Football Weekend Continues in San Luis Obispo

Idaho State (0-8)

at #3 Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (5-1)

On Saturday morning, Camarillo was greeted by rain showers from the north and I had a dilemma. An hour to the south of us in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, my beloved 0-7 University of Washington Huskies were playing the #7 ranked 6-1 University of Southern California Trojans, a 46 points favorite according to the Las Vegas oddsmakers. After driving to Tucson to watch the Huskies play Arizona and flying to Seattle for the Notre Dame game last weekend, not to mention that head coach Tyrone Willingham was fired effective at the end of the season, could I watch another neutering?

I decided that I couldn't do it, especially since the rainy weather front was heading towards L.A. from the north.

Instead I made the 2 hour and 15 minute drive north to the picturesque, California central coast, college town of San Luis Obispo to watch Cal Poly's 5-1 football team that is ranked #3 in the NCAA FCS, formerly I-AA, poll.

The Mustangs were playing an outmatched 0-8 Idaho State team but I like going to games there and one of our former Rio Mesa H.S. players, Quentin Greenlaw is a freshman linebacker for Cal Poly. He played on special teams and had a GREAT kickoff moment when he single handedly blew up a Bengals' four man wedge with an awesome hit. I was proud of him, he has become a hitter!

In the second half Quentin got to play defense and recorded 4 tackles which tied him for third most in the game by a Mustang.

California's Central Wine Coast

I am not a big wine guy but my wife Laurie is. I decided to take a short break to stretch my legs at the Laetitia Winery near the city of Arroyo Grande that we had visited in past trips up California's Highway 101. Laurie decided that she did not want to make the trip in weather that may or may not be good so I was driving solo.

Laurie loves Pinot Grigio so I thought I'd buy her a bottle but they do not bottle that particular grape. Instead I purchased three different bottles of dipping oil and balsamic vinegar. All we'll need now is a good loaf of fresh bread and I'll be very happy. 

The Future for the Laetitia Winery

Cal Poly's Alex G. Spanos Football Stadium

The New Home Side

I had not been up to a Cal Poly game in about 5 years, the last time we drove up, the side of the stadium you are looking at was just a set of small metal high school style bleachers for the visiting team.

I'm not sure what Alex G. Spanos', the owner of the NFL San Diego Chargers, connection with Cal Poly is, but I'm sure that the people in San Luis Obispo are happy that it is a positive one since he donated the money for this huge upgrade.

I am taking this picture from the Cal Poly student section which is now directly behind the Idaho State bench area. It makes for some interesting interaction with the Bengals players and coaches who are trying to operate only a few feet away from a amusingly hostile crowd, i.e., not even close to a European calcio (soccer) crowd given a similar golden opportunity.

Small World

About two minutes after we took our seats, who saunters in to sit down in front of us? None other than one of my former Rio Mesa H.S. shot put/discus throwers, Julianne Jochums. She is a freshman at Cal Poly and a wonderful young lady.

I also ran into an old coaching friend before the game who I had not seen in years, Charlie Casale. Charlie was a very successful head coach at Mt. Whitney H.S. in Visalia, California and is now retired. He moved to the very beautiful town of Cambria which is very close to San Luis Obispo and he still has a hand in coaching at Cambria's Coast Union H.S. We were so busy talking quickly before the kickoff that I forgot to get a picture of him for the blog...OOPS!

Brian and Koreen FitzGerald

with a Mustang Braut

I hooked up with the FitzGerald's who were in San Luis Obispo to visit their son Pat who attends Cal Poly.

As you may have read in previous blogs these are two of the most precious friends Laurie and I have. Brian is also Rio Mesa's Athletic Director, Head Boys Track Coach and the Offensive Coordinator for R.M.'s Freshman Football team.

The two of them decided to go with me to the game even in the iffy weather conditions. When we got to the stadium it was not raining, during the pre-game warm-ups it was not raining, during the bands pre-game performance it was not raining...

