Our Last Day on the East Coast Swing

Sunday, November 11, 2018

We bid a thankful farewell to Jim Philbin for his generous hospitality in letting us spend the night at his wonderful home last night and started our drive down to New Jersey from Connecticut to visit some more friends.

So just how naturally beautiful is Ridgefield, Connecticut this time of year you ask?

Quite beautiful actually

About 90 minutes later we were in . . .

 . . . New Jersey to meet with . . .

. . . the one and only Moe DeCandia!

First of all, Moe is a legend in the East Coast labor relations field. More impressively, he has lost 140 pounds since the last time I saw him!

I literally did not recognize him at first. As soon as he started talking and allowed to let his personality come out, I knew that it was indeed Moe and not an imposter.

We had a great time for about an hour before having to head out to a diner in nearby Harrison, NJ, recommended by Moe to meet yet another friend.

 500 Passaic Avenue

Harrison, NJ 07029

(973) 481-0490

Don't let the rough and tumble industrial neighborhood scare you off, this is a GOOD place!

The Brick City Lions Pop Warner

Cheerleaders were asking for donations

to help with their upcoming trip to a

competition in Florida

How could I say no?

Mark's other New Jersey

connection, Chris Curtis

In another life they were both excellent international wrestling referees.

The coffee was good and the

Colorado Omelet was heavenly but . . .

 . . . the Oreo Cheesecake was AMAZING!

Weight conscious, we of course shared

Laura was a great server who made

our brunch even better with

her positive attitude and smile

After our brunch, it was time to say adieu to Chris and journey on to Newark's Liberty Airport for the flight home to Los Angeles.

First we had to cross this

rusted out old bridge

Somehow, it held.

I like New Jersey as it turns out

My concern getting home was the raging wildfires in Ventura County that could have posed a problem with Laurie being able to pick me up at LAX.

 See what I mean?

The Pacific Coast Highway, seen here, and the Ventura Freeway were both shut down but Laurie was able to circumvent the fires by going via the 118 Simi Valley/Ronald Reagan Freeway.

I had a ride home.

This is how extensive

the fires were as I flew

While in flight the Rams did it again!

9-1!

Thank God the Deacon was ready

to play and stepped in for that slacker

Todd Gurley II

An interesting thing happened on my way home to Los Angeles.

Mark had me upgraded to First Class and I was assigned a seat in Row 1 on the aisle. There was already a man sitting in the adjoining window seat who looked familiar.

Wouldn't you know it, it was actor . . .

F. Murray Abraham

Winner of the 1985

Academy Award for Best Actor

He won for his portrayal of Antonio Salieri in the film Amadeus.

Whenever I am near a celebrity, I try to live by one rule -- they need their privacy and should not be unnecessarily bothered with fan worship.

Thus, it was a no selfie and I kept conversation to a minimum.

We did exchange pleasantries on our six hour flight but I did the best I could to let him have his space.

I passed on dessert but he implored me to partake of the same one he had, a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a shot of whisky poured on it. I was still strong after that Oreo Cheesecake at Tops Diner earlier in the day and said no to temptation.

When we finally arrived at LAX, I was the first one off the plane and once in the gate's waiting area I stopped to rearrange my backpack, coat and carry-on bag.

When I looked up F. Murray Abraham himself was standing there waiting for me to finish. Being not as good an actor as he is, he was able to see through my charade of not knowing who he was.

Surprisingly he put forth his hand and as we shook he said, "Thank you for a nice flight." 

I think that he appreciated the space I had given him.

I leaned in and said to him in a low voice so as not to draw any unwanted attention, "I loved you as the grapes in those Fruit -of-the-Loom commercials."

He looked at me, broke into a huge smile, started laughing and said, "You remember those ads?"

My response was simply, "It was your seminal role."

He kept on laughing harder and just said, "Those commercials paid for my kids. Have a safe trip home."

So ended a great ten day American football adventure with a whole bunch of friends!

My life is blessed.

Lafayette at Army Game

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Finally, the day had arrived.

The main reason for our trip east this week was a Bucket List game at one of college football's most iconic sites, the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York.

The USMA, known simply as Army, is the home of Michie Stadium which in the Fall when the leaves are turning colors hard by the Hudson River becomes a spectacular site to watch an American football game.

Our motel Friday night was only a half hour drive north of West Point which allowed us to get up with plenty of time to get on campus in time for the 9:00 a.m. Parade of Cadets ceremony before the noon kickoff of our Lafayette-Army game.

West Point is an active military post

as well as an academy so security

was present at our entry gate

We were routed to the base's commissary parking lot and then to busses that would ride us down the steep hill, by Michie Stadium and then on to the Parade Grounds.

The Cadet Chapel overlooking

the Parade Grounds and the

assembling Cadets

There are countless monuments

and statues dedicated to USMA

graduates and the battles they

have fought in throughout our

country's history

At West Point, it is often said . . .

"Much of the history we teach was made by the people we taught."

 Such a solemn campus

 Overlooking the Hudson River

from the backside of the monument

in the above photos

Just loving the Cadet Chapel

Cadet Drill Team led the way

before the Corps of Cadets

took to the Parade Grounds 

Cadet Drill Team in Action

Flipping and catching their weapons

without a hitch

I think that they may have practiced this routine before.

