hope, but that was quickly dashed by Texas mistakes. Saban going for an additional TD when he had the game won (and he could have just told McElroy to take a series of knees) made me hope he holds hands with Stoops while they both rot in hell. I felt bad for Colt -- not just because of him not getting his life-long dream of playing in and winning that game -- but also, not knowing what exactly the injury was, because of the possible implications for his pro career. I wondered why, with protecting the starting QB being a prime goal of that game, we'd calling that speed option play and expose him to a fast and huge defense. But **** happens, I guess. After the game, we walked back to Old Town Pasadena and met up with some other friends at the Cheesecake Factory for food and drink -- mostly drink after that ******* disaster of a game. All in all, I was glad Texas got there, that I and my guests had the opportunity to be there, and that Texas had a chance to play in it. We flew back to Austin on Friday and went to two basketball games at the Erwin Center -- time to now focus on basketball. Sure wish Colt could have played the whole game. I think Texas would have won it going way if he had. But we'll never know, will we . . .
ALBQ nailed this one. I paid too much money to watch the zone read go for two yards over and over again.
Does this question fall into the category of "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?" Seriously we had a great time. Did Universal with the LHB on Wednesday. Got to the Rose Bowl at about 11 on Thursday and parked on the golf course next to a group of really obnoxious UT fans, totally drunk before noon. I'm sure at least two of the women never made it into the stadium. Went to the UT Exes party and hung out with a bunch of great Longhorns. It obviously was a major disappointment not to be able to compete with our most important player and the "what ifs and if onlys" are just killing me. Met mostly quality Bama fans except for one totally obnoxious guy who kept flashing us the down horns sign at Disneyland on Friday. Wish I had a good response for that. Been to the Rose Bowl before when I was younger for some PAC 10/Big 10 games and the venue is the best. Don't understand the comments about "too expensive." What...it's worth the money if we win but not if we lose?
Vegas--Pasadena--Vegas. Lots of Burnt Orange in Vegas when I land on Tuesday. Spend the Tuesday and Wednesday in Vegas. Thursday drive 4hours through the desert to Rose Bowl. Horns and Tide all making the trip from Las Vegas to Rose Bowl. Great Weather... Tail Gaiting... Great Fans on Both sides. Somebody has to lose... sucks that it was us. But overall a great time. Yes it wasn't cheap, but tell me what is. While most of Texas was freezing and raining, I was in Vegas and Pasadena, with blue skies green grass and the final Longhorn game of the season.
gameday started by getting up at 4:15am thursday morning to catch a flight out of austin at 8:00am - arrived in LAX at 9:15am - took a cab to pasadena - arrived about 10:30 am - hung around old pasadena, ate lunch, then took the shuttle down to the rose bowl about 1:15 - went to the espn tailgate(ripoff) - had a car service take us back to LAX after the game to catch a 12:05 red eye flight - arrived in dallas at 5:30 am and then back in austin at 8:30am - came home, took a shower and went to work - my wife and i did the gameday thing the last time as well and would do it again in a heartbeat - everything went smooth until the the 5th play of the game - however very proud of the fight and almost complete comeback by the horns - Texas fans know how the represent - i have been fortunate enough to attend all 3 rose bowls - we have great fans - i hope every texas fan gets to experience the 'horns in a big game setting like this - it is quite unique - Hook'em!!