Then the game started and so did the rain!

Fortunately, We Were Ready For The Storm! 

Unfortunately, about 30 seconds after Julianne took this picture of us, the usher informed us that umbrellas are not allowed to be opened in the stands during the game.

LET THE SOAKING BEGIN!

Bengals on Offense in the First Quarter

Though facing an uphill battle vs. Cal Poly's excellent team, Idaho State's team played HARD! 

In the final analysis, in these winless seasons, I believe that this is the key sign of a good coaching staff. Can you still somehow motivate the players to compete to the best of their abilities week after losing week.

Idaho State's Head Coach is John Zamberlin who graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1979. PLU was coached in those days by our Catania QB Jason Johnson's Hall of Fame grandfather, Frosty Westering. Frosty was famous for his positive approach to life and I think what I saw in Idaho State's players was the residue of Frosty's philosophies.

Still, I hope they are able to win one soon!

#8 Cal Poly QB Jonathan Dally Sprints Out

This is one very good football player! He played QB for Santa Maria's Righetti H.S. in 2004 when Rio Mesa played them in the opening round of the C.I.F. playoffs. We won the game that night to improve to 11-0 but he drove me crazy as the Spartans' Defensive Coordinator with his tremendous athletic abilities both passing and running.

At Cal Poly last year as a Junior, he led the team in passing. He completed 104 of his 192 passing attempts for 2,238 yards, 29 TDs and only threw 5 interceptions. No surprise, he WAS the starting QB on a solid 7-4 Mustang team.

What was interesting is that he also was the leading rusher for Cal Poly in 2007 with 763 yards on 182 carries and 12 TDs.

Because of the heavy rain, he did not get to throw the ball very much, but he looked good when he did.

The Firestone Brewery in San Luis Obispo

With Cal Poly in complete command of the game by halftime 28-7, we decided that we were wet enough for one night and headed to the Firestone Brewery for a DELICIOUS barbeque pork sandwich and a beverage. As we dined, we watched the end of the very exciting #1 Texas at #6 Texas Tech game won by Texas Tech on a 28 yards TD pass with one second left in the game, 39-33. Big Screen restaurant TVs are one of mankind's finest inventions!

On the drive home I listened to the last five minutes of the Cal Poly game on the radio. The final score of Cal Poly's 6th victory of the season was 49-10.

As for my Huskies, we lost to USC 0-56 to drop us to 0-8 for 2008. With North Texas' 51-40 victory over Western Kentucky, the University of Washington is now the ONLY team among the NCAA's elite 120 BCS colleges without a win in 2008. DAMN!

 

Ventura County's Oldest H.S. Football Rivalry

Santa Paula (5-2, 1-0 Frontier League)

at Fillmore (7-1, 2-0 Frontier League)

On Friday night I opted to go see the 98th renewal of "Ventura County's Oldest High School Football Rivalry", as the Santa Paula Cardinals traveled to Fillmore to play the host Flashes. I have never had a chance to see this legendary game so I made the 30 minute drive to see if Fillmore, coached by two of my good coaching friends Curtis Garner and Dave Wilde, could cut into Santa Paula's 54-36-7 series lead.

These two schools first started playing football games against each other in 1924. Santa Paula (population 32,500) and Fillmore (population 15,000) are both rural, farming communities that are one high school towns, a rarity in population rich Southern California.  These long time rivals are separated by only a 9 mile stretch of California's Highway 126 that cuts through acres and acres of rich farmland.

The Cheap Seats

I sat at the top of the bleachers to the left of the press box you see here with Liz Wilde, Dave's wife and a member of the Fillmore Unified School District Board of Education. The people of Fillmore are VERY proud of their new, state-of-the-art athletic facility. They did it the right way with a new scoreboard, new lights, an all-weather track and a modern, brightly colored synthetic turf field!

Still some people just can't cough up the $5 to get into the game so they set up camp outside the new, climb-proof fence to watch the game for free!

