Coaching for Pizza: A New Experience for All of Us

Sunday, January 14, 2024

I graduated from the University of Washington in December of 1969. I returned to Southern California soon afterwards to start my teaching career at Washington H.S., Go Generals, in Los Angeles the following February.

Other than our various coaching stints in Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, France and Spain we have lived in Ventura County for the last 54 years.

During all of that time, other than football, I had never been to a UW athletic event played in the southland.

Until today.

This is Isaiah Sherrard, a Freshman

Forward from Ventura County's

Oak Park H.S.

Washington Huskies

10-6 overall, 2-3 PAC-12

8th place in the PAC-12

vs.

UCLA Bruins

6-10 overall, 1-4 PAC-12

Tied 11th place in the PAC-12

Grandson Jacob and son Michael joined me which meant that I would have to answer lots of interesting questions posed by Jacob.

He wanted us to leave by 9:00 a.m. for UCLA, about a 45 minute drive from Camarillo to fully explore the Bruins' campus for the first time.

The game was scheduled to tipoff at 4:00 p.m. in the Bruins storied home, Pauley Pavilion. I picked them up at Noon.

Let the exploration commence . . .

On the old Men's Gym located over

our underground parking structure

Jacob's imitation of that old

Bruin football player

This one reminded me that Laurie

and I still need to see the film,

The Boys in the Boat

A Husky and a Bruin

We waltzed through the

Ackerman Student Union Building

The panda held my hand in enemy territory

Even though I received my Master's degree at UCLA in 1971, I was not wearing any Blue and Gold.

Yes, Jacob, that's today's game

Approaching the Powell Library

on UCLA's Main Quad area

We felt a lot of love on

the UCLA Campus

The boys and Royce Hall

We opted to enter Powell Library which faces Royce Hall.

Since there was no statue in this niche,

Jacob struck a pose

Nice reading lamp

Lots of nice . . .

. . . mosaics are found in the Powell Library

The Powell Library is named in

honor of this fine gentleman

Looking out on UCLA's Main Quad

Royce Hall is a magnificent edifice

Wonderful detail on Royce Hall

Hey, Poppo, how does the UW

compare in size to UCLA and

which is older?

Well, Jacob, if you mean in area, the UW's main campus is comprised of 703 acres. UCLA, on the other hand is much smaller at only 467 acres. The UW is bigger by 236 acres.

If you mean which is bigger in terms of enrollment, the UW and UCLA are virtually even. There are 47,571 students proud to be called Huskies while UCLA's student body is composed of 47,518 Bruins. The UW ekes out another victory by 53 students.

The UW was founded in 1861, UCLA in 1919. Finally, the UW is 58 years older than UCLA.

We had to sit to properly digest

all of this new found information

It was while playing catch

through this sculpture . . .

. . . that we first received news

of a possible hiring for the

vacant UW football job

It looked like Jedd Fisch, the University of Arizona Head Coach, would be named to head up the Huskies after two agonizing days without a leader.

We continued to explore this small

sculpture garden on campus

She blends right into that tree overhead

Lots of trophies in the UCLA

Debate Club's headquarters

Women's Forensic League

Orator

1935

June Hallebero

There were lots of these National Championship banners in the hallways of this building

The Janss Steps

One of UCLA's most famous alumni

The Women's basketball player

above Jacob is Gabriela Jacquez

She is averaging 11.5 points per game this year.

Jacob has this in common with Gabriela. They both are Las Colinas Middle School Mustangs.

We were getting close to

entering Pauley Pavilion

Jacob just had to take a look at

UCLA's football practice field

Jacob being a boy

On the table as we entered UCLA's

sacred basketball arena was this

table of free souvenir game programs

HOORAY!

Of interest in the program was the make up of the two rosters.

The Bruins have seven international players from these six countries, France, two from Nigeria, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey.

The Huskies have three international players hailing from Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria.

UCLA only has four Californians on their roster compared to five for the UW.

Once inside there are constant reminders

of legendary coach John Wooden who led

the Bruins to ten NCAA Championships in

the final 12 years of his amazing career

Is he getting taller or

am I shrinking?

Is this a part of the Bruins NIL

strategy to get Jacob to de-commit

from the Huskies?

More about the Bruins basketball legacy

UCLA Gymnastics is great too

By yet another tribute to Nell and

John Wooden

Nell was Coach Wooden's devoted wife.

