Rose Bowl Experience

[Frank Lee]

Very nice facilities and location.
General parking was easy in and easy out. We were parked probably 200 yards from the stadium entrance. Plenty of PSU fans and alum from SoCal and flying in from elsewhere. Our seats were at the goal line where PSU enters, 25 rows up. Not too far up and not too low. Beautiful stadium in a great setting. Only two issues: more and larger replay screens and a victory by the visiting team.

Travel itinerary was a six-hour drive on Friday from metro Phoenix on I-10/210. Lodged in Monrovia, ten-minutes from the Rose Bowl. Hung out in Old Pasadena after the game as did many PSU fans. On Sunday, tried to get up to the Griffith Park Observatory, but it always seems to have a crowd and requires an up hill walk of about a mile. But, again, it was Sunday. The next time, we'll pay and take the shuttle up. Then we "drove west on Sunset to the sea" (Babylon Sisters, Steely Dan) to check out Pacific Palisades. It's pretty much cleaned up with a lot of house foundations. If AHs Bass and Newsom didn't slow walk permits, it could all be rebuilt in two to three years. We then met a young lady all decked out in PSU garb at a Santa Monica noodle joint. An Aeronautical Engineer just two years out of school and working in Cali. She's fed up with where the program is heading and was more vocal about it than me. Smart kids, those engineers. Anyway, back on the road with a straight shot home on I-10.

 

[ryoder1]

Very nice facilities and location.
General parking was easy in and easy out. We were parked probably 200 yards from the stadium entrance. Plenty of PSU fans and alum from SoCal and flying in from elsewhere. Our seats were at the goal line where PSU enters, 25 rows up. Not too far up and not too low. Beautiful stadium in a great setting. Only two issues: more and larger replay screens and a victory by the visiting team.

Travel itinerary was a six-hour drive on Friday from metro Phoenix on I-10/210. Lodged in Monrovia, ten-minutes from the Rose Bowl. Hung out in Old Pasadena after the game as did many PSU fans. On Sunday, tried to get up to the Griffith Park Observatory, but it always seems to have a crowd and requires an up hill walk of about a mile. But, again, it was Sunday. The next time, we'll pay and take the shuttle up. Then we "drove west on Sunset to the sea" (Babylon Sisters, Steely Dan) to check out Pacific Palisades. It's pretty much cleaned up with a lot of house foundations. If AHs Bass and Newsom didn't slow walk permits, it could all be rebuilt in two to three years. We then met a young lady all decked out in PSU garb at a Santa Monica noodle joint. An Aeronautical Engineer just two years out of school and working in Cali. She's fed up with where the program is heading and was more vocal about it than me. Smart kids, those engineers. Anyway, back on the road with a straight shot home on I-10.

I bought my tickets for $40 Sat morning. Got tickets on the 40 yard line. Ended up not wanting to spend time on parking so I just pulled into the golf course parking. $43 and the guy actually told me it was a "scam". Should have been a sign.

At halftime I changed sections to right behind the end zone where the PSU cheerleaders were and the Nittany Lion. Much rowdier section but ultimately to no avail. Sat stunned in the stadium for about 45 minutes after the game.

I went to the Oregon game as well. 0-2 in 7 days. Maybe it is me. I will take a break from attending any games in person for a while.

 

[Frank Lee]

I bought my tickets for $40 Sat morning. Got tickets on the 40 yard line. Ended up not wanting to spend time on parking so I just pulled into the golf course parking. $43 and the guy actually told me it was a "scam". Should have been a sign.

At halftime I changed sections to right behind the end zone where the PSU cheerleaders were and the Nittany Lion. Much rowdier section but ultimately to no avail. Sat stunned in the stadium for about 45 minutes after the game.

I went to the Oregon game as well. 0-2 in 7 days. Maybe it is me. I will take a break from attending any games in person for a while.

Yep. It can get tiring. Something Kraft and TPTB need to understand.