 

Fillmore Softball Dugout

Across the street and behind the Cheap Seats is the Fillmore H.S. softball field. The term "Lady Flashes" somehow worries me as an ex-educator.

 

The J.V. Game

with the Topa Topa foothills in the background.

 

I was advised to get to the stadium early as there would be a huge crowd, so I arrived at about 5:45 p.m. at halftime of what turned out to be a very exciting J.V. game. The Flashes would score a TD in the last minute of the game to win 14-11.

The 65 minute wait before the start of the Varsity game gave me time to catch up on what was going on in Fillmore and with the Wilde family as Liz and I had a smashing good conversation.

Flash's Fan Base

Loud and generally positive, this was small town America pride at its best.

Currently there are only stands on the home side of the field so the two schools sat side by side with only an aisle way at the 50 yard line serving as a dividing line. All was good because of the respect the two communities have for each other thus creating what has become a friendly rivalry. The announcer, the Mayor of Fillmore as it turns out, did a fine job keeping the crowd focused on being positive for their respective teams.  

Can you imagine this style of set-up for a Catania vs. Palermo calcio (soccer) game in Sicily?

Cardinal Mascots and Cheerleaders at the far end of the stands

The handsome "Captain Flash" mascot gets all the chicks!

Name three girls in the Fillmore student body who are NOT cheerleaders.

Halftime

Keeping in the theme of friendly competition, the two schools' bands performed together at the break. Santa Paula in cardinal shirts while the Fillmore band members are in white.

The Flashes Driving for Pay Dirt

The first half was dominated by the Cardinals as they took a 28-0 lead into the locker room. The Flashes made some solid halftime adjustments and came out fired up for the second half scoring two quick TDs to cut the Santa Paula lead to 28-14.

In the end, Santa Paula was just the better team on this pleasant Halloween night in Fillmore, coming away with a 34-14 victory to take command of the Frontier League championship race.

The Fillmore Flashes play one more regular season game at home vs. 3-5 Grace Brethren next Friday to close out their regular season followed by a BYE week and then a trip to the C.I.F. playoffs.

Friday Night Lights

Fillmore Style

Dave Wilde

Fillmore Assistant Coach

One of the great things about coaching for 40 seasons is the relationships you make and the people you meet over the years. My friendship with Dave Wilde is definitely one of best of these.

Dave coached our DB's for several years at Rio Mesa when I was the Spartans head coach. Dave is a good coach and a good role model for kids and young teachers. Typical of him, he apologized to me about the Flash's performance on this rivalry night, no need, the Flashes played hard and never showed a sign of giving up. To me these are the signs of a well coached team that has players who play with tons of heart!

Curtis Garner also coaches at Fillmore and was my defensive coordinator at Rio Mesa. I did not get a chance to see him after the game because his wife Louise is in the hospital and he left immediately to be with her after the gun sounded to bring a close to this chapter of "Ventura County's Oldest High School Football Rivalry". I hope that Louise will be back on her feet soon and be her normal, outgoing self.

Rio Mesa Freshmen Improve to 7-1

Rio Mesa (6-1, 2-0 PVL)

at Oxnard (4-3, 1-1 PVL)

This game shaped up as our toughest game since the loss to St. Francis in Week #4 and it lived up to its billing!

The game was a very hard-hitting, defensive struggle that revolved around big plays and a crucial Special Teams play by the Spartans.

Tanner Wrout " Truckin' " His Way Towards the End Zone

Picking a Player-of-the-Game was VERY easy for once. Tanner had a truly memorable day as his simple statistics bear out:

131 yards rushing on 16 carries

1 for 1 passing for 15 yards

1 pass reception for 6 yards

5 tackles

1 fumble recovery that he returned 45 yards for a TD

1 interception that he returned 71 yards for the winning TD with 3 minutes left in the game

WOW!!! 

Wrout Can Block Too!

Here is a shot of Tanner at fullback exploding on the Yellowjacket's defensive end on a sweep run by Roderick White.

