Coaching for Pizza: November 2022

Thur.-Mon., November 17-21, 2022

As we enjoyed a long "boys" weekend in Seattle, we have a lot of fun things to report in this post.

You might want to grab a large cup of coffee before sitting down to read this one.

Michael, Jacob and yours truly

on the late afternoon Thursday flight

from Santa Barbara to Seattle

The view out of our hosts, Susie and

Mark Johnson's home on Friday morning

Not a cloud in the sky all weekend long as dry, cold, crisp air was the order of the day, everyday.

Jacob's first foray into

the Pacific Northwest's

brilliant Fall colors

Washington was Jacob's fourth state, having been born in California, visited his cousin Kevin in Nevada and vacationed more than once in Hawaii.

More Fall colors

We took the short walk to this

park at the end of the Johnson's street

Jacob was excited by just about

everything he saw on this trip

An old school tree swing!

Jacob having fun

Onward as we walked the length

of the Montlake Cut

The University of Washington

Medical Center across the Montlake Cut

The Montlake Bridge in the distance

Mushrooms can be HUGE in this

neck of the woods

The historic University of

Washington Boathouse

Jacob practicing his footwork

before launching a pebble into

Lake Washington

A boy and his Totem Pole

Again with the Fall colors

Mark had arranged for a Saturday morning tour of the UW football facilities for us and our long time friends Loren and Sandy Brucker who flew up for the weekend as well.

GO DAWGS!

Jacob enjoyed seeing all of

the UW uniform possibilities

With the Huskies'

1991 National Championship Trophy

The Huskies'

1960 National Championship Trophy

More uniform combinations

Sandy's and Jacob's first look

at the UW's Football Weight Room

He'll need to start lifting in the next

few years to follow his football dreams

The Huskies meeting room

Loren, Sandy, our Head Coach

Jim Owens and me

Jacob throwing in front of

the UW's Hec Edmundson Pavilion

This often updated/renovated arena has housed Husky basketball, volleyball and wrestling among many other events since first opening its doors in 1927.

Clarence "Hec" Edmundson was the Huskies' Head Basketball Coach from 1920-1947 and also the UW's Head Track Coach from 1920-1954.

Different times to be sure.

The UW Women's Volleyball

team was practicing inside "Hec Ed"

this morning

Jacob checking out the Huskies

early morning practice on Friday

The Dawgs have a state-of-the-art

indoor Nordstrom Tennis Center

The Conibear Shellhouse's

view of Lake Washington

Named after Hiram Conibear who was the UW's Head Coach of Rowing Teams from 1907 until his death in 1917, this facility housed the UW football teams during the season/Fall Quarter in the late 1960s when I was going to school here.

The UW's Four-Man Crew won

the Gold Medal at these London Olympics

A bit more famous perhaps is the 1936 Berlin Olympics Gold Medal winning UW Eight-Man Crew that was the subject of the acclaimed book The Boys in the Boat.

The UW does indeed possess a long and storied history in both Men's and Women's rowing.

Some of the many shells in

the Conibear Shellhouse's basement

With Jacob in approximately the

spot where my cot stood during my

two week stay in the famed "Dungeon

Apartments" during two-a-days

in August of 1966

Oars, LOTS of oars

Loren with a current UW baseball

player who gave us another tour

Besides being a solid DB in football, Loren was an excellent Catcher on the Husky baseball teams in late 1960s.

The Huskies baseball facility

On to Upper Campus

A wonderful old building

on the Quad, it is . . .

. . . Miller Hall where Laurie worked

for two years in the Education Department

Mark, Sandy, Loren, George

on the Quad

A boy and a Husky

Jacob with legendary

Head Football Coach Don James

A mean Husky guarding the

entrance to the UW Bookstore

One of the oldest continuously open

shops on "The Ave"

We started Saturday/Game Day

with a light rail ride to downtown

Seattle to visit the Pike Place Market

We had plenty of time as Kickoff

was not until 6:00 p.m. tonight

Our main goal this weekend was to attend the football game this evening between the up and coming, 8-2 Washington Huskies and the woeful, 1-9 University of Colorado Buffaloes.

Ted Lasso quote in

downtown Seattle

We made after a smooth ride on the

light rail and a short walk

There is magic in there Jacob

First up was a warm beverage for

each of us at this fine establishment

LOVE cheese!

The Pike Street Market is

famed for its fresh seafood

It is also known for its many

artists selling their crafts

But seafood is still King!

Good looking mushrooms

Interesting flowers

Fall flowers to the delight of all!

The view of the Puget Sound from

the Pike Place Market

Fresh berries, YUM!

Jacob watching the "Flying Fish"

at the market for the first time

That trick Monk fish scared Jacob

and a lot of other shoppers too

Jacob wasn't sure of what to make

of The Gum Wall

Gum, The Art Form

One of many new skyscrapers

changing the Seattle Skyline

Time to head back to the Johnson's

for the tailgate party

On the corner of 45th and University

in the "U District"

Jacob's possible new coat

at the UW Bookstore

Golden Moment t-shirt

A colorful building indeed

Michael DEFINITELY

wanted to check this place out

In he goes to . . .

. . . a bike enthusiast's delight!

Our path continues . . .

Jacob and Quetzalcoatl in Seattle

Crazy.

The early tailgater's had arrived

at Husky Stadium

Jacob was up for a few passes.

So True

Back at the Johnson's as the tailgate

started with myself, Ken Ballenger,

Loren Brucker and Clyde Werner

Jacob by the Montlake Cut

Jacob wearing his vintage

Sonny Sixkiller t-shirt

ANDIAMO indeed!

Tons of people eventually joined in the fun at Mark and Susie's home but it was finally time to make the short walk to Husky Stadium for the game.

Jacob's first ever view of the field

on a Game Day

Here Come the DAWGS!

But where are the fans?

As we kicked off the crowd was

still quite sparse

The late kickoff time, cold weather and underperforming opponent did not add up to a must see game.

We were still happy to be in

the Stadium . . .

. . . but I, for one, was quite

COLD!

Fun Husky Band formation

performed at halftime

The Buffaloes were vastly

overrated

The once prominent and proud Colorado (1-10) program has definitely fallen on hard times.

The Huskies (9-2) now move on to next Saturday's Apple Cup game in Pullman against the always tough Washington State Cougars (7-4).

The Colorado win moved

the Huskies up in the polls!

On Sunday we took another tour of the Huskies football facilities because we had four new members of our entourage who had not been able to be with us on Friday's tour due to work/school commitments.

We started in the Weight Room again

Mark Johnson, George Contreras,

Mike Contreras, Jacob Contreras,

Ryan Brucker, Jack Brucker,

Jack Harrington and Frank Harrington

Ryan and Frank work together in the Social Science Department at Woodbridge H.S.

Their sons, the two Jacks are good friends although Jack Brucker attends Northwood H.S. while Jack Harrington goes to Woodbridge H.S.

Ryan and Jack could not arrive until Saturday morning because Jack's high school football team was playing in a semi-final playoff game Friday night. His Northwood team (12-1) defeated Vista del Lago (9-4) 41-14.

They will play at Lakewood H.S. (8-5) next Saturday for the C.I.F.-Southern Section Division VIII Championship.