BTW, you probably noticed those three people and child down front in your end zone area wearing those horrible Tennessee Vol orange outfits. I met the guy while entering the stadium. He was out visiting his daughter and with the Vols having the week off, he wanted to goof on the UCLA QB. It was dumb. Nobody cared. A total lack of self-awareness. Also, that UCLA QB had a great day.

 

[ryoder1]

Yep. It can get tiring. Something Kraft and TPTB need to understand.

BTW, you probably noticed those three people and child down front in your end zone area wearing those horrible Tennessee Vol orange outfits. I met the guy while entering the stadium. He was out visiting his daughter and with the Vols having the week off, he wanted to goof on the UCLA QB. It was dumb. Nobody cared. A total lack of self-awareness. Also, that UCLA QB had a great day.

LOL! I ended up sitting right by him and I guess it was his daughter and son in-law right in front of me. Yeah I saw others with Tenn stuff on. They were not sitting right by him, behind us a row. The daughter was very nice. Yes, he was talking trash about Nico, how he can't pass long, doesn't like to get hit, blah blah. Let's forget he threw a dime on a long one to burn us. I was so focused on the game I wasn't even making the Tenn/Nico connection at the time so I did not bring it up to him. He was cordial enough but I also was telling him if PSU scores at the end I thought we should go for 2 to just end the misery (and hopefully win it). He disagreed thinking Nico could not operate from the 25 and within and Penn State had the advantage. Had he seen the last 60 minutes of football?!

 

[Sheriff Coffee]

Preseason teams that are no longer ranked
#1 Texas
#2 Penn State
#4 Clemson
#13 South Carolina
#15 Florida
#16 SMU
#17 Kansas State
#25 Boise State

 

[Frank Lee]

Preseason teams that are no longer ranked
#1 Texas
#2 Penn State
#4 Clemson
#13 South Carolina
#15 Florida
#16 SMU
#17 Kansas State
#25 Boise State

And Pate and Klatt always act like they are the smart, studied ones.

 

[Sheriff Coffee]

And Pate and Klatt always act like they are the smart, studied ones.

I think we need to calm down and give this team another week. The Oregon game was an overtime loss. UCLA ended up being a perfect storm o them playing the best game of their lives and PSU phoning in a stinker on a west coast road trip.

Let's see what Saturday brings.

 

[IANit]

I just hope the players don't quit. This team was somewhat overrated, but there's still plenty of talent to win most of the games on the schedule.

 

[ryoder1]

I think we need to calm down and give this team another week. The Oregon game was an overtime loss. UCLA ended up being a perfect storm o them playing the best game of their lives and PSU phoning in a stinker on a west coast road trip.

Let's see what Saturday brings.

Franklin may have his eye on another job now, which is great in the long term but means this season will be miserable with no improvement.

 

[Frank Lee]

Franklin may have his eye on another job now, which is great in the long term but means this season will be miserable with no improvement.

If getting through this season is what it takes to get past Franklin, I'm all in. With a smart, battle-tested coach LIKE a Meyer or Saban (note the word "LIKE") and with freed up plus added portal/recruit money, things can be up and running in two years. In fact, overpay for the first year or two. It's like the launch of a new product or a new production facility. It's going to cost money.

 

[RickinDayton]

I think we need to calm down and give this team another week. The Oregon game was an overtime loss. UCLA ended up being a perfect storm o them playing the best game of their lives and PSU phoning in a stinker on a west coast road trip.

Let's see what Saturday brings.

Nope. There KOare too many serious issues on both sides of the ball. This team is totally discombobulated.
Here's a question for Mr. Psychology degree (CJF): why during last week after losing to Oregon did CJF have Jim Knowles talk to the team about OSU losing two games last year? I think that backfired and planted a seed of negativity in their minds thinking, hey we can afford another loss, no biggie. This isn't 2024 and this team will struggle the rest of the season. How do they get in to the playoffs when they are now out of the top 25? Not happening. UCLA was a loss that finished their shot at the playoffs. This team is not beating OSU and will struggle with the remaining schedule. I'm not sure 8-4 is obtainable given what we have witnessed thus far. Given the preseason hype/expectations, no CFP appearance is a totally failed season and the AD and administration lose confidence in CJF.