As good as Tanner's blocking was, Zach Saldana's blocking at fullback when Tanner went to tailback was just downright devastating!

Our offensive stats were down because of Oxnard's tenacious defense. We had 43 snaps that resulted in a modest Total Offense figure of 211 yards and 1 rushing TD by our QB Trenton Thornton. Turning the ball over three times was of great concern.

Defensive End Ben Dixon

Ben was in on 6 tackles including two for losses totaling -6 yards.

Our defense played well also, it HAD to on this overcast afternoon if we were to win and keep our PVL championship hopes alive. We held Oxnard to 42 plays, 208 yards and earned 4 turnovers in the game. Besides Tanner Wrout's two big turnovers, Darren Gales and Ben Quantock each had a fumble recovery.

#15 CB Roderick White on the Tackle

#52 MLB Nick Gutierrez, in hot pursuit here, had a very solid outing. His team high 11 tackles were supplemented by forcing two fumbles and recording a -9 yards QB Sack.

Defensive Swarm

Final Score

Rio Mesa 19 - Oxnard 14

It was a very hard fought, emotional win for us. We trailed much of the second half 13-14 until Wrout's electrifying 71 yards interception made the score

19-14.

Key to our victory was the ensuing kickoff by Alex Torres. We went with a cross field pooch kick and Alex hit it PERFECTLY! It took a crazy bounce near the sideline and Nathaniel Garay was able to recover it at the Oxnard 37 yard line. From there we were able to run out the clock aided by a key 4th and short run by Roderick White. The game ended with the Spartans at the Yellowjacket 3 yard line taking a knee on the last two snaps of the game rather than trying to score an unnecessary TD.

With the win, Rio Mesa improves to 7-1 overall and

3-0 in Pacific View League play while Oxnard drops to

4-4, 1-2 PVL.

Next up for the Spartans is a 4:00 p.m. PVL game at the home of the Hueneme Vikings (0-8, 0-3). We enter the week still tied for first place in the PVL with crosstown rival Camarillo who is also 7-1, 3-0 PVL. If we both take care of business this week, it would set up a very big final game of the season in two weeks at Rio Mesa.

Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson and George Contreras

New Orleans, Louisiana

2004 Sugar Bowl

BCS National Championship Game

LSU 21 - Oklahoma 14

Mark Johnson and George Contreras

Shishoe Bay, Seattle, Washington

Ray's Boathouse Restaurant

Johnson/Contreras 1 - Halibut 0

Although I knew of Mark "Mad Dog" Johnson since his freshman year at the University of Washington in the Fall of 1966, I didn't become one of his friends until we had a chance meeting in 1968 when we both answered an ad in the UW's Daily newspaper about the Intramural Department needing officials to work Intramural Football Games. They paid $5 per game which was a LOT of money for a college kid back then, so I went to a training meeting and saw Mark sitting near the front. His moniker of "Mad Dog" had been richly deserved and I frankly was hoping to sneak out quickly from the back of the room when the meeting was over and pray that the other 25 applicants in attendance would shield me from Mark's view.

Suddenly I heard a yell "George" and knew that I had been found out. I courteously turned and said hello. We chatted for a few minutes and he asked me to go with him to get something to eat. He would not take "No" for an answer so I reluctantly made what turned into one of the best decisions of my life and went with him.

We would become the two top rated officials in the system and worked the games with the rowdiest dorm and/or frat teams involved. Eventually we were picked to be the refs for the Intramural Championship game, a BIG honor at the time. Mark would go on to continue his refereeing career after graduation but in wrestling not football. Eventually he became world class official and was picked by the U.S. Wrestling Federation to work tournaments in every corner of the wrestling globe.

Now 40 years later he is still one of my dearest friends in the world and a man my entire family can count on in any difficult situation. We have been together for all the UW Rose Bowls since 1978, three BCS Championship Games and even Super Bowl XL in Detroit when Pittsburgh beat Seattle's Seahawks. 

