On Friday, Mike and I left Camarillo just after 6:00 a.m. for the six hour drive to Burlingame, California, which is a suburb to the south of San Francisco.
The reason for this trek was to watch the 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl football game featuring the BYU Cougars (8-4) against our beloved Washington Huskies (8-4) at AT&T Park.
As you may know, AT&T Park is the baseball home of the San Francisco Giants and is a somewhat unique sight for college football.
After checking in to our hotel, we decided to take the Caltrain to the game instead of driving. The roundtrip fare was only $10 each and the line ended only one block from AT&T Park.
Burlingame's Quaint Train Station
Very Quaint
We had just missed the train so we had about a 45 minute wait until the next one and therefore time to explore beautiful downtown Burlingame.
Leaves at my Feet
You would almost have to say that
it was finally Autumn
Nostalgic Baseball Field
next to Burlingame H.S.
We had time for a croissant
By American standards, it was fine.
By French standards, not so much.
We boarded the Caltrain for the 30 minute ride to the game. The train squeaked and rolled a bunch but it got us there in one piece. Definitely a step in the right direction in the history of public transportation in California.
Mike and I outside AT&T Park
Now it was time to Fight Hunger at the University of Washington Alumni Association's Pre-Game Gala at Pedro's Cantina just across the street from AT&T Park.
Unfortunately, the UWAA's gala would not open for about another 20 minutes so we headed down to the end of the same block to a corner bar to tip an alcoholic beverage with dozens of Husky supporters. No BYU Cougar fans were in this fine establishment for some reason or other.
Pedro's Cantina was ROCKING!!!
The Husky Mascot was in the House
The Husky Band Leader helped
ignite the assembled Purple Multitude
A Taste of the Madness in
Pedro's Cantina
Pedro's Cantina
Because I was posting our whereabouts on Facebook, I was excited to be contacted by a special friend from our days coaching in Catania, Sicily . . .
Melissa Lodato and Denver Wade
First and foremost, CUTE COUPLE!
Denver went to high school in San Francisco and was home for the holidays with Melissa who he first met in Catania.
Denver currently is teaching and coaching at a high school in Mississippi.
GREAT Young Coach
I found Denver to be an absolutely excellent offensive line coach when we were together with the Elephants back in 2009. He continues to do good things in coaching in his current roll as Defensive Coordinator at his Mississippi high school.
Small world.
Our GREAT bartender at Pedro's
She has two tattoos, the Pentagram on her left arm came first. She followed that up eventually with a Kyrie Eleison tattoo on her right arm.
She was in perfect harmonic balance all afternoon from what we could tell.
Finally, after about 2 1/2 hours of grazing at Pedro's Cantina's taco bar, we headed across the street because, at 6:30 p.m. It was GAME TIME!!!
I was ready for the Huskies first
ever trip to the Fight Hunger Bowl
This was my 16th trip to a Husky Bowl game and I had watched the Dawgs go 8-7 in the previous 15 games.
Here's a list of our previous UW bowl game experiences with the winning games in purple:
Pasadena, California's Rose Bowl seven times (1978, 1981, 1982, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 2001)
Anaheim. California's Freedom Bowl twice (1985 and 1989)
San Diego, California's Holiday Bowl four times (1996, 1999, 2001 and 2010)
San Antonio, Texas' Alamo Bowl once (2011)
Las Vegas, Nevada's Las Vegas Bowl once (2012)
We needed to win!
Mike by the Willie Mays Statue
with his newest pal
The Giants two World Series Trophies
from 2010 and 2012
Our seats were in the Giants Club Section, so we were exposed to tons of Giants baseball history in various. and I must say excellent, display cases.
Jerry Garcia Bobble Head Doll
I kind of liked the Garlic Fest Bobble Head Doll a bit more.
GAME TIME!!!
The view from the Club Level
Section 228, Row E, Seat 9
I liked the UW uniforms for once, purple and gold with no black.
Bishop Sankey rushing for the UW
Sankey would rush for 95 yards and two TDs.
BYU Shield Punt
Not my favorite formation. While these three behemoths can definitely block, this formation leaves you with three players who are a liability should the punt returner break into the open field. There are also very limited in terms of punt fakes with these three players in the backfield in my opinion.
Mike intently watching the contest
Senior Husky QB
Keith Price's Last Game
Keith Price's Last Game
Price had a quiet night passing for 123 yards and a TD.
More on Junior RB Bishop Sankey
Will he return for his senior season?
He is now tied for the most TDs in Husky career history with 38 after scoring twice in this bowl game.
Who is he tied with you ask?
All-American George Wilson who scored his 38 TDs in the 1923-25 seasons!
BYU QB Taysom Hill
He was the best player on the field in my opinion even though his team would lose.
He passed for 293 yards and ran for 133 yards and a TD.
Keith, you forgot the ball!
The Huskies got it back.
John Ross' 100 yard Kick Off Return
CELEBRATING Ross' TD
His return was the turning point of the game. The Cougars had much better stats but it was the Husky kicking game combined with good Red Zone defense that carried the day for the UW.
Huskies Breaking Up A Pass
Cougars Breaking Up A Pass
Sankey's last Husky TD ever?
We'll see soon enough.
CELEBRATING a Win!
The Huskies led 21-16 at the half but the second half was all UW!
It was a great tribute to the players and coaches after Steve Sarkisian had left for the USC job that they could play with such great effort for interim coach Marques Tuiasosopo.
Final Score:
Washington (9-4) 31 - BYU (8-5) 16
Can't wait for the Huskies to kickoff the 2014 campaign, their first under new Head Coach Chris Petersen, with four rugged (????) non-conference games against Hawaii, Eastern Washington, Illinois and Georgia State.
GO DAWGS!!!