Since Coach Wooden retired after the 1975 NCAA Championship season, the Bruins have only won one more national title in Men's Basketball back in 1995.

He looks a lot like that other

great UCLA Center of the 1960s,

Lew Alcindor

More of Coach Wooden's wisdom

Mariachi Music just made the

experience all the better!

These muchachas were

strumming up a storm . . .

. . . while he was doing a

splendid job singing

A folklórico dancer was a

welcome addition

She was mesmerizing!

Finally, it was time to get to our seats in Section 218, Row 11, Seats 1, 2 and 3.

We were in the absolute last

row of Pauley Pavilion

Just as the $8 per seat that we paid would lead you to believe.

Our view about ten minutes before

the opening tipoff

Where is everybody?

Pauley Pavilion can seat 13,800 rabid basketball fans.

Our view as the game started

The announced crowd count was a meager 6,532, mostly subdued basketball fans.

Doing the math, Pauley Pavilion was only at 47.3% capacity.

Sad.

Looking for better seats at halftime

with UCLA leading 30-22

The Second Half was all UCLA's

Love all of those National Championship

banners from the three sports that call

Pauley Pavilion home, i.e., Basketball,

Gymnastics and Volleyball

I'm sure that Coach Wooden was happy

with the Bruins 73-61 victory today

Jacob, who abhors any sort of

colorful language, was mortified

at our choice for post-game dining

in Thousand Oaks

Let's take a look at EuroBall news . . .

Spain's top league, Serie A, started

their 2024 season this weekend

There are ten teams in Serie A

split into two divisions

WEST DIVISION

Alcobendas Cavaliers

Coslada Camioneros

Gijón Mariners

Las Rozas Black Demons

Osos Rivas

EAST DIVISION

Badalona Dracs

Barcelona Pagesos

L'Hospitalet Pioners

Mallorca Voltors

Zaragoza Hurricanes

Four Division games this weekend

Teams play only Division opponents during the regular season, their are no West vs. East games until the playoffs start in April.

Thus there are always two teams with byes each weekend. This week the byes went to the Las Rozas Black Demons in the West and the Badalona Dracs in the East.

Here are the results from Week #1 of the LNFA Serie A campaign:

About as expected

The Osos are strong every year

Much closer than I expected

It's not luck when you shut them out

LNFA STANDINGS

West Division

1T. Coslada Camioneros 1-0

Osos Rivas 1-0

3. Las Rozas Black Demons 0-0

4T. Alcobendas Cavaliers 0-1

Gijón Mariners 0-1

Week #2 West Division Schedule

January 20, 2024

Las Rozas (0-0) at Coslada (1-0)

Alcobendas (0-1) at Gijón (0-1)

BYE: Rivas (1-0)

LNFA STANDINGS

East Division

1T. L'Hospitalet Pioners 1-0

Mallorca Voltors 1-0

3. Badalona Dracs 0-0

4T. Barcelona Pagesos 0-1

Zaragoza Hurricanes 0-1

Week #2 East Division Schedule

January 20, 2024

Barcelona (0-1) at L'Hospitalet (1-0)

January 21, 2024

Badalona (0-0) at Zaragoza (0-1)

BYE: Mallorca (1-0)

SNAZZY!

When it comes to game jersey designs, EuroBall is on the cutting edge.

This is the jersey being worn by the Cernusco Daemons in Italy this season. With Cernusco being a suburb of the Italian Fashion Capital city of Milan, it only makes sense.

The Rams-Lions Wild Card

Playoff game was played today

Rams fans were feeling good about

the Rams opportunity in Detroit

I'd feel better if Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch

was in the Rams line-up today

Close but no cigar for our Rams

Disappointing but still a Rams team

that performed well beyond expectations

Disappointing but at least we were not Cowboys fans today . . .

. . . now that game was a DISASTER!

Meanwhile, back on the University of Washington football front . . .

After the game, it was official,

the Washington Huskies had signed

their 31st Head Football Coach in

program history

To sum up the last seven tumultuous days in Husky Football History . . .

Monday

National Championship game loss to Michigan, 34-13

Wednesday

H.C. Nick Saban retires at Alabama

Friday

H.C. Kalen DeBoer takes the Alabama job

Massive amount of Husky players leave the program

Sunday

Hire Jedd Fisch as the new UW Head Coach

I believe this to be a good hire. Now, how is Coach Fisch and his staff going to rebuild the depleted UW roster that they inherit that includes no scholarship QBs?