Mark is just now finishing a 3 month battle with tongue cancer that has seen him fight through radiation and chemotherapy treatments. He has lost his sense of taste, gets his nutrients through a feeding tube and has lost 30 pounds.

I asked him what would be the first solid food he would eat again once his taste buds reactivated and he could keep food down. His answer? Be in Aci Castello, Sicily for pizza on the outdoor piazza served by Jonica's Pizzeria. I'm glad he enjoyed the food in Sicily when he and Susie visited me last summer. 

Still, he is so very strong of spirit and thank God appears to be winning his battle. In typical Mark fashion, he knew that our friends Debi and Tim Murphy, who had come to Seattle with us and were tailgating in his home, had lost their husband/father Dan to cancer a little over two years ago. In the middle of all his own struggle, he pulled me aside to make sure that Debi and Tim were O.K. with him and that he was not upsetting them in any way by dredging up old, unpleasant memories.

Mark long ago lost any claim to the nickname "Mad Dog" as he matured and mellowed. I'm sure that his wife, Susie, and their two kids, Sophie and Mallory, played key parts in this transformation into a model parent.

In life, one makes many acquaintances but really very few friends. I am so fortunate to that I have been able to count Mark as a true friend all these years.

Anyone care for

"One Cruel Prawn"?

"City, State or Federal?"

Seattle Sunday

We all awoke hale and hearty Sunday morning none the worse for wear after digesting the 12 egg omelet at Beth's Cafe. Laurie and Tim are both New Orleans Saints fans and wanted to watch their game against the San Diego Chargers live from London at 10:00 a.m. I am not a big NFL fan (pro teams move, colleges do not) but I do watch the Saints because our godson, Scott Fujita, plays linebacker for them.

On a side note, Scott got tickets for a bunch of our Sicilian based Catania Elephant teammates to attend he game. From the initial reports I have gotten, they had a GREAT time, met Scott and some of the other Saints and, most importantly, London is still standing!

I spent the first half of the game making a run for coffee and tea at a local Starbucks and touring some of my old college day haunts for photo ops.

COLLEGE MEMORIES

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church

This fine, old church is near the UW and it was our parish home in the late 1960s. My wife Laurie was baptized here and also received her First Communion in this building.

Fraternity Row

Although I was not in a fraternity, many of my friends were. A lot of crazy things happened here and I suspect they still do!

Debi Murphy, our roadmate on this excursion, asked me why I decided to go to the UW since I was born and bred in Southern California. The answer was simple enough, it involved food.

In 1958, as a 6th grader, I was playing my first season ever of football in a flag football league sponsored by the Catholic Youth Organization for my school in Pasadena, St. Philip the Apostle School. I was excited to watch the 1959 Rose Bowl game between Iowa and California on New Year's Day but fate stepped in as Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution officially defeated the reigning Batista regime that day. The result? My dad, a big Castro booster at the time, hauled the family down to a pro-Castro/anti Batista rally in downtown Los Angeles. So much for my first Rose Bowl viewing experience.

The 1959 season rolls around and the University of Washington Huskies are going to play the Wisconsin Badgers in the New Year's Day 1960 Rose Bowl game. Every day of the week, my path from St. Philip the Apostle School took me by the Huntington Sheraton Hotel, the traditional accommodations for the Big 10 representatives each year. One day my friends John Walsh and Craig Sweeney suggested that we should enter the hotel and see if we could bump into some of the Badger players. In the lobby there was a large, slide top refrigerator with a sign on it that read "Welcome to the Rose Bowl Badgers, Enjoy an Apple Courtesy of the University of Washington".

We weren't Badgers but what the hell, free food is not fattening. Naturally, we slowly slid the top open as we looked around to see if we were being watched by members of the Wisconsin State Patrol. No one stopped us as we committed the "Crime of the Century" and each pilfered a crisp, cold, delicious, bright red apple. They were so addictive that we came back every day after school for another shot at spending the rest of our natural lives in Wisconsin's Sheboygan State Prison.