 Cadets streaming out to the

Parade Grounds from our left . . .

. . . and from our right

Finally assembled, it was time  . . .

. . . TO MARCH!

Just as precise a march as you

would expect from The Long Grey Line

Our Colors

passing in parade

The Parade started precisely at 9:00 a.m. as announced and lasted about 30 minutes.

They have this spectacularly patriotic parade before every home game. If you ever come to an American football game at West Point, get there early enough to see this parade. 

You will be glad you did.

After the parade, we toured the small area housing the campus buildings. I say small because one must remember that there are only about 4,200 members of the elite Corps of Cadets. 

Mark leading the way on our tour

Another gorgeous view of

the Hudson River Valley

 Sylvanus Thayer was an early

Superintendent of the USMA

from 1817-1833

His excellent leadership has earned him the sobriquet "The Father of West Point."

 Powerful looking building

With the Cadet Chapel

in the distance behind us

Overlooking the Hudson River is a series of engraved, polished granite monuments telling the West Point story during the dark days of the American Civil War.

Many times during this four year war, West Point graduates battled each other to the death.

Here is part of their story . . .

 Where the Civil War's first battle

was fought

The story of USMA graduates having

to decide between the Union and

the Confederacy

The bloodiest day in United States history

with 22,717 dead, wounded or missing

Reconciliation

 The colorful Cadet Mess Hall

Table for 4,200 please.

Colonel Thayer again

During the Revolutionary War

West Point was a strategic post

on the Hudson River

In order to stop the British from sailing up the Hudson River, the Colonial Army stretched a heavy iron chain across this exact spot to hinder the enemy and present stationary targets from these very bluffs above the chain.

The British never attempted a breach of the chain.

 A small part of that Revolutionary

War chain that remains today

With our newest friends Mark, Walter and

Walter's son whose name I never got

Once again wearing Husky purple to a non-Washington game served as our ice breaker. Once all of the ribbing and pleasantries were exchanged, Walter, a USMA graduate, kindly offered to lead us on a tour of his campus.

We would later sit with all of them during the game.

Two Huskies on the Hudson River

It was fun on six or seven occasions to have fully uniformed Cadets walk by us and say "GO DAWGS!" as we passed.

Only once did we hear a "Go Cougs."

Formal discharge papers are being filed this week against this miscreant Cadet and rightfully so.

Walter's tour of the Academy was awesome and full of great insights to the campus' history and Cadet life.

Thanks Walter!

Finally it was time to head via bus up the hill to Michie Stadium for the game.

The bus dropped us off about 100 yards from the stadium named after Army's first American football Head Coach, Dennis Mahan Michie. He was the one who organized, managed and coached Army's first ever American football team. He coached the Cadets for two seasons, 1890 and 1892, compiling a 3-2-1 (.583) record.

The drop off point was by a small building that housed a souvenir store and a dining area that offered free coffee, cookies and beer. The food lines were too long for us to take advantage but we did buy a few souvenirs for the grandkids.

Finally, it was . . .

GAME TIME!

The Lafayette Leopards

3-6 overall, 2-3 in Patriot League play

at

The Army Black Knights of the Hudson

7-2 overall, Army is an independent

 On Brave Old Army Team . . .

 94 year old Michie Stadium

seats a modest 38,000 fans

West Point's motto

Little #7 dreaming about becoming

a Black Knight football player

To quote General George C. Marshall . . .

"I want an officer for a secret and dangerous mission. I want a West Point football player."

The Offensive Line warming up

Since Army only throws the ball about five times a game, the OL was not working on any pass sets from what I saw.

It was still early but it was a

BEAUTIFUL day for American football!

A large reservoir behind our seats

  

We were bundled up as the wind

definitely made it colder

The Black Knights take the field!

Army running their patented

Triple Option attack

Just a great, scenic venue

  

 A PASS in Michie Stadium

Well it was Lafayette throwing so I guess that makes it OK.

The action as seen from the bottom

row of Michie Stadium

Sorry, I just like this view

Some game action

Part of Army's storied history

Some more Black Knights' history

Half time Flag from our perspective . . .

. . . and as seen from high above with

someone's fish eye lens

The Army Mule is the USMA's mascot

From the end zone looking at the

Corps of Cadets in their battle fatigues

 Of course there was a mini-tank

in the end zone

Behind our seats the Cadet

Drum and Bagpipe band

was playing

Let's listen . . .

Army played a solid game in

all three phases of the game

The Black Knights had a lot to celebrate

on this brisk Autumn Saturday

The weather held off until the cannon exploded signaling the end of the game with the Black Knight's (8-2) taking home a 31-13 victory over Lafayette (3-7).

As soon as that cannon sounded we were hit by an enchanting five minute snow storm, then it suddenly stopped and Sun shined on us the rest of the afternoon.

After the game, we drove from West Point down the amazing Hudson River Valley into Ridgefield, Connecticut where we had dinner with Jim Philbin. Ever the gracious host, we spent the night in his home after Jim implored us to stay.

THANKS JIM!

All in all, it was a great, great day!

I'll fly home to Camarillo via Newark's Liberty Airport Sunday afternoon so we will still have an adventure or two up our sleeve tomorrow I'm sure.

Stay tuned . . .