August, 2008

It's not a bowl game, but in a way it feels like one. The Vols finally arrived at the Rose Bowl for their Sunday night walkthru/practice.   It's nice to see some orange at this place.   

Practice the day before the game is usually a very light workout.  The coaches go over last minute items, especially substitution patterns.  The players take time to toss the ball around.

Quick update from LA.  Wrote and edited story on UCLA Head Coach Rick Neuheisel.  Chief Photographer Jason Byers and I interviewed him on Friday.  We fed the story from KABC to air in Knoxville on Saturday.

Drove to Hollywood.  Saw Batman. 

Despite all the bashing, LA is a great sports town.  Fans here are different-- more fractured than in most cities, but consider this:  The Sparks played here Thursday, the Angels are hosting the Rangers all weekend, Southern Cal opens at Virginia, NASCAR races in Fontana on Sunday, the Dodgers return home Monday, and UCLA hosts Tennessee on the same day.  The Lakers, Clippers, Ducks and Kings open training camps soon.  UCLA basketball isn't bad either.  Lacking an NFL team, yes. Lacking for options.. nope.

I made my first trip to Los Angeles in 1976.  I was 18 years old.  I stayed for nearly a year, and I never get tired of coming back.  If you've never been, it's everything everyone says it is.  LA is a crazy, mixed-up, maddening maze of freeways and free spirts.  Its diversity is all-encompassing and always enriching.  Its topography is ever-changing (along with its air quality).  It is far from perfect, but the sun really does shine a lot, and despite what people say and think, it really is a good sports town.

Some quick thoughts on the Olympics.

*I lucked-out Sunday night. Approaching midnight, I nearly hit the "off" button on the HD set. Instead, I sucked it up, stayed awake, and witnessed one of the most thrilling races in Olympic history. In swimming, the men's 4x100 FS relay was gripping to watch and grew more intense as each leg passed. If you didn't see it live, find a friend who DVR'd it. It's worth seeing!

Picture Day for Tennessee football.  As usual, Neyland Stadium was drenched in sunshine and dripping with high humidity.