The Big 10 vs. West Coast Rose Bowl contract was signed in 1947. Since that time the West Coast teams had only won one Rose Bowl Game, a 7-0 USC victory over Wisconsin in 1953, in the first 13 meetings. Thus West Coast football was not considered to be anywhere near the quality of the mid-West brand of the game. On New Year's Day 1960 I was glued to my TV set as no major political upheavals occurred anywhere in the Western Hemisphere this time!

The apple giving University of Washington Huskies were magnificent that day completely thrashing the University of Wisconsin Badgers 44-8 behind the offensive fireworks of one-eyed QB Bob Schloredt and RB George Fleming. Coach Jim Owens team was just amazing to watch as they physically dominated the highly favored Badgers. I was young and impressionable but I knew that very day that I wanted to be a Husky some day because of the football team in part but probably more because of the apples.

The Dawgs came back to the Rose Bowl the next season in 1961 and further cemented my decision by beating the Big 10 champion Minnesota Golden Gophers 17-7 with Bob Schloredt winning the MVP honors a second year in a row. A 17-7 loss to the Dick Butkus led University of Illinois Fighting Illini in the 1964 Rose Bowl did nothing to change my decision.

One of the best days of my life was the Saturday morning after our Alemany H.S. game my senior year in high school when my high school coach, Jack Friedman, informed me that the UW was going to offer me a football scholarship...WHERE DO I SIGN!

Dick's was always great spot to get something cheap to eat at 2:00 a.m.

Seattle's Lincoln H.S.

Home of the Lincoln Lynx

I did my student teaching for Bing Nixon at Lincoln H.S. in the Fall of 1969 just before graduating in December.

Lincoln H.S. no longer exists but it is still in use by the Seattle School District as a temporary school. As our friend Mark Johnson explained it to me, as the school district renovates a high school or junior high school during a 1 to 2 year construction project, they bus the students from that school to the old L.H.S. campus while the work is underway.

So I guess, in some odd way, Lincoln spirit never really dies.

The steps leading up to one of Lincoln's entryways.

Lincoln H.S. had very cool gates!

The Blue Moon Tavern

Often the scene, along with Dante's Tavern, of the activities that would lead up to Dick's Drive-In or the Hasty Tasty.

Clyde and Connie Werner

I really love these two people and look forward to seeing them when we visit Seattle. Connie is definitely Clyde's better 4/5's!

Clyde was a GREAT Husky linebacker when I was there and played several years for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. Unassuming and quiet, he just played the game the way Amos Alonzo Stagg intended it to be played. The first time I saw him I thought he was Paul Bunyon!

Did I ever mention that Laurie loves Tweety Bird?

Back at Villa Johnson, Sophie and Mallory were busy decorating for Halloween when they brought out this Tweety head that Laurie is proudly wearing. 

The Hiram Chittenden Locks

After the Saints game ended, a 37-32 New Orleans win, we loaded up the rent-a-car to drive out to the Hiram Chittenden Locks and English Gardens in Seattle's Ballard district.

Very Cool Metal Artwork at the Locks...

... or a Jungle-Gym set for Sophie and Mallory?

The locks helps boats go between the fresh water Seattle lakes and the lower elevation salt water Puget Sound.

These fishing boats are headed out to sea today.

It WAS a little windy and crisp at the Locks on Sunday.

The edge of the English Gardens to the north of the Locks.

A Late Lunch at Ray's Boathouse

Ray's Boathouse is located on Shilshoe Bay very near the Chittenden Locks

It has excellent food, fun fish related artwork and a magnificent view of the Puget Sound to match.

The Johnson, Murphy and Contreras delegations

at Ray's Boathouse for the

2008 World Seafood Eating Championships

Thus this meal brought a close to a fantastic weekend in the Pacific Northwest.

A BIG THANKS, as always, to our very special friends, Mark and Susie Johnson, for their fantastic hospitality!