The Farewell Tour - Sunday Edition

This is a big week here in the USA, today is a National Holiday honoring the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tuesday, America officially gets a new leader that brings renewed hope and vigor to a nation sorely in need of both, President Barack Obama.

On a much lesser note, Wednesday marks the end of the Farewell Tour as I fly to London for two days before landing in Catania, Sicilia, Italia (Eatalia?) Saturday evening.

To recap Sunday's Tour Events...

Dr. David and Gayle Hicks

"Physician Heal Thyself"

Gayle, Laurie's sister, and David drove up from Santa Ana in Orange County to visit and get travel tips for their first vacation to 'The Boot" this spring.  Unfortunately, David wound up feeling ill and had to lay down for most of the visit.

David was out of commission but Mike, Vanessa, Laurie and I proceeded to give all of our ideas to Gayle on the essentials for their first taste of Italy.

We look forward to their visit to Sicily at the end of their journey from Venice, Florence and Rome.

Hope you feel better today David.

Getting in the Mood

Sunday was also a day to work on packing for Sicily and watching both of the NFL's NFC and AFC championship games.

Though on a commercial break when this picture was taken, we were riveted by the Chicago-St. Louis-Phoenix-Arizona Cardinals' (this is why I like college football more than pro football, your college team NEVER moves or changes names) 32-25 come from behind after being way ahead victory over the Philadelphia Eagles to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIII on February 1 in Tampa Bay.

In order to watch the AFC championship game we would have to switch venues and move to Chuy's Mexican restaurant to engage in a very large Tour stop.

Gonzalo "GONZO" Rodriguez

Head Coach, Rio Mesa Girls Calcio Team

"Forza Spartans!"

Watching the AFC game on Chuy's multiple TV screens

Sixteen of us with Rio Mesa H.S. ties showed up for another round of food, football and friendship.  It was a great to see everyone one more time before leaving.

The AFC game was a good one too as the Pittsburgh Steelers outlasted the Cleveland Browns-Baltimore Ravens (yes they both moved AND changed their nickname) 23-14.

Today's NFL Trivia Question: In 1970, after a decade of fighting, the upstart American Football League's ten teams merged with the older, more established National Football League's 16 teams to form the current NFL.  The NFL split into two Conferences, the American and the National.  To make the Conferences equal in number, 13 each, the Cleveland Browns-Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore-Indianapolis Colts (yet another infamous moving franchise) and the Pittsburgh Steelers joined the new AFC from the old NFL.

Now for the question, with the Chicago-St. Louis-Phoenix-Arizona Cardinals earning a spot in their first ever Super Bowl yesterday, only two other of 1970 franchises that merged still have not played in a Super Bowl.  Can you name them?

The answer is at the end of this post...NO FAIR PEEKING!

Kathy DeVera, Koreen FitzGerald and Laurie

Even Tanner Wrout made a

Special Guest Appearance!

Many of you have been clamoring for updates on Tanner's progress since the end of the Freshman football season.  School is going well for him, he is performing at a very high level on the Frosh-Soph basketball team and the chicks dig him!

Lori, Tanner and Jeff Wrout

I can't thank these three people enough for making the 8-2 2008 Frosh football season such an interesting experience.  The Oxnard game... WOW!

A BIG thanks to Mike, Vanessa, Laurie, Brian and Koreen FitzGerald, Gonzo and Pam Rodriguez, Joe Mollica, Ben Todd, Kathy DeVera, Yen Lam, Marlene Mahan, Jeff, Lori and Tanner Wrout for all of their friendship and support!

Connie and Gino Milano

Owners of Camarillo's Cucina Isabella

The Milanos are building a Bed and Breakfast in the Sicilian hill top town of Enna about an hour west of Catania.  Gino just got back last week from a trip to Sicily. 

The Cucuina Isabella is a great little italian restaurant that is located across the parking lot from Chuys so we just had to go over and include them in the Farewell Tour.

Today's NFL Trivia Answer: Only the New Orleans Saints and the Detroit Lions from the original 26 franchises involved in the 1970 NFL-AFL merger teams have failed to play in at least one of the 43 Super Bowls.